Page 71 of Bang


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Oh, crud.Once again, I'd been caught with my head in the clouds. This didn't happen with anyone else, so why did it happen with him?

And why, oh why, was it happening now?But then it hit me. "Wait a minute. Youdorealize it's two in the morning."

"Yeah, so?"

"So my mind's hardly awake."See, I wasn't distracted by the sight of him. My brain was just sleepy, that's all.

He gave me a long, penetrating look before saying, "You look awake tome."

Oh, please.I didn't look awake. I looked ridiculous. My pajama pants were too baggy, and my tank-top was too tight.And don't get me started on the slippers.

But hey, it could always be worse. Until I'd decided to get up for water, I'd been lying in bed, wearing only the tank top and panties.

I hadn't been able to sleep. And in a way, this was Mason's fault, whether he realized it or not.

When I'd first crawled into bed, I couldn’t stop thinking about everything that Arden had revealed today at her house. And then, I'd spent way too long obsessing over the idea of Mason sleeping somewhere else – or ratherwithsomeone else.

I'd been wondering what he was doing, and exactlywhohe was doing it with. By now, I'd been living here for nearly two months, but I still hadn't met any of his dates, or female companions, or whatever you'd call them.

But Ididwonder who they were and where Mason met with them, because by now, it was pretty obvious that he didn't bring any of his dates home. Or at least, he hadn't brought any home sinceI'dbeen around.

Still, I wondered more than I should've.

And if I were being totally honest, I'd been wondering such things for a while now.

But tonight, all of the wondering had made me thirsty and restless.

So, here I was.And, as far as the pajama pants, I'd only thrown onthosejust in case.

In case of what?

Well, in case ofthis, actually. Being caught in pajamas was bad enough, but to be caught in my panties? Nowthatwould've been embarrassing.

Mason was standing near the kitchen's center island, holding a familiar document in his hand.

It was the report he'd requested after that incident with Veronica.

Before going to bed around midnight, I'd left the report on the island, thinking that Mason could simply swoop it up whenever he returned home.

I just hadn't expected the swooping to happen so quickly – or to find myself alone with him as he finished reading it.

And he'd definitely read it, alright.I knewthisby the way he was holding it now.

The document was only three pages long, stapled together. But the first two pages were flopped over the side, leaving only the final page visible for his inspection.

But he wasn't looking at the report. He was looking atme.

Bracing myself, I said, "Alright, so what's the question?"

"I'm warning you, it's a tough one."

I feared as much.Although the report was relatively short, I'd left nothing out, not even the fact that Veronica had called me a whole bunch of four-letter words, and in return, I'd called her a few choice names of my own.

And that wasbeforeall the slapping.

Andafterthe slapping? Well, I'd focused all ofmyenergy on getting the heck out of there before things turned truly ugly.

Now in the kitchen, I prepared myself for round two – justifying myself to Mason. "Fine," I said. "Ask away."