by Holly Jaymes
My heart sank. She still had a thing for him. I supposed it was a good thing to figure that out now before I embarrassed myself and shot our friendship to hell by telling her I had feelings for her.
“Do you like white wine?” I asked Suzy.
“Sure, but I have a drink—”
I thrust the glass to her and then downed my drink. I set my glass on the nearest table. “I’ll see you later.” I started to leave.
“Wait! Are you leaving or just taking a break?” Tara asked.
“Heading home. You’re right, I’m not one for parties.”
“What about Willa? Didn’t she come with you?” Suzy asked.
“We came as friends. Looks like Wyatt can take her home.” God, would he take her to his place? Would he be the one trailing kisses over her smooth, creamy skin?
“Mason, you can’t just leave her here.” Tara put her hand on my arm to stop me from leaving.
“She’s fine.” I held my other hand out toward her. “Doesn’t she look perfectly content to you?”
Suzy looked over at where Wyatt held Willa, his hand moving even lower. But Tara stared up at me with reproach in her eyes.
“Jealousy doesn’t look good on you, Mason.”
I rolled my eyes. “We’re friends.”
“Friends, my ass. She doesn’t know you like her, does she?”
“We’re. Friends.” I bit out again. “She’s into Wyatt. If you want to meddle, do it with him.” I pulled my arm away and started for the door.
“The song is over,” Suzy said. “She’s coming back.”
But I was already done; done with the reunion; done with Willa.
Chapter 9: Coming Clean
Willa
Mason once said that his packaging had changed, but inside he was the same. I liked to think that I was changed some on the inside, at least in being more assertive. But when the first song ended and I started to return to Mason, and Wyatt asked for another dance, I hadn’t had the guts to tell him no like I wanted to. Perhaps part of it was the teenage girl lapping up the attention, or maybe I just didn’t want to hurt his feelings. In the end, I told myself it was one dance, and then I could leave, telling him I was thirsty.
The dance was nice enough. Wyatt was friendly and telling me how pretty I looked. When his hand started to slide closer to my butt, I had a moment of panic. It was one thing to feel like my teenage self had been avenged, but another to let Wyatt have the idea that I was interested in him. The only man here tonight who could touch my butt or any other part of me was Mason. Of course, he didn’t seem to want to.
Maybe it was time for me to give off some more obvious signals. Then again, what if I did and he still wasn’t interested? That would be embarrassing. And it could cost me his friendship. Considering I’d just gotten it back, I wasn’t sure I was ready to lose it again.
Finally, the second song was over.
“Mason has a drink for me,” I said before Wyatt could rope me in again. “I’m thirsty.”
“It looks to me like he’s leaving,” Wyatt said with a nod toward the door.
I looked to see Mason heading out to the lobby. Surely, he was just going to the bathroom or something.
“I could take you home later if you wanted. Where are you staying?”
“That’s very kind of you, Wyatt, but I came with Mason. I should check on him.”
He shrugged. “I’m going to the bar to get something. Maybe we can hook up later.”
I wondered if he meant hook up as in catch up or hook up sexually. Either way, it didn’t matter because neither was going to happen.
I made my way to Tara and Suzy. “Where’s Mason going?”
“I think this is yours,” Suzy said, handing me a glass of wine.
“He’s leaving,” Tara said.
“What?” I looked at her, wondering what was going on.
Her eyes were scrutinizing as she returned her stare at me. “He said he was leaving.”
“Why? What happened?”
“I think Wyatt Dalton is what happened,” Suzy quipped.
Huh? I looked back and forth between them.
Tara blew out a breath. “I don’t think Mason liked seeing his date in the arms of Wyatt.”
“Date? We’re friends.”
Tara shrugged and had a sad look on her face. “Too bad. Mason is a good guy.”
I put the wine glass down, now feeling irked that Mason was just going to leave me at the reunion. I hurried out the doors to the lobby. Scanning the area in all directions, I didn’t see him, so I hurried out to the parking lot.
He was by his car, unlocking the driver's side door.
“Mason!”
He looked over his shoulder. When he saw me, he turned back toward the car, opening the door.
“Why are you leaving me here?”
“You were right. It’s not my sort of thing. I’m sure Wyatt will be happy to bring you home or take you in.”
“What?” I couldn’t wrap my brain around what was going on.
“Stay. You’re having fun. I’ll be fine.”
What the hell? “Seriously? You’re abandoning me. Of course, you are. That’s what McLean’s do.”
His eyes narrowed.
I don’t know what I was thinking except I was mad and hurt that he’d leave me without a goodbye. “After what you did to me—”
“What I did to you?” he bellowed back. “What I did was take you into my home. I drove you out to your family home and was by your side all day as you processed your loss. I got a fucking haircut for this reunion, and I even bought you—” He stopped and shook his head, taking a deep breath. “I brought you here, and the first minute Wyatt Dalton shows interest in you, you dump me. You’re the one who abandoned me, Willa.”
He was right, but I was too annoyed to admit it. “Why do you care anyway?”
