Zoe tried, but failed to break free. Mason kept a tight grip on her. His left arm was deceptively powerful. Staring into her eyes, she realized there was unbridled lust in them.

She had no idea if her words had hit him hard because he loosened his grip the next moment. After that, not only did he let her go, but he also apologized to her genuinely, “I’m sorry, Zoe. I acted out of line!”

Her lips were trembling as she rose to her feet. At that moment, her phone rang. Throwing him a glance, she took the phone out of her pouch and was surprised when she saw the caller’s name.

It was Leslie.

He asked her out in a very polite manner, saying that he wanted to welcome her back to Brookesville.

She wondered about it for a second and agreed to it. Mason looked at her as she hung up the phone. “Have you been hanging out with Leslie?”

“Sometimes,” she said lightly.

She was talking to him gracefully again. Looking at Mason, her mind traveled back to about a year ago when she was four mo