13. Mason
MASON
Did I jump the gun? Yes.
Do I regret it? Absolutely fucking not.
I’ve been this way my entire life. I act first and figure out the consequences later. Usually, I end up wanting to kick myself in the ass, but not this time.
“How much is it to rent a place in this building?” Lizzy asks as we walk into my apartment.
“A one-bedroom is a little over two thousand a month and probably another five hundred or so for parking.”
Lizzy pales as she takes off her coat. “Are you serious?”
“Big city has a big price tag.” I take her coat from her, placing it on a hook I hung near my door because I knew she’d be here.
I always thought my place was nice, but I realized it wasn’t girled-up enough. I didn’t have hooks or extra places for purses and whatever else they carry that I couldn’t even imagine.
“I don’t know if I can afford that.”
“I have a spare room,” I tell her, hoping she’ll stay here whether we get into a relationship or not. At least, that’s the lie I tell myself. It may be jumping the gun, but I’d rather her move in and be my girlfriend right off the bat. “You can always use it if you’d be more comfortable.”
She turns, staring up at me. “What about someplace a little less expensive. Is that possible?”
“Why don’t you stay here and save your money?”
She places her hands on my chest as she looks at me with her big doe eyes. “I haven’t lived with anyone since I was in college. I don’t think I’d be a good roommate at my age.”
I reach up and wrap my hands around her arms, gently sliding them back and forth. “How about you stay here while you find a place, and if things work out, maybe you’ll think about staying for good.”
“Have you ever lived with anyone?”
I shake my head. “Always been on my own.”
“So, what makes you think this would be a good idea?”
“I’ve never known peace like I feel when you’re around.”
“I don’t talk a lot, so that’s a given.”
I chuckle at her ridiculousness. “That’s not what I mean.”
“I’m picky, Mason. I like everything a certain way. I think I’d make an awful roommate, and you’ll be sick of me in a week.”
“We have three days together to see how it would go. You don’t need to give me an answer now, but it’s an option.”
I don’t know what’s come over me. A year ago, if someone would’ve told me I’d ask a woman—one I wanted to be with in a non-friend way—to live with me, I would’ve told them they had a screw loose.
“Why are you so great to me?” she whispers as we stand with only inches between us, staring into each other’s eyes.
“Because you deserve it,” I tell her.
Lizzy glances down, and I immediately move my fingers to her chin, forcing her to look into my eyes again.
“Never settle for less than this, Lizzy. If someone isn’t going to be great to you, they don’t deserve your time. Got me?”
Her eyes search mine like she’s trying to decide if she agrees. “Yes,” she squeaks out.
“No more dipshits.”
“No more dipshits,” she repeats.
“Now, do you wanna see my bedroom?” I waggle my eyebrows because, although I want to show her my redecorating, I also want to get her under me.
Lizzy giggles as her cheeks redden. “What do you want to show me so badly?”
“I have more than a few things, but I finished the room and want you to see it. I need to make sure it’s right.”
I added a couple more items than she had in her room, including a giant, full-length mirror near the bed. Last night, I fantasized more than a few times about fucking her and watching our reflection. But I can’t think of that now or else I won’t be able to walk right.
“Lead the way,” she says, as if she hasn’t been in my bedroom and doesn’t know exactly where it is.
I take her hand, leading her toward my redecorated bedroom. This moment feels like I’m about to unveil my life’s work to a discerning audience that’ll make or break me.
Lizzy steps into the room, and I switch on the light.
She gasps and covers her mouth. “It’s…” She doesn’t finish the sentence.
My stomach flips, and I wonder if I got the wrong shade of black. Is that even a thing? Black is black, isn’t it?
“It’s stunning,” she finally says before I have a chance to panic. “I can’t believe you did all this so quickly.”
I didn’t have much else to do this week. I worked at the bar and spent all my other time finishing the bedroom.
“I was highly motivated.”
Lizzy squeezes my fingers. “You did a few things differently, and it’s better than my bedroom.” Her gaze moves to the mirror, which has a chunky, dark-wood frame and leans against the wall. “That is a great addition. I could get a lot of use out of it.”
I know I was hoping we would. If not this weekend, then soon. “I loved it as soon as I saw it.”
Besides the small mirror above my sink, I never look at my own reflection. I don’t need to, but I have other reasons, sexy ones, to put one in my bedroom in the perfect place to get a great view from the bed.
“So, you’d sleep in here?”
