I turned slowly to see he was still staring at his food, his eyebrows furrowed. He suddenly turned to me.
“You’re going to be a great lawyer.”
The statement made me laugh. “You think so?” I asked, taking a sip of my water.
He smirked. “You know how to ask the hard questions without a second thought. You’re passionate, and you seek the truth.”
I knew he was referring to my little interrogation, but I wasn’t trying to ask him hard questions. I was simply attempting to get to know him better.
I turned toward him again, abandoning my food. It was delicious and I really wanted to eat it, but I could only focus on him.
He turned toward me as well, and my eyes drifted down to his still-uncovered chest, examining every ripple that appeared as he slouched in his seat. Then my eyes traveled up to the stubble on his face. I lifted my hand and placed it on his cheek, tracing it with my fingers. He briefly closed his eyes at my touch and I smiled.
I wish he’d open up, even just a little. I wanted to know if I affected him as much as he affected me.
We looked deep into each other’s eyes, as if we were both trying to mentally read the other.
“I’m not trying to interrogate you, Mason. I feel like you know me so well, but I hardly know you at all. I just want the playing field to be equal.”
He rose from his seat and pulled me up with him. A determined expression on his face caused me to look at him in bewilderment.
He grabbed my hand and tugged me with him down the hall, past the stairs, and to the right into his office. Dropping my hand, he walked directly to his bar and poured himself a drink.
I guessed I could count this as a fact about Mason. He treasured his scotch.
He brought the glass to his lips and sipped it generously before turning toward me.
“I’m not the one who gets asked the questions. I’m usually the one that does the asking, the commanding. My life has always been about control,” he stated as he slowly made his way back to me. “You’re going to want to know the why’s of my life, be curious of the reason I do the things I do, but the fact is there are things I’ll never divulge.”
My heart raced as he moved closer. There was no amusement of any kind on his face. His expression was inscrutable, but he still had that alluring appeal. I could tell his mood had done a one-eighty, my big mouth going too far. Which, in a sense, seemed so silly to me. I was just asking questions, but obviously I’d hit a nerve.
We stood toe to toe as he drank the rest of his scotch, placing the glass on the table in the middle of the room, in front of the couch.
Lifting his hand, he rubbed his knuckles down my cheek then leaned in to kiss me. It was unexpected, but I was all too willing to participate. It was a slow kiss, teasing and biting, causing my insides to twist with need once again.
I lifted my arms to wrap around his neck but he grabbed them, stopping me in my tracks before he slowly pulled away.
He gazed into my eyes somberly.
“I loved once, but it was taken away from me.”
And just like that, he moved completely away from me and headed back to the bar.
I gazed at his back as he walked away, processing the little bit of information he’d just given me. I had questions at the tip of my tongue.
The stupid part of my brain forced me to open my mouth to ask another, but thankfully I was stopped by the sound of the doorbell ringing.
Fifteen
Mason
I knew I’d planted just enough information in Emma’s head to cause her to ask more questions, but it was all I was willing to give. If this was going to work, she was going to have to be smart and listen to what I was telling her. She had to understand that there were some things I’d never talk about.
So far, the night wasn’t going exactly how I’d intended. I didn’t plan on fucking her in the lanai, but my need had gotten the best of me. I couldn’t hold back. As soon as I saw her standing on my doorstep, I’d wanted to pull her in and take her there, to command her body and do as I pleased, but I didn’t.
I needed to obtain some semblance of self-control. After my meeting with Victor, I had a need for release, but I hadn’t expected it to happen so soon. My attraction toward Emma was unlike anything I’d experienced before. It was terrifying in a sense because I had no explanation for it; it was just there. The thought of letting her go was unthinkable, but to keep her? I felt the same way.
I’d told her I wanted to try, and I told myself I wanted to change; I just had to alter my course of thinking. Yet it was hard to change what I’d been doing for over thirteen years.
I’d just poured myself another glass of scotch when I heard the doorbell ring. Turning in that direction, I met Emma’s curious expression.
I rarely had anyone come to my door unless it was a scheduled visit, so I wasn’t sure who the hell it could be.
Setting my glass down, I made my way to the door, stopping by Emma first.