by Amy Brown
There’s a lot I don’t know about Mason. I’m hoping tonight I can get to know him better. I’d like to figure out if he’s worth thinking about so much. He’s definitely occupied way too much of my mental energy since our first meeting. No guy has ever affected me physically quite the way he does, but that doesn’t necessarily make it a good thing.
Yes, he makes me short of breath, and I break out in a sweat around him, but let’s face it, the same thing would probably happen to me if I contracted malaria.
Chapter Ten
Mason
When Charity arrives, I’m sitting with Travis having a wine cooler. My pulse immediately spikes at the sight of her walking from the parking area. She’s wearing a short jean skirt, a pink hoodie, and cowboy boots. Her hair is down, and it tumbles around her shoulders in a wild cascade of golden curls. Paula is with her, and they both look a little lost.
I nudge Travis. “It’s go time.”
He glances up at the girls as they approach. “She brought Paula?”
“I told you that.” I frown. I swear sometimes he doesn’t hear a word I say. I hope he remembers I want him to keep Paula busy, so that I can have some private time with Charity tonight.
“I forgot.” He gives a funny laugh. “Paula looks a lot hotter than I remember.”
“That should just make your job easier.” If I didn’t know better, I’d say my pal had a little crush on Paula. She is really cute, but she’s always run in different circles from us.
“Yeah. If she’ll talk to me. She can be standoffish.” He eyes Paula, looking uneasy.
“You’re up for this, right? If not, I wish you’d said something before. I’d have roped someone else in to take her off my hands.” I’m hoping to move my relationship with Charity from strictly platonic to more tonight. That will be impossible if Paula is attached at the hip to Charity.
“I’m sure I can handle Paula.” Travis shrugs.
“I hope so.”
The girls reach us, and I climb out of my lawn chair. I smile at Charity, and she gives me a nervous smile in return. I nod at Paula. “I wasn’t sure you guys were still coming.”
“I had to stop for gas,” Paula says.
Charity glances around the group of kids gathered. Most of them are already drunk, and not really paying that much attention to her and her friend. Thankfully, Sophia and Jules weren’t able to make it tonight. That’s another reason I wanted to take advantage of tonight. With Sophia and Jules not around, Charity should be more comfortable. Hopefully she’ll loosen up.
“Would you girls like a drink?” I ask.
Paula shrugs. “Sure. What do you have?”
Travis clears his throat. “Beer, wine coolers, soda.” His acting so nervous, I barely recognize him. Generally, he’s very smooth with girls. He’s definitely fucked enough of them. Maybe he’s nervous around Paula because she isn’t the kind of girl he usually hangs out with. She’s smarter and definitely not as loose. He probably has no idea what to do with her if he can’t just fuck her.
“I’ll have a wine cooler,” Paula says.
I meet Charity’s gaze. “What about you?”
“I’ll have a wine cooler too, I guess.”
I’m glad they’re drinking. They’ll both relax easier if they have a few drinks in them. I go to the ice chest and grab them their drinks. Travis is trying to engage Paula in conversation, but she’s not talking much. I happen to know that’s not normal for her. She’s a huge chatter box.
I hand Paula her drink, and manage to insert myself between Charity and her. Paula shoots me a frown, which I ignore.
“I’m glad you made it,” I say to Charity softly. She looks so pretty tonight. I have to remind myself this isn’t a real date. I’m working her. Playing her. It doesn’t matter how much I love her scent, or how charming the tilt of her mouth is when she smiles. She’s just someone I’m supposed to use and discard.
“It’s beautiful here.” She stares out over the lake. “I’ll bet it’s even better in the daylight.”
“We should come here to swim on the weekend, during the day.”
She purses her lips. “Maybe.”
I squash my frustration. Once again, it’s obvious she doesn’t realize how fortunate she is that I’m wasting my time with her. “Want to walk down to the water?”
“Um…” She glances over at Paula who is looking at something Travis is showing her on his phone. When Paula starts laughing along with Travis, she nods. “Okay. I guess Paula is fine here with Travis.”
“Sure she is.”
She leans toward her friend. “I’ll be right back.”
Paula smiles. “If not, I’m coming after you.”
