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1

Mason

My eyes fall to Hope’s bare feet as she swings them subconsciously from her perch on the counter I’m reminded of the moment I noticed her for the first time, her bare feet captureds She sets her drink down and ski away a drop of water

“Are you nervous about today?” I ask as I rest my hands on her hips

She nods “I could use a distraction,” she whispers “Any ideas?”

Oh I have plenty of ideas “H” I wrap one of her legs around ers up the other “Unless you already have so in mind?”

She cocks her head to the side as if deep in thought “We could play Scrabble”

I crinkleat all “You want to play Scrabble?”

“Dirty words only and loser has to do whatever I—I mean, the winner—says for the next…” She looks down at her cell phone and glowers “Uh, I only have a little over an hour”

“An hour isn’t enough tirin at her “What else can we possibly do for the next hour…?”

“I guess I could repaint my nails They are a little chipped”

I shake my head slowly “Nu-uh That’s no fun for me and I can’t stand the smell of that shit”

“Huh Well, I’e with the big attitude”

I glidethe back of her neck “Hope, if you aren’t naked in the next thirty seconds I’ll—”

“You’ll what?” she challenges

Challenge accepted

I bring ue across her bottoerly I take her face into my hands and tilt her head back to deepen the kiss She hooks her other leg around my hip and squirms closer to me

I’ood Fuuuck An hour I wanther into a blissful frenzy I want us sweaty and breathless, our muscles rubbery and tired

Hope tightens her legs, pulling me into her hard Fuck it I’ll make it work

I break away fro her shirt over her head “Where?” I pant We’ve been christening my apartment since I moved in A new place each time We’ve already covered all the counter space in the kitchen

“Fifty-five et inside of me now or I’ll—”

“You’ll what?” I tease her through a smirk

“Implode,” she breathes

I lean back, unbuttoning her jeans “We cannot have that”

She drops her lashes, hooding her eyes, and licks her lips God, she’s perfect Sliding her hands under my shirt, she caresses my stomach in slow circles Myher off the counter Resting her on her feet, II kneel in front of her to free her feet fro to place a wet kiss against each scar on her inner thigh

Hope shivers and traces ertips “I love you,” she murmurs

I grin as I pull her down to the floor with er She works ht where her pulse is throbbing furiously “I love you,” I say against her heated flesh

I raise up and help her get my jeans off She pushes me until ainst the chilly surface of the cabinet door It does nothing to cool my desire

She straddlesrowl into her shoulder “The kitchen floor,” she says softly, “is christened” As she ainst the cupboard and grind my teeth

Ever since she got on the pill and we stopped using condoms, my perforets on top and rides me like this

Guess we aren’t going to need the whole hour after all

“Mason,” she sighs, “you feel so good”

Shit I nearly release ht there, but I slide her off id floor, but I have full intention of war her up I lower my mouth to her stoh, working ue out and taste her Her legs try to close and I hold them open as I continue to devour her

It doesn’t take long before her hips are co inrip her bare hips as I rock into her Her legs circle my waist as she closes her eyes and moans

“Look atain I dipher deeply And I know the best decision I everin Ohio

2

Hope

I’ ass today Mason’s distraction techniques wore ht I have a lot going on this week

The first being the reason I’h this cold downpour toward the shitty brick building in front of me

It’s my first day of therapy

I find the right door and stare at it Mason wanted to coed, actually, but I wanted to do this alone

Now I’u of candy I should have brought some Starbursts to chew on

My hand is shaking as I reach for the doorknob I drop it quickly and head back the way I ca, I pull outthe aluminum hard and I can’t concentrate

If I call Mason, he’ll show up and I’ll feel… I don’t know, but I’ll feel like I’ I’o in there just to make him happy This will help us, but it has to be done for me

My finger hovers over Guy’s naiveI put my mind to

Damn it

It’s so cold My teeth won’t stop clicking together as I shiver