Page 54 of Code Name: Atticus

“I meant ‘wow’ as in ‘good.’”

“So why question whether we both get together with him?”

I got up and took our food out of the microwave. “Let’s eat while we talk about this.”

“I lose my appetite when my feelings are hurt.” His lower lip stuck out, and I smiled.

“Let me see if I can clarify what I meant, so neither of us has to starve.”

We dished our food and sat at the dining table instead of the bar.

“I’m listening,” he said, fork raised but not yet digging into his food.

I thought longer than I probably should have about what I wanted to say, but I wanted to make this better, not worse. “I’m scared.”

He stuck a piece of bacon in his mouth and took his time chewing, then swallowing. “You wanna know how many women I’ve told I love them?”

“Sure.”

“Four.”

I opened my mouth to tell him that was the exact reason I was worried about this thing between us, but he covered my hand with his.

“My mother, my two sisters, and you. And you’re the only one who I love-love. Got it?”

“Okay, but?—”

He shook his head. “No buts. No matter what you say, I’ve got an answer.”

“Let’s hear them,” I said, folding my arms.

“Why am I so sure about how I feel when it’s been one hundred and eleven hours since we first slept together? And by that, I mean slept. Almost forty-seven hours since the first time we made love.”

“Yeah, that’s one question.”

“Here’s the answer. Because it’s been four thousand seven hundred fourteen days, nineteen hours, and forty minutes since the first time I met you.”

My eyes opened wide.

“Andthat’show long I’ve known you. That’s how long it’s been since the first time I saw your dimples, the first time I wondered what it would feel like to kiss you—even when I knew that, if your brother didn’t kill me, I’d probably go to jail because I was eighteen and you were sixteen. I still wondered, Brenna.And every time I saw you after that and we’d hug, I didn’t want to let go. I wanted the rest of the world to fade away and leave us alone just so I could spend a few more minutes knowing how it felt to hold you.”

“Atticus—”

“No, this is Mason talking. And that’s another thing. You want to know how many women I’ve wanted to call me by my real name?”

“Four?”

“One.My mom and sisters do it anyway. You, I wanted it.Wantit.” He weaved his fingers with mine. “And as far as my being worried about what Luke will think, how he’ll react…I don’t care. If he doesn’t take one look at us together and figure out that I love you, then he’s not as smart a guy as I’ve always taken him for.”

“What if he, you know, punches you?”

Atticus shook his head. “He won’t. But if you don’t feel as strongly as I do, you should probably tell me now.”

“I do.”

“Good.” He leaned forward, almost close enough to kiss me.

“Why are you so sure Luke won’t start a fight with you?”