Chapter 14

 

I follow Mason into the bathroom, which has white tile flooring and black granite countertops. The bathroom is nearly as big as the bedroom, with a large glass shower and pebbles on the floor inside of it. Mason stops and turns toward the right. In the middle of the room is a large mirror with two sinks and lots of cabinets on either side.

Mason scratches the top of his head, tufts of curls piled on top of brown locks. “Uh…here is the linen closet,” he points to the narrow and opens it.

The door makes a creaking sound and when it opens, it smells clean and refreshing. I just have to smile. It’s so funny to see a guy who’s living by himself in his own bachelor lake house pad to be so…I don’t know…domesticated. This entire guest room has been decked out in beautiful décor and furnishings. The towels are lavender and white, all matching and neatly folded in the linen closet.

“Alexa picked them out,” he says, patting the stack of towels before closing the door. “They should be as soft as the ones in my bathroom. So anyway, the shower is digital, but it’s not that complicated.”

Curious, I follow him to the glass shower, where he opens the door and steps inside. I stay outside, not wanting to be in a shower with a man even if our clothes are on. He shows me the digital and waterproof screen built into the large shower. It’s a touch screen and you control the temperature of your shower, as well as how the water flows out. There’s three showerheads in here, and you can use one or all of them.

“Fancy,” I say in awe.

He chuckles. “Yeah, it came with the house.”

We stand there awkwardly beside each other for a few moments. The air is thick with something I don’t recognize and haven’t really ever experienced before. Is it sexual tension? No, impossible. We didn’t even know each other well enough to establish a foundation of attraction yet.

He is cute though…

“Oh, I almost forgot!” He blurts out and opens the linen closet once more. “The sheets are clean now, but if you want to change them later on, they’re also in here.”

He leans up to reach on the top shelf of the closet and pulls down a pair of white sheets with tiny grey threading across the stitching. They look expensive. “Thanks,” I tell him again, with a world of gratitude dripping from my lips.

He shrugs like it’s no big deal and that’s when my unpredictable emotions get the better of me and I’m swallowed whole by the touching moment. The tears begin to flow and I’m powerless to stop them. I’m so humiliated to cry in front of a man I barely know, but he’s been so kind and welcoming and I’m just a nobody who doesn’t really deserve all of this.

Mason’s face turns white. He takes half a step forward, then shoves his hands in his pockets, seeming unable to find anything to say.

I sniff and shake my head, wiping the tears off my cheeks. “I’m sorry,” I whisper and spin around to scamper off down the hallway. “I’m fine!” If I retreat back into the guest bedroom and close the door, maybe we both can pretend that this unpleasant situation never happened.

“Hey,” he slowly tugs at my elbow and furrows his brow. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry, I’m so embarrassed.” I sag my shoulders and stare at the impeccable white floors below.

“Is there something wrong with the sheets?”

Even though I’m trying not to cry, a burst of light shines through at his adorable comment. Bless him, he’s worried about not being hospitable enough, when really he’s done too much already.

“No,” I chuckle and then erupt into a real, bone tingling belly laugh.

“What is it?” He sounds borderline panicked, his eyes wide.

I finally muster the courage to look him in the eye. “It’s just…I’m overwhelmed.” I shrug and bite my lip, looking away down the hallway again. “Just… very overwhelmed.”

“About what?” He asks, his voice still reflecting worry.

“You are a total stranger,” I look at him. “You are being so kind to me, allowing me to sleep in your home when I have nowhere else to go, and it’s just awkward, you know? I mean, I’m so grateful, I am, but it’s still weird.”

“I figured you probably don’t want to sleep in your car,” he responds with a sliver of a joke.

I chuckle again. “You are right about that. The nights can still get cold here in the spring time.”

“I’m happy to help. This house is too big for just me.”

“It’s not only that.” I stare into his ocean blue eyes. “My whole family abandoned me.”

“I’m sorry…” he trails off, his eyes glazing over with genuine empathy.

“My own uncle…flesh and blood mind you…kicked me to the curb.” I shake my head as bitter resentment and animosity boil in my veins. “He would rather collect rent and deny his niece a place to live. It’s like…he doesn’t even care about me.”

My voice cracks again, I’m feeling low and worthless.

“Hey…” Mason whispers softly. “It’s okay. Screw him.”

“My father too,” I say and tighten my jaw. “He’s moved on, without me of course.” I chuckle with a sour taste in my mouth, completely over all the bullshit drama. “Alexa stepped up to the plate to help me, and now you…” I point to his manly chest. “You are a total stranger and have shown me more compassion and mercy than my own family.”

I choke up again, and Mason reels me in for an awkward hug. Through no fault of my own, I swoon over his delicious masculine smell. The scent of his cologne is spicy and perfect.

“You know, sometimes family is overrated,” he laughs as I press my cheek to his warm t-shirt and then quickly realizing what I’m doing, I pull away sharply.

