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“Two reasons. One, you didn’t get dessert.” He pulled out a little paper bag from behind his back. “They’re gluten-free.”
“Mase…” Emotion rose up inside me. It was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for me.
“And two,” he went on. “I wanted to ask you to come by the rink tomorrow morning. We’re giving Scottie a behind-the-scenes tour. I’m sure he’d appreciate a friendly face.”
“You want me to come to the rink… for Scottie?”
“Yeah.” The intensity in his eyes was at odds with his words.
“I… will my dad be there?”
A strange expression washed over him. “It’s not an official team thing, so I don’t see why he would be. My mom will be there too. I bet she’d love to spend more time with you.”
His mixed signals were giving me whiplash. But I was too scared to ask what it all meant in case he was genuinely trying to be my friend and nothing more.
“I’ll see what I can do.”
He nodded, his eyes searching mine for answers I didn’t know the questions to.
“Is that everything or—”
Mason pulled me into his arms, holding me tight. “I just… fuck, Harper. I’m not good at this.”
“What do you want, Mason?” I gazed up at him, surprised I could get my words out, given how light-headed I felt.
“I… I don’t know. All I know is when you’re pissed at me, things feel wrong. I’ve never done this before.”
“This?” I arched a brow because I wasn’t going to let him get off that easily.
“Yeah, blondie. This.” His mouth twitched.
“I’m not sure I understand. You might need to break it down for me.”
“This. Chase a girl. I don’t have time for all that. Not with the team and Scottie and—”
“I get it, Mason.” I slid my hands up his chest, curling my fingers into his hoodie. “You don’t know how to let someone in.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed against his throat as he swallowed roughly. For a second, I thought he might kiss me, but instead, he pressed his lips to my forehead. Soft and lingering, he inhaled a shaky breath and whispered, “You should tell me to turn around and walk away, Harper. I’m no good for you.”
“I’ve never been very good at making the right choices.” I looped my arms around his shoulders and touched my head to his. “There’s something here, Mason.”
“I know.” Uncertainty coasted across his expression. “It fucking terrifies me. I don’t want to hurt you. I—”
I kissed him. Slipped my hand around the back of his neck and kissed him, trying to pour everything I refused to say into every stroke of my tongue and press of my lips.
I wanted Mason to choose me. To take a risk on me. But I wasn’t going to beg. Not this time. Not when everything inside me was screaming that this thing between us was real and had the potential to be something more.
Something permanent.
Mason had to figure it out on his own terms what he wanted.
And what he was willing to sacrifice to have it.
CHAPTER23
MASON
“I really appreciate this, Coach,”I said as he let Mom and Scottie into the media room.
