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He glanced up from the chair where he sat slouched and sent me a look of utter defeat. “Fate hates me.”
“Huh?”
A bitter laugh rumbled from his chest. “I was sent home early and suspended for a week.”
Oh, shit. Had the country club learned about his past? I pushed away from the wall. “What happened?”
He snorted and rolled his eyes. “I was freaking distracted and backed into a valet car when I was parking another one. Dinged both of them.” Plopping his face forward until he thumped his forehead against the tabletop, he let out a drained sigh. “I think the only reason my boss didn’t fire me on the spot was because I’m usually a good employee.”
Knowing I had to be the reason for his suspension, I gulped in a lungful of guilt and reached for his back but pulled away at the last second. Folding my arms over my waist, I whispered, “I’m so sorry.”
“For what?” When he looked up, he squinted at me in confusion.
I fluttered out my hand. “You know, for causing your distraction.”
“You didn’t. I…” He pushed his chair back and stood, his eyes full of concern. “My suspension had nothing to do with you.” He took a step toward me, and my heart beat through my entire body. “It was all me. You…you’re not to blame for anything. You’re the good part in all of this.” Two steps later, he was all up in my grill in a very pleasing, overwhelming, I-couldn’t-breathe-I-was-so-excited way. But it was so, yeah, overwhelming, I moved back, only to find myself trapped between him and that wall, the very wall he'd wanted to take me hard and fast against.
“You’re the warm sun that shines when everything else is dark,” he went on, lifting his hands to rest them against the wall on either side of my face. “A smile and a hug in a roomful of disapproval. You’re…” Wincing, he pressed his forehead against mine. “You’re everything.”
A single tear trickled down my cheek. My smile trembled with effort. “I love you too.”
Mason choked out a sound and then shook his head. “You…No. You shouldn’t.”
I touched the side of his face. “But I do.”
Closing his eyes, he muttered something under his breath right before he sealed our mouths together. We both made a sound as our lips locked. He pulled back just enough to gaze at me. And then he went back for more.
It was everything I’d ever dreamed about and so much more. As his lips plundered persistently, I wrapped my arms around him and tipped my face up for more. Tethering me around the waist, he pulled us flush as his tongue stroked the roof of my mouth before tangling with mine.
My legs went around his waist, and he hoisted me higher, cupping my butt.
We tipped to the side, disturbing a row of keys hanging by the back door until a couple jingled to the floor. Stumbling into the cabinets, he propped me on the counter and deepened our kisses with long, drugging pulls that left me gasping for more. His body pushed more firmly into mine as he cradled my face. Then he ran his hands down my neck and over my back.
Even through my clothes, he knew how to make me react when he cupped my breasts. I choked out a surprised sound of need and threw my head back, cracking it on the cabinets behind me.
“Shit,” Mason gasped, his lips tearing themselves from mine. Rubbing my noggin for me, he muttered, “We can’t do this.”
But he still burrowed his face against my shoulder as he panted. I clung to him shamelessly, tucking my own cheek into his neck. Stroking his back, I whispered, “If this is going to be the only time I get to touch you, then can you wait at least a minute longer before coming to your senses?”
He released a breath. “Okay.”
Damn, my powers of persuasion amazed even me.
I lifted my face to him, he lifted his to mine, and the kiss was on again. I loved the feel of his jaw under my fingers. I loved his hands that slipped up the back of my shirt and caressed my spine. I loved the entire experience.
“Okay, we should stop now.” He gave it another halfhearted attempt, though his lips clung to mine and his thumbs became fascinated with each bump on my vertebrae. “Reese, we should stop. I need to stop before it’s too late.”
“Why?” I kissed my way down his neck.
He groaned and cupped my waist, sending thrilling tingles along my nerve endings. Then his mouth was on my throat and he was tugging me to the edge of the counter to snuggle our bodies closer.
When the heat of his erection nudged me through his jeans and my shorts, we both sucked in a harsh breath.
“Damn it.” He broke away from me, severing all contact before he backed away, putting a good five feet of space between us.
I had no starch left in my body, so I wilted against the wall as I slid off the counter. I could still feel him everywhere. Mason wiped a hand over his face before leaning his forearms against another wall and bowing his head.
“Do you realize what you’re doing to me, Reese?” His voice sounded broken as he thunked his forehead forward. “Making me choose like this…”