I stare up at him with tear-soaked eyes and give him a feeble, shy smile. “Yeah, I guess you are right.”

“Do you want a beer?” He blurts out of nowhere.

I frown, confused. “A beer?”

“Well…yeah…” he chuckles. “I thought maybe it could help take the edge off.”

I contemplate this, standing here pondering his offer for a second or two. Then, before my mind can announce a decision, my heart does it for me. “Oh, what the hell,” I laugh. “Sure, why not.”

“Meet me in the kitchen,” he says, giving me a sly wink before disappearing and leaving me in this huge bathroom alone.

I glance in the mirror and try to rub the sadness from my eyes and the blotchiness from my cheeks. I draw in a deep breath. Maybe a little leisure time and somebody to talk to is exactly what I need right now.

I walk back to the kitchen, slowly and full of apprehension, but so far Mason seems harmless, so I don’t know where my anxiety is stemming from. Maybe it’s just this whole crazy situation. When Alexa said she’d set me up with a landlord, I hadn’t pictured one so damn sexy.

“Hi,” I cast him a timid wave and shift my weight as I stand across from him at the fridge.

He cranes his neck over the door to look at me. “Oh, hey again,” he laughs. “I only have Bud Light. Usually I’m a craft beer kind of guy but I’m all out. I hope that’s okay with you?”

“Sure,” I say. It’s not like I’m a beer expert. Grandma didn’t drink, and therefore neither did I. “No problem.”

He pulls two bottles of beer out of the fridge and then closes the door behind him. “Glass or bottle?” He holds up one of the beers.

I don’t really have a preference, so I opt to go with the second choice to make less work and dishes for him later. “I’ll just have it the way it is…in the bottle.”

He nods and pops the top off of both, handing me one. “Bottom’s up.”

“Should we make a toast or something?” I smile.

“Right,” he says and tosses the beer tops in the trash can. “To new friendship.”

We hit the necks of our beer bottles together and it makes a clinking sound that rings in the air because it’s the only noise between us. Mason continues to stare at me as if he’s trying to see past my exterior emotions. At first, I can’t pull away from his gaze. He’s not bad to look at, handsome even. I find myself becoming more attracted to him by the second.

I don’t know what else to do, so I take a long, glorious sip of the beer but I’m careful not to slam it back too quickly. I don’t want to let go of my inhibitions on my first night in his house.

“So…” I say with a grin.

Mason comes out of his trance and shakes his head. “We could drink these on the couch in the living room or we can go out on the deck outside. It’s a pretty nice night.”

“Do you think we will see any shooting stars?” I joke.

Mason shrugs. “You never know.”

“Well in that case, I pick the deck.” The couch just seems too intimate.

“Follow me,” he says, and pushes open a sliding glass door just off the kitchen.

We walk out into the darkness and Mason lights a candle on a wooden farm table, picnic bench type of thing. “This will be better than switching on one of the outside lights,” he tells me. “Better for bugs.”

“Right,” I say and take another hard swallow of the beer. The candle might be good for bugs, but it also makes the whole scene feel a lot more romantic.

We sit down, and Mason takes a sip of his beer, letting out a crisp and contented sigh. “This is the life.”

I study him for a moment, watching his features as they shift along with the shadows under the glow of the moon. He has a strong jaw line and a clean-cut face.

I don’t know why, but I feel compelled to be open and honest with him. He seems so genuine, appealing and true.

“I was supposed to go to college,” I state defensively, although I have no idea where that’s coming from.

Mason turns to look at me. “Yeah? What were you going to study?”

“I want to be a teacher,” I tell him assertively, because that dream is still alive within me…somewhere.

I just need to find the time and courage to dig it back up from where its roots are deeply implanted in the back of my mind.

There’s a twinkle in Mason’s eye that makes him sexy as hell. “That’s a great goal.”

“Yeah,” I admit with pride. “I’ve always wanted to be a kindergarten teacher.”

“You kind of look like a kindergarten teacher,” Mason chuckles and places his legs on the bench beside him, propping himself up and looking more relaxed now.

I laugh. “Do teachers have a certain look?” I ask.

Mason leans in and pretends to investigate my features. “Maybe,” he concludes. “Or maybe I’m just being nice.”

“Well at any rate,” I say and change the subject, “all of that had to be placed on the back burner when my grandma got sick.”

“I’m sorry to hear about her passing.” Mason’s expression softens and turns serious again.

“Thank you,” I nod and absentmindedly pick at my thumbnail. “She was really sweet. She taught me a lot…like how to cook and stuff.”

“Do you like to cook?” Mason chimes.

I laugh. “Why, do you want to hire an in-house chef?”

“No…” he says with a grin. “Although a home cooked meal would be better than what I’m used to.”

“What would that be?” I tease him.

“Frozen dinners mainly,” he shrugs and takes another sip of his beer, casting his eyes up to the moon. “Sometimes I grill, but it’s pointless to go through all the trouble for just one person.”