Charity laughs. “No doubt.”
I lead the way toward the water, staring up at the starry night. If Charity were any other girl, I’d probably put my arm around her, but I might lose my arm if I try that with her.
“When do you guys light the bonfire?” she asks.
“Soon.”
She sighs. “The air here is so clean compared to Los Angeles.”
“That’s where you’re from?” I’m surprised. She seems like someone from a small town. She’s not very worldly.
“Yep.”
“What made you move here?”
She hesitates. “My mom got laid off, and she heard Texas had a better cost of living than Los Angeles.”
“Well, we don’t have a state income tax, and we have lots of affordable housing compared to Los Angeles.”
“Yeah. The rent in Los Angeles is insane. We rented a two-bedroom house and it cost $1900 a month. It wasn’t even a nice house.” She stops suddenly, and glances at me warily. It’s obvious she thinks I’m going to judge her. “You probably can’t relate.”
No. I can’t. I’ve never had to worry about how much our mortgage was or any of the typical things a lot of families have to be concerned with. All my needs are met, and more. I want for nothing. But telling her all of that won’t endear me to her, I’m sure.
I don’t address her exact comment, and say instead, “So you moved here for a new start.”
And ended up in a dumpy trailer park. God, her life must suck balls.
“Yes. Mom works her ass off to make a better life for us,” she says quietly.
I think about my own mom who’s home right now, three sheets to the wind. She used to sell real estate, but dad didn’t like the idea of his wife working. Maybe she wouldn’t drink so much if he’d let her work.
We stop at the water’s edge, and the lapping of the water is lulling. “I used to come here with my dad when I was a kid.” I’m not sure why I say that. She probably doesn’t give a shit about my childhood.
“That sounds nice,” she says softly.
Okay, so at least she didn’t mock me for my sentimentality. “It was nice. These days though he’s always working.” I clear my throat. “I know you have one brother; do you have any more siblings?”
“Nope. Just Luke. It’s always just been me, Mom, and Luke.”
“No dad in the picture?” I study her features in the moonlight, noticing her face tenses at my question.
“No.”
Her tone is so curt, I say, “Sorry. Didn’t mean to pry.”
She’s quiet for a moment, then she says, “It’s not a pretty story.”
“So? You can tell me.” I want her to trust me so she’ll let her guard down. I decide sharing some of my own stuff might help with that. “My family life isn’t perfect. We have money, but my parent’s marriage isn’t great.”
“Really?” she sounds surprised.
“Nope.”
“I guess money can’t fix everything.”
I sigh. “It really can’t.”
After a few seconds she speaks. “He ran out on us. Came back briefly at one point, but then left for good.”
“Shit. What a dick.” My response is heartfelt, but I’m afraid she’ll be mad at me for calling her dad a name. “Sorry.”
She laughs. “It’s
fine. He is a dick.”
I smile. “My dad isn’t perfect, but at least he’s around.” I frown. “Actually, he travels a lot, so he isn’t literally around. But he’s always provided for us. I have everything money can buy.” I hadn’t planned on sharing so much about myself. Charity is surprisingly easy to talk to tonight. She seems less guarded.
“Money is handy.”
She sounds wistful, and I again think of that ratty trailer park she lives in. I’m surprised to feel empathy for her. I don’t want to feel sorry for her because then it will be harder to do what I have to do. If I don’t come through, Jeremy will step in and try to sleep with her. The idea of that is shockingly distasteful.
I should probably try to get a kiss tonight. It might be a little soon, but with Jeremy breathing down my neck, I feel like I have to go faster than I usually would with a girl like Charity. I watch her as she sips her wine cooler. Her lips are wet from the liquid, and I feel the heat of her body close to mine.
Should I lean in and just go for it? Or maybe I should ask her if I can kiss her? Would she respect that, or just say no because I gave her the option? My pulse speeds up at the idea of tasting her. I’m nervous. God, I haven’t been nervous about kissing a girl since Jr. High. What is it about Charity that sets me on edge?
Before I can act on my impulse to kiss her, Paula comes walking up. Frustration rolls through me as her friend approaches.
