“Seriously? You’re a Navy SEAL? Wow, I mean I knew you guys existed from the news and movies. But I never thought I would actually meet one.”
Amused, he smiled at me.
“Well, I’m pleased to make your acquaintance, ma’am.”
I shook my head.
“You must think I’m a dork.”
“Not at all,” he said simply, his gaze never wavering from my face.
I blushed again and looked away. Control yourself, girl.
I snapped out of my awe-ness and raised my glass to him.
“Well, if no one has told you, or even if they did, from me personally and as a U.S. citizen; thank you for your service.”
He bowed his head slightly and raised his glass to meet mine.
“Pleasure was all mine.”
We fell into an unforced silence. I don’t know what he was thinking, but I was trying to pull myself together. I mean, I just broke up with my boyfriend, and I’m already wondering how this man’s hands would feel all over my body, how soft his lips were, and if there was any way I could find out without making myself look like a whore.
Mason cleared his throat slightly. I blinked at him, realizing I never moved my gaze from his.
“Let me ask you a question.”
“Ask away,” I said, simply hoping I could answer it without spontaneously combusting.
“How did you know I was from Texas?”
Okay, I can answer this.
“Well, I could tell from your accent.”
He shook his head.
“Okay, see that’s the thing, I’ve worked hard for years to get rid of my accent. You mean to tell me you can hear it?”
I shook my head.
“Well, no. Like this whole time, I haven’t heard your accent until you call me ‘darling’ and ‘ma’am.’ I’ve been around my fair share of Texans to recognize that accent anywhere.”
“Ah, okay. I was thinking I lost my touch.”
I laughed.
“No, your touch hasn’t been lost. What part of Texas are you from?”
“Dallas.”
“Yeah, wow. I have family down there too.”
He smiled, “Yeah, who lives there?”
“My father has been there for a very long time. And my very best friend is there awaiting my return.”
“Yeah? Are you originally from Texas?”
“No, I’m from Arkansas.”
He leaned back from me and smiled, “For real? What part?”
“Hot Springs.”
“No shit. I’ve been up there quite a few times. It’s beautiful up there.”
I nodded.
“Yes, it is. I haven’t been back there in a long time.”
“So what brought you to Philly? School?” he asked me.
I shook my head.
“No. Actually, I came here when I was thirteen to live with my grandfather.” He nodded with understanding, but I felt I needed to explain, so I said, “My mother and father weren’t model parents, or citizens, for that matter. My mom left my dad and me when I was about nine, and for a while it was just me and my dad. But then he met the-bitch-from-hell, and he became just as useless as my mom. So my pops came to rescue me.”
“Well, I can relate to useless parents. I’m closer to my grandparents than to my own parents, too,” he shared. “Do you have any siblings?”
“Nope, it was just me.”
“Ah, spoiled are you?”
He smiled mischievously at me.
I nodded.
“Oh, in the worst way. But not in the traditional sense.” I laughed. Then I asked, “What about you? Are you the only child?”
I wanted to absorb all I could about this man. He nodded and smiled.
“Nope, I have an older sister and a brother.”
I smiled back.
“Really? Are you close with your sister and brother?”
He chuckled slightly.
“Well, my older sister is a pain in my ass who worships her pansy-ass husband. So no, I don’t get along with my sister at all. My brother and I are thick as thieves, though.”
“Is your brother older or younger?”
“Uh… he’s older, but only by a few minutes.”
My eyes grew wide. “Twins.”
He nodded. “Yup.”
“So there are two of you? Are you identical?”
“Oh yeah. We are identical in almost every way.”
‘Holy crap, I can’t believe there are two specimens of perfection that exist. What are the odds of that?’
“So you can’t tell the two of you apart at all?” I asked him.
“I think you can, and I’m sure my brother would agree. But sadly there haven’t been a lot of people that could.”
“Okay, but clearly your parents could? Right? And your sister?” I asked him.
He shook his head.
“Nope, the only people that could tell us apart growing up were my grandparents and our best friend, AB.”