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“Thanks.” With a sigh, she snuggled the bird against her chest. “I’m never gonna live this down, am I?”
“Nope.” I led her toward the exit. “Were you always afraid of birds? I don’t remember?—”
“I am not afraid of birds.” She cut me off.
“Hey, Dumpty,” a fan called, heading my way.
I’d escape being noticed for the most part today, but apparently, my luck had run out. So with my happy outfielder smile firmly in place, I high-fived both fans and signed their zoo maps.
“Do you ever get tired of it?” Aurora asked after they were out of earshot.
My typical answer was hell no; I love what I do, but I didn’t want to lie to her.
“All the damn time, but when they see me, they expect the larger-than-life outfielder, and that’s what they deserve. They buy my jersey and show up to see me play, and in return, I show up for them.” Fighting back the need to wince at the throb that had started over the last few minutes, I rubbed at my temple. Then I straightened my hat and pulled it lower, hoping it would keep others from recognizing me. “Even on my bad days, they get happy Mason.”
“You have a headache?” She stepped in closer and rubbed circles on my back.
Her touch alone eased some of the tension.
“It’s not horrible, but kinda,” I admitted. Telling her the truth, showing her my vulnerabilities, was easy, when, for the rest of the world, I hid behind a smile.
“Let’s get an Uber.” She pulled out her phone and unlocked the screen. “We can go home and get something to eat.”
At the idea of going home with this woman, my first thought was hell yeah. But this wasn’t a date, even if it felt like one. With each passing day, though, it was harder to remember that.
“Thank you.”
As Mason stepped out of the Uber behind me, I assessed him, confused. What was he thanking me for? He’d insisted on paying for the rideshare as well as admittance to the zoo.
“I was frustrated about not being able to work out and about still being on IR.” He shrugged. “But I had a good time today. Just being with you took my mind off what I can’t do.”
“Yeah, it was fun.” It had felt like a date. Hell, it had been better than any date I’d ever been on. Yet it wasn’t one. For days, I’d been fighting the pull between us. I’d been tense and guarded, which had made it hard to enjoy hanging out with him. But at some point today, all those worries had slipped away.
As we headed to the entrance of his building, he rested a hand on the small of my back. Though I knew I should, I didn’t push it away. The warmth of his palm soaked into me, making heat curl in my core. His pine scent only amplified the dangerous feelings I was having toward him.
I was lost in thoughts of Mason when a flash of gray caught my eye and forced me to focus on my surroundings. When I did, my heart leaped into my throat, and I jumped back. Because there was a bird headed straight for us. I collided with a wall of muscle, tucking my head into his chest, and squeezed him and the stuffed puffin with all my strength.
“It’s just a pigeon,” Mason mumbled into my hair, looping an arm around me fully. “But don’t worry, I’ve got you.”
His deep voice rumbled through me, causing me to shiver. Slowly, I looked up, only to find him already watching me. His gaze burned into me, and my skin heated under his scrutiny. Without breaking eye contact, he tilted forward, bringing his face closer to mine. And I couldn’t pull away. Didn’t want to. But…
“You know we can’t do this,” I whispered when his mouth was so close I could practically taste him.
“Maybe we shouldn’t,” he said, his breath rushing over my lips, “but I need to kiss you more than I need my next breath.”
The heat in his eyes burned bright, and the world around us disappeared. He cupped my face in both hands and continued what he’d started, moving in closer and pressing his mouth to mine.
On contact, I brought a hand to his pec, and a deep sigh escaped me. As if something I’d been missing had finally returned to me. He licked at the seam of my lips, and when I opened for him, his tongue darted in, stroking my own, and I melted into his embrace.
Mason growled as he pulled back, almost like he hated that he had to. “Inside,” he whispered, his chest rumbling under my palm.
“Yeah.” I nodded, still dazed. Though I was alert enough to realize that we shouldn’t be doing this on the sidewalk in broad daylight.
He turned me, the move dislodging my puffin, but he caught it in midair. Then, with one hand on the stuffed bird and one hand low on my back, he led me into the building. He only gave the valet a quick nod as he rushed me onto the elevator. The second the silver doors slid shut behind us, he yanked me into the hard plane of his chest and slammed his lips to mine in a bruising kiss. The groan that reverberated through him as he took the kiss deeper sent a shiver racing down my spine.
Digging his fingers into my hips tightly, he backed me up against the wall. And as the feeling of the cool stainless steel at my back warred with the heat of him at my front, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer. He skated his hands down my sides, then cupped my ass and lifted me so I could wrap my legs around him. His tongue tangled with mine as he explored every inch of my mouth. Whimpering, I tightened my hold on his neck, needing him closer. But instead of obeying, he pulled back suddenly.
I blinked, and my stomach sank. Was he putting a stop to this? After I’d finally given in? But then I realized the door behind him was open. Oh. With a deep breath in, I dropped my legs from around his waist. Begrudgingly, he released me. Though once we’d stepped into the hall, that hand was on the small of my back again.
