Page 89 of Without Judgment

As soon as the door closed, I turned over on my back and stretched. Then grinned. Things had shifted between us. He’d missed me. He’d needed me. We’d connected. I wasn’t certain what it meant at this point, but it felt good to acknowledge I had deep feelings for him, and he seemed to be developing something for me.

I decided to jump in the shower. He’d said to stay naked, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t be freshly clean and naked.

When I came out with a towel wrapped around me, he was coming through the door with two takeout boxes in hand. He smirked. “It’s probably in the best interest of eating a hot breakfast you’re in that towel right now.”

I grinned, loving this playful side of him and feeling at ease. “So eat, then lose the towel?”

“Considering how much energy you’ll need before I take you to the airport, I’d say yes, we should eat first. Shit. I forgot drinks.”

“There’s a vending machine in the lobby with sodas and water. I’m going to dry my hair a bit to get some of the wetness out of it.” I grabbed my brush from my bag before stepping back into the bathroom to use the hotel hair dryer.

“Do you have any change?”

“Yeah. I have some ones in my purse,” I called out before turning the hair dryer on. When I was finished, I walked out to see Mason sitting on the bed.

Only he wasn’t eating. And he didn’t have drinks. Instead, he was holding up a brochure.

“What’s this?”

He was holding up the fact sheet for the University of Texas in Austin. He must’ve found it when searching for change in my purse.

“It’s a college pamphlet.”

“In Austin?”

“Yes.”

“You’re going to UT Austin?”

“I’m flying there in a couple days to check it out. It’s a possibility.” And judging from his face, it wasn’t one which made him happy. At all.

“I know last night was intense, but nothing has changed about me wanting a relationship.”

“I don’t remember saying it did.”

His expression had condescending written all over it. “Moving to Austin, well aware it’s where I live? Come on, Avery.”

Now I was starting to get annoyed. The fact I was in nothing but a towel left me way too vulnerable for my liking.

“First of all, I don’t know if I’m moving to Austin. I applied to UT Austin and UT Dallas along with Texas A&M in College Station. What do you think? After you called, I went out and got myself a brochure for Austin? If I do end up moving there, it’s not about you.”

“I know you want me to believe that.”

I fixed my glare on him while sliding on a fresh pair of underwear. “Seriously? You champion me not allowing people to talk down to me or underestimate me, but now you’re doing exactly that.”

“You can’t tell me you didn’t consider the fact I live in Austin.”

I cursed under my breath and slid my bra on next, not caring I was dressing in front of him. So much for him not panicking. I tried to ignore how badly it stung that he was freaking out simply at the thought of sharing the same city. “Are you saying I shouldn’t consider Austin because you live there? Even though it might be the best fit, I shouldn’t go there?”

“I just don’t want last night to have given you the wrong impression.”

Now I was more than agitated; I was hurt. “What impression is that?”

Even while asking the question, I knew I wasn’t prepared for the answer. I’d let myself believe we’d forged a bond. That we’d connected. That I could trust it was okay to have feelings for him. I’d been a fool to think I’d be the exception to Mason’s habit of pushing people away.

“That it was more. The no-condom thing, it was a mistake.”

I fought the tears. “And saying you’d missed me, is that on the list of mistakes, too?”

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