Chapter Two #2
He’s trying to be nice, and I can’t be a bitch to him. “No, it’s fine…I’m hungry. Thank you, but you have to let me pay you.”
“Forget it. I’ll just toss it in the creek.” With an amused expression, he lays his food on the table and starts toward the creek with mine.
“What? No! Give it here!” He laughs as I try to snatch it from his hand.
“Say please,” he teases, holding it above his head.
“Are you twelve?” Trying not to laugh, I return to the picnic table and unwrap his sandwich. His lips twitch up when I take a huge bite, chewing deliberately. Sitting across from me, he unwraps the second sandwich and opens a bag of potato chips, offering it to me.
“Thanks. I’ll trade sandwiches if you want this one. I don’t have cooties.”
“Cooties? I thought I was the twelve year old, here?”
“Well, I suppose chasing you down for a sandwich wasn’t exactly mature.” I catch myself watching his lips as they wrap around the tip of his straw. They’re so full and sexy. Am I seriously drooling over a man’s lips?
“Maturity is overrated, and they’re both roast beef, so no worries.”
“It’s good,” I reply, taking another bite. “Tell me about yourself, Mason. What do you do other than stalk your volunteers?”
“I teach Mixed Martial Arts and I have my hand in a few other organizations. What about you? What do you do for fun?”
“For fun? Hang out with friends. Read. I have a book club meeting tonight.”
He raises an eyebrow at me. “That’s fun?”
“See. I’m totally boring and ordinary. Not your type at all. Aren’t you relieved?”
Stuffing his sandwich wrapper in the bag, he replies, “You’re not ordinary, love. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you have fun on our date.”
“You never give up, do you? Luckily, I think I’ve found you a date.” I point to the tabletop where someone has scratched the words ‘Tanya gives good head’ deep into the wood. “She apparently performs oral well. I could write down the number for you.”
Shaking his head, his amused eyes meet mine. “I won fair and square. You owe me. Are you reneging on our bet? You seemed more honorable. I’m truly disappointed, Evie.”
Oh shit. We’re eating lunch together. The bastard is smooth. “This isn’t a lunch date!”
“A picnic lunch beside a babbling brook? This is the ultimate lunch date, baby.”
Ugh. This man is so frustrating! I ball up my trash, avoiding his gaze. “You tricked me.”
“I don’t remember getting any guidelines or rules. I got a lunch date with you. I win. We’re going to the carnival together.” A wide smile spreads across his face. Smug bastard.
“We’re not.”
“And then I’m taking you out to dinner.”
“You don’t understand the word ‘No’ do you?”
“Nothing wrong with my comprehension, love. Those gorgeous lips keep saying no, but those soft brown eyes are begging me not to give up.”
“I’m not going to fuck you.” That should send him running.
“I imagine the restaurant I have in mind would frown on that.”
“I’m serious. I’m sure this approach normally works for you. That you can flash those baby blues, flex your muscles, and order girls into your bed. I’m telling you now, you have the wrong person. Stop wasting your time.”
His rough hands catch mine, and he looks into my eyes. “Time is all we have, and there’s never enough. Not a second spent with you would be a waste of time, Everly.”
God, what his voice does to my name. “You only want me because I’m saying no.”
“You’re only saying no because you want me.”
“You’re deluded.”
“You’re beautiful. Now grab your trash. I can’t date a litterbug.”
Sighing, I shove my wrappers in the bag. “Just the carnival. That’s all I agreed to. And save your charming little comments for someone more gullible.”
“Ah, Evie.” He slips an arm around my shoulder as we walk back to the van. “My baby blues, muscles, and charm. So many compliments from someone who isn’t interested.”
“You have a pretty broad definition of the word compliment.”
“With you, I’ll take what I can get.”
* * * *
We pull up to the small storefront just as a short dark skinned Latino man is unlocking the door. “Just in time, Reed. The shit’s just inside,” he calls. “Oh, hi, Miss. Sorry about the language. I didn’t know Mason was bringing his girl,” he explains with a sheepish smile.
“I’m a volunteer, not his girl, and don’t worry, I’ve been known to drop an f-bomb or two.”
“Hanging out with Mason will drive anyone to it.” He laughs.
The truck is loaded in short order and we spend most of the ride home in comfortable silence. Mason gives me a sideways glance, grinning. “Don’t pout.”
“What? I’m not.” Yeah, I sort of am. I can’t believe how easily I fell for his trick.
“Is dating me that distasteful to you?”
Shit. I’m not trying to offend him. “Of course not. I’m just not interested in getting involved right now.” After a few seconds of silence, I try to change the subject. “I saw a memo about a change to the S.B. carnival, but I didn’t get to read it. What was it about?”
“I rented out Adventure River for the day since it’s been so hot. The carnival will set up in the back lot.”
He rented out the whole park? Adventure River is a huge waterpark complete with wave pool, lazy river, and massive water slides. “That’s…fantastic. The kids will love it.”
A small smile lifts his lips as he guides the car onto the highway off ramp. “You work with Building Tomorrow’s Child, don’t you? How many kids are in the center now?”
“Fifteen, why? And how do you know where I volunteer?”
“Background check, remember?”
“You’re kind of a creepy stalker.”
I get a flash of his straight white teeth as he laughs. “I’ll get passes for the kids at the center. Bring them, but get the counselors to chaperone. I want you all to myself.”
