Page 14 of Playing with the Boss

“Lady, nobody should handle you like that.” The well-meaning guy jerks his chin toward my twisted blouse, mangled in Mason’s tight grip.

Mason edges forward, yet I stop him with my free hand to his chest. I give a little tug on my captive arm and force him to let it go. “It’s a little embarrassing, but—” I lean into the stranger “—I like to role-play.”

The guy’s eyes go wide when I lean back with my lips pulled tight in apology.

“What did you say?” Mason asks with a stern frown.

“Later, honey.” I give his chest a couple of condescending pats for good measure before turning back to the stranger. “Thank you, though. It was lovely of you to step in for me.”

He sighs heavily out his nose, glancing at Mason and myself. “Well, be mindful of how your games look to other people in the future, huh?”

“We sure will.” I use all my ability to turn Mason and shunt him toward the exit. “Y’all enjoy the rest of your night.”

My heels dig into the wooden flooring as I shove a bristling Mason toward the door. “Go.”

He wraps a possessive arm around my shoulders and escorts me from the bar, throwing a few dirty looks the guy’s way for good measure. “I wasn’t done with him.”

“I know,” I grumble. “But you said you weren’t done with me either, so how about we restrict your troublemaking to one person at a time, huh?”

He frowns down at me as we break apart to step out into the night. “I didn’t ask you out tonight to cause trouble, Lisa.”

“Oh yeah?” I check the street for a cab with its light on. “Then why?”

His silence strikes me as I stand a few steps from the curb. Unable to find a free ride, I sigh and turn to grill Mason for an answer.

But he’s not there.