He gave me a hard stare that wasn’t just angry, it was hurt. “That’s the problem I do care. I’ve always cared. But I can’t compete with Wyatt.” He got into his car. I didn’t think he’d really leave. I needed him to explain what he was saying. The engine roared on, and even then, I thought for sure he’d turn it off and talk to me. But the SUV pulled out and headed out of the parking lot.
I watched in disbelief and confusion as he drove off. For a time, I just stood there, unsure as to what to do. Then I thought I’d show Mason McLean and hunt down Wyatt. No, that was a dumb idea for so many reasons. The best revenge would be to have a good time, but not with Wyatt.
I headed back inside and found Tara and Suzy sitting at a table.
“Couldn’t catch him?” Suzy asked.
“Oh, I caught him.” I picked up a wine glass. “Is this the one I set here?”
Tara nodded. “What happened?”
“He left. That’s what happened.” I drank the rest of the wine in the glass. Someone on the hotel staff walked by. “Are you providing bar service?”
“Yes. What can I get you?” the young man asked.
“Double vodka and coke.”
He nodded and headed toward the bar.
“What did you say to Mason?” Suzy asked.
“I asked why he was abandoning me again!”
“Again?” Tara sipped at her lemon water.
“It’s a long story.” I waved a hand to dismiss it and looked to the bar wondering how long it would take for the waiter to get back with my drink.
“So before…were you together?” Tara asked.
I shook my head. “No. We’ve always just been friends. But you know…our families…”
“Oh, right. So, what did he tell you just now?”
“I don’t know. Nothing I understood.”
“I think Tara is right. I don’t think he liked seeing you with Wyatt. I don’t blame you; Wyatt is a catch.”
“So is Mason,” Tara defended him. “I think he likes you more than a friend.”
“Did he say that to you?” A part of me thought this was good news, but I was so miffed
about being left behind, I wouldn’t let it filter in.
“He didn’t have to. If his glare was as lethal as his biceps, Wyatt would be dust.”
“If that’s true, it’s probably doubly worse that Wyatt was making a move on you,” Suzy said, waving another waiter down.
“And you didn’t stop him?” I could hear the disapproval in Tara’s tone.
“If he likes me, he should have said something,” I said, even knowing I was guilty of the same thing.
“This is Mason McLean we’re talking about here,” Tara said. “The fact that he brought you here should be proof.”
I leaned back to let the waiter set my drink down. I took a long gulp.
Tara put her hand over mine. “Personally, I think he’s had a thing for you for a long time.”
“I haven’t seen him in ten years and in those years, we weren’t friends.” It was nice of Tara to stick up for Mason, but she didn’t know what she was talking about.
“I mean back in high school.”
I snorted. “I know that’s not true.”
Tara sat back and pursed her lips. “He used to watch you. I would get so mad to find him looking at you instead of me.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “We were friends, remember. No one knew that, so maybe it might look like he liked me, but we were just friends.”
“When we broke up, it was over you.”
I looked at her. “What?”
She nodded. “He said your name once when we were…you know…” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
“I don’t believe you.”
“You can’t possibly believe she’d make that up,” Suzy said.
“It’s not the kind of thing a woman likes to admit,” Tara added. “My man said another woman’s name in the throes of passion.”
That would be bad. Then again, at least she got to have him in the throes of passion.
Tara got out of her seat and moved to the one right next to me. “Listen, I know it was wrong for him to run off like that, but unrequited love is a bitch. Since you don’t feel the same for him—”
“Why do you think that?”
Tara quirked a brow. “Because you keep insisting that you’re just friends, and you’re still pissed at his rudeness instead of being happy about it.”
“I should be happy that he dumped me?” I gaped at her.
She shook her head. “You should be happy that he cares for you. I would hope that if you care for him too, even if it's just in friendship, that you’d go to him.”
But I can’t compete with Wyatt. Mason’s words came back to me. Was it possible he did like me after all? Even if he didn’t, if what Tara was saying was true, I needed to talk to him. I was trying to spite him by staying, but the truth was, I didn’t want to be here without him. I wanted to know if what Tara was saying was true. I wanted to tell him that I'd rather have danced with him.
I jumped up.
“Where are you going?” Suzy asked.
“To see Mason.”
Tara smiled. “Good.”
“How will I get there? I don’t have a car?”
“Uber it,” Tara said.
“We have Uber here?”
“Yes! We’re not completely cut off.” Tara rolled her eyes.
It took a few minutes to get a car, and then the drive was another fifteen minutes. I half expected my belongings to be piled on Mason’s porch, and the door locked, but his porch was clean, and I was able to walk in.
I had to search for him, finding him sitting in his hot tub.
“I’m not ready to apologize, yet,” he said when he saw me.
I studied him, and guilt lanced through me. He hurt me, but clearly, I’d hurt him too. Perhaps I needed to apologize first. “Okay. Can I join you?”
“I don’t have a suit on.”
“That’s okay.” I reached back and undid the zipper of my dress.
“What are you doing, Willa?”
