Page 4 of Stood Up
Chapter 2
Aiden
Holy hell. I should probably be totally offended at his crude words, but for some ungodly reason, I feel my body thump alive. Warmth spreads through me as a roll begins in the lower half of my body. I gather myself before speaking because there’s no way in hell I’ll allow this man to see his effect on me with just his words. He’s a stranger for goodness sake.
“That work with all the women?” I challenge and see a slight tip of his lip, but no other expression change. I wonder if he practiced his stoic, not giving anything away face or if it’s a natural part of him. My gut tells me it’s fully natural, and if that’s the case—hot damn it’s sexy as all hell.
“It’s the truth,” he replies as the waitress comes by happily, probably thinking that I didn’t get stood up after all and this is my date. Oh, how wrong she is.
“Can I get you something, sir?” she asks, all bubbly happy sitting down another beer, but this time there’s a slight hunger in her words as well. A twinge of something hits me, but I focus on the man in front of me instead of her.
“Vodka on the rocks.”
She begins to name off several different brands of vodka and only then does he break his stare from mine and move to her in an annoyed way. “The best you have,” he says looking away and utterly dismissing her. The air of authority in his tone sends a trill down my arms and goosebumps rise to the surface. I don’t think I’ve ever been this turned on just by a deep, raspy voice and its tone before. Add in the words and demand, I think I may be in trouble. Shit.
“By all means, have a drink.”
“Don’t mind if I do,” he charges back not missing a beat. It’s like a back and forth ping pong match, but it’s more of a push and pull. I say something, then he comes back. Then reverse and I have to admit, I like that, too. It’s a bit of a challenge, and it’s captivating.
“Since your cock isn’t going anywhere near me, again I ask, what can I do for you?” I take a drink from my beer trying my damnedest to appear calm and collected on the outside because inside my arousal is spiking to dangerous levels.Hello, lust hormones—engage!Really can I blame them though. He’s hot as hades.
Just then the waitress brings this man’s drink. Listen to me,this man.Fuck I don’t even know his name.Seriously, Aiden?He’s officially short-circuited my brain in the little time he’s been at my table. Or did it start earlier when our eyes connected across the room, who knows?
He dismisses her again, and I take a bite of my food playing this as cool and unaffected as possible. I mean, what’s the guy going to do to me in a crowded restaurant, anyway. Well, besides turn me on, which now that I think about it, is already happening and may not be a good thing.
“I’ve come for you.”
I swallow, wipe my lips with the cloth napkin, and set it in my lap, giving him my full attention.
“That’s interesting because I didn’t come for you.” I’m not quite sure where the attitude came from, but with the back and forth, the sass feeds off it. That craving to one up him or catch him off guard, or to see a crack in the armor he wears like a second skin, has me wanting to poke the bear as my mother would call it and see what happens when he’s lit.
Lord, he’s hot. Like, could give Joe Manganiello a run for his money hot. His hair is a mix of browns, some dark, some lighter, cut in a way that he needs nothing in it for it to lay perfectly sexy and still run his fingers through it. His jaw line is so defined that his cheeks look almost angled. His light dusting of a beard looks like it’s meant to be exactly that long and exactly in that place. And those eyes. Those eyes speak of forbidden promise. That, for some reason, call to me like a moth to a flame.
Get a grip, woman.
“Mason Dean,” he announces leaning forward and putting his hand out for me in an introductory gesture. Being the woman I am, I lean in and take his hand, which upon contact I realize is a total mistake. His touch is like a spark of electricity, and I flinch just a bit and try to recover myself, but I have no doubt he saw it or felt it.
Mason’s skin is soft yet firm, and this simple touch puts me off kilter again. I’m thinking after this, me and my brain are going to have to have a chat about turning me into a zombie around hot men.
He tugs my arm and my traitorous body follows moving closer to him, only exposing me to his warm heat.
“I could feelthatfrom across the room.” He says the wordthatlike he can read what his touch did to me on my face. “It’s why I’m here.” He doesn’t release me, as if he’s waiting for something, and it clicks that I haven’t told him my name, but I’m not sure I want to.
He screams trouble, and I’ve had enough of that from men in my lifetime. I don’t need any more. Mason’s trouble appears different, though, and I’m drawn to him, but it’s probably just my bad judgment. But maybe he’s so wrong that he’s right? Maybe. For tonight.
Leaning back, I tug my hand from his not giving him what he wants. If he really wants my name, he’s going to have to work for it. He was so bold and brazen to come up to my table with his words and declarations, let’s see what he’s made of. Or find out if he’s all piss and vinegar like the other men I’ve had in my life. All show and no follow through.
“So, Mason. You just hang out in restaurants waiting for single women to come in?” I’m loving being a smartass. It gives me a sense of power, and I’m rather enjoying this in a twisted sort of way.
“I’m actually here on a business meeting.” I look over to the booth where he originally sat, and a man in a dark gray suit glowers at me. His nostrils heave with each breath he takes in and out.Who pissed in his Cheerios?It’s likeIforced Mason away from him.
“You’d better get back to your date. He’s a bit testy,” I chide, getting a small quirk of a smile. I haven’t had this much fun on a date, or hell a non-date, in I can’t remember how long. As much as he should go, a part of me doesn’t want him to. That part doesn’t want this to end, at least not yet.
“I’m content here,” he replies pulling out his phone quickly and typing a text. I watch the guy in the booth as he looks at his phone, gets up and leaves. Mason ignores the man leaving.
“Besides, the view is much better up close.” Heat rises to my cheeks, and I can only hope he doesn’t see how he’s affecting me. It’ll blow my game all to shit and give him the upper hand. “Now tell me, why’s a beautiful, sexy woman like yourself eating all alone?”
A hint of embarrassment flitters through my skin. It’s one thing to make up your mind that it’s not a big deal and tell it to a waitress; it’s another to tell some hot guy you don’t know that you were stood up on a blind date. Yet, when it comes down to it, he’s like every other guy hot or not. He either takes it like a man or he laughs. If he laughs, I’m out of here.