“Hey, are you two behaving?” Paula’s voice is teasing.
Charity laughs. “Yes. Are you behaving with Travis?”
Paula snorts. “He wandered off with some bimbo.”
He what?
Anger washes through me at the news my pal has abandoned his post. What is wrong with him? I ask him for one fucking favor and he can’t come through for me this once? After all the times I’ve covered for his pot-smoking-ass the last few months?
“Travis took off?” I ask, barely containing my rage.
“Yep. I’m sure he has his tongue down her throat by now.” Paula grins. “From what I hear, Travis moves fast.”
He’d better move fast because I’m going to fucking murder him if I catch him.
I clench my teeth, trying to think of how I can salvage this night. How am I going to make any progress with Charity, if Paula is with us? Jeremy didn’t come to the lake tonight, so I can’t recruit him. I don’t know anyone else I trust enough to ask to take Paula off my hands.
Shit. Stupid Travis has fucked everything up. I’m not just annoyed that I can’t make any progress with my planned seduction of Charity, I’m also really disappointed I don’t get to kiss her. I was really looking forward to getting a sample of her plump lips. I stuff down my frustration because there’s nothing I can do. Travis screwed me over. Period.
“Is it okay if I have another wine cooler?” Paula asks.
“Of course.” I force a smile. “How about you, Charity?”
She shrugs. “Sure.” She finishes off her wine cooler, and I take her empty.
“I’ll be right back.” I head toward the ice chest, still seething about Travis letting me down. Charity is usually so standoffish, but we were actually vibing nicely down by the lake. I have a strong feeling she’d have let me kiss her tonight.
Fuck.
I grab the wine coolers for the girls and help myself to a beer. Glancing around, Travis is nowhere in sight. I’m surprised to find Gregory Durbin sitting with a group of kids. He’s one of the EPG nerds, and rarely comes to these bonfires. It occurs to me he’s pals with Paula. Maybe I can get Paula and Gregory to notice each other, and that will free up Charity and me.
Charity and Paula come up behind me, and I hand them their drinks. Then I nod toward Gregory. “Isn’t that Gregory Durbin?” I ask nonchalantly.
Paula perks up. “Where?”
“On the edge there, over by the oak.”
Charity nods. “It is Gregory. I didn’t know he was coming here tonight.”
“Me neither.” Paula laughs. She waves her arm. “Hey, Greg!”
He looks up and grins. “Paula? Charity?” He stands and heads toward us. “What are you doing here?” He looks especially happy to see Paula. There’s a warm glint in his eyes.
Thank you Jesus. This might just work.
When Gregory reaches Paula, she hugs him. “I can’t believe you’re here,” she says. “I’m so happy.”
“Yeah?” Gregory looks flattered, and his cheeks are flushed.
It’s pretty obvious to me these two like each other, but I get the feeling neither one of them is aware the other has a crush. Nerds are so clueless about this shit.
“Join us,” I say cheerfully, suddenly feeling much better about the evening.
I move over to Charity, and Gregory and Paula seem to gravitate to each other. I smile at Charity, and for once, she smiles back. My pulse jolts at the warmth in her eyes. She’s never looked at me that way before. Is it the wine-cooler? I’m breathless as her smile envelopes me. Maybe the booze is getting to me too.
The four of us stand there talking, and joking around. I help light the bonfire, and everybody cheers and we all have some more drinks. At one point, Travis wanders up, looking sheepish. I ignore him because I’m pissed. If we hadn’t run into Greg, my night would have been fucked.
I have a nice buzz going and that gives me courage. I lean toward Charity and ask, “Want to go for a walk?”
She glances toward Paula and Greg who are sitting by the fire, talking and laughing. When her gaze returns to mine, her eyes glitter. I’m not positive, but she too seems a bit drunk. “Yeah,” she says softly. “Let’s go for a walk.”
Excitement ramps through me because I’m pretty damn sure I’m going to get to kiss her. I lead the way toward the lake, and we talk about school as we travel over the dirt path. I want to put my arm around her, but I’m still a little nervous about making a move. I don’t want to screw up and ruin the moment.
