Not a Valentine

Chapter 50

Once I have everything for the girl, I also pick out a few things for my new love interest. Mason. It was incredible to see how our relationship status was changing.

We were friends who barely talked—because Mason was as distant as he liked me, which he had every right to be as I was one oblivious girl—and now we were friends who kissed whenever there was no one around.

Thrilling—I know!!!

I headed to the cash register to find that Mason was standing in line right in front of us. He had a few things in his carry-on cart, and I craned my neck to get a better look at them. Mason only purses his lips up, shaking his head, and says and moves his hand away. I'm rolling my eyes even though I'm giggling at the fact that Mason had, obviously, gotten things for me. I really wish I had seen it before he moved it away.

"Hey," I say softly, leaning my head to be able to talk to him quieter. "I'll pay for your items."

Mason's jaw ticked at that, and I didn't know that it would. I didn't think that he would seem a little mad at the fact that I had even asked the question. His eyes took a second to meet mine, but in them, I could see that he didn't want to be angry right now, but he was failing.

"And why would you want to do that?"

I feel my face heat up from the accusation that Mason was so obviously throwing out there. He had asked the question because he really wanted me to answer it honestly. He knew that I had mentioned paying for his items because I think he cannot pay for them himself.

I laugh nervously as I attempt to get Mason to not be mad at me. I move closer to him, tipping my head so he can see me properly. "Mase," I whisper. "I didn't mean it that way."

"You offer to pay for everyone's things?" Mason asks, and I clam my nose shut, knowing that he had me there. I couldn't say much to that. But I tried again; I didn't want Mason to think I pitied him; there could be nothing worse than to revive pity. It would be worse for Mason considering he hadn't even had the courage to get closer to me because he didn't want to share his life with me—a life that he was worried that I would pity.

I place a gentle hand on his arm, moving a little closer to him. Mason isn't a fan of PDA, and I can see that he was shy, but I wanted to let him know that I understood him and that I didn't mean anything by it. I only shake my head and say, "No, I'm sorry. I just don't want you to spend money that you're working so hard to earn on me."

"It's Valentine's Day," Mason says with a frown and a sad look in his eyes as well. "I want to be able to give you flowers and a few other things."

Mason got me flowers!

I push the smile that is trying to come out away and say, "Just that, I care about you and your financial life."

"I know," he says, and I knew he knew. He knew me well enough through Ranger, and now that we knew each other on a personal level, this was easy. He then shakes his head and says, "But I don't need you to pay. I just want to be able to give you a little something. Is that so bad?"

"It's not," I say with a smile, deciding to let the topic go. If it made Mason sad to talk about, then it isn't worth talking about. "And you know what else wasn't so bad?"

"What?" Mason asks back, a lighter look in his eyes now.

I stand up on my tiptoe, squeezing his arm tighter, and place my mouth close to his ear. I'm hardly able to say this aloud without sounding breathy, but I manage to do it. "When you had your hand on my neck while kissing me."

I pulled away with a smirk, even though my face was flushed. Mason looks down at the floor, his cheeks reddening, and he clears his throat. It was his turn to pay for his items, and I'm biting my lips as he has to engage in a conversation with the clerk.