“I did go to college for one semester,” I confess. “I just had to drop out because grandma needed full time care. There was nobody else there to step up to the plate, so the responsibility had to fall on my shoulders.”

“You grew up fast,” Mason says as more of a declaration of fact than a question.

“I thought I would be okay until my asshole Uncle Marshall pulled the rug right out from me,” I say regretfully. “Now I’m lost, with no real stamp on where to go next. I have nothing, and I don’t know which direction to turn.”

“Well, like I said,” Mason leans in closer to me and I get another whiff of his charming, woodsy scent. “You can stay here until you figure out what to do and having a job at the bakery is a great start. Alexa will take good care of you.”

I chuckle. “Don’t I know it. She’s the kindest person I know.”

“Probably the kindest you’ll ever meet too,” Mason adds with a nod.

Suddenly I feel sheepish again. “Thanks for listening to my rants,” I mumble under my breath.

“Everyone suffers hardships every now and then,” he says in an enlightening tone. “I don’t know…maybe it’s just the universe testing us or giving us a rite of passage.”

“Listen to you, with all the answers,” I tease him although what he’s saying hits home. I feel a little inspired, even.

“The struggle ends eventually,” he tells me.

“I hope you’re right,” I say with another sip of beer going down the hatch.

“My family is on the opposite spectrum, but equally annoying,” he admits. “They are always up my ass, wanting to chime in with their opinion on what I should be doing. My mother is the worst at it, always nagging me.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” I tell him but what I’m really thinking is at least he has a mother who harasses him. I would love to get nagged by my own mother again.

“Everybody always wants something from me,” he notes with sadness in his voice. “I like helping, but it makes me feel alone more than anything.”

Now I feel sorry for him because his eyes look unhappy. He glances up at me. “I’m really sorry again for the rental house.”

“It’s okay,” I say politely.

“No, it’s not,” he defies. “I promise I’ll fix it up for you, to make it livable once again.”

“I appreciate that,” I whisper.

“I used to live there you know…” he trails off.

“Really?” I ask with intrigue.

He nods and sips his beer. “Yep. Many moons ago. It was my first house. I was proud of it.”

“It’s great that you are handy enough to fix it back up,” I tell him.

“It needs a hug,” he laughs, which in turn makes me giggle too.

“Indeed, it does. It needs a bear hug.” We both burst into laughter and I realize I’m having more fun with him than I expected. He’s easy to talk to, the conversation just flows smoothly. We sit at the table for a few moments and suddenly I feel tired. “I probably should get to bed,” I say and stand up, instantly feeling the world blur and fuzz in front of me.

I’m giddy, perhaps a little loopy because I’m a light weight, not accustomed to drinking frequently. I move to walk back in the house to throw away my beer bottle, but I stumble, nearly tripping over my own feet in my dizzy state.

Mason stands up to catch me before I fall on my ass. His arms feel powerful, sturdy and strong…just the anecdote I need right now. I’m vulnerable as I stare up into his passion filled, lust gazed eyes. Before I know what’s happening, the chemistry swirls with electrifying power around us.

He leans in and I close my eyes expectantly, holding my breath while clutching my heart emotionally. My fingertips are numb, my ears tingle and burn and my body melds into his as his lips press into mine, igniting a fire that swells with warmth through my belly.

Before I know it, his lips are hungrily devouring mine. The kisses start slow at first, but I hold onto him and unleash all of the lust that’s built up over the last hour. He tastes like beer and honey, and I need more of his lips on mine.

“Damn you’re beautiful,” he grunts in between ravenous kisses.

Desire fills me as I sit on top of him, straddling his lap with my legs going across his. I run my hands through his lush, perfect hair and feel the tiny hint of stubble as my fingers move over his face, grazing his cheeks.

I want more, I want him…but it’s too fast… too soon.

I know it’s a mistake. I’m acting with liquid courage of my beer buzz. He must feel it too, because he gently picks me up by the hips and places me on the bench beside him.

“Fuck,” he says with exasperation. “I’m sorry.”

I mean to say something, but I don’t.  I’m too dazed, too woozy, too high on the feeling of his body pressed against mine. He gets up and slips inside quicker than I can react.

I’m hanging by a thread, as I sit there alone, in the darkness with only the stars in the sky to comfort me, but they are a million miles away. I wonder if he’ll ever come back, but after several minutes that morph into eternity, I realize he’s not going to come back.

Humiliation shames me and flushes my cheeks with intense heat. I feel like shit. What the hell was I thinking? He probably thinks I’m a huge, mooching slut now. I walk back inside and lock the sliding glass door behind me. I rhythmically shut off the lights as I trek back to my room and climb into the bed, tucking the sheets around me.

Still fully clothed, I lay there wide awake and staring at the ceiling, trying to tame the beating of my wild heart.