“Here. You can have this.” From his pocket, he pulled out a burrito-shaped item wrapped in paper foil. “The waffle truck gave it to me before I walked over here. It’s one of their fried chicken waffle wraps. It might not be super-hot anymore but they’re still good even when cold.”
“I don’t want to take your food,” her mouth said even while her stomach protested with a loud grumble. She’d been hit with the smells from the waffle truck all day, and taking his food was getting more tempting with each passing second.
“Take it. You’re hungry. It’s the least I could do after saddling you with a boyfriend,” Mason replied.
He didn’t have to tell her twice. She snatched it, ripped off the wrapping, and took the biggest bite. “Oh my God,” she moaned with her mouth full and her eyes fluttering upwards. “This is the best thing I’ve ever had in my life.”
“I’m glad you like it. Luckily, for you, I have another one.” He pulled out a similar package from the other pocket of his jacket, offering it to her.
She snatched this one from him as well as though she was a chipmunk building a nest egg of fried chicken waffle wraps. “I take back everything I’ve ever said. All is forgiven.”
He laughed, and it was one of those hearty ones that she couldn’t help but compare again to Stan’s. His laugh was so much richer and lovely.
“So, do we really have to keep up this charade or do you think Stan’s gotten the message?”
“As much as I’d like to keep up the pretense of fake dating you, I don’t think it’s really going to be a problem. Stan might even be too afraid to walk past your coffee truck at this point.”
She released a laugh. “I admit fake dating was more fun than I’d expected.”
“Five out of five stars even though there was a brief moment of panic on my side. But I would definitely fake date you again.”
Mason escorted her all the way to her vehicle. As much as she had been eager to get home to her bathtub and eggplant-shaped bath bomb before, she was now strangely disappointed she’d have to leave. She liked talking with Mason and didn’t want it to end, not when he made her laugh and fed her delicious food. The cynical side of Natalie wanted to roll her eyes at how easily she could be won over by a man who did nothing more than produce comfort food from his jacket pocket as if he knew she needed it. But that’s exactly what it was. Comfort.
Her cynical side was strong though, and she couldn’t help wondering if her father had brought a drink or snack to her mother at that fateful party where they’d met. Maybe that was all it took for her mother to fall head over heels. Natalie couldn’t allow herself to fall into the same trap. People should set their sights higher than pocket food.
Regardless, she didn’t move further or get into her dad’s truck. She merely stood beside it, eating the last of the fried chicken waffle wrap and stared at the sky. “You need to be careful, Prince. You might find yourself on the villain side.”
He put out his hand, palm side up, as though requesting her hand. Instead of submitting to something so ridiculously corny, (because why would he want to hold her hand), she discarded her balled-up food wrapper there. Mason laughed, placing her trash into his pocket. The laughter soon faded, and he gazed at her, his face becoming serious. Almost too serious, as if he was thinking about kissing her again. She was considering it. As he bent his frame, his face coming nearer, her breath hitched in her chest and no words came. Nor did she try to push him away. She simply allowed him to proceed.
Except he didn’t kiss her. Instead, his mouth bypassed hers, going straight to her ear. His breath was warm and sent tingles along her skin. “I don’t think you realize how weak and pitiful this prince actually is. He’d all but leap over to the villain side if he thought he’d be welcomed. Goodnight, Natalie.”
With that, Mason strolled away, leaving her a bit breathless.
