My life and the way people treated me had already changed after one date with Mason. I’d been so unprepared for my attraction to him. His lifestyle was something else entirely.
After I got into bed that night, positive sleep wouldn’t come easily, my phone rang. My heart slammed in my chest when I saw “Mason” flashing on the screen.
“Hi,” I answered, not recognizing the breathy voice as my own.
“Hi,” he rumbled, and I could hear the smile in his voice. “What are you doing?”
“Reading,” I murmured. “What are you doing?” I snuggled deeper into the covers, feeling like a teenager, giddy with excitement.
“Same,” he replied.
“Still Ender’s Game?”
“Yeah, just about finished. What about you?” he asked, and I imagined him lying in that giant bed of his.
“I just started this new Atlantis series.”
“How was work today?”
I debated telling him the truth. “It was okay,” I answered somewhat hesitantly.
“Just okay?”
I sighed. “It was just a little weird,” I admitted. “Everyone was looking at me a bit differently. But by the end of the day, it was almost back to normal.”
“I’m sorry,” he replied sincerely. “I didn’t think about how coming to your office would affect your work. That was thoughtless of me.”
“I’m glad you did,” I assured him. “Don’t apologize. I can handle it.”
“God, I hope so,” he sighed. “Because I really want to keep seeing you.”
“Me too.” I smiled.
“I can hear you smiling.”
“So?” I replied, blushing profusely.
“And I know you’re blushing,” he added, his tone full of affection. “So about Wednesday,” he began, and I was grateful he was changing the subject. “Can I pick you up?” he asked.
“I’d like that, but I promised to go with Lily. How about you guys meet us there?”
“We can do that,” he agreed, though he sounded slightly disappointed.
“So, you’re a phone guy, huh?” I asked curiously. I couldn’t remember the last time anyone other than Lily—when she was desperate—or my parents called me as opposed to texting.
“With you I am,” he replied smoothly. “Wanted to hear your voice.”
I couldn’t formulate a response to that and managed a quiet. “Ah.”
“You don’t take compliments well, do you?”
“Just not used to them, I guess,” I replied quietly.
“We’ll have to work on that then.”
“I guess so,” I agreed. “Night, Mason,” I murmured.
“Night, Ellie. Sleep well.”
And with that, I fell just a little harder for Mason Jackson.
* * *
“Let’s get a drink!” Lily hollered over the music Wednesday night. The venue was packed as the opening band began to play. Lily looked gorgeous in her tight jeans and sequined top. Though she always claimed to be jealous of my curves, she had an amazing figure with her petite frame. Her long blond hair hung just to her shoulders, with her bangs swept perfectly across her forehead highlighting her big blue eyes.
I’d chosen to wear my fitted black jeans, ankle boots, and green silk tank that Lily claimed made my eyes pop.
I nodded as she took my hand, pulling me through the crowd. The guys were due to arrive any minute; Mason said he’d text when they got there. We got our drinks and made our way to a table that had miraculously opened up.
It only took a moment before two guys approached, clearly on the hunt. I rolled my eyes at Lily.
“Get you a drink?” the dark-haired guy called into my ear, standing entirely too close.
I shook my head, stepping out of his reach as Lily displayed similar body language across the table.
“A dance then?” He tried again.
That’s when I felt it: the heat at my back. An electricity I could only attribute to Mason, since I’d never felt it before I’d met him.
“She’s with me,” he growled as he came to stand alongside me.
The guy looked up, and up, his eyes wide before he immediately backed away. I saw out of the corner of my eye that Ryan held a similar stance alongside Lily.
Our very own alpha males. I thought they only existed in books.
I looked up at Mason, who was in as much of a disguise as he could be with a black hoodie and black cap pulled low over his face.
Once he’d successfully scared our would-be suitors away, he turned to me, the anger on his face melting away into a warm smile.
“Hi.” I grinned, my breath hitching as he enveloped me in a hug.
Good god, he was so strong. All his muscles aligned with my curves as I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him back. And he smelled amazing, like masculine soap and something intrinsically and deliciously Mason. My entire body zinged as I imagined what he looked like, what he felt like beneath all these clothes.
“Beating them off with a stick, I see,” he noted in my ear.
I swatted at him playfully, pulling away to smile over at Lily and to say hello to Ryan. I’d only met him briefly the other night at Mason’s. He was handsome and totally Lily’s type with his sandy-blond hair and classic good looks. I’d learned he played for the Broncos too, as a linebacker or something or other.
I looked back to Mason, taking in his strong jaw that broke into a gorgeous smile when our eyes met.
“Are you under there?” I teased, peering under his cap.
“Yeah, just trying to go incognito if I can.” He grinned, putting an arm around me and pulling me into his side. “You all set with drinks?” he asked.
“Yeah.” I nodded, my eyes lighting up as the music reached my ears. “I love this song.” I took his hand and pulled him to the edge of the crowd.
He stood behind me, wrapping his arms around me as I leaned into his body in an incredibly intimate, yet natural embrace. His large frame completely dwarfed mine, but rather than feel scared as I might expect, I felt cared for and protected.
He shielded me from being bumped or jostled when the music turned upbeat and the crowd responded, and guided me back to our table when it had happened too many times for his liking.
“Can I get you another?” he asked, his eyes on my empty glass when he’d pulled my chair out for me.
“Sure,” I agreed as he raised a questioning finger to Ryan, who shook his head, and Lily, who nodded.
“Keep an eye on my girl,” he ordered Ryan before stalking off to the bar.
“Damn,” Lily mouthed to me from across the table.
Damn was right. I felt like I was walking on air when Mason returned, and I pulled him back out to the dance floor.
“Ready to get out of here?” Mason rumbled in my ear hours later when the band was done and I was beginning to yawn. It was a work night, after all.
“Yeah.” I nodded.
Lily and I had taken a Lyft, making it easy for me to catch a ride with Mason and for her to leave with Ryan. We said our goodbyes and were soon rocketing off the curb.
“Have fun?” he asked as we merged onto the highway in his black Range Rover. I wondered absently how many cars he had.
“Yeah, they were good.” I nodded, referring to the band.