“I’m not sorry, Whit. If I hadn’t kicked that door in, you’d be dead.”
“Why is that such a bad thing?” Before he has a chance to respond his hand falls away from me. He stands quickly and rounds the bar, coming straight for me. I stand there in shock. His arms wrap around my waist, pulling me into him.
“It would have been a bad thing. It was a bad thing. My sister died. I have fuckin’ nightmares every damn night of you and her. How the fuck do I make that stop now? Huh? How Whitley? Tell me!” Mason snaps in my face. Customers bellow around us, but I can’t focus. I’m lost in him; lost in his words.
“I’m sorry Mason. I didn’t mean for that to haunt you. I’m just so confused about my life right now. Nothing has ever made sense to me, and it still doesn’t. I don’t know what my next move is. I don’t know where to turn. I just need to do this shit day by day. I’m sorry, Mason. I really am.” As much as it hurt to admit that, I had to tell him. I had to get at least that much off my chest. Mason doesn’t let go of me. He holds me as if there’s an invisible line that connects the two of us.
“I know how that feels Whit. You didn’t have to do that. I was there. Whatever he did to you I can’t help fix it if I don’t know about it.” The sincerity in his voice slams into me. Would he have possibly gone after Armando? Would he have made them feel the pain I did? He doesn’t even know me.
“We aren’t the same kind of person, Mason. Whatever shit I get myself into is just that. My shit. It doesn’t concern you and I’m sorry that you had to be the one to find me, but” my sentence is cut off by his lips caressing mine. His tongue slides over my bottom lip before I can open my mouth to finish what I was saying. Mason takes the opportunity to sneak his tongue in. The way his tongue glides over mine is intoxicating. From the second I met him, I knew he was something different. Something more.
“Jesus Christ why is there always something going on in my bar?” Joe snaps behind us. Mason pulls back slightly with a smile on his face. Pecking one more kiss to my lips, he steps back, and then turns back to walk back around the bar. All I can do is watch him. I’m standing in stunned silence as he takes his seat at the end of the bar again.
“Whit? Are you okay?” Joe asks. I reach up and press my fingers to my lips as I nod.
“I think I’m good,” I say softly, not entirely sure that I am.
“Whitley I need to head out, babe. I’ll talk to you more tomorrow.” I turn my head to look at Carla as she calls out to me. I nod my head absently watching her giggle as she tosses money onto the counter.
What the hell just happened here? I’m so fucking confused. Even more so now than before he kissed me, but why the hell did he kiss me? Glancing back over at Mason, he’s just sitting there with a beer in his hands and a smirk on his face.
Chapter 15
Mason
I waited around until the bar closed. No one of interest showed up while I was here; probably why they didn’t show up. I would have fucked them into hell and back if they had. I went outside and waited on Joe and Whitley to lock up for the night. Joe left quickly, but Whitley didn’t. Moving slowly she walked up and down the sidewalk in front of the bar until I finally stepped into view like a crazed stalker.
“You not goin’ home?” I ask. Whitley jolts, obviously not seeing me there.
“Fucking hell, Mason. Why did you have to scare the shit out of me?” she snaps while I chuckle.
“I didn’t mean to. You need a ride?” Her eyes search my face before she chews her bottom lip. Fuck me, she would have to do it all sexy like too.
“Sure,” she says raising her shoulder in a shrug. I usher her to behind the building and into the alley. Whit laughs when I walk past the spot I first fucked her.
“You rememberin’ that night?” I ask her. Whitley nods and smiles.