Chapter 17
Mason
Palm trees slid past the windshield as I followed the GPS toward Lila’s place.
Dinner. With a woman. On purpose.
A date? What the hell was I doing?
My phone buzzed, and I tapped the screen to answer.
“Did you get the flowers like I told you?” Gideon’s voice crackled through the car speakers.
I glanced at the bouquet lying on the passenger seat. “Yeah, I got them. But I don’t see why I need flowers. It’s just dinner.”
Gideon let out a long, dramatic sigh. “Just dinner, he says. Mason, girls like Lila expect this kind of stuff on a first date. She’s not some puck bunny you can charm with your hockey stick and a wink.”
Of course she wasn’t. That was the problem. Puck bunnies were easy. A few smooth lines, a couple of drinks, and they were in my bed before last call. But Lila… she wasn’t like that.
“I know that. I’m not a complete idiot.”
“Debatable.” He snorted. “Listen, I’m serious. Lila’s not the kind of girl you have fun with and move on. She’s the real deal. Don’t mess with her unless you mean it.”
My grip tightened on the wheel. “Who says I’m messing with her? It’s just dinner.” The words came out sharper than I meant.
Gideon laughed, and it scraped across my nerves. “So you’re not planning to toss up her skirt? You should really stay away if that’s all you’re after.”
“She’s the only woman I know in Miami, and I like being around her. We’re getting dinner. No need to make it a whole thing.” I shifted gears and stared at the road. “Since when do you butt into my love life, anyway?”
“I always butt in. Remember Vanessa? I told you she was bad news. And the dental hygienist? I know more about your love life than you do.”
My reflection scowled back at me in the rearview mirror.
“Trust me, Mase,” Gideon went on, “Lila’s a lot classier than what you’re used to. She’s not asking for a highlight reel. She wants the whole season.”
“The whole season,” I repeated, scrubbing a hand over my face.
“She told me she wants real,” Gideon said, like he was daring me to argue. “Not the Mason Special. Not ‘great night, see you never.’ Real. And you have the emotional availability of a decorative throw pillow. Looks nice. Zero support.”
Irritation spiked through me. “That’s not fair. I’m just… focused on my career. I don’t have time for anything serious.”
“Mm-hmm,” Gideon hummed. “Exactly. So stop auditioning for Boyfriend of the Year and go eat dinner alone like the commitment-phobe you are.”
His words lodged in my chest. He wasn’t wrong, but the idea of not seeing Lila pissed me off more than it should have.
“Alright, enough with the lecture,” I grumbled. “I’ll be on my best behavior.”
Gideon snorted. “That’s what I’m afraid of. Just think about what you want, Mase. If it’s only a good time, stay away. But if it’s something more…”
He let the words hang. Then, “Maybe stop lying to yourself.”
The line went dead.
I tossed the phone onto the seat beside the flowers. My eyes were on the road, but my mind was elsewhere, trying to figure out what the hell I wanted from Lila.
From the second I walked in on her sprawled on my bed, fingers between her thighs, I wanted to fuck her. No question. But was that it? Was I just looking to get her in bed and walk away, like always? A one-and-done?
What the hell. When had I ever questioned my intentions with a woman before? Never.
I scowled. Damn Gideon and his unwanted insight. By the time I pulled up to her place, I still didn’t have any answers.
His words were still ringing in my head when I handed Lila the bouquet, my movements stiff and awkward. “These are for you,” I mumbled.
Her eyes lit up, a smile blooming across her face as she took them. “They’re beautiful, Mason. Thank you.”
She looked so damn good it hurt. The dress was tamer than the one from the club, but it still showed off her curves and sent my thoughts sideways.
Her blonde hair was pinned up, her neck exposed.
All I could think about was getting my hands on her and undoing it all.
Her blue eyes caught mine, all mischief and promise, and I knew I was in trouble.
But it was her full, pink lips that had my attention, making it impossible not to picture them wrapped around—
Yeah. I needed to focus.
She was beautiful in a way that made me want her and want to protect her from myself at the same time.
Everything about her screamed put together and in control, like she had her life sorted and didn’t have room for guys like me screwing it up.
I could see her pageant past in her posture, in the practiced smile she wore like armor.
Gideon was right. Lila was the kind of woman you brought home to meet your parents. And I wasn’t sure I had anything to offer someone like her beyond a good time and a few mind-blowing orgasms.
I held the door as Lila stepped out of the car, looking unbothered by the heat. Every hair was in place, her makeup flawless. How the hell did she manage it?
