Page 33 of I Choose You

“I always forget how much of a lightweight you are. I should have cut you off after one. Let’s go.” He leads me down the hallway, and I cling to him, grabbing onto his arm like it’s a lifeline. We end up in his room with the door kicked shut. He yanks the covers down once we’re beside his bed.

“Here, lay down. I’m going to get you something to sleep in.” He drapes the thin sheet over my legs when I crawl in and lay down. “What drawer do I look in?”

My words are a partial slur on my lips. “Second.”

Hard liquor makes some people angry. Some emotional. It makes me tired. So much that all it takes is a few shots, and I’m ready to catch z’s. It doesn’t help it’s been an emotional night.

I try to stay with it. Try to fight the sleepiness to get another glimpse of Mason’s intriguing green eyes or the way his skin stretches across his jaw when it tenses. Seconds after the door creaks, my mind slows, and my eyes grow heavy.

Before Mason makes it back with my clothes, I float away, seeing nothing but his face and wondering what it’ll take to get him out of my mind.

15

Mason

I’m eager as fuck to get back to my room with Mackenzie in my bed. To say I’m ecstatic she didn’t spend the night with another dude is the understatement of the century. I have been at war with myself since seeing her in the kitchen earlier with that tight as sin costume glued to her curvy body.

It’s times like these—when Mackenzie does something that makes it perfectly clear she’s not mine—when I have the hardest time staying quiet about how I feel. If she knew, would she still have gone out tonight? Would she have squeezed into that leather costume for me instead?

Who fucking knows? It’s agonizing to think about.

I scrub a hand down my face and push her bedroom door open. I’m in front of her dresser in seconds and follow her direction, pulling the second drawer open and scanning its contents with the light of the hallway splitting into the room. I’m over the moon when I latch onto a pile of rolled orange-red fabric, one of my favorite colors, and pull it from the drawer. It comes undone, and I fling it over my shoulder. I head back to my room, kicking the door shut once I’m in.

An amused grin graces my face when I notice she’s sleeping. Not only is she beautiful, but peaceful. This is the exact image I wish I could wake to every morning.

My voice is soft when I try to wake her, my fingers nudging her shoulder. “Mackenzie?”

She hums.

“You need to wake up and change.” When her head lolls away from me at the edge of the bed, I sit and gently roll her back to me. “Kenzie. You’re going to be uncomfortable as hell if you sleep in that all night.”

My eyes skim down her face and along her neck to steal a furtive glance of the cleavage the costume shows. It’s not like the ones where the leather comes to the neckline. No. It dips low into a V shape, and I have never been more fucking happy for such a cut.

I shouldn’t be checking her out like this. Not when she’s asleep in my bed and vulnerable, so I squeeze my eyes shut and refocus.

Get it the fuck together, Mason.

“Mackenzie,” I emphasize as I pull one of her eyelids open. I don’t know what else to do. I need her to change herself before my eyes venture south again. The rum traveling through me makes it harder to control my urges. Images of me hooking my fingers in the v of her collar come to mind. Of my hand abruptly yanking the fabric until it tears, splits in two, and reveals her full chest for me to touch, lick, kiss.

My forehead hangs between my shoulders when my dick begins to grow in size. This is not what I had in mind when I suggested we take a shot of rum. I just wanted to loosen her up after experiencing a shit night. I pull the sheets down just enough to tickle her sides. It’s enough to jostle her. Thank fuck. I’m ready to get on my knees in prayer when her eyes open widely, and she drags her legs up in protest.

“Look who’s awake.” I dangle her pajamas in my hand. “I’m going to leave these here. Change yourself; otherwise, you’ll be sleeping in that leather all night. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

As I go to stand, her hand clings to my arm. “Wait. Can’t you do it for me?”

What?

This is not what I envisioned getting her naked would be like. The throbbing in my sweats makes it even more difficult to consider my options. Am I seriously considering this? This is Mackenzie. Sure, I’ve seen her in swimming suits, but this is not the same thing. This is a vulnerable situation, and it would make me an asshole if I took advantage of it. Not that I will. My mother taught me better than that. My dick, however, is taking longer to get the message than I’d like, thanks to the rum.

“No, Kenz, you’re going to have to do it yourself.”

Because I’m not sure if I have the self-control to keep my hands to myself if I see you bare in front of me.

Not after three shots of rum in me.

Why the fuck did I bring her to my bed? Why didn’t I take her to her own room? Fuck it; I’m pouring the rest of the rum down the drain in the morning to prevent the chance of a repeat of tonight.

“What, why?” Her eyelids close again. “Please, Mase,” she pleads

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