“That’s right,” he whispers in my ear, pulling me back, until I’m crushed against his chest. “Mine.”
And… just like that, another pair of panties and my detox plan are in a puddle.Damn it.
We watch the rest of the film in silence. I do, anyway. He barely looks at the screen. Just sits there, playing with my hair and stealing my popcorn.I’m a little surprised he waits patiently while I watch the entire credits and the bonus scene.Only when the screen goes dark does he rise, tugging me to my feet with him.
“Come on, then.”
“You can go.” I cross my arms over my chest. “Jack will pick me up.”
“You’re coming to The Barrel with me,” he says in his patented nonnegotiable tone. “All yourplatonicfriends and your roommates are already there, so you are officially out of excuses.”
“I don’t need excuses to have a life outside of you, Mason,” I state, my voice steadier than I thought.
He chuckles and kills the distance between us, leaning in until all I can breathe is him.
“There is no life outside of me, princess.” He smirks. “I don’t share. Not your time, not your attention, and definitely not your smile. Now walk, or you won’t like what happens next.”
“I want to go home,” I murmur, glancing at my shoes. I hate that my words sound more like a request than a statement.
“Last chance,” he warns. I stare at him, squaring my shoulders, determined not to give in. “Suit yourself, princess.”
I shriek as Mason bends down and sweeps my legs up, then throws me over his shoulder.
“What are you doing?” I scream. “Mason, stop!”
But the hell he does. He climbs the stairs two at a time like I weigh nothing and storms out, banging doors, with me swung on his shoulders like a sack of potatoes.
“Thanks, mate.” He waves to someone outside the theater who pretends not to care about a girl being kidnapped.
“Help!” I scream as we pass a couple more people in the parking lot. But apart from a few whispered laughs, I get nothing.
“No one can save you from me, little dove.” He laughs.
“Put me down.” I hit his back with my fist.
He does, a moment later, on the seat of his bike.
“I’m not coming with you.” I shake my head.
“We’ll see about that.” He pats his pockets to find his keys.
“I said I’m not going!”
“Why are you being such a brat today?”
“I…” I start, but choke on my own words, my throat growing hoarse. “I don’t want to go to your parties and watch other women rub themselves all over you.”
“Is that what this is about?” he snaps. “You are ruining my life because you’re jealous?”
“Are you kidding me?You’regoing to lecture me on jealousy? I can’t even watch a film with my best friend without you barging in. Should I go break Hannah’s hand, too? That’s what you would do, right?”
His brows furrow, which makes my jaw clench. And that makes him smile.
“Now you’re mad because I can’t remember who that is, aren’t you?”
“Well, yeah.” I shrug. “It’s offensive.”
“I prefer last names when it comes to girls.”He smiles.
