Her Vigilant Seal by Caitlyn O'Leary Read Free Book Online

keeper.” He smiled warmly as he inadvertently ground her feelings into dust.
    “Jesus, Drake. Shut the fuck up,” Mason ground out. “Sophia, I never, ever said you needed a keeper. What I said was I was worried about you and I wanted to help you. This is Drake trying to help. This is why he’ll always be single.” Sophia had been pushing out her chair to leave the table when Mason made the last statement. She stopped and stared at him.
    “Guess I kind of overshot my landing with that one, huh?” The man was making zero sense, but she couldn’t feel her legs so she couldn’t very well leave. “I was really hoping to ask you on a date, and I think I better do it now before Drake ruins any chance I might have with you.”
    She couldn’t have stood up if her life depended on it. Was the man insane? Even before her face was black and blue she was hardly ever asked out, and certainly not by men who looked like Mason Gault. There was obviously some kind of mistake or some kind of game going on. She looked between the two men. Were they having fun at her expense? Her eyes started to water and this time she was able to get up.
    She heard him calling her name as he followed her, but she refused to look back. She needed to get up to her apartment while she still could manage it. Her one eye was puffy, and now that the tears had started she was really having trouble seeing. She grabbed at the doorknob, but it wouldn’t turn. Dammit, her palm was sweaty. She wiped it off on her jeans, and tried again. Still wouldn’t turn. Please God, don’t let her cry. The damn doorknob just wouldn’t turn.
    “Let me.” She had no choice but to let Mason open the door. As soon as it was open she pushed passed him and shot up the stairs. Then she was confronted with another doorknob and he was there again. She waited and let him open the door and again pushed passed him into the small room that was her apartment. It was one big room, the only separation was for the tiny bathroom. Three steps and she was in the middle of the place. She turned around and saw him standing at the doorway with a concerned expression.
    “Will you tell me what’s wrong?” Mason held his palms outwards as if to get her to stop moving.
    “What’s your game? I don’t understand your game, Mason. It’s making me crazy.” She watched as concern turned to hurt.
    “This isn’t a ploy.” He looked her dead in the eye and she shivered.
    “Look at me, no one wants me, I’m nothing like the girls around here. I’m skinny and plain.” She lifted the arm in her sling so he could see everything. She was proud she kept the tremble out of her voice. “I really appreciate you bringing me my car, and the ride from the hospital, but you don’t have to do anything more for me.”
    “I want to help you.” He walked into the room and lifted his hand and cupped her cheek.
    “If you want to help why are you making fun of me?” She still was talking without coming apart, so it was good.
    “How am I making fun of you? You need to explain what you’re talking about. I’m in the dark here.”
    “You can’t really want to go out on a date with me. Look at you. Guys like you don’t date girls like me.” His eyes darkened, and his thumb stopped moving on her cheek. He took a deep breath, then another, and then a third.
    “In the last four days, how many hours of sleep have you had?” He’d gone so still. Was he mad? He seemed mad.
    “Answer the question,” he commanded.
    She flinched at his tone. “Are you mad?” she voiced the question she had been thinking.
    “Honey, can you answer my question?” His thumb stroked her cheekbone again. It felt so good.
    “Maybe ten or twelve hours in the last four days.” His other hand came up, and cupped her other cheek, his touch so gentle. How could blue eyes be so soft, so warm, so inviting? He brushed a soft kiss across her lips. She kept her eyes open, staring into his. Little lines fanned out at the corners