“I always liked you. Why haven’t we hooked up?” Mason asked, despite it being obvious to everyone that Paisley would rather suck a lemon than be near him.
Hatred shone in her eyes. “Because I despise you.”
“Mas, enough,” Maddox warned, sounding exhausted as if this was a constant battle between them. “We don’t need the drama.”
Mason’s brows lifted at his twin. “Did you forget what we talked about?”
Maddox’s gaze flicked to me briefly, and I suppressed the urge to shiver under his stare. “I block out ninety percent of the things you say.”
Paisley’s lips twitched, and I felt this irrational stab of jealousy when her eyes locked with Maddox’s.
What the hell?
Why was I jealous just because he looked at her?Get a grip, Mallory, or you’re not going to have any friends at this rate.
Mason turned to me. “Okay, look, I’m going to be straight with you. Maddox needs to get laid.”
“Mas, what the fuck are you doing?” Maddox growled.
Paisley lifted a brow before I raised my hand and volunteered, because the temptation was definitely there. “I failto see how that’s her problem. It’s not like there aren’t a dozen girls at your parties just waiting to be picked.”
“True, but let’s just say he’s looking for somethingnewto try.” With a dimpled grin, Mason’s focus came back to me.
Paisley’s answer was immediate. “Absolutely not.”
It took me a few seconds to catch on, realizing that something new was me. This was definitely the most forward and unusual way I’d ever been approached to have sex. Actually, it was the only time a guy had approached me about sex.
“As if we’re going to let you corrupt our Mallory. Hard pass,” Atlas said, backing up Paisley while I remained too stunned to speak.
Mason’s smug lips were lethal as he shoved his hand into his front pockets and rolled back on his heels. “Why don’t we let her decide? So, what do you say, Freckles? Want to see what Elmwood really has to offer?”
“God, everyone here is just sofriendly,” I said sarcastically, finally finding my voice again.
Maddox chuckled, and I warmed inside.
“Careful who you hang out with,” Mason said, his tone light, his eyes moving between Paisley and Atlas, the insinuation obvious. “Not everyone in Elmwood has good intentions.”
Paisley’s mouth flattened as her arms snapped over her chest, chin lifting a fraction. “Funny. I was about to say the same thing.”
Mason was enjoying the tension he caused Paisley, the verbal sparring that got under her skin. It made me wonder if they had history, and if so, what had happened?
Atlas broke the intense stare neither Mason nor Paisley seemed inclined to release. “Well, this has been delightful and vaguely threatening, but we’re starving.” He started to steer Paisley and me into the restaurant.
“If you change your mind, Pais knows where to find us. She’s been before, isn’t that right, Pais?” Mason baited.
Her cheeks bloomed pink.
Maddox’s frown deepened as he held my gaze for one more second, long enough for me to feel it in my chest, in my pulse, in the space behind my ribs where breath was supposed to go smoothly but wasn’t.
They moved past us, Mason’s shoulder brushing mine as he went. Deliberate or accidental, I couldn’t tell. “Careful. Elmwood is full of predators, especially at night,” he muttered.
My thoughts drifted to my mom on her date. He had no idea.
Atlas leaned nearer to me, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Tell me why the hot ones always look like they could ruin lives?”
“Because they can,” Paisley murmured, her gaze trailing after Mason. “And they have.”
Atlas glanced at me, eyebrow raised. “Still hot as fuck. Undeniably hot. The kind of hot that makes you stupid.”
