City of Sin - Chapter 45
Bee
I yawned and stretched my hand out, but all I felt were empty sheets. I slowly opened my eyes. Mason was gone. I looked around the small, empty room. I can't believe he saw my place. I can't believe I cried in front of him.
I put my hands over my face. God. I had made such a mess of last night. Mason had been so fun and flirtatious and I had just fallen apart when Patrick had shown up. But I was over him. He had asked me for a second chance. And I didn't agree to it. I didn't want him back. I wanted Mason.
My apartment was embarrassing. But Mason had acted like he was at home.
He knew I was upset and instead of trying to sleep with me, he had comforted me.
We had talked all night. Technically he had tried to sleep with me right when I had let him in.
But he respected my decision. We just snuggled.
I liked the way his arms felt around me.
And now that he was gone it was freezing.
I climbed out of bed. Luckily whatever fancy, expensive material the dress was made out of somehow resisted wrinkles, because it still looked amazing.
My phone buzzed on my nightstand. I went to grab it when I saw a note with Mason's handwriting. I quickly picked it up.
Bee,
Thanks for an amazing night. You looked absolutely stunning in that dress. I'm making you dinner tonight at my place. And I believe you said I didn't need to control myself anymore. So don't worry about what to wear, because you won't be wearing it for very long. I'll see you at 8.
-Mason
P.S. The sleepover is at my place tonight. I can take you to work in the morning.
If that wasn't an invitation for sex, I didn't know what was. My heart starting beating faster. I'm going to have sex with Mason Caldwell.
I took a deep breath. Was I really going to go have sex with someone that I only knew for several days? Yes!
I bit my lip. When had I become one of those girls? I sat down on the edge of my bed. Mason made it seem like it wasn't just about sex. If sex was all that he was after, then he would have just slept with a hooker or something. This was more. Last night was more. He seemed to care about me.
I looked down at my phone. Marie had texted me.
"I heard you scored tickets to the Silver Gala! Tell me everything!"
I smiled and wrote back. "Yes, Mason had tickets. It was really amazing."
My phone started buzzing in my hand. I slid my finger across the screen. "Hi, Marie."
"You are so lucky," she said. "I would give my left arm to go to that event. Everyone who's everyone goes to that thing."
"It wasn't that big of a deal. I didn't even recognize anyone besides Mason."
"Bee, it's a huge deal. Do you even know how much tickets cost for that thing?"
"I don't know. A lot? It was really fancy."
"It's $3,000 a plate. And not just anyone can attend. It's crazy exclusive. Mason must have it bad for you."
$3000 dollars a plate? The food was good, but it wasn't that good. "Why would it be exclusive? It's a charity thing. Wouldn't anyone who donated be allowed to go?"
"Well, right. But it's anyone who donates a ton of money. And I mean a ton. Way more than just the cost of the dinner."
"Wow." I looked down at the dress I was wearing. How much did it cost?
"So, did you meet anyone?" Marie asked.
"I met a few of Mason's friends. And his brother."
"Meeting the family already? That's a big step."
"Mhm." My mind was wandering back to Mason's parents. They weren't speaking. My mom always used to tell me to find a boy who treated his mother right. That was how you could tell if they'd treat you well. If Mason wasn't speaking to his mom, that probably wasn't a great sign.
"Is everything okay with you?" Marie asked.
"Yeah, I just..." my voice trailed off as I looked down at his note again. What would Marie think of this invitation? I wasn't going to ask. Because I had already decided to go. It felt like this was an opportunity of a lifetime. Even if it wasn't going to be a lasting thing, I'd regret not going.
"You just what?" Marie said.
"It was weird. At the gala, I ran into Patrick."
"How the hell did he get tickets? Did everyone have tickets to this thing except for me?"
I laughed. "I don't know. I'm sure he didn't buy them himself if they cost $3000."
"Probably not. So what happened?"
"He was asking why I wasn't willing to give him a second chance.
And I got to say a lot of stuff that I wished I had said before.
I think he might have been trying to get back together with me.
But I said no. A few weeks ago, I probably would have said yes.
It was different seeing him this time though.
It was like I was actually seeing him for what he was. "
"Does that maybe have anything to do with the guy you were there with?"