Remembering my manners, I offered her my arm. “Ready to eat?”
The restaurant, Eclipse, was exactly the type of high-end spot I usually steered clear of.
Low lighting, crisp linens, tiny portions with names I couldn’t pronounce.
But Gideon swore it would impress her. He’d pulled strings to get us a table, going on about its exclusivity and how local celebrities swarmed the place, eager to both see and be seen.
It was the kind of place where the appetizer cost more than my first junior stick.
But at least there wouldn’t be any rogue mariachi bands crashing this date.
As we walked in, the hostess’s eyes flicked up and widened slightly. Her fingers hesitated over the reservation book, and a smile crept across her face. The familiarity in her expression caught me off guard. A beat later, I felt it, that subtle shift in the room as a few heads turned.
In Toronto, I could usually keep a low profile. No press. No stares. But here in Miami, I hadn’t even laced up for the Fusion yet, and people were already starting to recognize me.
Damn billboards.
We were shown to a quiet table and settled into our seats. Candlelight flickered over Lila’s face as she leaned in. “So, how are you liking Miami now that you’ve had time to settle in? Is it growing on you yet?”
I took a sip of water. “It’s... different. The heat’s still kicking my ass, if I’m being honest. Feels like I’m living in a sauna most days.”
She let out a soft laugh. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a guy two booths over angling his phone in our direction. Great. So this was what Gideon meant about being seen.
“You poor thing,” Lila teased, her Southern drawl softening the jab. “I’m sure you’ll acclimate eventually. How about the team? Feeling any less like the odd man out?”
“Yeah.” I grinned, thinking about the chaos of the last week. “They’re a good bunch. A bit crazy, but in the best way. You wouldn’t believe half the stuff Coach Murray comes up with.”
Lila arched a brow. “Oh? Do tell.”
“For starters, his motivational speeches are... unique. Yesterday he told us that winning requires ‘the heart of a lion and the guts of a salmon.’ Still not sure if that was a botched Churchill quote or the result of bad sushi.”
She burst out laughing. “And here I thought only pageant moms said things that wild.”
A waiter passed by and did a double take when he saw me. I kept my eyes on Lila. It was all part of being a professional athlete. Or maybe it was the billboards. Bulge included.
“That’s not even the best part. He made us do trust falls.”
“Trust falls?” Her eyes lit up, amusement dancing there.
“Yep. Imagine a bunch of grown men, pro athletes, falling backwards into each other’s arms. You should’ve seen King’s face when Dex nearly dropped him.”
She covered her mouth with her fingertips, but the laugh slipped out anyway. “Was there a lot of falling involved?”
“Plenty of falling. And some broken trust. I wish I had it on video, but Coach has a strict no-phones rule during team bonding exercises.”
“Probably a wise decision.” Her voice softened on the vowels in that lilting way I was starting to love. “Sounds like you’re finding your place with the team.”
I was surprised by how true it was. “They’re good guys. It’s weird, but I’m beginning to think of them as family. Dysfunctional. But family.”
As I spoke, a woman at the bar lifted her phone, trying to be subtle. Lila’s smile dimmed for the briefest second before she smoothed it back into place.
She tilted her glass. “When do you start playing?”
Just then, our waiter appeared and recited the day’s specials. We took a few minutes ordering our food and a bottle of wine.
I leaned in, resting my elbows on the white linen tablecloth. “So, tell me about yourself, Lila. Let’s see, I know you’re from Alabama and did the whole beauty pageant thing when you were younger.”
She took a sip from her glass, the stem resting lightly between her fingers.
“Yes, I grew up in Alabama, and my parents still live there. I have an older brother, Nathan, and a younger sister, Amelia. My dad went to the University of Alabama and expected all of us to follow in his footsteps. Roll Tide and all that. Nathan and Amelia did. I was the black sheep.”
I lifted an eyebrow. “You decided to break tradition?”
A wry smile touched her lips. “Yeah, I was the family disappointment and decided to go to the University of Miami instead.”
“Disappointment? I doubt that.” There was something unspoken behind her words, but I let it lie. “What made you pick Miami?”
Her smile faltered slightly, and she shifted in her seat. “Oh, you know. Wanted to spread my wings. See what life looked like outside of Alabama. The usual rebellious streak.”
While we ate, Lila told me about college life in Miami and how she stumbled into interior design after graduation thanks to her boss, Samantha. The conversation flowed easily, and I found myself laughing more than I had in a long time. Her stories were vivid, full of sharp humor.