“Okay.” Brett nodded to himself, and then gestured to me. “It’s nice seeing that you’re better.”

I told Mason what Brett had done for me at the street dance, and I felt him relax beside me. I gave Brett a small grin. “Thanks for coming.”

He lifted a finger to his forehead in a slight salute to me, but it was his farewell. Turning, he headed back around Manny’s. It wasn’t long before we heard his truck leaving the parking lot.

“Well, shit. Who do we prank now?”

Mason grinned. “What do you mean? I think we owe Principal Green a few times.”

Logan flashed a smile. “You’re right. We never got him back for not expelling Kate in the first place.” He asked Mason, “Where’s Nate? I thought he was supposed to be here by now?”

“He’s got a new girlfriend. Relax,” Mason chided, but pulled me close and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead.

As he moved back, his eyes caught mine and held them for a second. A shiver went through me at the heated promise, but I caught the underlying message, too. Brett was in the past. So was a lot of other stuff. I caught his shirt and pulled him back for a real kiss. As his lips covered mine, the need for him began inside of me. Logan groaned. “Come on, guys. You’ve been going at it like rabbits since she got all healthy.” His phone beeped. “Thank god. That’s Nate. He’s done with the girlfriend, so let’s go.”

Mason pulled away, but not before giving me a tender kiss.

I shook my head. Every part of me was trembling. No matter the distance and no matter the obstacles, he’d always have this hold over me. As he stepped back, his eyes never left mine. I caught another message. I was his. I sent one of my own to him. He was mine, too. When the corner of his lip curved up, I knew he read it loud and clear.

“You guys were going to prank Roussou tonight?” I asked hoarsely. They had never told me.

“We need to do something. Graduation’s in a week.” Logan threw an arm around his brother and pulled his head down. He tussled his hair before Mason shoved him off. “We got two more months with this guy. We need to make memories, and that means we gotta do some damage.” He let out a loud whoop. “Let’s go, Mase. I’m in the mood to get in trouble tonight.”

He pressed a quick kiss to my forehead. “If we don’t come home tonight, check the jail first, Sam.”

As he disappeared around the corner, I asked Mason, “Is he serious? You’re going to get arrested tonight?”

“Nah,” he paused, “I don’t think so.”

“Come on, Mase!”

He grimaced. “Maybe.”

“Mason.”

He shrugged before giving me another kiss on the lips, then he whispered against them, “We’ll be fine. We always are.”

He started to pull away, but I grabbed him one more time. He caught the need in my eyes and took over. I was lifted in the air and pushed against the wall. He pressed into me, and it was a long time before he pulled away. When he did, both of us were panting. The rest of the night was going to be uncomfortable. I knew I’d be walking with this ache between my legs, and it wouldn’t go away until he got home. He flashed me a rueful grin and smoothed a tender hand down the side of my face. As he tucked some hair strands behind my ear, he asked, “Are you okay?”

“I’m hot and bothered.”

“No,” he chuckled, but stepped close again. His hips pressed against mine, and I felt his own need as he ground it into me. “I meant if you’re okay after seeing Brett Broudou again?”

“Oh.” Some of the desire lessened, but he moved into me in a rhythmic motion, and it came back again. I struggled to think over what he was doing to me. “Uh … yeah. I guess.” My head went against the wall, and I gasped as he moved even closer. “Are you okay?”

“I will be,” he murmured under his breath. His gaze was on my lips. “I will be.” Then his hand went to my pants, and I felt him grab for my zipper.

“No.” I caught his hand. Shit. Then I shoved him back. Logan had been right. Since I was given a clean bill of health, we’d been insatiable. Another second longer, he would’ve slipped inside of me, and I would’ve let him. “Tonight.”

He nodded and stepped closer once more.

“Mason,” I warned softly.

A grin appeared as he kept his hips away, but rested his forehead on mine.

I sighed a breath of relief mixed with bitter longing. He was leaving. I knew that was the reason for this need that had become so overwhelming, and I didn’t want to control it anymore. He was leaving. I couldn’t get enough of him until he left for college. Logan had been right. Two more months was all we had with Mason.

I closed my eyes as my hands went to his jeans. My fingers caught a loop on the waistband, and I struggled. I wanted to pull him back to me. I wanted to forget where we were and forget where we were going. I wanted all of it to go away, but I couldn’t.

“MASON.”

He chuckled softly against my skin and pressed another kiss there.

How many had there been? I needed so many more.

Then he stepped back. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“Do not get arrested.”

He flashed me a grin. “I won’t. Promise.”

Then he was gone, and I was left to collapse and pick up the pieces. I had a feeling this was my future. I’d be picking up the pieces every time he left. Tonight. We had tonight, and we had over sixty more of them before he left early for football practice.

It’d be fine. I’d make sure it’d be fine.

When I was able to go back, I stopped again as I went around the corner.

Tate was in one of the chairs Heather and I sat in when we took our breaks. As I came closer, she readjusted her legs, throwing one over the opposite knee and doing it again before she realized I was there. Her fingers had been tapping on the chair in an impatient motion, but she stopped all of it and threw me a forced smile. “I should’ve figured you were there. Your two men took off a second ago.”

“Yeah.” I frowned at her. “What are you doing here?”

Since she got the blow job video back, Tate had melted into the background. I rarely saw her at school. She called everything off with Logan, no longer hooking up with him when he wanted. If she was here, it was because of Heather and that had me worried.