Fifteen

LILAH

I’m not sure what possessed me to go grocery shopping in the middle of the night, but here I am in aisle six comparing generic cereal brands.

By the time I grabbed a squeaky shopping cart, it was midnight on the dot and I’ve been busy ever since. My tight budget makes it necessary that I pinch every penny possible and I don’t take the task lightly.

Because of the late hour, my contacts have long left my eyes, so I push the clunky glasses further up the bridge of my nose to continue my price comparison.

When my phone vibrates in my back pocket, I tear my eyes away from my current task and retrieve the device. Who would be calling me at this hour? My mom? Charli? Edward?

Nothing prepares me to see Andrew’s name on the screen.

I haven’t heard from him once since I pulled my little disappearing act and I sure as hell wasn’t going to be the first to reach out.

When can I see you, Ms. Tucker?

I may not have reached out to him in reality, but he was all I could think of, night and day. I had even found myself washing my hands under scalding water this afternoon lost in my thoughts as I recalled our last encounter.

I’m free all day tomorrow. What time works best for you?

I take a deep breath and wait for his response. Hopefully, he says later in the day. I need time to prepare for our next encounter, because the last one nearly knocked my world off its axis.

What about tonight? I want to pick your brain before I move forward with anything…

Shit.

Sorry. I can’t right now. I’m in the middle of something.

His response comes through quicker than lightning.

What the fuck are you saying, Lilah? Where are you?

He’s nowhere near me but I can feel the heat of his jealousy through the phone.

Cool your jets, caveman. I’m not in danger. I’m fine. Honest.

I hesitate to respond, but I know that I have step lightly.

I’m food shopping.

When no follow-up text comes through, I shrug and get back to the task at hand.

I breeze through the aisles humming softly to myself. I make it to the cookie aisle uninterrupted when a kind male voice breaks my train of thought from behind me.

Great.

“How are you?” He asks politely, and I continue to stare intently at the package in my hand. The less I say the better. Maybe this overly friendly mystery man will back off.

I grunt and bend down my head even further. Perhaps shopping at midnight is not the best idea I had recently.

“I’m sorry to bother you, but you looked fa—”

That’s when I recognize the voice. Deep yet nasally. I teased him about it all the time when we were together.

“Mason!”

Unintentionally, I pounce on him hugging him tight as comfort fills my heart at seeing someone familiar from my past.

“Hey, Lily Cat,” he greets laughingly when I pull away.

His old nickname for me brings back a flood of memories, good memories. I haven’t seen this man since our college graduation. I had no idea I even missed him until this very moment.

Mason was always a good guy. At least where I was concerned. We broke up in college because we realized we were better off friends than anything else. There was absolutely zero spark between us.

“Wow, you look great,” he tells me sincerely. “I’m guessing life is treating you well.”

If only you knew.

I smile dutifully and thank him for the compliment.

“What have you been up to, Lily Cat? You forgot all about me once you moved away to chase your dreams,” he remarks, moving his basket from one hand to another.

Rolling my eyes playfully, I lean against the handle of my cart. “Are you sure it’s not the other way around? My number is still the same, big shot. You’re the one who left to become some Wall Street exec.”

Mason laughs bashfully and it’s an endearing sound.

“So what are you doing in Greenwich anyway? Do you live around here now?”

“Not quite. I’m here for the summer. My girlfriend’s family is from here, so we’re staying at their estate for a little bit,” he shares casually.

But the smile on his face is telling.

Mason’s in love.

Who the hell would have guessed it? He’d only had eyes for books and video games the last time I saw him. And now he’s a man in love. How stinking cute…

My heart sings at the revelation and I start to tell him as much until a strong hand grips my elbow and catches me off guard.

Before I can yelp in surprise, Andrew’s deep timbre is filling the air.

“Hey Cupcake,” he says, dropping a wet kiss behind my ear. His grip on my elbow loosens as he traces his tongue over my earlobe.

To any other person, it would look like we’re two lovers greeting each other. But I know for a fact that this is just his way of marking his territory.

He’s deduced that Mason is a threat and even though that’s not the case at all, he’s still on full alert.

A shiver runs down my spine and it has nothing to do with the chilly temperature inside the market.

“Andrew, hi,” I greet in an attempt to sound cool and collected. But I sound out of breath and dazed even to my own ears.

He finally steps around me and looks down at me. I almost drown in the midnight blue pools focused intently on me.

Mason clears his throat across the aisle and I suddenly remember he’s there. So I clear my throat too and try to talk.

“Andrew, this is Mason. Mason, this is Andrew.” My words are wobbly as Andrew’s hand moves from my elbow to the small of my back. I’m wearing a crop top and have never been more thrilled about an outfit choice as his hand touches my bare flesh.

His hot fingers dance across my cool skin creating a delightful sensation.

Mason is the first to extend his hand and Andrew looks at it for a full moment before reaching out to shake it.

True to his nature, Mason engages him in friendly conversation while I get lost in drawing comparisons between the two.

Where Mason is lanky and thin, Andrew is solid muscle. Mason’s pale skin dims in comparison to Andrew’s bronzed tone and the array of artwork covering it. Mason’s unruly hair is light blond and falling around his ears, while Andrew’s copper hair is short and perfectly groomed. Mason is open and friendly, but Andrew is closed off and brooding.

They couldn’t be more different—

“Right, Cupcake?” Andrew says bringing me back to the present. I’m not even going to pretend that I know what they’re talking about so I just smile and nod.

Mason watches the way Andrew’s thick arm falls around my shoulder and gives a heavy sigh, rocking back on his heels.

“Well, it was great to see you, Lily Cat. Hopefully it won’t be six years before we see each other again.”

I chuckle lightly and promise to keep in touch. I can see Andrew’s jaw tighten from the corner of my eye.

“Nice to meet you, man. Take care of this one, she’s a handful,” Mason says jokingly before walking off to continue his shopping.

Before Mason’s even out of earshot, Andrew is grilling me.

“Why the fuck are you out shopping so late?” He growls and the disgruntled sound goes straight to my panties. “Do you have any idea what kind of psychos are out this time of night?”

I simultaneously want to purr and bristle at his tone.

“Err, you? Me? Mason? I can take care of myself just fine,” I bite back. “How the hell did you find me so fast anyway?”

His lips lift into a smile at my demanding tone.

What the hell is so funny?

“Answer me!” I’m two seconds shy of stomping my feet like a spoiled child. His little popups are beginning to rattle me. It’s like he has eyes all over this city.

“This isn’t a very big town. There’s only one store open this late in a twenty-mile radius.”

“And that little show back there,” I say referencing his tense interaction with Mason. “What was that?”

“You’re mine, Lilah. And I want everyone who sees you to know it,” he says emphatically, his stare certain and steady.

“I’m yours?” I repeat back to him questioningly.

His eyes darken dangerously as he fixes me with his burning gaze. When he speaks, that deep rumbling voice holds nothing but delicious promise.

“Mine.”