“No, all boys.”
Damn it. So much for the brunette being his sister. His tongue traces my ear. “Mmm, okay, waffles it is. Let me get a quick shower,” I say, hopping out of bed before I give in and attack him. “Do you have to get to work?”
“I have an intro class in a couple of hours. What are you doing today?”
“I’m at S.B. from one until four. No idea what they’ll have me doing. The owner’s a tyrant.”
Laughing, he pulls me to my feet. “You should come to my gym this week.”
“Is that a reference to my big ass?”
“Not that kind of gym, Panda. Today, I’m teaching grappling to middle schoolers, but Monday is a fight class with teens and adults.”
“I’d love to come watch you get your ass kicked by adolescents. Oh, by the way, your phone was buzzing,” I inform him, heading into the bathroom.
“Thanks, now hurry up before I take you again.”
I flee the room before he can grab me. Good Lord, but this guy likes to mark me up. There’s a tiny hickey on the side of my neck and another on my boob. For some reason, it makes me smile. I’m smiling at myself in the mirror like a moron when Mason rushes into the room. “Evie, I’m sorry, I have to go to work. I’ll call you, okay?” He drops a quick kiss on my lips.
“Is everything all right?”
He seems flustered, although his eyes still take the time to flow over my nudity before he responds, “Everything’s fine. Remember what you promised. Don’t go anywhere alone, especially at night.” He’s out the door before I can reply.
Stunned, I stare after him for a moment. What the hell was that? He ran out like his hair was on fire and his ass was catching.I continue to run scenarios through my mind as I shower. Was there a problem at Striking Back? He said he had to go to work. Did something happen at his gym? This is going to drive me crazy. The beep of an incoming text message from Amy interrupts my obsessing.
-Meet at Huddleston’s?-
-Be there in thirty minutes.-
It’s almost funny. I guess I get waffles after all.
Amy smiles as I slide into the booth across from her. “I’m going to assume I haven’t heard from you because you’re spending time with that god-like, tattoo covered man.”
“And I’m going to assume the same about Wendy.”
“Spill it, girl,” she insists.
“I’ve spent a couple of nights with him.” I grin as I recount my last week to my friend.
“A picnic, pandas, and hot monkey sex. Bitch, I hate you. You’re making my life look boring. You’d better hang onto this one, Ev. He’s something else.” Her eyebrows raise as she glances at the door. “And speaking of, aren’t those the hotties he was here with last time?”
I turn to see Mason’s brothers settling at a corner table. “They’re his brothers. Alex and Parker.”
“Which is which?”
“No idea,” I reply.
The waitress, Lacey, approaches us, smiling at our laughter. “You girls need to visit more often. You seem to bring the man meat with you.”
“They come here a lot?” I ask.
“Not those two, but the one with the bright eyes was here just yesterday for breakfast. I’d set your sights on one of those two, though, sugar. Bright eyes usually comes in with a Latino chick.”
The picture of Selena flashes before my eyes, and I quickly try to change the subject. “Looks like your new waitress is working out.”
“So far so good. I hope I can keep her. You want your usual?”
“Yeah, thanks,” I reply, glancing at Amy. Her face is pure sympathy. “It’s okay,” I assure her, after Lacey walks away. “We’ve only had a few dates. We haven’t made any promises to each other.”
