33. Mason #2
Trying to recover quickly, I kissed the tip of her nose. “Like you wouldn’t believe, but I’ll need clothes for tomorrow morning.”
“Not looking for a little walk-of-shame action?”
“Nothing I do with you has any shame in it, but I’ll need something for the team bus ride tomorrow.”
“What you have on is fine.”
“My dad had my gift dropped off in my room. I’ll run over there and be right back.”
“You don’t want me to go with you?”
“Stay here. Make sure Paige doesn’t take an hour and we’ll all go out.”
“Hurry up and go, so you’re back sooner.” She pecked me on the lips. “I’ll check in on Rye while you’re gone.”
I ground down the urge to yank the phone out of her hands. Ryker wasn’t getting anywhere near her tonight, where he could pull that “I need you to console me” bullshit.
“Is his girlfriend here tonight?”
“I didn’t see her with his family.”
“You saw his family tonight?”
“We bumped into each other in the concourse when I ran out to the bathroom. They warned me about that terrible Mason Shaw.” Lilah looped her arms around my neck and pulled me down with her.
I brushed my fingers down her cheek, beating back my annoyance.“I’m sure they’d have rather you wore Rye’s jersey.”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “Why would I wear his jersey?”
“You’ve never been tempted?”
“Where’s this coming from?” She scooted back up against the headboard, leaving me kneeling between her legs.
“I’m sure he wishes you were there to console him on his loss.”
“Mason, Rye and I are friends. That’s all we’ve ever been or ever will be. I’ve never looked at him like that and he sure as heck hasn’t looked at me that way either.”
She didn’t see it. “How could he not?”
Lilah never seemed to notice, but his looks and touches had intensified. The only reason we hadn’t come to blows over it was Lilah showing me he was never anything more than a brotherly friend to her.
“Your brain is clouded by my irresistible origami skills.” She sat up, maybe sensing my uneasiness and cupped my cheek. “Rye is like a brother to me. I’ve seen him eat his own boogers and I’ve smelled way too much of his sweaty hockey gear to ever consider him like that.”
“So you’re saying, if my gear gets too smelly, I’ll get kicked to the friendzone.”
She laughed and brushed her lips against mine. “Exactly, so you’d better clean up after yourself. Hurry up and go, so you can come back.”
I kissed her again and left the room. Even with my hat on, I got stopped at least ten times between Lilah’s hotel and mine.
We had half the floor to ourselves, but the other half of the rooms were for boosters and alumni.
Although there wasn’t crazy partying going on, there was a flood of people in the hallways.
There were even some Verona High players in the mix.
Not surprising, if only because those boosters and alums had college alma maters, and now that Hawthorne had won, there had to be a few Verona players they’d love to add to their college rosters.
I fiddled with my key card to get the light to turn green. Red. Red again.
Finally, the door opened. I stepped back, my eyes shooting to the door number.
A woman stood in the doorway and pulled me into the room.
I slammed my back against the door and grabbed the handle. “Wrong room.”
“No, Mason. You’re not in the wrong room. I’m here for you.” She shot me a sultry smile.
By objective standards, she was beautiful. College-aged, in a pink ruched dress, which I only knew because of Lilah, and strappy pink heels.
“How’d you get in here?” A punch of alarm rang in my chest. I glanced around her, not liking the idea that this woman had been in my room for who knew how long. My duffel and everything else in the room behind her seemed to be untouched.
She held up the key card and stepped closer with both hands on her hips. “Mr. Petrov gave me the key.”
Trying to back up, I knocked my head against the door. There wasn’t space to retreat.
“Congratulations on your big win.”
My gift…
Here I’d been thinking of a damn fruit platter since he’d been talking about spoiling.
A ball of dread formed in my stomach. “Then there’s been a mistake.”
“No mistake.” She tried to rub her hands on my chest, but I caught her wrists and recoiled away from her touch.
“You need to get the hell out of here.”
Her whole body shifted from overly sultry to annoyed and a little defeated. “I figured when I saw you walking through the lobby with that girl.”
My hackles rose. “You were watching me?”
“Mr. Petrov pointed you out to me when he sent me up here with the key.” Her shoulders hunched and she crossed her arms. “I only get paid if you’re satisfied.”
“I’ll be satisfied if you leave—now.”
She jumped at my harsh snarl, skin going pale. “Please, I really need the money.”
“Sorry.” I dragged my fingers through my hair. “I’m getting my shit. You can stay here if you want, but I’m not, and I’m sure as hell not touching you. Tell my father whatever you want, but this isn’t happening.”
I scooted past her like a single touch would burn me and swept everything I had out into the duffel sitting in the chair by the window. Not much had been unpacked, so it took less than a minute. I zipped it up and slung it over my shoulder.
Out in the hallway, there were even more people than before, but I ignored every call to drag me into a room to celebrate.
Tonight, there was only one person I wanted, and that was Lilah. I needed to get back to my girl.