Eventually we reach the opposite side of the lake from where everyone else is sitting by the fire. Their voices are muffled from this distance, and the orange flames lick the night sky. I lead Charity over to a large oak, and we’re shielded behind a wall of shrubs. This seems like the perfect place to try and kiss her because it’s very private. Nobody walks this far down the path generally.
I’m so glad the evening wasn’t ruined after all. I want to kiss Charity desperately, and I’m fully aware it isn’t only because Jeremy wants me to seduce her. I really, really want to kiss her because it’s what I want.
I take a chance and push her gently against the tree trunk. She laughs, and that gives me courage. I put my hands on her hips, and when she doesn’t reject me, I’m shocked, but thrilled. Her back is against the bark, and I slide my hands up to her tiny waist. I keep expecting her to stiffen, or tell me to stop touching her, but she doesn’t.
I lean in and her full breasts press against my chest. My dick hardens at the feel of her body next to mine. God, I want her. I want to take her right here against this old oak. I have a condom in my pocket, but I know there’s no way in hell Charity will let me have sex with her tonight. She’s not that kind of girl. I’ll be lucky if I get a kiss before she shoves me away.
My mouth goes dry, but I want to kiss her so bad. I’m frozen with anxiety because if I make the wrong move, I won’t even get a kiss. Fuck it. I have to at least try. I lower my head, and our mouths are only inches apart. I keep expecting her to push me away, but she doesn’t. I’m positive she can feel my erection pressing her thigh, but she isn’t moving away.
My heart pounds hard as we stare into each other’s eyes. Her breath puffs against my lips, and it feels like her nipples are hard. I’m so turned on, I can’t believe it. We haven’t even kissed, and I could come from the sheer anticipation of this moment.
I’m shocked when she presses closer, and a whimper escapes her. She’s into this. Jesus, she’s into me. I feel like I’m in a dream as I lower my head and take her mouth roughly. I should be gentle because thi
s is Charity, and she won’t want me to kiss her if I’m too rough. But I can’t stop myself from kissing her hard.
When she opens her mouth to my tongue, lust jolts through me like an electric shock. She sucks on my tongue, and winds her arms around me, and I groan. She swallows my moan, and returns my kiss tentatively. I can tell she’s inexperienced by how shyly she kisses me, but that just turns me on more. Maybe I’m the first guy to kiss her. Maybe I’m the first guy to explore her warm mouth with my tongue.
Spurred on by her hunger, my hands start to roam her body, slipping over her hips, brushing her ass, and lastly sliding between her thighs. She gasps, but doesn’t stop me from touching her there. I hoped for a single kiss tonight, and now I’m touching the folds of her pussy through her underwear. And she’s letting me. She’s fucking enjoying it.
If she was any other girl, I’d pull her skirt up, and fuck her right here. But I don’t want to blow it with Charity. She’s trembling and unsure of what to do, and that just turns me on more. But I have to tread lightly with her.
“You’re so beautiful,” I whisper. I mean it too. She’s the most gorgeous girl I’ve ever seen. I’ve thought that since the first moment I saw her. I slip my hand under her hoodie, and find she’s wearing a lacy chemise. No bra, just the chemise. Excitement zips through me because that makes getting to her boobs easier.
She whimpers when my hand inches under the lacey material, and cups her breast. I rub my thumb over the perky nipple, and she wiggles against me, panting. “Mason,” she moans, sounding almost frightened.
“It’s okay,” I say softly.
Please don’t pull away. Please. Not yet.
“I like it when you touch me,” she says.
“Yeah?” That gives me courage. She’s not shrinking from me, she wants more.
I knead her soft breasts, wishing I could suck them too. But I need to be careful or she’ll stop me. I don’t want to be aggressive and have her shut me down. Her breasts are full and just the right size. One day I’ll have her naked, and on top of me, and those plump globes will bounce beautifully as she rides my cock.
My dick is so hard it’s borderline painful. I’d love to take this all the way and fuck her, but that isn’t going to happen. The most I could maybe manage would be to pull my dick out and jerk off, but that would most certainly freak her out. I love the idea of that though, pushing her onto her knees, and coming on her pretty face. I can just picture my cream leaking down her lips.