Page 85 of The Young & the Sinner

Unable to meet his eyes anymore, I looked to the space past his shoulder. “What happened downstairs?”

Mason gently moved my chin until I was looking at him. He moved his thumb mindlessly back and forth on my jawline, and goosebumps rose across my skin. How could he not know how much he affected me just from the simplest touch?

“When I insisted on staying at a hotel until my apartment got fixed, it’s because I didn’t want to stay in the same house as you.”

I pulled away from him with a scowl. “I know. You didn’t have to come up here and tell me again.”

I tried to leave, but Mason grabbed my hand before I could even take a step, and then he pulled me back down until I was sitting again—this time, closer to him. “Yes, but you don’t know the reason behind it.”

I crossed my arms. “Oh, I know the reason behind it. You don’t want to be near me. I get it.”

“Olivia. Do you honestly think I don’t want to be near you?”

Something about his voice gave me pause. I took in his eyes, but Mason was one of those men who knew how to keep their emotions in check. It was hard for me to tell what he was thinking.

“I don’t know,” I answered quietly.

“Sweetheart, how could you not see how much you have come to mean to me?”

I shrugged but couldn’t answer. Did I really mean something to him? Like I said before, Mason was hard man to read.

“I didn’t want to stay here because I knew how much harder it would be for me to stay away from you.”

My eyes widened in surprise, and Mason looked like he was refraining from smiling, though there was something somber about his eyes I didn’t want to think too much about.

“But things will work out. I just have to be the adult here and not do anything I know Max wouldn’t approve of.”

I frowned at that. It wasn’t what I wanted to hear. Not at all. He playfully tapped my nose with his index finger, smiled as if everything had been resolved, and stood. “Come on, let’s go and see what they have decided about the dinner situation.”

Mason held out his hand for me, and I took it without hesitation. His hand was warm and dry, and felt so good against mine, I wanted to hold on for as long as possible.

He pulled me out of the room, but let go when we got near the stairs that led straight to the kitchen. I missed his touch instantly.

Mason let me walk ahead of him. I took three steps down when I paused and looked back. Our eyes met and he smiled. I didn’t smile back. I let him see the determination in my eyes.

And when his smile slowly died on his lips, mine took hold. His eyes widened and he took a step up.

“Olivia…” The warning was clear in his voice. I flipped my hair over my shoulder, a gesture that I hoped portrayed how uncaring I was over his self-control.

I was going to annihilate every single roadblock he placed between us. I was going to show him what a losing battle he was trying so hard to fight.

I bared my teeth as my smile widened, and then I turned back around and walked down the stairs.

Max looked up from browsing over the takeout menus with Lizzie. His eyebrows pinched together in concern, but he didn’t say much. I hoped I hid my nerves well, because even though I had acted confident with Mason upstairs, my hands were trembling a bit from all the adrenaline rushing through me.

I had never been so forward with a guy. But then again, I had never wanted anyone as much as I did Mason.

“What are we having for dinner?” I asked.

“You feel like Chinese?” Max waved the paper menu of our favorite Chinese restaurant in the air, and I nodded.

“Ooh, can we get steamed pork dumplings? And chicken fried rice?”

Max laughed. “Yeah, we can get all of that. How about I call the place and Mason and I can go get it? You girls could get an early start on your homework while we wait for the food.”

Lizzie rolled her eyes beside Max. Lizzie wasn’t tall by any means. We were about the same height, so that meant she only stood to Max’s shoulder. But Lizzie was leaner than me. And I hadn’t realized how breakable she looked until she was standing next to him.

My heart pinched.

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