“Why didn’t you come to the club with him? So what if he lost?”
“Truthfully? I didn’t know he was going there. He didn’t seem like he wanted company and…” Jenna stopped working and looked at her friend. “Katy, I don’t think this is going to work.”
“What? You and Mason? You didn’t give it a chance, and I know you like him, or you wouldn’t be shaking like you are and stabbing red flower thingies in with the pink thingies.” Katy swiped her hand through the air as she spoke.
Jenna grinned. “Thingies?”
“Whatever. Get back on subject. Do you or do you not have the hots for Mason Simmons?”
“Of course I do. Who wouldn’t?”
“Then why did he take you home and come alone to Extreme last night?”
“I have no idea, Katy. Why don’t you ask him?” Jenna threw up her arms. “Maybe he didn’t feel like being with me?”
“Or maybe you told him to take you home? I know you, Jenna. You chickened out, didn’t you?”
Had she? She exhaled and shrugged her shoulders. Perhaps. But she’d been in over her head the entire evening.
She dropped her scissors and stepped back to sit on her stool. “The fight was gross. I hated it. Why do men want to do that? Who wants to go somewhere and get their ass kicked on a regular basis? Does he make that much money doing it? Is that it?”
Katy shook her head. “He doesn’t make any money. He’s amateur. He does it because he loves the sport of it.”
“Well, I hate it. It was awful. I don’t know why I didn’t realize that last week. I guess because he won, and it didn’t last as long, and maybe I was lying to myself because I wanted to get into his pants so bad. In either case, it doesn’t matter. I don’t want to go sit and watch that every weekend. I hated it.”
“Then don’t go.” Katy made it sound so simple. “I don’t go very often myself. It’s more of an outlet for pent-up energy for both Rafe and Mason. They think of it as working out. No one goes to the gym with me. Why should I go with him?”
Jenna stared at Katy. “You think it’s really that simple?”
“I do. Listen,” she leaned against the counter. “Every once in a while I go to show support, but not every match. I have other interests. We meet up after and hit the club. We rarely discuss the fight for more than a few minutes. I console. He kisses me, and we move on.”
“I’m not sure Mason is as easy going as Rafe.”
“That may be true. I don’t doubt you on that. But talk to him. Don’t let this thing slip down the drain over a silent misunderstanding. Tell him what you told me and see what he says.”
“Okay.”
Katy stood. “I have to go. Call me?”
“I will. Oh and Katy?”
“Yes?”
“Can you write his address down for me?”
She grinned. “Of course.” She scribbled on the notepad on the corner of the island and passed the piece of paper to Jenna. “Later.” She winked and waltzed out.
•●•
Jenna pulled in front of Mason’s house at three in the afternoon. Mariel had shooed her out the door when Katy left, telling her to go deal with whatever man issues were making her hurt. Jenna had hugged the woman tight, grateful for someone in her life who cared as much as Mariel did.
Jenna knocked on the door and waited with her hands folded in front of her, trying not to let her nerves eat her alive.
It took longer than she expected, but finally the door opened. The smile that spread across Mason’s face lit her up inside.
“Hi.”
“Come in.” He stepped back and opened the door wider.
Jenna stepped inside, but she didn’t see much of the house at first. Her gaze was pinned on the man who wore only a pair of low-riding, gray sweats. His feet were bare. His chest was divine as usual, and she licked her lips before she had the sense to look away.
Trying not to breathe too heavily, she glanced around his home. “Nice place.”
“Thanks.” He shut the door and leaned against it while she perused his front room. The TV was on but not the volume. Some fighting event. The house was immaculate for a bachelor pad, the only thing not strategically placed being the open book that lay on the sofa upside down to save his spot.
“Did I interrupt anything?” She turned toward him, trying not to ogle his chest.
“No. You’d never be interrupting anything. I was reading, but to be honest, I’ve read the same page several times.”
Jenna lowered her gaze. His feet were so sexy it hardly helped. “I’m sorry about last night.”