Perv (10 page)

Mason laughed and joked with the guys, but all the while he kept his gaze fluttering around the room to see where
she
was.

Damn. What was wrong with him? He needed to stop this nonsense. Jenna Mathews was off limits. He could only hurt her. Sure, a romp in the sack for a few weeks would be enjoyable, but he was kidding himself if he thought it would last. He could only do vanilla for so long. Eventually it would bore him to tears, and then he’d be lying to himself every time he made love to her.

He’d be lying to her too. She knew nothing about his life other than what he did for a day job. His evenings were a mystery she was better off not knowing.

While she had her back to him, he set his beer on a table and sauntered out the door. He had to get away. Distance was the only answer.

Three weeks later…

Mason blinked his eyes and reached for the hand above him. The smirk on Rafe’s face was all he needed to see to know his friend had indeed gotten the better of him—again.

Rafe pulled him to standing. “What’s up with you, man? You’ve been distracted and off your game since I got back from Hawaii. Was my absence that big of an influence on your ability to fight?” The man chuckled as he released Mason.

Mason stepped back and leaned forward against his knees. “Yeah, that’s it. One week without you, and I can’t fight again.”

“That’s the third time I’ve taken you down this evening. Your face looks like shit. Seriously, man. Are you okay?”

Mason stood to his full height, stretching his arms over his head to work out the kinks in his shoulders. He lifted his gaze to Rafe. If he didn’t fess up about what was bothering him, it would slowly eat away at his soul.

“Oh no. I know that look. There’s a woman.” Rafe smiled. “I’ve never seen you in knots over a woman before. Did you meet her at the club? Whoever she is, she must be pretty amazing to be able to distract you from your game.”

Mason lowered his arms and his shoulders. “There’s a woman, all right. But I sure didn’t meet her at the club.” He waited.

Rafe shook his head. “Where then?”

“You fucking introduced us at the wedding.”
Yeah, that’s it. Blame it on Rafe
.

Rafe hesitated a beat, his mouth open to say something. And then he closed his lips and swallowed. He shook his head. “Please say it isn’t so. Have you been seeing Jenna?”

Mason smirked. “I wish. If I had, you wouldn’t be kicking my ass right now, and I wouldn’t be losing sleep.”

“Oh my God. You’re into her.” Rafe closed his eyes a beat and then continued. “That bad?”

“Yeah. Apparently.” Mason turned around and grabbed a towel from outside the fence. “Don’t worry. I haven’t seen her or spoken to her since the wedding. But that woman got under my skin.”

Rafe stepped outside the fence and slumped to the bench. He rubbed a hand down his face. “Fine. I give you my blessing. Tell her. But I’m warning you this isn’t going to end well. Please work this out of your system and let her down gently.” He lowered his gaze. “Katy is going to kill me,” he muttered.

“Thanks, man. I don’t see how I can put it off any longer. It’s like an illusion of what I want her to be that haunts me day and night. I’m sure you’re right. She’d never make it in my world, but until I scare her off, I can’t rest.”

Rafe laughed.

“What? Don’t tell me you didn’t experience something similar with Katy.”

“I did. True. But I never imagined ‘The Bullfighter’ falling for a girl.”

“Yeah, well, like you said, if she knew the truth, she never would have given me the time of day.” He smiled at Mason. “I know just how to get her out of my system.”

“Why don’t I think I’m going to like this?”

“My goal is to ensure Jenna doesn’t like it. I don’t care if you do.”

Rafe groaned. “Don’t— Oh, never mind. Do what you have to do.” He shuffled off to the locker room, leaving Mason pulling his gloves off and plotting how to lose a girl at the same time.

•●•

Jenna leaned back against her beat-up couch cushion and jabbed her spoon into the chocolate ice cream she held between her knees. She propped her cell against her ear and listened to Katy jabbering about her great life as the wife of the wonderful godlike Rafe, to hear her tell it.

Katy took a breath and switched gears. “So how’s Ribbons and Bows doing?”

“Fine. Good. I’m lucky to have two employees I can trust, and we’re in the black. That’s what matters.” Jenna took a bite of the rich chocolate and closed her eyes to enjoy the flavor.

“So, what are you doing tonight?”

“Me?” Jenna looked down at her loose boxer shorts and tank top. “Sitting on my couch eating ice cream. I’ll probably watch a movie or read.”

“Really?” Katy chuckled. “Well, I have it on good authority that—”

Jenna jumped when someone pounded on the door. “Hang on a sec. Someone’s at the door.”

“Yeah, um, that would be—”

Jenna opened the front door, her spoon hanging from her mouth.
Mason
. The man filled the doorway, seemingly too large to fit through the frame.

Her spoon fell to the floor with a clang as her emotions ran amok in every direction. “I’ll have to call you back…”

“Yeah, I bet you will.” Katy giggled in her ear and then disconnected.

“What are you doing here?” She swallowed around the lump in her throat.

Mason nodded behind her. “May I come in?” He pushed the door open slowly and stepped around her. When she didn’t move except to twirl in his direction, he wrapped his hand around hers on the door and tugged it away. The door slammed shut.

Jenna flinched. “Sure. Why not. Don’t you always do whatever you want?”

Mason chuckled. “Yes. That’s generally the case.”

Jenna stared at his right eye. “What happened to your face?”

