As I poured some cleaner into the bucket, I caught my thoughts wandering back to Mason, and to the way things had been shifting between us. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach as I thought about kissing him, about how it was better than I’d ever thought a kiss could be. The few times I’d imagined kissing another guy when I was younger, it had sat with me all wrong, but in real life, with Mason, everything was different. The scrape of his stubble on my face didn’t hurt, it fired up my nerve endings in a way that made me ache for more. His strong, firmbody against mine was different from holding a woman, but not in a bad way.
I exhaled through my nose as I finished filling the bucket with hot water. I wasn’t sure what had gotten into me. The thought of him kissing a guy back in college had lit something inside me, something deeply curious and maybe even a little jealous. Something that made me want to go there, too. And now that we had, I didn’t think I ever wanted to go back.
The water sloshed a little as I hauled the bucket out of the sink in the laundry room. Once I was back in the living room, I began to mop, my back to the door as I worked. Time went by quickly, and soon, I’d moved into the kitchen. I was so focused on the music and the mopping that I didn’t notice the noise from above had stopped and Mason had come inside. Not until he tapped me on the shoulder, anyway.
I started and let out a little shout in surprise, spinning to find Mason with a huge smile on his face.
He had to raise his voice to be heard over the music. “Looks like you’re working hard.”
Rolling my eyes, I pulled out my phone and turned the music down. “Done with the roof?”
“Hardly. Just taking a water break.”
“Let me. I don’t want you dirtying up the freshly mopped floor.” I grabbed a glass for him and filled it with cold water fromthe fridge. He took it and immediately chugged the water, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he drank, a soft groan rumbling out of him as he quenched his thirst. I couldn’t tear my eyes away.
When Mason placed the empty glass on the counter, he grinned at me. “Having fun in here?”
“As much as can be expected. It’s mopping, after all.”
“And dancing.” He smirked.
“And dancing,” I echoed. “You’re telling me you don’t dance when you clean?”
He let out a startled laugh. “I don’t dance at all. You know this.”
I shrugged and turned the music back up, loud enough for Mason to hear. “Now’s your chance.”
Mason shook his head. “I can’t. I don’t really know how.”
“It’s easy,” I countered. “Just… move.” To demonstrate, I bounced a little to the music, grabbing the mop as a dance partner.
Another shake of his head. “How about I just stand here and look pretty whileyoudance?”
“Deal.” I put the mop aside and sidled up to Mason. As I stepped in close, the song died out and a new song began, this one a ballad. I held out my hands to Mason. “Come on, let’s dance.”
It was his turn to roll his eyes, but instead of protesting further, he stepped close and pulled me to him. For a few moments, we slow danced like we were back in high school, swaying to the beat. I was hyperaware of his body against mine and all the things it made me feel.
Mason’s Adam’s apple bobbed again as he swallowed and slowly leaned in. My breath caught in my chest as he pressed his lips against mine so, so gently. He moved his hands onto my hips and pulled me closer. I let out a soft sigh, my heart fluttering, before the music stopped without warning, my ringtone blaring out of my phone instead.
Heart racing, I stepped away from Mason like we’d been caught doing something we shouldn’t have been. He ducked his head, gaze cast toward his feet, and rubbed the back of his neck.
With a chuckle, he looked back at me a moment later. “Guess you’d better get that.”
I sighed reluctantly and pulled my phone from my pocket, checking the number and nodding at Mason as I answered the call. “Hey, Mom.” My throat was tight.
“You okay, honey? You sound off.”
“Yeah,” I said, taking a slow breath. “I’m great. Just working.”
“I’m glad to hear that. How much have you all gotten done so far?”
As I gave her a recap of the work we’d done, I paced around the living room, doing exactly what I’d chastised Mason for doing—dirtying up my freshly mopped floors.
“That sounds great,” she said.
Before I could respond, Mason leaned against the counter, a slight smirk playing on his lips. I swallowed hard as I let myself get distracted by the thought of his mouth and what we’d just been doing. My breath caught in my chest.
“Em? You there?” Mom chuckled softly. “Earth to Emery.”
