Savor Me(24)

“Um…” He stands, stunned, with his second shot held to his f*cking perfect lips. Perfect lips that have still never touched mine. “Drinking?” he says without any trace of attitude.

“Okay, so maybe my question should be who the f*ck are you drinking with?” There is no mistaking the accusation in my tone.

“Lacey, this is—” he starts but I interrupt.

“Clearly you have mistaken me for someone who gives a damn. Maybe I should have said why the f*ck are you drinking with her?” I can tell he’s taken aback by my attitude, and a small, knowing smile curves his lips.

“Wow. This is an interesting shade of green on you,” he smarts off, enjoying every second of this.

“Fuck you. I was on my way over here to suck you off in order to put you in a better mood, but apparently someone beat me to it.” I flash a bitchy smirk to Blondie. She’s just standing there confused and maybe even a little disgusted.

“Aren’t you Hunter’s girlfriend?”

My face falls when I realize that I just outed us all, but regret never was my thing. I plaster back on a fake smile and pointedly look at Mason.

“Yes! Yes, I am.”

“No, she isn’t,” Mason quickly answers behind me while leveling me with a challenging stare.

I rise to my toes, returning his stare, and very calmly throw my final blow. “Oh, I am most definitely his girlfriend.” It may not be the whole truth, but it’s definitely not a lie. I quickly turn to walk away before the anger has a chance to subside.

I know what I just did. I used Hunter against him—again. And the jealousy that was only moments ago coursing through my veins has quickly turned into ice cold fear. I just gave Mason an out to leave me, and it’s more than I can stomach. I look around, frantically searching for the bathrooms. I don’t need Hunter to see the emotional breakdown I know is coming. He never strays far from my side, but maybe, just this one time, I can escape his watchful eyes. I lower my head and rush toward the illuminated exit sign above the back door.

I break out into the warm night air just as the emotions overtake my body. I begin to hyperventilate and tears spill from my eyes. Resting a hand against the wall, I try to regain control over my traitorous body.

“Take it back.” I suddenly hear Mason’s voice behind me.

“I’m sorry,” I squeak out as I continue to fall apart in front of him.

“Don’t apologize. Fucking, take it back. ” He makes no move to comfort me. It’s just a stone cold demand.

“Mason, I…” I want to take it all back. I just can’t catch my damn breath long enough to explain. I want to fall into his arms and explain to him how much he means to me. How the very idea of not being with him causes this type of overwhelming physical reaction. I want to make him feel even half as safe he makes me feel. But all of those things only shoot my panic up a notch. I’m too scared to be with him, but I can’t breathe without him.

“So this is how you choose to end it, Lace, huh? With a stupid f*cking fit of jealousy? You know, I actually thought that part was cute. It’s about f*cking time you showed some sort of feelings for me. You spend your days fawning over him, and I get one, maybe two, lousy hours each night after he f*cks you.” He pauses for a beat then snatches off his hat, slamming it to the ground. “God damn it!” he screams at the top of his lungs. “So here it is. You’re Hunt’s girl now?”

My tears continue to fall from my eyes as I quickly shake my head. “No.”

“I’m so f*cking stupid. Why did I let it go on so long?” He begins to pace.

I finally calm down enough to speak. “Mason, I’m sorry. I take it back.”

“Walk away, Lace. I told you I wouldn’t leave, and I won’t. So I need you to go now.”

“Mason, please. Let me talk. I’m not ending this!”

“Well you should. This has disaster written all over it. You need to cut your losses while you still have Hunter.”

“Who are you trying to convince here? You or me? I don’t want this to end and I just got physically ill at the idea of not being with you.”

“What the f*ck do you think is going to happen here? We all just live happily ever after, buy one big house, and take turns sharing you for the next fifty years? For f*ck’s sake, can’t you see this is going to destroy us when it ends? Hunter and I are effectively done as best friends. I see the way he looks at you, and neither one of us is going to let you go without a fight.”

“Then don’t make me choose.” I walk over, wrapping my arms around his waist.

Mason knows nothing about the struggle that is going on in my head. He doesn’t understand that I’m terrified of this ending, and not because I would have to choose—that would be the easy part. I’m scared because, when this ends, I have to admit to myself that I have finally found the only person who has ever truly owned me. And I have to trust that he won’t ever leave me.

“Lacey,” he says to catch my attention. I pull my head away from his chest and look up into his sparkling blue eyes. “You may not be mine, but I’ll forever be yours.” Without hesitation, he slams his mouth over mine, pulling me in for a hungry kiss.

His tongue slides into my mouth, and I struggle to keep up. The kiss is wild, and the passion behind it should scare the shit out of me. It’s more than lust. Hell, he just told me it’s more than that, but Mason’s mouth erases all logical thinking. I thread a hand into his soft hair as I climb up his body, desperately needing more. I wrap my legs around his waist as he continues a relentless rhythm in my mouth.