Keep Me In | DR3 | BOOK 1

27 - The MCL35M

"I've never experienced him getting..." I hesitated.

"Jealous?" Blake finished my thought.

"See, this is why I can't do relationships. I hate feeling like I've let someone down, and Mason's such a nice guy. I just feel like I can't be enough."

--

"What are my options again?"

"'Silence of the Lambs', 'I Know What You Did Last Summer', 'Corpse Bride', 'Carrie', oh and 'Edward Scissorhands' is a classi-"

"Alexa, baby are you confused? It's Valentine's day; those are horror films," Mason laughed, his tone surprised.

"Mase you know I've never been one for corny romance. Besides, all of these movies have something to do with love. I wouldn't call them horror, I'd call them... realistic love stories," I nodded as I poured myself a glass of Merlot. Glass in hand and lights in the kitchen switched off, I dimmed the lights in my living room and plopped myself down on the couch.

"Realistic?'Silence of the Lambs?'"

"It was released on Valentine's day!" I threw my hands in front of me as I explained. "Work with me here, what would you rather watch? 'Maid in Manhattan'?"

"'Silence of the Lambs' it is. How long until the food arrives?" Mason succumbed.

"Should be here within the next 5 minutes," I propped my phone up on a pillow beside me, adjusting the angle as I looked at my small screen in the corner to make sure the angle was flattering. "You?"

Just as I had asked, I heard Mason's doorbell ring in the background. "Ha!" he smiled, wiggling his brows before getting up to grab his take-out.

Mason and I had tried to plan out Valentine's Day so we could be together in person. We hadn't actually had a chance to see each other since New Year's Eve, and Valentines Day seemed like more than enough of a reason to make the effort. However he had been deep in exam prep for his spring exams coming up in March, and I had the busiest start to February known to mankind. I didn't have enough hands to deal with all of the sales I had been closing. And so, a coordinated movie and pizza FaceTime date would have to do.

Mason trotted back and settled his pizza down on his coffee table. "It smells perfect."

"Hey, don't start without me!"

"Baby, I'm just too hungry," he looked at me, eyes begging. "For more than just pizza."

I raised my brows as I began to speak. I wasn't opposed to phone sex, and call me a prude, but it just wasn't what I had planned for my Valentine's Day. Or ever, really. Before I could get my comment out, my doorbell rang. My eyes shot to my door, surprised by the sudden chime ringing through the halls of my Holland Park townhome.

"Looks like you won't have to wait much longer," I winked before getting up to receive my food. I paid the delivery man a generous tip for having to deal with the flooded streets before settling back down on the couch, making sure I was equipped with my TV remote before I got comfy again.

"Are we ready to dig in?" I asked, Mason nodding on the other end of the line. We both picked up a slice of pizza and gave it a bite. The hot cheese scorched my tongue, but it was well worth it. I had a busy day, and this was my first chance to actually sit down and eat since my Starbucks wrap at 3 PM. I set down the folded piece of pizza, conscious to not make a massive mess of myself as I dabbed sauce off of the sides of my lips.