Page 11 of Drown Like Heaven
I cleared my throat. “Do you want some?”
“Looks like you’re enjoying yourself. I’d hate to interrupt.”
I used two fingers to push the plate in his direction. He raised a brow.
“So, areyouin college?” I asked, although he couldn’t have been younger than late-twenties. He had a subtle surety I didn’t often see in guys my age.
“Not in college, no. I never went to college, actually.”
“Interesting.” I tilted my head. “Do you work?”
“I do work. It’s not interesting, though. Just boring shit I’m doing to make ends meet. Random shit.”
“I see. I am in college, by the way. Graduating in the spring.”
“What are you studying?” he asked, cutting himself a large bite of waffle.
“Chemical engineering.” I stole the plate back from Mason as he chewed. My answer made him pause for a moment, and I wasn’t sure if it was because he hadn’t expected it, or something else. Most people were shocked when I told them.
“Smart girl,” he murmured.Fuck me. “That’s really good, Dakota.”
His praise caused electric heat to prickle in my face and I busied myself with stabbing another huge bite with my fork, then stuffed it in my mouth. My thighs clenched together under the table. I chewed and swallowed, then froze as Mason reached a hand towards my face.
My pulse kicked up and my stomach tightened.
He paused, before swiping his thumb over the corner of my mouth, catching a stray drop of syrup. The warmth of his finger seeped into my delicate skin, the light touch of his palm on my jaw making my breath shaky. He brushed his thumb over the center of my bottom lip, then dropped his hand back to the table.
“I could’ve gotten that myself,” I said, hating the ache blossoming strong in my core.
“Thought I’d help you out.” He smirked.
“Or you just wanted to touch my mouth.”
“Observant,” Mason said, confirming my suspicion.
“It’s rude to touch people without their permission.”
“Yeah?” he teased. “I’m being rude?”
“Forcing me to stay with you against my will, dragging me wherever you want to go, and touching me without my permission? Yes. You’re being rude. Not a good way to start a friendship.”
Mason’s eyes darkened.
“I don’t want to be friends with you, Dakota.”
And in that moment I knew I would let him do things to me.
Bad things, if he wanted.
The current of him was so strong, and I was so weak.
I don’t care.
Silence claimed the air between us, my pulse throbbing just below the surface of my skin. Mason was breathing a little harder, too. And still fuckingstaringat me.
I was the first to look away.
We took turns eating parts of the waffle until we were both full and the plate was empty. Then I darted out of the booth and headed straight for the family bathroom in the back corner, locking myself inside and inspecting my appearance in the mirror while attempting to settle my nerves.
