Page 78 of Word to the Wise

“Sorry.”

“For being hungry?” Mason shakes his head. “Sticks, you need to stop apologizing when you’ve got nothing to be sorry for.”

Mason walks deeper into the kitchen, swinging open the refrigerator, and it’s stocked with food.

“Doesn’t that stuff expire?” I stop beside him, glancing at a milk carton.

“I had it stocked this morning. It’s fine.”

“You had it stocked this morning?” I tick an eyebrow at him.

“Hence why this place is so fucking expensive. A company looks after it while I’m gone. Maintenance, cleaning, stocking it before I come to town.”

I laugh.

“What?”

“Nothing. You just make it all sound so normal.”

He shrugs. “That’s how I grew up.”

“Hey, I’m not judging.” I nudge his shoulder. “I grew up surrounded by sex, drugs, and bikers. We all have our flaws.”

“My trust fund is a flaw now?” He props his arm up on the refrigerator door, watching me. “I could spoil you with that flaw, you know.”

Gripping the counter, I hop onto it, sitting facing him. “I don’t want your money, Mason.”

Carter had plenty of that. It never did me any good.

“Well, I’m not going to lie, that’s refreshing.” He watches me tap my heels against the cabinet. “That’s all anyone here cared about. It’s one of the reasons I left.”

“Is it really any better in LA?”

“Girls in LA don’t know I have money.”

“That’s not what I mean.” I pause my feet. “In Vegas, it was money, but in LA, it’s sex. You’re offering whatever you’re comfortable giving, so long as you don’t have to actually open up. Doesn’t matter the resource if you’re still just letting them use you for one thing or another.”

When I first met Mason, I wasn’t blind to what he was doing. He made his way through women like he was running out of time. But it didn’t make him any happierwhen he was using them to solve his problems. The same way I use research and work to forget about mine.

“Guess you’re right.” He closes the refrigerator, leaning against it to watch me. “I let them use me because it was easier. And I used them back for the same fucking reason. But I’m not anymore. Do you want to know why?”

I bite my lower lip, not knowing how to answer, and thankful he doesn’t wait for me to.

“I’ll tell you why...” Mason walks over to me, planting his hands on my knees and spreading my legs apart so he can stand between them. “I’ve been running for a long time. I haven’t shown anyone who I really am for as far back as I can remember because I never had anything to offer anyone but money or sex.”

“That’s not true.” I wrap my arms around his neck.

His hands rove up my thighs and around my ass until they’re resting on the curve of my hips.

“You’re right, Reed. That’s not true anymore. But only because of you.” He squeezes me closer, sliding my body toward him. “You see me for shit I didn’t think was important before I met you.”

Leaning in, he plants a kiss on my cheek. It’s the sweetest, most innocent thing. And it floods me with guilt.

“What if I’m just using you like they did, Mason? Even if I don’t mean to?” I rest my forehead against his chest. “What if it’s just easier to lose myself in someone else so I don’t have to face being alone again.”

“Reed.” He reaches for my chin and turns my face up to his. “You can use me all you want if it means I can have you for even just a little bit.”

“That’s not fair to you.” I shake my head. “It’s why I slept in my own bed last night.”