“I thought this place took like months to get into?” I asked with a wrinkled brow as he opened my door for me.
He looked uncomfortable for a moment, as though considering how to respond.
I blushed. “God, sorry. I keep forgetting…,” I mumbled. And I did. To me, he was just a gorgeous man with killer dimples.
He threw an arm around me as my heart hammered at his proximity. “I like that you don’t think about it,” he assured me.
“Mr. Jackson, your table,” the host greeted, practically tripping over himself to show us to a private booth toward the back of the restaurant.
“Thanks,” Mason replied, waiting to sit down until I was situated.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been out with a gentleman before.” I smiled as he sat down across from me.
“Well then, I’m glad to be your first.” He winked.
I blushed and looked away.
“I love that,” he murmured.
“What?” I asked, turning to meet his gaze.
“That blush; it’s gorgeous,” he complimented.
“Um, thanks,” I replied, feeling nervous again. “It’s new,” I added dryly.
“What is?” he asked, seeming confused.
I sighed and decided to be honest. What the hell, right? “The blush. It’s just been a while since I was on a real date.” I wrinkled my nose.
“I don’t know how a girl as gorgeous and fun to be around as you are doesn’t have a man,” he noted.
“Is that a rhetorical question or are you really asking?” I asked, quirking my head to the side.
“I’m curious,” he admitted.
“And I’m picky.” I shrugged, looking down into my lap. “And I haven’t always had the best luck…” I trailed off, not wanting to get into those details. I was afraid to look at him, so I asked my lap. “And what about you?”
The waiter chose just that moment to come stand beside us to take our drink orders.
“Wine?” Mason asked.
“Sure.” I nodded.
He smoothly ordered us a bottle of red, and the waiter scurried off, eager to get the football star his order.
“You were saying?” Mason asked, his eyes warm.
“We were talking about why you don’t have a girlfriend,” I reminded him.
“Ah yes, that,” he teased before growing more serious. “I had a few girlfriends in high school and college, but once I started in the NFL, not as much.”
I looked at him skeptically. “Really? I’d think you have more action than you know what to do with.”
He choked on his water, nearly spitting it out as he fought to swallow.
“Okay?” I asked with a raised brow.
“Yeah,” he coughed. “You just have a habit of taking me off guard. And to answer your question, yeah, sure, women throw themselves at me, but it doesn’t interest me.” He shrugged. “It’s been hard to meet a woman that I connect with. They all just want the fame, the money.” He grimaced. “That’s why when you stumbled into my room on Friday night…”