“Mason…that’s…thank you. They’ll be so excited.”
“Not as excited as I am to see you in a swimsuit.”
Damn, I hadn’t thought of that. Oh, well, he’s seen me naked. It’s not like my chunky ass was hidden. When I look at him, I’m greeted with a wicked grin. “You’re blushing.”
“You’re an asshole.”
“I’ll grow on you, love.”
This time I can’t help my laughter, and his eyes glitter with satisfaction. “My car is parked around back, if you’d just drop me there,” I suggest as we pull up to Striking Back.
“In such a hurry to get rid of me,” he jokes with a fake pout.
“I want to get to the gym before my book club meeting.”
“Which gym do you go to?”
I unbuckle my belt as he parks beside my car. “No way, stalky. You have enough info on me at the moment.”
“Fine. You don’t need the gym, you know.”
“You need an eye doctor.”
“Hey.” He grabs my arm as I open the van door. “Just don’t overdo it on the elliptical. It’d be a shame to lose that ass.” Oh my god.
“You’re a Neanderthal.”
“See you soon, Evie,” he says with a smile. “Try not to think of me too much.”
“I’ll try to remember your name until the carnival.
” Without a backward glance, I hop out of the van and into my red Mini.
All that linguistic sparring with him has worn me out.
Damn, but the man is hard to resist. Charming, philanthropic, and too damn sexy to be real.
He’s also trouble. I know his type. Smooth words and a quick smile, and after he gets what he wants, on to the next leaving a mess of broken hearts behind him.
Ironically, he’s what I would usually go for since I’m not looking for anything serious either.
If he wasn’t the owner of Striking Back, I’d probably give him a go, but there’s no way I’m going to fuck him and then worry about running into him every week.
S.B. is important to me, and I don’t want to leave it behind for one night of sex, no matter how fantastic his ass is.
So, it’s settled. No sex with the tatted Adonis.
The carnival is a few weeks away, and I’ll come up with some excuse not to go with him.
After two hours at the gym, I stop by my apartment to shower before heading to my book club.
We meet once a week in a small Italian restaurant downtown named Bellini’s.
It took me awhile to feel like I really fit in, but now, hanging out with these ladies is the highlight of my week.
I know people picture a book club as a dry, boring meeting of bookworms, but we’re far from it.
There’s no pretentious discussions of what the water imagery in a story represents while sipping coffee in a stuffy room.
The books we choose—when we actually read one—are typically the kind you want on your e-reader instead of in paperback, so no one can see the cover.
Bellini’s is owned by Marie’s family and they reserve the back dining room for our boisterous group of fifteen wine guzzling, gossiping women. I love it.
“Ev!” Marie calls, as I make my way to an empty chair beside her. “You’ll back me up on this.” She gestures to Macy. “Best way to get over somebody is to get under somebody, am I right?” A grin settles on her face as she fills my wine glass.
“Oh, Macy, did you and Al break up?”
Macy’s eyes glaze and she nods. “He’s too controlling. I can’t take it anymore. That alpha male shit may be hot in books, but in real life it sucks.”
“You deserve better,” I agree.
“He wants to tell me what to wear, who to talk to, where I can go. He’s so jealous.”
“I know it’s hard now, but you’re doing the right thing.
Guys like that only get worse.” Sometimes until they end up beating the shit out of the woman.
“Look at you,” I say with a grin, taking in her long straight ebony hair and almond shaped eyes.
“You’re gorgeous. The guys will be all over you when they find out you’re single. Let him stick that up his jealous ass.”
A wide smile spreads across her face and she gulps the last of her wine. “And Marie’s not wrong,” I add. “A little change of dick never hurt anybody.” The room fills with laughter as Macy, Marie, and I clink our wine glasses together.
My phone chirps with a text message from an unfamiliar number.
-Having fun with your book club?-
Who the hell?
-Who is this?-
-You promised to remember my name until the carnival. I’m devastated.-
Mason. His stalker skills know no bounds. The bastard must’ve got to my phone when I wasn’t watching.
-Do you invade everyone’s privacy or am I special?-
-You’re special. And I didn’t look in your phone. Just used it to call mine.-
-Well, now I have your number, it’s going on the bathroom wall.-
-You trying to get me a date?-
-Men’s bathroom wall.-
-Ouch! I surrender.-
I can’t help but smile, picturing his wicked grin.
-Good night Mason.-
-Good night Evie.-
“And who put that smile on your face?” Macy asks.
“What? Nobody.”
Marie and Macy glance at each other before staring at me. “Spill it,” Marie insists.
“He’s infuriating, a stubborn Neanderthal. I didn’t even give him my number! He swiped my phone to call his.”
“Uh-huh. What’s he look like?”
Sighing, I mumble, “Like a Greek God mated with a body building rock star.”
“So what’s the problem?” Macy asks.
“We sort of…work together.” The table is filled with groans as the ladies nod in agreement.
“Run from that shit,” Macy agrees.
“I know. I’m roped into this charity carnival thing with him. After that, no more contact.”
“You sound like you’re trying to convince yourself,” Marie warns.
“Despite his caveman mentality, he’s charming and fun, but I know better than to get involved with someone like him. I’m sure there’s a trail of shattered hearts behind him.”
“A playboy, huh?”
“Too gorgeous not to be.”