When We Run (Mason Brothers Book #4)

Chapter 20

DANICA

The smell of Chinese food woke me from a late-afternoon nap. Emotionally, I was still just tired of everything going on. Eventually, I would need to answer to my parents and probably talk to Stuart, but for now, I was just going to focus on myself and my well-being. For now, that meant gouging on Chinese food with Cade Mason.

“Hey Dans,” he grinned in my direction, “What do you want to drink?”

“I guess that depends, what do you have to drink?”

“Babe, I own a bar. I have everything your pretty head could desire.”

“Hmm,” I tap my finger to my chin. “Why don’t you surprise me?”

“I can do that.”

“Nice, I’m going to go freshen up a bit.” I washed my face and then stripped off my shirt because it ended up soaked in water. After digging through the bag, I didn’t see another t-shirt, only tank tops. Rather than bother Toni for more clothes, I just grabbed a t-shirt I saw sticking out of Cade’s dresser. When I rounded the corner to the living room, Cade and I almost bumped into each other. He was holding a beer in one hand and a bottle of tequila in another. It wasn’t the alcohol that caught my attention, but instead the way he was looking so intensely at me.

“What’s wrong?”

He shook his head and tried to play it off, “Nothing’s wrong, you just, that’s my shirt.”

“Oh,” I look down at the shirt again, even though I knew it was his. “I got water on mine, I thought it was okay.”

“I don’t mind at all, damn you look sexy as fuck.”

“Stop,” I moved away from him, hoping he wouldn’t see me blushing. “I’m just wearing a t-shirt.”

Cade followed close behind me, “I know, but it is my t-shirt, and hot damn if there isn’t something hot about a girl wearing my shirt.”

“You’re telling me you’ve never had a woman wear your clothes before? Not even a girlfriend or a hook-up that spent the night?”

“Never,” his eyes were back to that intense state again. Even as he set down the bottles, he didn’t break eye contact with me.

“I don’t believe you, Cade Mason.”

“Well that’s just sad you think I’d lie about that, Danica whatever the fuck your last name is,” I giggle and he grabs the bottom of the t-shirt and pulls me into his body. I look up at him, holding my breath, thinking he might lean in to kiss me, but instead he just wraps one arm around me and hugs me.

After pulling away from the hug, he points down to the bottles he set down, “You never told me what you wanted to drink so I grabbed both.”

“Just beer is fine. I probably had enough hard alcohol last night to last me a while.” I rub my temples, thinking about the hangover I dealt with tonight.

“I promise I won’t let you get drunk tonight. Just two adults having a few beers while we eat way too many carbs and fried Chinese.”

“The food smells amazing, by the way. I’m surprised you were able to get authentic Chinese food in Small Town, USA.”

“Stick with me, Dans, I know all the hidden gems.”

Cade put the bottle of alcohol away and grabbed a second beer for himself. He opens all the containers of food on the coffee table and we start to fill our plates with the delicious food. Cade turned on the TV, finding a baseball game that was playing.