Hard to Love You

“Hailey!” MacKenzie exclaimed. “That’s a big deal. I’m your best friend and you weren’t even going to tell me?”

“Kenzie, it’s not a big deal.” I said, downplaying it.

MacKenzie rolled her eyes, “Whatever you say. Did you and Matt plan this?”

I nodded. It was a lie but I wasn’t going to tell her that I hoped her brother would have been my first.

The conversation was dropped after that. We went about the rest of the afternoon trying to make sure her car was packed so all we would have to do when prom was over was to come back and pick up her car.

Prom had been a blast. We’d all had the time of our lives. Late that night when we all arrived at the shore house the party really got started. Most of our friends’ parents had houses down there so there was a good group of us all hanging out. Matt and I were getting pretty hot and heavy out on the back deck. Then Frankie showed up with beers; Matt began drinking and started to get really friendly with our friend Mike’s date. I didn’t think anything of it at first, but then before I realized it a half hour had passed and I hadn’t seen Matt anywhere. I went into the house and tried to find him, and that’s when I found a lot more than I wanted to. Matt was screwing some girl in the bathroom. I only knew it was him because I heard his name being called out.

I turned around to leave because I was devastated that he had done that to me. I thought we had something special going for us. By the time I’d reached the stairs, Mason had walked in with Hunter and Cooper. I didn’t think the night could get any worse.

“Hailey? What the f**k is wrong?” Mason asked when he noticed I was crying.

I pushed past him and ran upstairs. MacKenzie was up there grabbing a sweatshirt.

“What’s going on?” She asked as I ran over and wrapped my arms around her.

I cried harder as she shushed me and told me to take a few deep breaths. “Matt is screwing some girl in the bathroom, Kenz.” I laughed once through the tears. “What a f**king idiot I am! And to think I was going to give him my v-card.” I cried.

After a few minutes I calmed down and wiped the mascara off my cheeks with a tissue. “My brothers are looking for me. I’ll be back in a few minutes ok?” MacKenzie said as she was tapping away on her phone.

“Alright.”

After she left I unzipped my dress and threw it on the bed, then took off my heels and bent down to pick up my overnight bag off the floor. I was sifting through it looking for the boy shorts and tank top I’d packed to sleep in.

“Hailey?”

Shit, what is Mason doing up here. “Give me a second Mason, I’m getting changed.”

He either didn’t hear me or didn’t care because he continued up the stairs to the third floor. I had my back turned towards him so I wasn’t sure where in the room he was until his hands snaked around my waist.

I tensed, “Don’t, Mase.”

He didn’t move his hands though. “That was a really shitty thing that Matt kid did and I promise it’s getting taken care of.”

I knew what that threat meant. The Cahills were going after him.

“He’s not worth it, Mase. Just leave it be.”

“The hell I will.” He said with rage in his voice.

I huffed, “Whatever. I’m going to bed.” I tried to get out of his grasp but it didn’t work, he held on tight.

“Were you really going to sleep with him?” Mason asked.

Damn it! MacKenzie had told him what I was going to do. “What does it matter to you?”

“You matter Hailey, now answer the question.” Mason said harshly.

I waited a few seconds before nodding my head.

Mason sighed loudly and let his grip around my waist go. When I turned around he was running his hands through his hair.

“Come to my room with me.”

“What? No,” I shook my head. “I’m getting changed and going to bed.”

Mason gave me a stern, heated look. “Come. To. My. Room. With. Me.”

I rolled my eyes. He must have thought I was just going to fall back into his arms again. Not a chance in hell. I continued looking for my things in my bags. “What are you looking for?”

“Uh, clothes.” I huffed. Had he not noticed I was standing here in my bra and underwear? I reached for the other bag I had brought with me, still unable to find any clothes, but Mason grabbed my arm.

“Here,” He reached behind his head and pulled his shirt off. “Put this on and lets go.”

I glared at him. “I’m not going anywhere with you Mase.”

He pulled his shirt over my head so fast I didn’t have a chance to fight him, then he threw me over his shoulder and headed out the door. Damn caveman.

“I have two legs you know.” I said as I pounded on his back.

He ignored me. When we reached his room he set me down to unlock his bedroom door and pushed it open for me. Once we were both in he turned and locked the door. Next thing I know he had me pinned against it.

“What—-” I was cut off by Mason’s hungry kiss.

He grabbed the back of my thighs and hoisted me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist while he walked us to his bed. He gently laid me in the center of the bed and then crawled on top of me; nipping and sucking on my neck.

“Mase …”

He reached down between us and pushed up my shirt to reveal more of my skin. “I didn’t want to do this, Hailey. You deserve someone better than me but I can’t stop wanting you. It would have killed me if someone else was your first.” He thrust his h*ps against mine and I let out a strangled moan. “I’m sorry, Hailey. I wasn’t thinking with Lily.”

“You’re damn right you weren’t.” I tried to push him off me but he pinned my hands above my head.

“You are mine, Hailey. You aren’t going to remember whatever his name is after I’m done with you.” Mason told me.

He was being possessive and I had to admit that I liked it. While Mason and I rolled in his bed, I eagerly started pulling his clothes off. The mood had changed from possessive to tender.

“It’s gonna hurt at first, Hailey. I’m going to try and be as gentle as possible.” Mason explained between the kisses he was placing down my stomach. I arched my back the lower he got. My body was strung out from the want and need of Mason.

He slowly pulled my thong down and then reached over to the nightstand and grabbed a condom. He ripped it open with his teeth. I sat up and watched as he rolled it on his length. “You sure about this, Hailey?”