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“Well, I don’t like it.” He swings into the parking lot of my building and slides into a space near the front before shifting into park. He twists on the seat until his full attention falls on me.
It was so much easier to have this conversation when he was focused on the road. Now that his dark gaze is pinning mine in place, I feel like a deer caught in the bright glare of headlights. I’m frozen, barely able to suck in a breath.
“I don’t care what you like,” I force myself to whisper. “You don’t make decisions for me.”
A growl vibrates in his chest, making him sound more like a wild animal than the polite man who showed up to dinner a couple hours ago. Before I realize what’s happening, his hand snakes out, wrapping around the nape of my neck. It doesn’t take much effort on his part to drag me forward. As soon as he’s within striking distance, his mouth crashes onto mine. Even though I’m surprised by the movement, I open. That’s all it takes for his tongue to slip inside and tangle with my own.
For the second time this evening, fireworks explode inside my head.
Never in my life have I generated this kind of combustible energy with anyone. Until this evening, I had no idea it existed outside romance novels and movies.
That’s the only thought ricocheting around in my brain as he assaults my senses, battering them like a raging storm. Kissing Mason is like having a war waged against you. He overwhelms me until it feels like I’m in danger of drowning in an ocean of desire.
Just when I question whether I can withstand another second of the onslaught, he pulls away enough to nip my lower lip with sharp teeth before sucking the plump flesh into his mouth. A whimper escapes from me as he delves back in for more. His tongue licks furiously at the inside of my mouth as if he’s trying to taste every part of me.
Or maybe devour me one bite at a time until there’s nothing left.
With a snarl, he releases me, pushing away until there’s distance between us. His chest heaves as his breath escapes in short pants. It’s as if we’ve both run a marathon.
I’m just as surprised by this kiss as I was the first time it happened on the deserted stretch of county road. My heart jackhammers an erratic tempo against my chest like a bird beating its wings against a cage.
I have no idea what to say in the heavy silence that unfolds.
“I’ll take a look at your car after practice and let you know when it’s fixed.”
What?
That’s it?
My mind cartwheels, trying to come up with a way to prolong this moment. More than anything, I want to understand why he kissed me. Especially when he told me not more than twenty minutes ago that he wanted me to stay away from him.
“Do you need my number?”
When his gaze darts to mine, I feel the intensity of it straight down to my toes. It only lasts a second or two before he breaks eye contact. “I’ll let Coach know what happened and he can pick it up.”
An irrational amount of disappointment floods through me.
When I continue to stare, half-tempted to argue that he doesn’t need to involve my father, he says, “You should go. It’s late.”
My fingers tremble as they grip the handle before jerking on it. The door creaks open, and I have to force myself to exit the vehicle. My legs are strangely wobbly as they find the pavement. It takes a couple of seconds to steady myself before slamming the door shut and placing one foot in front of the other until I reach the entrance of the lobby. Even though I haven’t looked over my shoulder, I know Mason is there, watching every move. I feel the heat of his gaze licking over me as I slip inside the apartment building.
It's only when the glass door slams behind me that I lose my internal battle and glance at the truck still idling in the lot. From across the distance that separates us, our gazes fasten and, for a heartbeat, I feel the connection we always seem to generate. I’m knocked from the trance when his truck roars to life and he backs out of the parking space, speeding off into the night.
If I were smart, I’d do just as Mason instructed and stay far away.
But that’s the problem.
I’m not smart.
Because all I can think about is the next time I’ll be able to feel his lips on mine.
Mason
What the hell had I been thinking when I decided to tow her car to my place?
Oh, that’s right.
I hadn’t been.
