Chapter Eighteen #2
As if on cue, the doorbell rings, and I walk over to the door and peek through the hole.
Mason stands there in black joggers, a sweatshirt, and a backward baseball cap. I groan and rest my head against the door, annoyed at how stupidly handsome he looks this early in the morning.
Maybe I should be more concerned with my own appearance, but it’s not like he’s not a stranger to morning Daphne from all the sleepovers I had at their house as a kid.
I unlock and open the door, and his face lights up. And then it falls in the best of ways as he takes me in, his eyes traveling down my body, and I shiver as if it’s his physical touch.
Clearing my throat, I bite my bottom lip and smirk. “Good morning.”
His gaze flicks back up to mine, his cheeks warm and flushed. “Good morning. Nice outfit.”
I give him a little twirl. “Why, thank you.”
When I turn back around, he’s staring directly up at the sky with his bottom lip sucked between his teeth.
“You okay?” I giggle.
He blows out a long, slow breath. “Doing great. I just wasn’t ready for how incredible your ass looks in those or how I can see the outline of your nipples through your top.” He meets my eyes and wets his bottom lip. “It makes me want to come inside and have a little breakfast feast of my own.”
Now my cheeks are the red ones.
“Mason,” I whisper and look back at the stairs to see if Maeve has woken up. “Shh.”
He huffs. “For one, she wouldn’t care if she knew. And two, have you seen yourself this morning? You can’t blame me. This is all on you.” He smiles and hands over the sealed pan with two coffees on top. “Maeve’s coffee’s there, too, because I know she’d throw a fit if she didn’t get hers.”
I laugh at the accuracy. “Thank you.”
“It is always my pleasure . Trust me.” He winks, and his words hold more weight to them than they should.
My body feels like it’s catching on fire all over again. “Last night was …” I trail off, realizing I have no idea where I was going with that.
He holds his hands up. “Amazing. Incredible. But it only has to be whatever you want it to be. Your pace. Your rules.”
Reaching up, he rests his hands above the doorframe, his sweatshirt rising and exposing the bottom slice of his abs.
I swallow hard at his ability to read my nervousness perfectly. “Thank you.”
He chuckles. “You never need to thank me for anything, Daph, seriously.”
“Oh my God, is that coffee?” Maeve squeals, running down the stairs, wrapped up in her hooded blanket. “Mason, you are my hero.”
She grabs her labeled cup the second she walks over, taking a sip immediately. Her voice is monotone and deadpan. “This is the best coffee I’ve ever had.”
“Late night last night?” I giggle, walking over to the kitchen and setting the pan down on the island counter and grabbing my coffee.
She eyes me with annoyance as she leans over the sink and massages her temples. “Yes. Too many shots. Not enough water.”
We didn’t get home until about midnight, and she didn’t get home for another two hours. The only reason I know is because she tripped in the hallway and woke me up from her fit of giggles.
Maeve walks over to grab plates, and I take the moment to look back at Mason, finding his gaze hungrily devouring me once again. I lean forward on the counter, feeling my shorts ride up even further to give him a better view of my ass.
His eyes roll to the back of his head, and he bites down on his bottom lip, taking a second to adjust himself in his joggers.
“Did you have fun though?” I ask Maeve, keeping my eyes on Mason.
I hear plates touch the counter, and I turn back to her, finding her attention still locked on the food. “Oh, yeah. I got to meet a lot of guys on the team, which was cool. And a lot of their partners. Everyone was so nice, which was a pleasant surprise.”
“That’s good. I know you were a bit nervous about meeting them.” I take a sip of my coffee, and she grabs two forks, one for each of us.
She nods and starts dishing up the warm cinnamon rolls. “Mason, did you make these?”
He stays at the door, now leaning against the side of it, his hands in his hoodie pocket, pulled down over the joggers. I stifle a laugh, knowing exactly why he’s doing it.
“Yeah. This morning when I went over to the team house.”
“Best. Brother. Ever,” she says with a mouthful of food.
“I know,” he says arrogantly, and Maeve ignores us, walking over to the kitchen window that faces out back.
I look over and roll my eyes at Mason. “So cocky.”
“I am.” He winks at me and grabs himself through his sweats.
