Page 23 of Fun and Games

"How about I get you a glass of water?" he asked.

He handed me my shirt so I could slip it back on. He took my hand and led me to the kitchen table. I took a seat on one of the chairs, sitting down with a thump. My limbs felt heavy, as if I was moving underwater.

I heard Mason pour a glass of water from a jug in the fridge. He returned shortly and set it in front of me. The worry on his face had only increased.

I took a sip of water, gathering myself.

In the beginning, everything had reminded me of David. I couldn't go outside without seeing his face in a crowd.

Slowly, I'd learned to separate myself from the trauma. I hadn't been triggered like this in a while.

But clearly there was still something inside me that hadn't healed. Something was still broken.

I met Mason's eyes with a chagrined look.

"I'm sorry I ruined the mood," I said.

"Don't worry about it." He took a seat across from me. "I just want to make sure you're feeling all right."

It was sweet of him to be concerned with my well-being, considering I had interrupted a hot and heavy make out session that was no doubt leading to sex.

I knew exactly how good Mason was in bed, and it wasn't like I was hesitant to repeat that night. If he hadn't given me that kiss on my nose, if it hadn't sounded as if that sweet, loving endearment had come from David's lips themselves, I would have been fine.

I brought a hand to my face and rubbed at my forehead, as if I could wipe away the memory. But I couldn't. It was reverberating in my brain.

"I'm sorry about all this," I told Mason. "I should probably go."

A flicker of disappointment crossed his face, but it was brief.

"I have a better idea," he said.

He went to the living room and grabbed the TV remote control from the coffee table, then handed it to me.

"What'll it be?" he asked. "Modern or classic?"

I looked at him, confused.

"I've got a handful of streaming services," he explained. "We can choose from a modern Disney movie likeMoanaor a classic likeBeauty and the Beast."

"You want to watchBeauty and the Beastwith me?" I asked.

"So it's a classic, then?" He gave me a soft smile.

The heat between my thighs had dwindled to almost nothing, but it now flared up and traveled straight to my chest. A warm glow settled deep in my heart.

I took the remote from Mason's hand. Our fingers brushed together lightly. I chastised myself inwardly for ruining the night, but I couldn't deny there was something appealing about sitting with Mason on his sofa watching one of my favorite movies. Something comforting.

"As long as you don't mind me singing along with every song," I said.

"You're one of those people, are you?" he groaned, but there was good humor on his face. "I hope you at least have a good singing voice."

"Nope." That glow in my heart intensified. "I'm absolutely terrible."

Mason chuckled and put a hand around my shoulder to guide me to the living room.

"I suppose I can live with that, as long as you don't have a running commentary through the whole movie."

I feigned a disgusted sniff. "I would never."