“I’m getting undressed.” I pulled the dress from my shoulders and let it drop. I wondered if perhaps I was a little drunk because I was undressing in front of my best friend. As my dress pooled at my feet, I was glad I’d put on the fancy lacy green bra and underwear earlier.
Mason’s head tilted down like he didn’t want to look, but I saw his hooded eyes in my direction.
“Why don’t you give me a minute, I’ll get out, get dressed and then we can talk,” he said.
“You can get out, but I’m getting in.” For reasons I didn’t understand, I was feeling emboldened.
“Why don’t you come in like that?” His voice was husky.
“The chlorine won’t be good for my bra and underwear.” I reached behind me and unclasped my bra. I freed my breasts, both nervous and excited about what I was doing.
Mason turned his head away, and I had a moment to wonder if maybe I had it all wrong. If he was into me, wouldn’t he want to look at me?
“Willa.” There was torment in his voice. Was he torn between desire and being a friend? Or was he not interested and didn’t want to hurt my feelings?
But I can’t compete with Wyatt. He wouldn’t have said that if he wasn’t interested in me, would he?
I stepped out of my panties and made my way to the hot tub, stepping down into the hot water.
“Whoa. Are you making soup?”
“I like it hot.”
I sat on the seat, my body hidden under the bubbles. “It’s safe to look.”
He turned his head to me, and I saw the same torment in his eyes that I’d heard in his voice.
“I’m sorry about dancing with Wyatt.”
He shrugged. “I know you like him. I shouldn’t have left like that. I figured I would just be in the way.”
I shook my head. Then I inhaled a breath as I psyched myself up to tell him the truth.
Chapter 10: Finally
Mason
Holy shit. Holy shit. It ran like a mantra in my head when Willa unzipped her dress. The water was over a hundred degrees, but my body, and especially my dick was scorching hot.
Etiquette required that I turn away. After all, Willa was my friend. But I didn’t look away until I’d gotten a glimpse of her in her undergarments, and holy fuck, she was sheer perfection. She had round full tits and a narrow waist that curved into sexy hips. Fuck, fuck, fuck…I shouldn’t be thinking about her like that.
I was an asshole for leaving the reunion like I did. I knew Wyatt would be there and that she’d had a thing for him. Because I knew that, I should have held it together. But even now, just the memory of his hand nearly on her ass had my blood boiling. God, why couldn’t I tell her the truth?
I’d revealed more than I’d wanted to in the parking lot. When she didn’t try to stop me from leaving, I figured that was my answer. Just to be sure, I’d made a U-turn and came back through the parking lot just in case she was still there. But she’d gone inside, so I went home.
I was so wound up with anger and frustration, I’d walked out onto the deck, stripped and sank into the hot tub, hoping it would calm me. And then she showed up, stripped off her clothes and joined me. What the fuck did it mean?
“Remember our freshman year when you started seeing Janell?” she asked me.
“Yes.” Why the hell was she bringing that up?”
“Remember when someone super-glued her locker shut?”
I nodded.
“That was me.”
I frowned. Willa wasn’t the type of person to do something like that. “Why?”
She watched her hand as she skimmed it over the water. “I didn’t like that she was getting attention from you.”
Huh?
“I especially hated when you started seeing Tara.”
“I don’t remember you saying anything about that.”
She smirked. “For one, I hardly saw you. She dominated your time.”
That was true. Tara required a great deal of attention. My grades dropped for the few months I dated her because I wasn’
t spending as much time on my homework. At the time, that didn’t bother me so much. I was mostly thinking with my dick, which Tara seemed to take pleasure in.
“One day, you walked into Government class, and there was something different about you.” She lifted her gaze to look at me. “I knew you’d slept with her.”
Jeez, was it that obvious?
“This is going to sound silly because I know we were friends, but I’d always had this idea that we’d be each other’s first.” She looked down again like the confession embarrassed her.
I was stunned. “Me too,” I said without thinking.
She tilted her head, and her expression begged me not to lie.
“No, really,” I said. “I used to think that and want that. But, you were mooning over Wyatt, and I…” I shrugged because I didn’t know what to say. My dick got the best of me when Tara got naked and took me for a ride.
“About Wyatt.”
I wasn’t sure what she might say.
“You don’t have to compete with him.”
I didn’t know what to think. On the one hand, I had the feeling she was trying to tell me she liked me. Or, at least she had in high school. What a missed opportunity that had been. On the other hand, it sounded like she was telling me to give up on trying to win her over because Wyatt already won.
“If you did, he’d lose, hands down.”
My brain skittered to a halt. “What?”
She bit her lip and looked at me like she was nervous. Maybe I wasn’t sending the right signals. It was time for me to tell her the truth.
“I wanted to kick his ass for how he was touching you,” I admitted. “He was working his way to grab your ass.”
She smiled, and I felt it light up my chest. “I’m sorry about that. The only person I wanted grabbing my ass was you.”
I was dreaming. That was the only way to explain this. Or maybe I died and had gone to heaven. Sitting across from her in the hot tub, I wanted to cross the distance and finally put my hands on her.
“And I’d put my hands on your pecs. You have the most spectacular pecs, Mason.”