But climbing the tree, something I’d done many times before, seemed easy compared to trying to beat him in a race.
“Just reach me and you win.”
Ugh. I hated giving into his little games.
“Alright,” I said. By now, I’d nearly recovered from my sprint and only my right side had a dull ache. “I’m coming up, but no funny business,” I warned.
“Of course.”
I should’ve known better.
I walked over to the tree and grabbed on to the bark. Suddenly, I was filled with nostalgic excitement from a time when everything in my life was more carefree.
I carefully began scaling the tree, and I eventually made it to the large branch with little issue.
Mason grinned at me as I slowly stood up and balanced myself on the limb.
“I must say, Carly, I didn’t think you had it in you.”
“Shut up,” I growled, carefully eyeing my footing. The limb was thick enough to walk on, but I had to be cautious.
Mason chuckled. “You really thought you were going to win that race, didn’t you?”
“Shut up!” I inched closer to him, thrusting my hands out to each side like I was an airplane to maintain my balance.
“Wanna know something? I even waited to forty seconds because I knew thirty wasn’t enough.”
Only a few more feet and I’d wipe that smirk off of his face.
“What? No comeback? You can’t walk and chew bubble gum at the same time?”
One more step. “You know what Mason?”
He grinned at me goofily, seemingly unaware of my treachery. “What?”
This would be oh so satisfying. “Maybe you should go for a little swim—”
I reached forward to shove him, but I clumsily slipped and lost my footing on the bark.
The world spun around me as a shocked scream tore from my throat and I plunged into the pond’s icy depths.
Cold, muddy darkness.
I couldn’t see anything and panic gripped me as I tried to blindly paddle myself to the surface.
Why wasn’t I surfacing? The pond wasn’t that deep. I started to panic when strong arms suddenly wrapped around me and began pulling me up.
“You little fool!” Mason gasped as we broke the surface. His hair was matted down to his forehead and an angry scowl plastered his face. “Why would you do something like that?”
Was he kidding? If I weren’t already gasping for air, I’d slap him.
Mason’s angry scowl morphed into a soft expression as he studied me. “Are you alright?” The genuine concern in his voice touched me and I found my anger quickly evaporating.
I coughed weakly and shook my head. “I think so.”
“Fuck, I’m so sorry,” he said, surprising me. “I should’ve never made you climb that tree. I just wanted to have a little fun.”
An apology? From Mason? I was shocked.
I stared into his eyes and only saw earnestness. He really did care. Suddenly, warmth spread throughout my chest and then my whole body.
I could feel his hard stomach pressed up against me. And down below I could feel . . .
Blood rushed to my cheeks.
Luckily, Mason didn’t notice my embarrassment.
He hugged me close and started moving us toward the shore. “You scared the shit out of me. Don’t ever pull a stunt like that again or I’ll give you a spanking you won’t forget.”
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, though I was secretly delighted.
“You better be.”
As he swam us toward the shore, the events of the day faded into the background. The only thing that mattered in that moment was that I was safe in his arms.
Chapter 4
Mason
She’s so fucking beautiful.
“Really, Carly?” I asked from my seat on her little couch. I had a hard time keeping my eyes off of her. In the years that I’d been gone, she had blossomed into a beautiful young woman. Her face had matured, but she still had an air of innocence stamped on her delicate features and that beautiful strawberry-blonde hair. And her body? Damn. She was what I called a full-figured petite. Though short, she had large breasts, a slim waist, wide hips and a nice round ass. “A gun?” It was hard to imagine Carly handling cold hard steel, though I could think of something warm and hard I’d love to see her handle.
Fuck me.
Carly stopped her pacing to scowl at me with that bitchiness I so fondly remembered, and placed her hands on her hips.
“I live by myself, Mason, what do you expect?” she demanded. “I may need to protect myself.”
A twinge of guilt went through my chest. Carly would’ve never had the need for a gun if she had me around.
But I had to get away, I thought. I couldn’t stay around her with the feelings that I was holding inside.