I mean, he’s right; the man is packing . I don’t know how dicks work exactly, but that thing has to be ten times bigger than it was in high school.
“Bye, Mason. Today’s a girls’ day. And you have practice.” She turns back around and starts walking toward him, shooing him out. “We appreciate the fuel and the thoughtfulness, but now please get the fuck out.” She takes a bite of the cinnamon roll and groans. “Love you!”
He laughs and smiles at me before saying, “I love you too. You guys have fun.”
I stare down at the counter, my chest stinging as he closes the door. I rub the sensation away with no idea what caused it.
Maeve looks at me, and a big, overbearing smile takes over her face. “Spill it.”
“W-what do you mean?” I try asking with a straight face, failing halfway through. “Okay, fiiiine.”
We spend the next couple of hours watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch and catching up since it’s been a little while since we had a girls’ day.
I spare her the juicy details since Mason’s her brother, and she cringes slightly every time I mention touching him. Which is fair. If the roles were reversed, I would do the same.
She tells me how amazing everything has been with Jackson and how he got her a dresser at his house so she could keep clothes and whatever else there. I know they’re moving a bit fast, but if they’re happy and communicating honestly, then who the fuck cares?
After that, we do some house cleaning, jamming out to a playlist of mine.
When we finally finish, I find a text from Mason.
Mason: How am I supposed to focus on anything when I can’t stop thinking about you?
A nervous lump grows in my throat, and I bite down on my smile.
“Is that Mason?” Maeve asks with a mocking sweet voice.
“Nope.” I pop the P , not trying to hide the fact that I’m lying.
“Bullshit.” She laughs and puts the vacuum away in the closet while I plop down on the couch and text him back.
Me: I don’t know. I had an easy time working today. ;)
Mason: Oh, really? No lingering thoughts of last night? Or what I would have done to you this morning had I not been so rudely kicked out?
Images of the possibility flash through my mind, scorching arousal pooling in my core. If Maeve hadn’t been here, would he have taken me on the couch or my bed? The spare bedroom he’s been staying in? Maybe bent over the kitchen counter?
Shaking the tantalizing thoughts from my mind, I message him back, teasing him playfully.
Me: Let me think.
Me: Nope.
Me: Oh wait, I was thinking about that funnel cake.
Mason: Hmm.
Mason: I’ll make them for you again.
Mason: If you stop acting like such a brat.
Me: :(
Me: I can’t. It’s in my DNA.
Mason: That’s unfortunate.
Me: What will I do? I need them.
Mason: Yeah? Well, I need you.
I bite the inside of my cheek and roll onto my stomach, brushing my feet together in the air.
Me: Maybe we make a trade.
Mason: Are you trying to offer me sexual favors in exchange for gluten-free food?
Me: You have no idea how hard it is to find something gluten-free that is that delicious.
Mason: You’re ridiculous, ha-ha.
Me: Ridiculously cute.
Mason: and sexy
Mason: and smart
Mason: and talented
Mason: and beautiful
Mason: and sweet
Mason: and SASSY
Me: Wait, why was sassy in all caps?
Mason: You know why.
Me: Do I get something good for being a brat?
Mason: Oh, I have something big for you. We’ll have to see if you can take it all.
Me: And what’s that?
Mason: I’ll show you next time.
Me: If you’re lucky.
Mason’s text bubbles appear and disappear over and over again for what feels like forever.
Mason: Damn straight if I’m lucky. I’m just grateful to breathe the same air as you, Sunset.
Mason: I’ll take whatever you give me with a smile on my fucking face.
Mason: Will it ever be enough? No. But not because you’re not enough, but because there is no scenario where I could ever be full of you.
“Daphne!” Maeve shouts my name in a scolding tone, and my head snaps up, my eyes locking on to hers.
She’s standing ten feet away with her hands on her hips and a shit-eating grin on her face. “I wish you could’ve seen yourself a moment ago. Literally kicking your feet and giggling.”
I roll my eyes. “Shut up.”
“I’m inviting Jackson over tomorrow night for a movie. Invite Mason. We can do a little double date.”
Me: Movie night tomorrow at my place?
Mason: Wouldn’t miss it for the world.
Me: Oh, yeah? Even the Frozen Four Championship?
Mason: Clearly, you underestimate what you mean to me, Sunset.