The Affair

THE AFFAIR

I open the door to see Mason standing there, a confused expression on his handsome face. He is in his gym attire, so I try to prevent my gaze from settling on his muscular arms.

“Is Jez in?”

“Uh, no.” I swallow, opening the door a little wider. “Should he be?”

Mason nods, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, I’m supposed to be helping him train. It’s cool though; I’ll call him. Thanks, Yasmin.”

He turns to walk away, but I call out to him without thinking.

“Why don’t you wait here? I’m sure he won’t be long.”

Mason turns hesitantly. I take the opportunity to study his broad shoulders and messy blond hair. Mason and my boyfriend, Jeremy, have been best friends since university and are still tight as adults.

“You sure?” Mason walks toward me, his azure gaze scanning my face. “I don’t mind meeting him at the gym.”

Visions of Mason sweating in the gym cause an ache in my very core, and without thinking, I suck my lip into my teeth. Mason seems riveted by this action, but I simply move aside so he can walk past me.

“Mmm, something smells good,” Mason murmurs, grinning at me as I close the door. He is taller than me, taller than Jeremy. I wonder what it would be like to touch his muscles while looking up into his eyes.

“It’s just lasagna.” I shrug, walking into the kitchen. The lasagna sits wrapped in foil, still piping hot on the stove.

Mason nods toward it from the doorway. “Made from scratch?” he asks, sounding impressed.

“Yes.” I nod, lifting the foil off the lasagna to reveal the melted cheese resting on top. “Mama’s recipe.”

“You can’t beat home cooking. Jez is a lucky man.”

“Would you like to try some?” I ask, pushing away thoughts of Mason trying me out.

What am I thinking?

“Of what?”

I pause, wondering if Mason is flirting with me or if it’s just wishful thinking.

“Um, the lasagna. What else?” I reach into the cutlery drawer, picking out a fork as Mason watches me intently.

“I won’t answer that.” Mason walks over to watch me plunge the fork into the swirl of cheese and pasta. I lift it and hold it out to Mason, who is gazing at me with a heated expression.

“Try it.” I smile, focusing on the food between us. My voice is shaky, and I’m not sure why. Well, I could hazard a guess.

“The food?” Mason teases, leaning forward. He blows on the food, his fingers wrapping around my wrist as he guides the fork toward his mouth. “Wow, it’s hot.”

He is gazing at me while he speaks, and I feel a heat between my legs.

I must be imagining this.

He takes the food, closing his eyes as he emits sounds of approval.

“Fuck me!” he exclaims. “I’m coming here more often.”

“You need a woman, Mase,” I smile, dropping the fork into the sink behind me.

“I know,” he sighs, rubbing the back of his neck distractedly. “A good woman is hard to find, trust me.”

My hands rest on the counter behind me, a sympathetic smile on my lips.

“We hide.”

Mason quirks his eyebrows up, and a soft chuckle escapes his mouth. “Well, I see you, Yasmin.”

The atmosphere in the room changes, and our eyes lock. Our moment is interrupted by the ringing of Mason’s phone, which he answers smoothly.

I watch his jaw clench and his eyes drift down my body as he listens to the caller.

“Alright, man. No worries. Tomorrow night works for me. Don’t work too hard.”

I frown, wondering if that was my boyfriend. I feel a flash of irritation when I check my phone and see nothing. It didn’t occur to Jeremy to call me and let me know he would be running late, despite knowing I’d cooked us a meal.

It was disappointing.

“Uh, that was Jez. He said he’s working late…,” Mason mumbles.

“Yeah, I heard.” I sigh, gesturing at the food. “That was a waste of time.”

Mason grimaces before walking toward me. My heart rate quickens, but he simply points at the food.

“If you want me to eat you—sorry, eat with you—I don’t have any other plans, now that your man has bailed on me.”

I’m stunned at his slip of the tongue, but now, all I can think about is his tongue. He seems to know too, judging by the coy smile he is giving me.

“That sounds...amazing,” I breathe, moving closer to him. “Jeremy won’t be back until late, so you can stay and eat as long as you like.”

For a moment, Mason seems to be battling something internally, but he soon moves toward me.

“You sure? I don’t want to impose.” His husky voice sends shivers down my spine. Every fantasy I’ve ever had about this man is running through my mind like a film reel.

“Well, if I’m being honest, I was hoping to work on our relationship,” I admit, bowing my head slightly. “It might have worked if he actually turned up.”

“He’s working, I guess.” Mason sighs, looming over me. My fingers are itching to touch him, but I resist.

“It’s voluntary; he doesn’t have to,” I blurt out, noticing his eyes widen. “He never wants to be here. When he is...all we do is fight.”

My eyes fill with tears at the confession I just made to my boyfriend’s best friend. I hadn’t even told my own friends, purely because I had been in denial. Mason steps forward, wrapping his arms around me as he holds me tight.

“Don’t cry, Yasmin. Not everything works out the way we want it to.”

I bury my face in his chest, the beating of his heart soothing me as his hands rub my back reassuringly. He smells of sandalwood and mint, my favorite combination. I don’t want to move away from his embrace, but I know I should.

“Thanks, Mase,” I say, pulling back slightly. He holds me firmly in place, his palm flat against the small of my back. The heat from his hand sends my body into overdrive, and I look up at him quizzically.

“Am I reading this wrong?” Mason whispers, his hand pulling me closer. I feel dizzy with euphoria, and my hands instinctively move to rest on his forearms.

“No, I don’t think you are,” I admit, my hands tracing the bulge of his muscles as they move up toward his neck. Mason presses me against him, and I let out a soft moan.

“Yasmin…,” Mason murmurs, his hands settling on my hips. I’m staring up at him, silently urging him to make the first move. His eyes drop to my lips, and his thumb reaches up to stroke them, pushing my bottom lip down as he sucks in a breath. “God, you’re beautiful.”

His voice is hoarse. I tilt my head up and lace my fingers behind his neck, not daring to speak. He closes the gap between us, his breath hot on my mouth as he tilts his head to the side.

“Mason,” I whimper, tugging his head down to mine, giving him the opportunity he was waiting for.

His lips crash against mine, his tongue seeking access as I gasp. He pulls me into his arms and kisses me with such force that I can barely breathe.

I’m responding like a lovestruck teenager, mirroring his movements as he groans into my mouth. He knows exactly how to kiss me, which is astounding. Jeremy was a great kisser, but Mason took it to a whole different level.

I’m slammed up against the wall, hoisted up so that my legs are around his waist. I’m stunned. No man has ever done this to me before. I always assumed I was too heavy.

“You taste fucking amazing. Better than I’ve ever imagined,” Mason groans, his fingers digging into my ass as he returns his delicious attack on my mouth.

I’m still unable to speak, but I drag my hands across his chest. My soft moans of desire are silenced by his mouth.

Suddenly, the tempo changes, and we are both tearing at each other’s clothes like animals. I’m stunned by how breathtaking his form is, but now, we only have time for one thing.

We want to fuck.