"I better go before anyone sees me coming out of your room. I don't want Lexi thinking I defiled you or something." Mason's face lit up with an evil grin.

"Oh my gosh, you literally have no filter do you?" I gaped, amused. I liked this side of him. Playful Mason was my favourite... apart from the one that came rushing into my room last night. Greedy Mason. I think they come in tied for first place.

"I do, just not with you." His hands graze the curve of my hips as he walks backwards towards the door, pulling me with him.

"I don't usually do the boyfriend girlfriend thing so I'm not good at this sort of stuff... but I do know how a gentleman is meant to treat a lady. So I'm going to walk out of this room without doing anything with you because I respect you and ..." He trails off and bites his bottom lip.

Although I appreciate him respecting my space, especially after our talk about touching back at the campus gym, which felt like years ago now... I wanted, no, I needed to feel his lips on mine one last time before he left.

His blue eyes burned straight through me with desire. I tugged at his shirt so softly towards me, I wasn't sure he'd get the hint.

"Fuck being gentlemanly." He rasped as he picked me up and guided my legs to wrap around his waist. Our lips and tongues danced together in unison.

He has a tongue ring? How did I not notice that before?

The hard metal of his bar through his tongue felt so good. A small moan escaped me as we fell onto the bed together, writhing with need for each other.

His soft lips started trailing kisses from the base of my neck all the way up to my ear.

"Ma....Mason... I..." My breath came out in short pants. I'd never wanted anyone as much as I want him right now, but I wasn't ready to give myself fully to him. Although the sweet ache in between my legs begged to differ. Through my hazy thoughts it was so hard to contain my common sense.

As if reading my thoughts he climbed off the bed and backed away towards the wall.

"Fuck Quinn... I ... I'm so sorry. I just can't control myself around you... you're just so... god dammit..." He tugged at his hair in frustration with himself. I padded over towards him, careful to keep a little distance.

"Mase, I..." I look down, embarrassed.

"I wanted you to kiss me. And I really liked it. I just don't want to..." I glance up, not able to finish my sentence. Recognition flashed across his face as he realised what I was trying to say.

"Oh." He laughed breathily.

"So I didn't do anything... wrong?" I shook my head profusely.

"No, not at all. I just want to get to know you more before we... you know." My cheeks flush.

"Have sex?" He pushed, cheekily. I'm sure the embarrassment was printed all over my features.

"Uh yeah... that." His laughter filled the room and it warmed my soul.

"You're so damn cute, you know that?" His fingers caress my cheek gently.

"I better go before I can't control myself anymore. Do you know how hard it is to stand here with a massive hard on while you're over there, wearing that and being all innocent and..." I cover my mouth to stifle a giggle. Mason cocks his brow in amusement.

"I'm really going this time. I'll see you, uh... in the kitchen?" He asked cracking the door open a little.

"See you at breakfast." My smile consumed my whole face thinking about everything that had happened over the last 24 hours. Mason lingered in the doorway, one foot outside the room and one still inside. His eyes raking up and down my body. He leans his head back towards the wall and bumps it a few times.

"I'm going." He smiled and hurried out the door.

Mason managed to sneak out of my bedroom without being caught after I went out. We didn't want Lexi or Zach playing trivia with us just yet. The probing questions, the playful teasing. I'd rather just avoid that right now if I could manage. Things between Mason and I were perfect for right now.

Breakfast was interesting. Zach and Lexi were so caught up in each other that they didn't even notice Mason giving me eyes from across the table. As I was eating, his foot found mine under the table and we engaged in a foot fight, giggling quietly to ourselves. He even lingered in the doorway while the others were making their way to the car.

"I would totally kiss you goodbye, but I'm not sure I'd have the restraint to stop." I knew what he meant, I could barely form a sentence this morning on the bed.

"Yeah, it's probably a good idea we stay this far apart until you get home." I tease. My heart squeezed at the way he regarded me in that moment.

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Once everyone had left for college at 8:30am including I made my way to a local café and flicked through my bills trying to place them in order from most important to least important. I stopped on one of my doctors bills and it totalled $1078. I put my stack of papers down and massaged my temples to try and relax. I was meant to go to a checkup tomorrow and I still hadn't paid the last bill.

I decided to pack it all away and deal with it later. There was something else I'd come in town to do besides sort out bills. Zach had paid me $1200 for the last 3 shows I'd helped out on which equalled $400 per show. I couldn't believe how much he wanted to pay me but since he wouldn't accept me returning the money I promised myself I'd use it for Jim. I knew I had bills to pay but Jim needed it more.

It took me 5 minutes to walk to the furniture place from the café. As soon as I walked into the shop a lady in her 40's came to greet me.

"Welcome to Rustic Roulette. Did you need any help?" She asked through her square green reading glasses.

"That would be great er..." I looked at her name tag.

"Joy." I smiled.

"I'm looking to help out a friend. You know Jim who owns Jim's tavern?" I asked slowly walking through the aisles eyeing of pieces of furniture I think could be used.

"Oh yes. He's such a lovely man. It's about time someone helped out that generous old fella. What did you have in mind sweetie?" She smiled, the kindness seeped out in her voice while talking about him.

"Well, I want to re-do his whole tavern for him but I'm on a really tight budget." I showed her my thin handful of notes. She waved her hand and nodded.

"Don't worry, I have a few friends who would love to help, free of charge. The truth is, Jim has been donating to us for years before his tavern started to fall apart. I think this is the perfect way for all of us to say thank you to him for supporting us all those years ago." She patted my back and walked all the way to the back of the store. I couldn't believe my luck. Jim was even more generous than I knew.

It took fifteen minutes to pick out new bar stools, tables and chairs which were rustic but new. Joy rang around for me so I could order new glasses and furnishings. While she was busy on the phone I tucked what little money I had inside the staff booth underneath her planner because I knew she would never accept it.

"Thank you so much Joy. You're welcome to come tonight and see the show if you like. I'm sure Jim would love to see you." I wrote down the details for her and my phone rang as I was leaving. I waved goodbye as I left the shop and answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Hey baby girl, how you doin'?" Mason asked in his deep voice. It made me shiver.

"Hey you, I'm just doing a few errands. How's college?" I asked, walking to Jim's to meet everyone there to see the progress.

"Well I cant really concentrate since you've been on my mind the whole time." I laughed, unsure how to follow that comment.

"Yeah, me too." I say quietly, surprised at my admission. I continue to fill the silence before he can speak, "Hey Mase, do you have any classes now?"

"Actually, I just had my last class before I called you. Why's that? You want me to come and make out with you some more?" He chuckled. I rolled my eyes and smiled even though he couldn't see.

"Maybe tonight Romeo... but I could use your opinion. I'm just on my way to Jim's." I said through light breaths.

"What are you up to shifty?"

"Nothing, I just... just come meet me. You'll find out." I couldn't help but smirk.

"Okaaaay. You know how to keep me on my toes." He snickered.

"See you in a few."