Hottie

It was their last day on the honeymoon, and Mason and Ellen had agreed to spend it at the villa, just relaxing. The sun was warm, and a gentle breeze rustled the palm trees surrounding the infinity pool. Ellen sighed deeply as she scrolled through the photos on her phone. The beautiful scenery of Bali, her selfies, and pictures with Joe and Mason filled the screen.

One photo, in particular, made her smile bitterly. It was a picture of her and Mason, taken by Joe. She sighed again, louder this time.

"Can you stop sighing so hard? I can't concentrate on my book," Mason said, his tone more annoyed than concerned. He was sitting beside her on a lounge chair, a thick book in his hands.

Ellen looked up from her phone and shot Mason a sharp gaze. If he was so disturbed by her sighing, he could just move somewhere else. But of course, she didn't say that out loud.

Instead, she said, "I feel sad because we have to leave tomorrow."

Mason flipped a page in his book, not looking up. "Then you can stay longer if you want."

Ellen almost smiled, but then she realized Mason was suggesting leaving her here alone. How mean, she thought. "It's probably because it's my first time traveling. That's why I don't want it to end so fast."

Mason finally looked up from his book, raising an eyebrow. "Your first time traveling?"

Ellen bit her lip. She shouldn't have let that slip. Ellen Winters had been to so many places before, traveling a lot not only for holidays but for business. She quickly tried to cover up her mistake. "I meant my first time traveling to Bali. This place is unique."

Mason's eyes lingered on her for a moment, as if trying to read her thoughts. Ellen's heart raced; she didn't want him to suspect anything. She quickly stood up from her lounge chair.

"I'm going to get a drink," she said abruptly, walking away from the pool area. She needed to get out of there before she spilled more than she should.

She walked into the villa, the cool air inside gave a little break from the tension outside. Ellen leaned against the kitchen counter, taking a deep breath to steady herself. She couldn't afford to let her guard down, not even for a moment.

She opened the fridge and poured herself a glass of cold water, taking small sips as she tried to calm her racing heart. Her mind wandered back to the conversation she had just had with Mason.

She had to be more careful. Every word, every action was being watched closely. She was now Ellen Winters. She couldn't slip up. People might not immediately suspect anything, but she couldn't risk drawing any unnecessary attention. 

Ellen doubted that anyone would actually suspect her of not being the real Ellen Winters because that's just crazy.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of water splashing. She looked out towards the pool and saw Mason swimming. He was topless, of course, his fair skin glistening with water. His muscles rippled with each stroke, and for a moment, Ellen was mesmerized. She felt a flush of heat rise to her cheeks as she took in the sight of his toned body.

Mason was indeed a hottie, and she couldn't help but think it. She drank her water again, trying to focus on anything else. No wonder Ellen Winters fell for him. No wonder so many women chased him, particularly Aubrey. 

Mason was perfect inside and out. It felt like Ellen could fall for him too.

She choked on her water at the thought, coughing violently. What did she just think? She couldn't fall for him. If there was one thing she couldn't do in this world apart from blowing her cover as Ellen Winters, it was falling for Mason. She couldn't! She wouldn't! Or who knows if that would help her walk in the same path as Ellen Winters to death.

She quickly set the glass down in the sink and headed to the bathroom. She splashed cold water on her face and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She convinced herself that she was getting weird thoughts because of the hot weather. She was there for probably fifteen minutes before deciding to go back out.

Ellen made sure all of the weird thoughts were already gone before she could face Mason and his ridiculously perfect body again. She took a few deep breaths, willing herself to calm down. Her reflection in the mirror showed a composed, calm woman.

Good, Ellen. She nodded to herself, feeling slightly more in control.

As she opened the bathroom door, she was shocked when she bumped into something hard. For a split second, she wondered if there was another door. When had they installed it? But then, as she looked closely, she realized it was a body. It was Mason. Mason's chest.

Her forehead collided with his chest, and for a brief moment, it felt like she kissed his chest. Ellen's eyes widened as she looked up, meeting Mason's gaze. His wet hair dripped water down his face and onto his shoulders, making him look even more rugged and handsome.

Mason's brows furrowed in confusion. "What are you doing?" he asked, his voice low and steady.

Ellen didn't understand at first, then realized her hands were resting on his stomach. She screamed internally, feeling the hard, defined muscles under her fingers. She had touched him. She had touched his fine abs. The sensation of his wet, firm skin beneath her palms sent a jolt through her, and she quickly pulled her hands back as if burned.

Her heart pounded in her chest, and she could feel her cheeks burning. "I... I was just...," she stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence. The words seemed to stick in her throat, her mind racing with the realization of what had just happened.

Mason's intense gaze didn't waver. He stood there, silent, waiting for her to continue. 

In a sudden burst of defensiveness, Ellen blurted out, "Why the hell were you just standing there in front of the bathroom anyway?" She felt a pang of guilt immediately but pushed on, hoping to cover her embarrassment. "It's like you were waiting for me or something."

Mason's eyebrows raised slightly, his expression shifting from confusion to mild amusement. "Yes, I was waiting for you to finish," he said calmly, his voice steady. "I wanted to take a shower after swimming."

Ellen's face turned even redder. "Well, thank God I didn't break my nose because your chest is so hard!" The words tumbled out before she could stop them, and she instantly regretted it. What was she saying? She was spiraling out of control, blurting out anything to fill the awkward silence.

She quickly stepped back, creating some distance between them. Her gaze flickered to Mason's face one last time before she forced her way past him.

As she walked away, she couldn't help but glance back over her shoulder. Had he really smiled, or was her mind playing tricks on her?