Normally, I don’t let myself watch him like this—too afraid of getting caught—but right now, I’m not worried about that. I’m too busy thinking about Chad’s words, about Mason kneeling at my feet. A shiver runs down my spine, hot and sharp, settling low in my belly. The thought of it… of him… begging? I think I’d actually like that.
Before I can rein in my thoughts, Mason shifts and turns, catching me in the middle of my staring. His eyes lock on mine, the hammer pausing mid-swing. For a moment, neither of us moves. His gaze flickers, taking in the heat on my face, the way I haven’t bothered to hide it.
“Didn’t hear you come in,” he says, his voice low and teasing as he steps closer. Sweat glistens on his arms, and his eyes narrow, studying me in that way that makes it impossible to know what’s going on in his head. “You alright, Lake? You look like?—”
“I’m fine,” I cut him off before he can finish with something like ‘you look like you want to climb me like a tree.’ “Great, actually.”
He nods slowly, his eyes still on me, like he’s piecing something together. “About earlier—” he starts, running a hand through his hair and tugging at the back of his neck like he’s unsure. “With Chad… I wasn’t warning him off, not really. If he makes you happy, you should see where that goes. I might’ve been wrong about him.”
His words catch me off guard. I was expecting the usual protectiveness, maybe even some playful jealousy. But the way he says it, softer than I anticipated, throws me.
I blink, not sure I heard him right. “Wait… what?” I uncross my arms, letting them fall to my sides as I stare at him. “You might’ve been wrong about him?”
“It happens.” He chuckles, the sound low and easy.. “I’m wrong sometimes.”
A smile pulls at my lips as I cross the floor, and I pull out my phone, aiming it at him. “Can you say that again? I want to record it so I can play it back anytime you try to tell me what to do.”
He raises an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth twitching into a smirk. He snags my phone from my hand and holds it out of reach. “Only if you can get this back from me.”
I eye the phone and slowly bring my eyes back to his. His green eyes sparkle with his teasing. And it makes butterflies explode in my belly. This is the Mason I fell for so long ago. I don’t hesitate to attempt to reach for my cell phone. But as our bodies brush, it’s like it wakes up some deeply needy part of me.
The moment stretches, both of us caught in that charged space. I can feel the warmth of his body, the way his breath quickens just like mine. My fingers graze his wrist as I reach for the phone, and I swear I see his breath hitch for just a second.
“Come on, Lake,” he teases, his voice low and smooth. “You really think you can take it from me?”
There’s a challenge in his eyes, and I can’t resist. I lean in closer, our faces just inches apart, feeling the heat radiating off him. “I might surprise you,” I say, my tone playful, but the underlying tension is palpable.
He holds my gaze, the teasing fading slightly as something deeper flickers between us. I can see it in the way his smile softens, how his eyes darken with a mix of amusement and something more primal. “You know, if you keep looking at me like that, I might just have to let you win.”
My heart races, and suddenly, the game feels less about the phone and more about this electric connection. I lean in even closer, our breaths mingling, daring him to make a move. “Then why don’t you let me?” I challenge, my voice barely above a whisper.
He hesitates for a heartbeat, then steps back, a sly grin returning. “Nice try, but I think I’ll hold onto this a little longer. You’re going to have to work for it.”
With that, he turns and walks away, leaving me breathless and craving more. Yeah, it’s him, Chad and I will go for him first.
CHAPTER 19
Chad
For the better part ofthe next two days, my thoughts stay fixated on Lakelyn. Her busy schedule keeps us apart, and I don’t want to keep bothering her at work. But the distance is starting to feel like a physical ache, gnawing at me from the inside.
Ineedto see her.
She said I could stop by the shop she’s setting up, but something holds me back. It’s this craving, the fear that I’m in too deep to save myself from the hurt if she changes her mind about us.
We’re past that. She likes the real you.
Straightening my shoulders, I head for the front door, determined to push through the uncertainty. But before I can reach for the handle, my father’s voice slices through the air like a harpoon.
“Chadwick, come here.”
I swallow hard, my hand hovering in mid-air as I turn slowly back toward the sound of his voice. My heart thuds dully in my chest, a hollow rhythm that matches the heaviness in my legs as I comply. He sounds disappointed just in those few words.
He stands there, the disappointment I heard in his tone etched into his features, arms crossed like a barrier. “If you’re going to be useless, you might as well find somewhere else to be useless. I won’t have you under my roof, wasting space.”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut, the sting sharp and relentless.Useless. The word echoes in my mind, twisting into something raw and ugly. “You think I’m useless?” I manage to say, trying to keep my voice steady, but the tremor betrays me. I know he does. He has always treated me with disdain; I will never be enough for him. I thought it stopped hurting a long time ago. I was wrong.
“Look at you,” he snaps, gesturing dismissively. “Hiding away, doing nothing of value. If you can’t bring any honor to this family, then what’s the point?”
