Page 21 of Fun and Games

"No thanks," Mason said. "I don't need a side gig. I've got my hands full running the bar."

"I thought you said it was easy?" I gave him a playful nudge. "It won't take you long at all, right? After all, you just need to follow the instructions, isn't that what you said?"

"You do owe her for saving your ass in trivia," Connor pointed out. "You can return the favor by helping her out on her job."

"It's only fair," Quinn added.

"You're going to gang up on me, too?" Mason asked. "Some friends you are."

We all laughed again, and my heart felt lighter. The dark cloud that had threatened to cast a shadow over my evening had faded away, leaving only brief moments of wistfulness that quickly passed.

"It's about time we got going," Connor spoke up. "We've got an early meeting with a contractor tomorrow for the new site."

He and Quinn stood from the table, and we said our goodbyes. Quinn smiled warmly at me.

"It was very nice meeting you, Bree. Hopefully I'll see you again?" she asked, leaving it as a question.

"We've got to team up against the boys, remember?" I told her.

The two of them left me and Mason alone for the second time that night. Mason shifted his chair closer to me until our toes were touching underneath the table.

"I'd like to have a boys versus girls trivia night too," Mason said.

"Are you that eager to lose?" I asked.

"No, it's just hot seeing you answer all those questions," he replied.

"My intelligence turns you on?" I took a sip from my margarita and eyed him over the rim.

Mason shifted closer and put an arm around my shoulder.

"Smart is sexy," Mason agreed. He brought his lips to my ear. It turned burning hot. "You know what else I find sexy about you?" His fingertips trailed a line along my collarbone exposed by the scoop neck of my shirt.

My stomach fluttered, and heat pooled between my legs.

"And what would that be?" I asked.

"Everything," he murmured.

I took a flustered sip. My head was feeling woozy, but it wasn't because of the alcohol. I didn't know how I felt about Mason potentially wanting something more. But I knew what he wanted right this minute, and my body was sending signals that it was one hundred percent on board.

"I think I'm done with my drink," I told him.

"You've only finished half," he said.

I lifted the cocktail glass and knocked it back in one gulp.

"Done," I said.

I licked my lips, the aftertaste of lime leaving a stinging sensation. Mason's eyes dropped to my mouth and flared with heat.

He put his lips to my ear again.

"Your place or mine?"

Eight

For the secondtime since I'd met Mason, I found myself stumbling into his apartment, glued together at the lips.