Page 49 of Freaks Of Nature

Hands braced on the edge of the sink, I glare at my reflection in the mirror. I need to get Mason out of my head. This isn’t fair. I’m on a date with his brother for fuck’s sake, and all I can think about is him railing me against the wall.

I frown at the flattened condition of my hair. I don’t even know why I bothered with the volume. It’s all gone now after wearing a helmet.

But hey, at least he saw it blown out first. I hope it made an impression.

I give my head a shake and walk out to find Ash at the bar. He looks so hot in his dark blue, lightly distressed jeans and a black button-down with the sleeves folded up his tattooed forearms.

He went home after work to change and shower while Mason rode his bike straight to my house, buying himself a few minutes with me.

The whole outfit looks so effortless and yet sexy as hell on him.

How the fuck do guys do that?

And of course,hishair is on point, just the perfect amount of tousled, begging me to run my fingers through it.

Ugh!I want to sit on his lap while I do that. The way he straddles the barstool so casually, slightly slouched, and those strong thighs propped up on the step drives my fantasies wild. I can just feel his big hands cradling my ass.

Alright girl, reel it in. You got your head in the game now.I roll my eyes and approach on his right, sliding onto the empty seat beside him.

Elbow on the counter, bracing his chin on his left hand, he tips his head toward me. He bites his bottom lip, but I can see the crooked grin dangling there as he takes in my outfit again. I carry the hoodie in my hand to grant him another full view of the entire ensemble I put on just for our date. I accessorized with bracelets, a necklace, and dramatic eyeshadow of course.

I left my lips bare for fear of smudging, and I’m glad that I did, although I can’t for the life of me recall why. I’m all in the moment now. With Ash.

“What can I getcha?” the bartender asks me.

My eyes flash to him, and then to the glass of water in front of Ash. “I’ll start off with a water, too. Thanks.” I give the guy a curt smile and refocus on Ash.

I notice that he shaved before meeting me. There’s no 5 o’clock shadow darkening his jawline.

“If you’re thinking about ordering a salad, I’m taking you back home.”

“No.” I give a soft laugh. “I was thinking a burger and fries, but I’ll take whatever you recommend.” I’m starving, and my surging libido tells me I’ll need the calories.

His eyes light up. “Burger and fries it is,” he says with a grin.

I try not to think of Laura’s remark about his big hands squeezing the buns.

We order our food, and I add a Strawberry Daiquiri while Ash sticks to water. I have to admit, I’m equally surprised and relieved that he doesn’t consume alcohol since both our lives—and the lives of others—depend on it.

“So how long have you been working at the auto shop?” I ask, lowering my drink.

I’m hoping to needle Ash with more questions. He might be more likely to open up than his brother.

He sets his burger down and sucks some juice off his thumb before reaching for his water. Turns out, he’s a one-handed guy when it comes to food. His right hand is braced on his thigh as his body faces mine.

He takes a sip and swallows. “Since we were 18.”

His reply stumps me briefly. That’s right out of high school with no previous hands-on training unless they grew up in a garage and learned from a parent or relative.

There was a workshop setup at the house, I remember.

“And your house, is that your family’s home? The one you grew up in?” It looks brand-new, though. Or at least very recently renovated in a modern style.

“Nah.” He shakes his head. “We didn’t have it that nice growing up. We took off once we turned 16.”

A fry pauses on its way to my lips as I choke on the last bite.On their own since they were 16?

“What happened to your parents?” I wonder apprehensively.