Page 109 of The Young & the Sinner

Olivia

By the timeI woke up, it was already passed noon, and I felt like shit.

One look in the bathroom mirror told me I didn’t look any better.

There were bags under my eyes, and my face felt and looked a little puffy. I was never drinking again.

I groaned and bent forward until my head rested against the counter, and I closed my eyes. Maybe I should go back to sleep. Or maybe I could sleep here. This position was surprisingly comfortable, and the countertop was cool against my skin.

A knock on the door took me out of my thoughts. When I moved my head to the side to see who it was, a squeak came out of me when I caught sight of Mason at the threshold. He looked amused.

“Oh, my God,” I said. I closed my eyes. This couldn’t be real. He couldn’t possibly be standing there while I looked my worst.

“Um, I think it’s pretty real, Livie. Come now, sweetheart. Stop hiding from me.”

I didn’t even realize I said all those things out loud. “Go away. I look hideous.”

He laughed. “No, you look hungover. Which is to be expected considering the state you were in last night.”

I scowled. Perhaps it was unreasonable to think he was the cause of my state last night, but that was where the blame went.

Mason stopped smiling then. “I brought you a glass of water and some painkillers. It’ll really help with the headache.”

“Okay.”

“Can we talk?” He motioned with his head to my bedroom. I nodded.

Mason walked out and I followed behind. Then I was sitting on my bed and Mason was sitting on my desk chair, staring at me while I drank the water, and took two of the white pills he gave me.

I stared at the door, wondering how much we could talk about. Max and Lizzie would surely be home. As if reading my thoughts, Mason said, “You don’t have to worry. They left to go to the grocery store earlier. It’s just us.”

It’s just us. I liked the sound of that. I liked the way he said the word us even more. And I liked that this meant we were home alone, even if I was pissed off at him.

“What did you want to talk about?” I asked, finally.

“About last night. I was a bastard.”

“Yes, you were.”

I wasn’t going to sugarcoat it. He… hurt me, last night. My heart still pinched from the thought.

“I’m sorry, Livie.”

“Why did you do it? It would be different if I knew you actually liked this person and you wanted to put yourself out there and date. But you didn’t go because you wanted to. You went because we kissed again.”

He looked away and I knew that had been the real reason.

“Would you believe me if I told you, you scare me?”

“Me? Scare you?” I shook my head. How could a five-foot-three girl scare someone like him? It wasn’t possible.

He smiled warily. “Yes, you. Do you have any idea how much I want to just say fuck the consequences and do whatever I want?”

Yes, please. I would like that very much. I didn’t say it. I didn’t say anything. But the blush on my face said it all.

He ran his hand down my cheek, and I closed my eyes, loving the way his rough palm felt against my skin, loving the stark contrast between us. He was rough and hard where I was soft and supple.

“We can’t work, Livie.”

---