“Don’t worry about them,” Noah clutches my shoulder and pulls me into his gaze. “Seriously though man, just come down for a drink. You haven’t hung out with the team for ages.”
I fucking wonder why...
Imagine if they knew my biggest secret. The one I’ve never told anyone. The one that would have Jamie Fisher’s face in a permanent state of amusement if he found out.
“I’ll be there. I keep them in line… Promise.”
“Fine. One drink.” I nod, my teeth still clenched.
Noah beams and gestures to follow him down the corridor. “Come on. Coach Best will have a fucking fit if we’re late.”
“I’ll be there soon…” I slap the side of my bag. “I just have to drop something off for the ladies behind the desk.”
Noah waves and I quickly rush in the opposite direction. I race past the empty gift shop and a few vacant accountants offices. My face is still burning, so I do my best to steady my rage before I see the smiling faces of the reception ladies.
“Mason!” Judy calls out, her round glasses catching the reflection of the bright lights. “I’ve been waiting for you. I tried that recipe you gave me, but my cake came out flat…”
I feel the vein in my neck still pulsing, the image of Jamie laughing driving me wild. I drop my bag to the floor and collect the container filled with my new lava cakes, drawing deep breaths to force myself to calm the hell down, and quick.
Lisa, the skinny lady, and Penny, who’s been at the Vikings since before I was born, all race across to the counter, joining Judy.
“Did you add the sugar gradually? Or all at once?” I ask, leaning on the bench with my forearms.
Judy hums, “All at once, I think.”
I wink and smile the best I can. “Try adding it bit by bit to the mixture. That should solve your problem, Judy.”
“Oh… Mason… You’re a real gem, you know that?” Judy tucks a strand of her brown hair behind her ear and reaches out to my hand. Her wedding ring catches the light as she lays her hands on mine and leans across to say, “You’ll make a real treat for a lucky lady one day.”
“Uh, thanks…” I slide the container filled with lava cakes from my bag across the counter, and Judy’s cold hand leaves mine.
The girls all cup their mouths and shriek like they’re a pack of fucking hyenas.
“Oh, wow!” Lisa cries, snatching the container from Judy’s hands. “What do we have this week?”
“It’s a new recipe… It’s got a way to go, but I think it’s getting there. Let me know what you think.”
I may as well have not answered. The three women are all diving for the first cake, ravaging for the treats and not listening to a word I say.
Judy takes the first bite. I enjoy watching the eye rolls and appreciative groans that my cooking evokes - and that’s when I see it.
My eyes are drawn to a shadow emerging from the door to the side of the room. Slowly, the dark, ruby red locks of Madison Connor brighten the office like a vase of freshly cut roses.
The vein in my neck stops pulsing.
Long, silky strands of deep red hair flow down over her shoulders, the wavy tips laying elegantly over a body that’s making my heart ache. She’s wearing navy blue jeans that are so tight, her round hips are popping. Placing her bag down, she bends in a way that has my cock stirring in my pants.
Any thought or annoyance that Jamie Fisher caused moments earlier, has all but floated away.
“Good morning,” Madison sings.
Oh, fuck…
Her voice is the softest thing I’ve ever heard. Her delicate smile lifts her entire face, tiny dimples pebbling her plump cheeks. I can feel her eyes across the distance, the deep dark brown as strong and awakening as the espresso she’s holding.
My jaw twitches as her thick lashes flutter and sweep across the room, finally landing on me. A gushing feeling makes my stomach sink, and when she throws her hair over her shoulder and shakes her silky mane - I’m a goner.
“Oh, hello, Mason…”
“H-h-he… Hello.”
Fuck.
There’s a reason I’m still a virgin.
It’s always been this way… I can’t talk to women I’m attracted to.
And as I stand opposite the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen - a giant, choking lump wedged in my throat – I’m wishing, knowing that if I could talk to girls, I know who I’d choose.