stealing it. She reached in for the travel case, but Mason stepped around her and grabbed it. His other hand went to the small of her back as he escorted her to his car and held the passenger door open for her. Once she’d slipped by him, he closed the door and deposited the travel case on the backseat.
Jada just stared at him as he walked around the front of the car to the driver’s side. His navy blue suit must have been tailored because nothing off the rack could fit so perfectly.
He got behind the wheel, but left the door slightly ajar, preventing the overhead light from shutting off. Jada was tempted to reach above her head and turn it off manually. She could only imagine how blotchy and puffed up her eyes must look after the crying fest she’d been engaged in for the past forty minutes.
“You know what kills me?” Mason asked. “The fact that you use such an innocent-looking bag to carry around all of those kinky toys.” He looked over at her and his face broke out in a smile. That’s when she realized he’d been teasing—not judging—her. Mason Coleman was actually trying to make her feel better.
Jada returned his grin. “What do you suggest I use? Something made out of red and black lace?”
He shook his head. “Nah, stick with the polka dots. The shock factor you’ll get when you open it up and start pulling out all those toys is that much better.” He looked over, his eyes glittering with mischief. “I know it shocked the hell out of me.”
Jada choked out a laugh as Mason closed the door, started the car, and pulled out onto the roadway.
***
As his tires ate up the miles of the highway, all Mason could think about was Jada being stranded on the side of the road if it were not for him leaving the office much later than usual tonight. She probably wouldn’t have been stranded for long—she’d told him that she was just about to call Kiera when he’d pulled up behind her—but the fact that she’d been on the highway alone, in the dark, sent a tremor of unease down his spine.
She sat with her chin in her hand, looking out the passenger-side window. Mason debated whether or not to engage her in small talk. He wasn’t sure engaging Jada in any way was good for his peace of mind.
Confusion over the moment that had passed between them when she’d cleaned the cut on his arm had plagued him since yesterday. He had resigned himself years ago to the fact that his long-held attraction to her just wasn’t going away. He’d decided to view it as a nuisance; something that was easy to ignore because of the toxicity of their relationship.
But something had changed yesterday. The biting sarcasm and cynical quips that had always been the hallmark of their interactions had taken a backseat to Jada’s thoughtful, tender consideration for his well-being. Having her treat him with something other than scorn enticed those barely submerged feelings of attraction, beckoning them to the surface.
But the fact that she’d run like she was being chased by a pack of wild dogs when things had gotten too intense was a good indication that she wasn’t interested in exploring what could have happened if they had not been interrupted. He needed to remember that.
“So,” Mason asked, deciding that small talk was necessary to break through the awkward silence. “Is the gas gauge on your car broken?”
She turned to him and swiped at her cheek, and he realized she’d had her head averted to block her tears from his view.
Shit.
He really didn’t want to know what had caused them. He was in deep enough as it was.
“No,” she said. “I just have a bad habit of running on empty.” She choked out a teary laugh. “Don’t tell Kiera about this. She and Callie harp on me constantly, with good reason.”
“Your secret’s safe,” he said as he pulled up to the first traffic light at the edge of Maplesville proper. The light turned green and he switched to the right lane so that he could turn at
Jada just stared at him as he walked around the front of the car to the driver’s side. His navy blue suit must have been tailored because nothing off the rack could fit so perfectly.
He got behind the wheel, but left the door slightly ajar, preventing the overhead light from shutting off. Jada was tempted to reach above her head and turn it off manually. She could only imagine how blotchy and puffed up her eyes must look after the crying fest she’d been engaged in for the past forty minutes.
“You know what kills me?” Mason asked. “The fact that you use such an innocent-looking bag to carry around all of those kinky toys.” He looked over at her and his face broke out in a smile. That’s when she realized he’d been teasing—not judging—her. Mason Coleman was actually trying to make her feel better.
Jada returned his grin. “What do you suggest I use? Something made out of red and black lace?”
He shook his head. “Nah, stick with the polka dots. The shock factor you’ll get when you open it up and start pulling out all those toys is that much better.” He looked over, his eyes glittering with mischief. “I know it shocked the hell out of me.”
Jada choked out a laugh as Mason closed the door, started the car, and pulled out onto the roadway.
***
As his tires ate up the miles of the highway, all Mason could think about was Jada being stranded on the side of the road if it were not for him leaving the office much later than usual tonight. She probably wouldn’t have been stranded for long—she’d told him that she was just about to call Kiera when he’d pulled up behind her—but the fact that she’d been on the highway alone, in the dark, sent a tremor of unease down his spine.
She sat with her chin in her hand, looking out the passenger-side window. Mason debated whether or not to engage her in small talk. He wasn’t sure engaging Jada in any way was good for his peace of mind.
Confusion over the moment that had passed between them when she’d cleaned the cut on his arm had plagued him since yesterday. He had resigned himself years ago to the fact that his long-held attraction to her just wasn’t going away. He’d decided to view it as a nuisance; something that was easy to ignore because of the toxicity of their relationship.
But something had changed yesterday. The biting sarcasm and cynical quips that had always been the hallmark of their interactions had taken a backseat to Jada’s thoughtful, tender consideration for his well-being. Having her treat him with something other than scorn enticed those barely submerged feelings of attraction, beckoning them to the surface.
But the fact that she’d run like she was being chased by a pack of wild dogs when things had gotten too intense was a good indication that she wasn’t interested in exploring what could have happened if they had not been interrupted. He needed to remember that.
“So,” Mason asked, deciding that small talk was necessary to break through the awkward silence. “Is the gas gauge on your car broken?”
She turned to him and swiped at her cheek, and he realized she’d had her head averted to block her tears from his view.
Shit.
He really didn’t want to know what had caused them. He was in deep enough as it was.
“No,” she said. “I just have a bad habit of running on empty.” She choked out a teary laugh. “Don’t tell Kiera about this. She and Callie harp on me constantly, with good reason.”
“Your secret’s safe,” he said as he pulled up to the first traffic light at the edge of Maplesville proper. The light turned green and he switched to the right lane so that he could turn at
Similar Books
