Page 24 of Rescued by a SEAL

She quickly thumbed a response.

I’m in the parking lot of my apartment. Eric is passed out on my doorstep.

My ex.

Mason didn’t reply immediately, and a brief feeling of doubt washed over her. Maybe she shouldn’t have texted him? He could be tired and not want her bothering him this late at night. It wasn’t like this was an emergency or something.

It wasn’t like Mason was her boyfriend.

She probably should’ve just gotten a cab ride to a hotel and checked in for the night. She didn’t have any of her things but—

Mason’s name flashed across the screen of her cell phone with an incoming call.

“Hello?” she squeaked.

“I’m on my way over,” he said, his voice deep. Authoritative. Inexplicably, a feeling of calm washed over her. “If he’s not up when I get there, I’ll drag him out of the way so you can get inside. We’ll put him in a cab and send him on his way. I’m headed north on Atlantic Avenue, so text me your address.”

“Wait—what? You’re driving over here now?”

“Already on my way.”

“I thought you were getting ready for bed.”

Her eyes drifted across the lot as she spotted a couple walking hand-in-hand toward a convertible. It had been so long since she’d been in a happy relationship, the image almost looked foreign to her.

Like something out of a fairy tale.

“I was, but now I’m on my way to get you. If your ex is passed out drunk, I can’t exactly have a talk with him now. But I don’t want to leave you there alone. I can move him out of the way so you can get into your place, but I don’t want him to wake up and pound on your door in a couple of hours. Not with you there alone.

“But—”

“I assume you still don’t have your car?”

“No, not yet.”

“I can drive you back to my place. Or your friend’s,” he quickly added. “Wherever you’d be comfortable. Or I can stay at your place tonight and tell him to get lost in case he comes back pounding on your door.”

“I don’t know,” she said nervously. “I don’t want him to get mad. If he wants to talk and you’re there….”

Her voice trailed off, and she hated how weak she sounded. How she was letting Eric manipulate the situation even now after they’d broken up.

“Sweetheart, he needs to get over it. To move on. Maybe he can’t take no for an answer from you, but if I open your front door, believe me, he won’t be coming back.”

“Okay. I’m just worried.”

“There’s nothing to worry about,” Mason assured her. “I can crash on your couch tonight. But don’t worry, I know we’re just getting to know each other. I don’t expect anything from you if I stay the night.”

“And tomorrow?”

“What about tomorrow?” he asked.

“Do you still want to go out?”

“Hell yes,” he said immediately. “This doesn’t change things. I told you last night to call me if your ex showed up, and I’m glad you did. I don’t want you to have to worry about him. Hell, like I said, even if you didn’t want to go out with me, I’d help you. I don’t appreciate a man refusing to leave a woman alone. Continually showing up uninvited. The fact that he keeps coming by when you’ve told him it’s over isn’t cool.”

“Okay,” she said, feeling a little breathless. Mason sounded so angry on her behalf. And he had a right to be, she supposed. He was concerned for her. Maybe they weren’t together exactly but they’d known each other for a while. “So, I’ll see you soon?”

“Affirmative. I should be there in ten minutes. Stay out front since it’s late. Unless he wakes up before I get there—then get somewhere that he can’t see you.”

“I doubt he’ll be up anytime soon. His drinking has gotten worse and worse. Once he passes out, he’s out for a couple of hours at least.”

“All right, sweetheart. Don’t worry. I’m on my way.”

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