Free Two Thousand Miles by Jennifer Davis

about my big mouth. I’m bunkin’ with my sisters tonight so it won’t put you out.”
    “You don’t have to,” I said, only to be polite because I really didn’t want to be put out.
    “You’re our guest. I’ve slept face down on that pullout plenty. That room was mine before it was theirs.” Garrett reached out to shake my hand. “Fresh start tomorrow?” he asked.
    “Sure,” I smiled and we shook on it.
    “Night y’all,” I said.
    Bit laughed out loud, pointing at me. “Did you hear that, y’all ?”
    Shelby piped in, “We’ve got her in our clutches now. California won’t ever take her back.” I hoped that wasn’t true. I smiled and waved at them before stepping inside.
    Mason followed me.
    “There’s been a lot of back and forth between me and Dixie over the last year,” he said. 
    “ Year ?” I gasped. I never would have guessed that he and Dixie had spent a year together. No wonder she was so pissed about me .
    “It wasn’t how it sounds .”
    “I’m really tired, “I said. “And you don’t owe me any explanations.”
    Mason caught my arm before I could turn away from him. “Kat,” he whispered. “Dixie and me really are done this time,” he said, his blue eyes begging me to believe him. And with that, I knew why he hadn’t kissed me in his garage. Until that moment, Mason hadn’t believed what he’d just said to me. His feelings may not have equaled Dixie’s, but he did still care about her.
    “Thank you for dinner,” I said and kissed his cheek. I f elt I’d earned that much. I also figured it would be the only time I’d get to kiss him. “Good night, Mason,” I said and disappeared down the hallway.

Chapter 13
    When I lay down, my plan was to go to sleep and not think about Mason Dugas at all, but that plan failed miserably.
    I rolled onto my back and closed my eyes, deciding to force myself to sleep by counting sheep. At two-hundred-fifty-three, the bedroom door creaked open. Mason came in and laid next to me on Garrett’s twin bed and joined me in staring at the ceiling. His shoulder was barely touching mine, and I know it was a small thing, but when someone fills your thoughts the way Mason filled mine, even the smallest bit of contact could make your heart flutter.
    Mine was pounding.
    “You’re so different than I thought you’d be,” Mason finally said, his voice soft, hushed. “I mean, you showed up on a private plane, wearin’ a dress and shoes that would have probably paid for my gas for a year…” he rambled, as if he was trying to reason with himself. I wondered if he’d meant for me to hear him.
    “I think I just expected you to be…”
    “A shallow bitch,” I offered, turning toward him. Mason curved onto his side and looked at me. “Yeah,” he mumbled, reaching out to play with my hair. “I know I held something back, Kat, but so did you,” Mason said, his eyes boring into mine, vibrantly blue and slightly glossy. “You’re not bein’ honest about why you’re here,” he breathed. He was right; I wasn’t.
    The back of Mason’s hand brushed over my cheek. His fingers traced the shape of my mouth as he leaned in, his breath coming heavier. “Why are you here?” he muttered just before his lips met mine.
    Part of me didn’t think it was fair. Earlier, Mason had aggravated me to the point that all I wanted was to get away from him , and now he was kissing me. And doing a hell of a job .
    His hand curled up at the back of my head ; my hair tangled between his fingers. It did cross my mind not to kiss him back, but I couldn’t help myself. This was what I wanted.
    Mason’s mouth was cold and tasted like beer, but I didn’t care because kissing him felt like a dream that I didn’t want to wake up from, sweet and exciting. Mason moved me onto my back and kissed my neck, stroking my hair. His mouth covered my shoulder; he slid the strap of my tank top out of the way and sunk his teeth into me. I gasped, somehow feeling the