Free Two Thousand Miles by Jennifer Davis Page A

sensation of the bite in my thighs.
    Mason put his tongue back in my mouth an d shifted, settling on top of me. I wound my legs around him and slipped my hands inside the back of his shirt. He rose up slightly and yanked the shirt off, making what was happening suddenly seem serious. Pausing for a moment to watch me, Mason concentrated on my eyes as his hand slid over my chest.
    Although I knew it was way too early for us to have sex, we were primed for it to happen. The thing about that was, it would feel good now; but what would happen in the morning? We’d just had our first kiss five minutes ago, and, according to Mason, we hadn’t even been on a date yet. Reasons—good reasons—we should stop flooded my head, but then Mason leaned in for a long, slow kiss that steadily melted my apprehension to keep going. 
    Then Garrett burst through the door. “No jiz in my bed, man. Not cool,” he bellowed, stumbling closer to examine me. “Aw bro, she’s not even naked!”
    Garrett clumsily swatted at the air and then exited the room, leaving the door wide open. Laughter poured from the living room.
    “They’re totally gonna do it in my bed,” I heard Garrett garble. Then there was a loud whistle and a “woo hoo” that I was certain had come from Shelby. If that wasn’t a real mood killer, I didn’t know what was.
    Mason barely looked at me as he got off the bed. “I think I should stay somewhere out there tonight,” he said brokenly, pointing toward the door.
    “Okay,” I said, and he left without another word, closing the door behind him.
    I lay on my back, my arms and legs spread, allowing the air conditioner vent above the bed to cool my overheated body. Catching my breath, I recalled what had just happened and how it could have gone too far if it hadn’t been for Garrett bursting in. I knew I would be grateful to him tomorrow, but at that moment, not so much.
    I’d had three boyfriends in high school and had slept with two of them, so I wouldn’t have been losing my virginity, but sex caused feelings to shift. It could make you jealous and more possessive of a person. Not that I would have become Dixie number two or anything. Also, I didn’t fully trust Mason yet. He was sort of all over the place, so sleeping with him so soon wouldn’t have been smart, but most of all, I didn’t want to give him that much of me and have my heart broken in exchange.

Chapter 14
    The next morning Dana and Garrett cooked a massive breakfast. Eggs, bacon, sausage—andouille of course, country gravy, biscuits, shrimp and grits, and pan sautéed asparagus.
    I ’d woke with my mouth watering, and surprised that Garrett was functioning at all after last night. I put on my clothes and stumbled to the kitchen. Shelby whistled loudly. “Hey Kat,” she sang, you have a good night last night?” Russ was lying next to her on the couch. “Probably not, since G cockblocked her,” he snickered. That was Russ, King of the one-liners .
    “Oh, uh, sorry about that,” Garrett spoke up from the kitchen . “I really don’t remember doin’ it, but…” he shrugged and sat a stack of paper plates at the end of the bar.
    “Speaking of Mason, is he around?” I asked Shelby, ignoring Garrett’s apology. Sort of in the same way his family ignored his binge drinking.
    “Mason went home early this morning, said he’d be back in a few hours. We’re goin’ ridin’ today.”
    “Riding?”
    “Four wheelin’,” Garrett answered. “Where’d you say you were from again?” he asked, squinting at me.
    “Malibu,” I said, annoyed.
    “You ever been four wheelin’?”
    “No.”
    “You’ll love it,” Garrett confirmed. “If you’re not opposed to gettin’ dirty. Or wet.”
    I would be fine with both of those as long as Mason showed back up. I thought he and I should talk.
    “Food’s ready, y’all,” Dana said. “Come fix a plate.”
    I ate an embarrassing amount of breakfast, but it was so good I didn’t care, and