Page 32 of Boundaries

I lifted my arms over my head to fully alleviate that stiffness ground into my bones. I did it on purpose of course. I knew I looked smoking hot and I moved my body in a way that screamed look at what you will NEVER have!

Chris was speaking, but both McKenna boys were not listening. It wouldn’t have been obvious to the half-cut McKenna wannabee, but I knew all eyes were on me.

Bending over, showing them my backside, I retrieved my phone from the pocket of my discarded denim skirt. Even James pulled away from Betty and stared. I briefly checked for messages before collecting my skirt.

As I straightened, I turned toward Mason and shot him a syrupy sweet smile.

Those dark eyes roamed over my body again, before coming to rest on my face. There was a definite charged atmosphere between us. It was written in the air and fucking underlined in marker pen!

“Why wear anything at all, Amy?” Mason drawled in a deep voice thick with emotion. What type I couldn’t decide. Boyd had pocketed his aviators, his arms crossed over his chest, and he was doing that looking from one to the other thing he’d done at the pub.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I knew exactly what he meant.

He cocked an eyebrow, “That fucking scrap of nothing.” Mason’s eyes were literally roasting me with that burning expression. I knew he liked what he saw, even though he tried to hide his desire. Mason McKenna was now looking at me like a man does with a woman he fancies. I felt a sudden urge to giggle like a schoolgirl. It must have been the wine, that’s the only thing that made any sense to me. I was no different from any other girl my age, alcohol made me flirty.

Rachel took it upon herself to wake up at that point, her greedy gaze settling on Mason like he was her next meal. Her boyfriend was sitting right there, and I noted, was wearing the exact same expression. It appeared everyone wanted a piece of Mason.

I put my phone in my mouth and slid into my denim skirt. I checked the pocket to see if the tenner my dad had given me was still there. It was. I then gave Alex my iPhone for safekeeping, shook back my pony tail, and took a few steps toward Mason. Craning my neck so I could retain eye contact I said, without a slur in sight. “You seem to have a keen interest in what I wear Mason. But I haven’t had any objections from any of the other boys today.”

Our eyes were tangled and I could easily identify the charged heat between us. It suddenly felt like we were alone in our own private war. His glare at that point was withering. He was trying to intimidate me and was failing. Confidence in my appearance orbited the space around me. I was untouchable when I knew I looked my best. Mason watched me in inscrutable silence. He had caught me off guard at the fight, well, never again. I was the one in control now.

Feeling the most powerful I ever had in front of him, I lifted my hand and ran a finger down his chest, right between those hard pecs. His breath caught in his throat at the contact and I witnessed him swallow. I had him. I was a strong, confident, attractive female and he knew it.

I dropped my tone. “What’s the matter Mason, don’t you like girls.”

And BOOM! Mason’s jaw clenched; the muscle flexing. He did not care for that comment at all, he was outraged. A man as masculine and virile as Mason would not appreciate his masculinity being questioned, especially in front of an audience. His glare was blistering.

My comment earned a chuckle from James and I could feel Chris physically recoiling in his seat. Boyd burst out laughing before Mason shot him a look that could have cut glass. Every muscle in his body was now tense. His hand clenched tightly around the beer he was holding, and I knew he was probably imagining the neck of the bottle was mine.

As I turned away, with a purposeful suggestive sway of my hips, I could feel all eyes on me again. Betty was saying something, but I didn’t quite hear it due to the sound of the ocean and music from the party, and my swift getaway turned into a half-jog. I didn’t want to stick around to give him time to retaliate. As I said before, the guy always came out on top.

Passing the volleyball game, it was all getting a bit chaotic as people got more and more laced with booze, there were balls flying in every direction, one narrowly missing me, and I picked up the pace.

Once I had space, I started to replay my body’s response to the nearly naked Mason. I’d always known he had a good body and was good looking and so why now? What on earth had changed between us to inspire this sudden attraction? It was like Mason’s suggestive behaviour had unlocked something and whatever it was, it was getting stronger.

Releasing a sigh of exasperation, I attempted to decide what I wanted to eat. I obviously needed to get laid, that was the only reason I was suddenly so turned on by a boy I professed to hate.

I didn’t have far to walk, there was a burger van just on the other side of the beach huts. The sun was now setting, and I realised that I hadn’t eaten anything that day. Not good, considering the amount of alcohol I’d consumed. I wasn’t drunk, not by a long shot. I was at that nice stage; tipsy I would say.

Walking up the ramp, I stubbed my toe on the concrete. Why hadn’t I put my sandals on? I wiggled my foot, and then set off past the huts that were individually placed on the tarmacked pathway.

There were a couple of people queueing with their backs to me and the burger girl was focused on taking an order. The sea crashed against the sand in the distance and I could hear the faint beat of music from the party.

My heart lurched against my chest, as firm hands slid around my upper body from behind and I was pulled back against a rock-hard chest. Air was forced from my lungs at the contact, and my arms were trapped by my sides.

“You like running. I like chasing,” Mason drawled against my shoulder.

My voice climbed in panic. “What are you doing?” I tried to wiggle out of his hold to no avail.

Mason’s breath fanned across my neck as he lowered his mouth to the cuff of my ear. “I think we need a little chat,” he whispered in a gruff voice. Blood pumped twice as fast through my veins, like liquid fire. Shit, what had I done? Provoked the beast, that’s what!

I didn’t have time to wonder what he was doing. Mason was like a chest of concrete behind me, and he manoeuvred my body, directing me down one of the alleyways which ran between the beach huts. OMG, he was going to murder me and leave me to rot.

“I think you should let go, Mason and stop fucking stalking me.” My breathing was laboured as I attempted to pull away.

He exhaled, a short burst of breath through his nose, “I think not. Just keep walking. We need to discuss that smart mouth of yours, and how it’s going to get you in trouble one day.”

His chest pushed into me, driving me forward. I had to walk or I would have face-planted on the tarmac. I felt very aware of my bottom pushing against the tops of his legs near his crotch. I really hoped that was his phone digging into the top of my backside.

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