Mason groaned as he brushed my hair from my face and looked down into my eyes. I tilted backwards and saw the warmth in his gaze. My heart skipped a beat. I couldn't believe it. We'd been official for two months, but it never got old. He never got old. He never tired of me. I wasn't sure what I would do if that happened, if any of those nightmares occurred.
All I knew, as Mason continued to hold me to his chest, was that I couldn't lose him. Who the hell was I trying to kid? I couldn't lose any of them, Mason, Logan, or even Nate. They were the only friends I had in my life now.
I felt panic start to rise, but I forced it down. I had to. I couldn't lose it, not in his arms. Never in his arms.
CHAPTER TWO
The rest of the night had been free of drama, and I was relieved. Mason stuck close to me as he always did when I would attend parties, but I knew there were a ton of his friends who wanted his attention. For the most part, the friends from their school stuck close to each other. I wasn't part of that group. Even though I was dating Mason, they still considered me as an Academite, their term for the snotty rich kids. That was fine. I was far from the normal economic status of my classmates, but I knew that wasn't the real reason I hadn't been welcomed into the group. Mason and Logan's father was one of the wealthiest men in town, but they were accepted into any circle.
I wasn't stupid.
The girls didn't like me because I got Mason, who had been deemed unavailable except for the few times he chose someone for sex. Now he has a girlfriend, and they're pissed. The girls in their tight circle cursed at me, insulted me, even pushed me against a wall a few times, but it was always done when Mason or Logan weren't around. As for the guys, a few of them would glare at me while the others stayed away. Nate told me during one of his visits that some of the guys worried if I would change Mason.
I made a point not to.
I never argued when Mason said he was going to a party. After the third time of getting tripped or elbowed by the girls, I stopped going with him. He'd been confused, but I shrugged when he questioned me about it. I told him that I'd rather go for a long run and he dropped the conversation. It hadn't even been a lie. I loved running, and I had never enjoyed parties. I had gone before because my two best friends and boyfriend wanted me to go. But they weren't my friends anymore. I had no friends at my own school; no one would invite me to the parties, even the ones that weren't Public Parties, the name coined for those thrown by anyone who went to Fallen Crest Public School. They were the best ones.
And Nate's party exceeded everyone's expectations.
When I had stood in line for the bathroom, a girl said she saw people from four different schools. I hadn't been surprised. Mason and Logan ruled their school. Those at Fallen Crest Academy clamored for their attention as well, and with Nate's contribution, I was surprised more schools hadn't shown up. Even after Nate had been forced to move away after getting into too much trouble with Mason, he came back for visits often enough to feel as if he lived there. He came back for his and Mason's last semester in high school. They would end it together, and then they would start again. Mason didn't talk about college much, but I knew that he had already committed to a university where he would play football for them. Nate was going as well. They were going to be roommates, and if anyone were to ask my opinion, I had a feeling that Logan felt out of the loop. He and I had one more year in high school, but this was the point in my thoughts when I stopped thinking.
I didn't like to think of that time when Mason would go away. Hell, I didn't even like to think of my dilemma for next semester.
"You're thinking," Mason mumbled next to me as he rolled over and wrapped his arms around me. He reached over my waist and tugged me back against him. One of his legs shifted over mine, and I was securely enveloped by him.
I grinned when the tingle started. It didn't take much anymore, just a touch and the memory of what was to come rushed through me. When I turned to face him, his eyes were sparkling down at me. A small grin curved up and his green eyes searched mine. They darkened with lust when I lifted a hand to cup the side of his cheek. I licked my lips as my throat went dry and moved even closer to him.
I couldn't get enough of him.
"Sam," he murmured.
"Hmmm?" I started to explore his chest. My hand slipped down and rounded his slender waist. I rubbed over his muscles—they were structured and photo-shopped to perfection. When one of my fingers slipped underneath his boxer's waistband, he sucked in his breath. I grinned from the anticipation and addiction I had to him. I loved touching him. I loved making him groan in pleasure, and, as I pushed him to his back and settled over him, I loved looking down and seeing him helpless to my touch. It made two of us.
"Fuck, woman," he growled in a husky voice. His hands settled on my thighs as I straddled him. His fingers dug in when I dipped down and licked his neck. Then I moved farther down, and his hands dug in even farther. He had a cement hold on me when I teased the edge of his boxers, but then his phone went off and we both froze.
It rang again.
Our eyes met because we both knew who that was. We had discussed it the night before when I made the decision to turn my phone off. Since the party was at Nate's home, or his parent's home as Mason explained, he wanted to stay the night. It was an easy decision. The Kade mansion, where my mother had started to boycott any nights Mason slept in my bed, or his best friend's place? There'd been no need for a discussion. We did, however, have to discuss what we were going to do when my mother would start calling. I wasn't a fan of turning off my phone. Not many called or texted, but there'd been times when Mason or Logan had been hurt. I missed a phone call one time after Mason had been in a bad fight. I vowed never to experience that panic again. However, Mason promised that if I turned my phone off, he would deal with my mother and his father in the morning.