“I could live in this room.” She points to a black velvet chaise I added to the corner near the window. “That’s a perfect spot to curl up with a book.”
I don’t want to tell her that I thought of her when I bought it and put it there. I pictured her doing just that, curling up with a book and a blanket, spending hours devouring pages.
“We just need to get a few bookcases, and you’ll be all set.”
“You’ve really thought of everything, haven’t you?”
“I tried.”
“You did,” she tells me and spins around to face me. “I’m impressed.”
“I’m a motivated man,” I answer honestly. I’d had the same paint color on the walls that was here when I moved in. I never once thought about changing it until I saw her bedroom. And then there’s the fact that I want her to stay with me.
She steps forward, eliminating the little bit of distance between us. “You impress me,” she whispers. “This was so sweet.”
I don’t want to tell her I did it for me too. I spent way too many years getting shit sleep and having the sun wake me up hours earlier than I wanted.
“I’d do anything for you,” I tell her, snaking my arms around her and pulling her closer.
She tips her head back, her eyes searching mine in the soft glow of the warm white lightbulbs she told me to buy for my bedside table lamps. “Anything?” She raises an eyebrow like I have limits.
She doesn’t know me well enough yet to realize I have no limits when it comes to getting what or who I want, and right now, that’s her.
“Anything,” I say in a gravelly voice, ready to drop to my feet and worship her body. “What can I do?”
Lizzy bites her lip, and I can’t stop myself from staring. My body reacts, my cock instantly growing.
“I made a promise to myself,” she whispers, leaning her chest against mine. “I wouldn’t stop myself from experiencing something wonderful this weekend.”
“Like?” I want to hear her say the words.
“I want to be with you. I want to touch you. I want to see you.”
“Same,” I breathe out, wanting it more than anything I’ve wanted in a long time. My body aches for her. I’ve done my best to scratch that itch, but it’s not the same.
Lizzy pops up on her toes and plants her lips against mine. Her lips are soft, but the kiss is not. I tighten my arms around her, pulling her closer until there’s no space between us.
“Fuck me, Mason,” she whispers against my lips.
I moan at the thought, and I step forward, taking her with me as we move toward the bed. I’ve been dreaming of this moment, hoping I wouldn’t have to wait too much longer. It is finally here. She asked, and nothing is going to stop me from making her wish come true.
I slide my fingers under her shirt and touch her back, groaning at her warmth and softness. The closer we get to the bed, the more frantic her kissing becomes and the quicker her fingers move.
She slides her hands under my shirt and lifts. “Off,” she commands.
I like this bossy side of her. Not having to think about what she wants or if I’m going too far puts my mind at ease. I no longer need to think about what’s okay or not.
I break the kiss, tearing my shirt off my body like it’s on fire and I can’t take another minute of the heat against my skin. “Just my shirt?” I ask.
But Lizzy doesn’t answer. She’s only staring. “Fuck, I forgot how beautiful you are,” she says to me, her gaze trained on my abs.
“Babe, you’ve seen me shirtless before.”
“But—” she waves her hand up and down toward my body “—I always tried not to look.”
I don’t call her out on the lie. I’ve seen the way her eyes drink me in every time I don’t have my shirt on around her. “Take yours off,” I tell her instead.
She swallows, and for a second, I think she’s going to chicken out and get shy. I can see the doubt creeping across her face about her body.
I step back into her space, placing my hands at the hem of her shirt. “May I?” I ask.
She nods and raises her arms.
I pull her shirt up and over her head. As soon as I drop the material to the floor, I can’t help but stare at her. “Fucking perfect,” I tell her and lick my lips.
Her breasts are large, almost spilling out of her black lace bra. I don’t even know how the thin material is keeping anything in place. Before I have a chance to say or do anything else, Lizzy launches herself at me.
I stagger back, catching her in my arms. Her warm skin meets my hot flesh, and I groan in satisfaction as I wrap my arms around her, holding her close and kissing her hard. We’re frantic in our movements, working at each other’s pants, trying to get naked as quickly as possible.
Maybe she’s daydreamed about this moment as much as I have.
We’re doing this. We’re really doing this.
Our mouths part briefly as we strip off our bottoms, only to fuse back together with more force and desire than before.
“Condom,” she breathes into my mouth, but I’m not ready for the main course.
“Not yet,” I tell her as I push her down on the bed.
Her legs dangle off the side as she lands, and I fall to my knees and settle between her thighs. “First, I feast.”