The Way You Hurt Me

Chapter Twenty

Mason and I are startled awake by an unusually chipper Ronnie when she slams my door open so hard it rattles in my bones.

"I'm not even going to mention the fact that you didn't knock on my door," I say while pushing myself into a seated position and rubbing my sleep-heavy eyes. "But I will mention the fact that you're entirely too loud and obnoxious this morning. Did you have to barge in here like the Queen is on her way?"

Ronnie chuckles out a laugh in response. "Why can't you ever be pleasant in the mornings?"

"I think she's plenty pleasant," Mason chimes in from beside me while untangling himself from under the covers so his face finally pops out.

Ronnie's shrill scream at the sound of his voice causes me to almost fall out of bed.

"What the hell?" she gasps, her hand moving to rest over her heart. "You were hiding in her sheets the whole time?"

"This is why you knock," I point out, giving her a smug glare. "That's what you get for coming in here like you own the place."

"Oh, please, you would do exactly the same thing to me," she accuses. She matches my hard glare with one of her own.

"Yeah, when you're single." I raise my eyebrows at her.

She pointedly ignores my look and makes her way to my bed and sits at the bottom. "Anyway, it's good you're both here because Caleb just texted me about going to the beach this weekend and I thought it would be fun to make it a group thing. Would you both be down?"

"If it's the beach you don't even have to ask." I give her a bright grin. "It's a fantastic idea."

"Yeah, I'd love to," Mason seconds. He sits up with me and my white sheet slips off his bare chest.

"I do not want to see that," Ronnie complains holding her hands in front of her eyes.

Mason smirks. "Don't worry Ronnie, I'm wearing boxers."

Ronnie reluctantly puts her hands down, her eyes narrowed at him. "I'm not sure I trust you, Mason."

I roll my eyes as Mason laughs lightly. He places an arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer to him, his cerulean eyes shining in the early morning light coming in through the half-closed blinds.

"I'm an honest man," he defends, mock hurt coating his features.

"Sure, you are babe," I tell him, giving him a gentle pat on the shoulder.

His head swings to me so fast I move my own back a little out of surprise. Pure joy radiates from him as a brilliant smile spreads across his lips.

My eyebrow furrows. "What?"

"You just called me 'babe'." His eyes shine with love and I can tell he wants to kiss me but hesitates because Ronnie is here.

Ronnie reads the situation well and takes that as her queue to leave, muttering about sappy terms of endearment as she closes the door behind her.

Mason's lips are on mine in an instant and in between kisses says, "Even though it was totally an accident I'll still gladly take it."

"Mason," I warn, placing a hand on his chest to push him back a little. I pin him with a look that I hope tells him not to make off-handed comments like that about how he feels.

"I know, I'm sorry." He fixes me with a sheepish look. "Can I go back to kissing you now?"

He asks for it so softly and hopeful I feel like he just turned into a thirteen-year-old boy asking his parents for new videogames for Christmas.