“Me too. You have no idea how much,” he replied.
I gave him a shy smile before opening my door and heading into my building. I didn’t hear his motor roar to life until I was safely inside.
A gentleman indeed.
Chapter 3
ELLIE
Walking into the office the next day was immediately a strange experience, as every eye turned to watch my progress toward my desk. For a moment I couldn’t figure it out—then realization hit.
Of course, Mason.
I resolved to hold my head high and ignore it. After all, I’d dealt with scrutiny before, of a very different and more sinister sort; this should be a walk in the park.
My closest friends at work, Jane and Heather, were devasted they’d missed the Mason sighting and demanded details at my desk.
“Are you dating Mason Jackson?” Heather squealed, her brown curls bouncing along with her exuberance.
I shrugged. “I don’t know what we’re doing. We’re hanging out,” I replied.
“He’s agod,” she sighed.
“Just be careful.” Jane spoke quietly, in her typical reserved and astute manner. Jane was the type of woman who didn’t speak unless she had something to say, and in my experience, it was always something worth listening to. “I’m not saying don’t have fun. I’m just saying, I know you, and you don’t like the spotlight. Hanging out with Mason will thrust you into it. You need to be ready for that. And the women will probably be vicious.”
“Vicious?” I gulped.
“Vicious.” She nodded sagely.
“Great, well, I’m sure I won’t be distracted at all today,” I muttered.
They both smiled sympathetically and left me to open my email, though I had little hope of being very productive.
As the sun was dipping low in the sky, I’d managed to get some solid work done, grateful for the distraction. But as soon as I left the building, my thoughts once again became consumed with Mason. I took Kodi for a run after work to sweat out some of my stress from the day.
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.
“StillEnder’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?”
