Page 46 of Without Judgment

She had every right to be pissed, especially considering the way her father had bungled things earlier. The shining moment in that scene had been when she’d finally stood up for herself.

We made it to the vehicle, where I set her in the passenger side of my truck. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t take a long moment to appreciate her tan, toned legs. Following that stolen glimpse, I had to adjust myself as I walked around the back to the driver’s side. Then I settled in for the long drive home.

I kept glancing over, smiling when I saw her fighting sleep as she stared out the passenger side window. “What was tonight really about? Just acting out against your father?”

She heaved a sigh. “I’m tired of being told what to do. A fat lot of good it’s done me. I lead a boring life and, boom, sex tape. Or do they even call it that anymore? Cause technically it’s not a tape; it’s an online video, but that doesn’t sound as good at ‘sex tape.’”

I grinned at her drunken rambling. “I’m not sure. But I do know it’s not you in either video.”

Her head whipped towards me. “You watched both of them?”

“Just the first one.”

“How are you so convinced it’s not me?”

I hesitated, not sure how she’d take my words.

“Just spit it out, Mason.”

“The girl in the video knew what she was doing for the camera. She’d rehearsed the right angles and was careful to hide her face.”

“Yes, she definitely knew what she was doing. I bet nobody ever cheated on her.”

Her self-deprecation took me off guard. Although I was aware we were crossing a line in our conversation, I still couldn’t stop. “Your ex is really the only guy you’ve ever been with?”

“Yep. Sadly. Can I ask you something?”

“Depends.”

“Okay. That’s code for you may not answer.”

“Won’t know unless you ask it.”

She seemed to contemplate but then finally blurted it out. “Last night, did you go out with Melanie?”

Why in the hell would she have that idea after I’d told her I wasn’t going to?

“No. I followed up with a buddy about looking into your ex and what he might be into.” I’d dug up some rumors about Edward having been gambling lately. I wanted to pull on that thread, wondering if he’d gotten himself into trouble that way.

“Oh. I guess that’s good.”

“What is? The research or not going out with Melanie?”

“Never mind.”

“Are you jealous, thinking I could’ve gone out with Melanie?”

She didn’t respond, so I glanced over to see if she was asleep. She wasn’t.

“Answer the question, princess.”

“I asked you to stop calling me that.”

“Why is ‘princess’ bothering you so much all of the sudden?”

“Because you call all the girls the same, or don’t you remember?”

It took me a moment, but then it dawned on me. I’d told her she wasn’t the only girl I’d called princess in order to cover the fact I’d been dreaming of her when I’d touched her in my bed. Time to fess up.

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