“Oh this?” He touched the tender skin without wincing. “This is nothing. You should see the other guy.” He winked at her and stepped farther into her apartment. “Nice place. I didn’t pay much attention the first time I was here.”

No shit. You were too busy plotting your game of how to strip a woman and break her down to mush without taking your own clothes off
.

“You don’t look too happy to see me.” He took a seat on her couch and leaned back, making himself at home.

Jenna still stood by the door. She stared at her melting ice cream where it sat on the coffee table.

Mason leaned forward, dipped his pointer into the confection, and sucked the digit into his mouth. He watched her as he moaned. “That’s good.” He lifted the pint-sized container. “Ghirardelli. You have rich taste in dessert.”

You have no idea
. “What do you want, Mason? I can’t do a third round of ‘let’s torment Jenna until she comes.’ I’m too tired.” She slumped against the door with no intention of moving until he left.

“Third round,” he chuckled again, “that’s funny.”

She had no idea what he meant by that.

He took another lick of her ice cream, unfazed by the fact he was eating right out of the container with his finger.

When he licked his lips, she had to stifle a moan.

“I have three rounds in mind for tonight, but not the kind you’re thinking of.” He stood, grabbing the ice cream and the lid, and rounded the couch. In seconds, he was in the kitchen putting the container in the freezer. “You’ll need to wear more than that, though.” He returned to her side, grabbed her wrist in his usual high-handed manner, and tugged her to her bedroom.

Jenna stood rooted to the floor stunned. She glanced down at what she currently wore and crossed her arms. She didn’t even have a bra on.

Mason stepped into her closet and rummaged around while she scowled at him.

“What do you think you’re doing? I never agreed to go anywhere with you.”

He stepped back out, but didn’t make eye contact. Instead he plopped his treasures on her bed—her favorite skinny jeans, a black camisole, and the black fuck-me heels she only wore when she went to bars with her friends.

Mason glanced at his watch. “Come on. Time’s a wasting.”

She stared at him. He had to be kidding.

When he finally turned her way, he let his shoulders slump and cocked his head. “You know you want to. Don’t give me that pouty look. I know you’re angry. I get that. But come out with me tonight. I bet I can change your mind about me.” He sauntered up to her, pulled her arms away from her chest, and lifted her tank top over her head. Next he lowered her boxers and tapped her leg until she stepped out.

Naked again. Dammit. How did he manage to do this to her over and over? She still hadn’t seen his chest.

Jenna held her head high, stomped over to the bed, and grabbed the jeans she loved. How had he known the right outfit to choose? She lifted her gaze to his as she wiggled her ass into the tight denim, fully aware her breasts were jiggling as she rocked her ass back and forth. She intentionally didn’t wear underwear. Let him ponder that for the evening. “Why do I keep stripping for you?” she muttered as she reached for a black lace bra from her chest of drawers.

“Because you can’t help yourself.” He grinned. “You’re a natural.”

“A natural what?”

He didn’t answer.

“When you say you’re going to change my mind about you, what do you mean?”

“I mean I’m not right for you. You need to know that. I’m going to prove it the only way I know how.” He fisted his hands at his sides as he watched her dress.

She shrugged the camisole over her head and smoothed it into place. “And this is for my benefit? Why do you need to prove anything to me? I was fine never seeing you again.”

He lifted a brow. “Were you now?” He shifted his weight. “Well, maybe I needed to prove something to myself also.”

Good. At least she wasn’t the only one affected by their strange chemistry. She toed the shoes and slipped her feet into them. “If the goal is to convince me I’m all wrong for you, why the fuck-me shoes?” She smirked at him and then headed to the bathroom. She would need to at least let her hair down and comb it out. It was pin straight, so no styling would be necessary, but the knot she currently wore didn’t go well with the outfit.

Mason meandered up to the doorframe and leaned on it while he watched her apply makeup.

She eyed him in the mirror as she dabbed on mascara and then reached for her lipstick.

He wasn’t dressed in any particular fashion that indicated where he might be taking her. He wore low-riding jeans that made her mouth water. They hugged his ass to perfection and did amazing things to his cock also. His T-shirt was gray and sported some karate logo. Tennis shoes rounded out the ensemble, making her wonder why he was having her out-dress him.

“Ready?” he asked when she set the last of her makeup down and turned to him.

“I suppose. When will you be letting me in on the mystery?” She followed him from the room and shook her head when he grabbed her purse off the kitchen table and handed it to her.

She yanked the strap from his hand.
What is it with this guy?

A shrill ring made Jenna pause as she stepped from the kitchen. She rolled her eyes and glanced at her watch.
Yep, it’s that time
. That would be her mother. It was Friday night. The ringing continued.

“Are you going to get that?” Mason asked.

Jenna shook her head and kept walking. As soon as she stepped outside and shut the door behind her, she breathed again. The last thing she needed was for Mason to listen to her mother as she left her usual rambling message.

Mason entwined his fingers with hers and led her over to his Camaro. Like the gentleman he always was, he opened the door and helped her inside before jogging around to the driver’s seat.

He smiled at her. “Be ready for some action.”

Whatever that means
…

Twenty minutes later, Jenna found herself staring out the window at a small arena. The signs on the front of the venue indicated there was a fight tonight.
What the hell?

Mason parked the car and circled around to retrieve her.

They approached from the back and entered under the arena, surprising her. Why not the front door? A man larger than Mason stood at the basement entrance. He nodded at Mason and waved them through.