I couldn't help but smile. "Yes. Mason even comforted me afterward. He came back here and we talked and laughed all night." And kissed a lot . "He's such a sweet guy."
"Really?"
"You sound surprised."
"Oh, no. I mean, I don't know. I can't really picture Mason doing that. He seems so...macho. I feel like panties drop whenever he enters a room. I never would have thought someone would describe him as sweet."
I laughed. "Macho? Well, I think maybe he's softer than he lets on.
Not that he isn't sexy. Because he is...
really, really sexy." I was rambling just thinking about his abs.
My words were greeted by silence. I pulled my phone down to see if the call was still connected.
The seconds were still ticking by. I put the phone back to my ear. "Marie? Are you still there?"
"Bee, are you falling for him?"
Was I falling for a guy who knew every secret underground strip club in the city? Was I falling for a guy with a reputation for one night stands? Was I falling for a guy who had inadvertently ended my engagement? "I think I am."
Marie squealed into the phone. "Kendra can suck it! I knew setting you up with him was a good idea."
I laughed. "Yeah, I really owe you one."
"Maybe I should quit my job at Blue and start a matchmaking service."
"Maybe you should."
"I'm sure Carter would love that. You should call Kendra and tell her that you're in love with Mason and that she was completely wrong."
"I'm not going to do that. You just love being right about stuff. I'm sure you're going to call her as soon as we hang up anyway."
"You're right. I am."
"And I never said I was in love with him." I was falling for Mason Caldwell. But I wasn't in love with him. I couldn't be in love with him. I wasn't ready to be in love again.
"Right again. You didn't. But Kendra doesn't need to know all the details. I'm going to call her now. Bye, Bee!"
"Bye, Marie." I was pretty sure Marie had hung up before I had even said goodbye.
I looked down at the note Mason had left me.
I couldn't be in love again. Because I wasn't ready to be hurt again.
And Mason was the type of guy who didn't stick around for long.
I needed to remind myself of that. If I allowed my head to catch up with my heart, then I'd be back at square one, alone in this horrible city.
That was what love always led to. I just wished I was better at compartmentalizing.
***
My mind had flitted back and forth all day.
But here I was, standing in front of the veranda with Trump International Hotel And Tower written in huge gold lettering.
I felt like I had been standing still ever since I had given the ring back to Patrick.
Mason made me feel like moving again. And if tonight was going to be the last time I saw him, I was going to take advantage of it.
I was going to spend the night in a hotel that I would never be able to afford to come back to, with a man that was way out of my league.
And I was going to sleep with him. Because I was an adult. And that's what adults did.
Sleep with rich men for one night? Slut! I shook the thought away. I refused to stand still anymore. I wanted to live again. I walked up the stone steps.
"Good evening, ma'am." The doorman said as he opened it.
I had spent so much time standing still that I had become a ma'am instead of a miss.
"Good evening," I said and walked into the building.
The entrance was breathtaking. The floor was marble.
And all the walls were adorned with mirrors with gold accents.
I instantly felt out of place in my worn wool coat and boots that were knock offs of Steve Madden.
And where was I supposed to go? I pulled out my phone.
"Can I help you, ma'am?" The man at the front desk asked.
I should have called Mason while I was still outside.
This was awkward. I put my phone back in my pocket and walked up to the front desk.
"Hi, sorry, yes. I have plans with Mason Caldwell.
Dinner plans. Nothing weird. He lives here somewhere.
In the building. Not the hotel part. The condo part I think?
I just don't know what room his is." What the hell was that? Does he know I'm here for sex?
"You're here for Mr. Caldwell?"
"Yes?" Why did I just say that as a question? "Yes, I'm here for Mr. Caldwell."
The man frowned. "One moment please." He lifted up the phone and pressed a few numbers.
"Mr. Caldwell, there is a young woman at the front desk who is here to see you.
" There was a pause before he continued.
"She doesn't seem like the normal..." He had clearly been cut off.
"Oh." He cleared his throat. "Sorry. Very well, sir. Have a good evening."
I didn't seem like the normal what? Women he usually dated? I probably wasn't. Mason was rich and I was just me.
"Sorry for the confusion, ma'am. I will need to see your I.D., though."
I wanted to ask why. But I didn't want to seem out of place. Maybe visitors always had to show their I.D.'s at fancy places. I pulled my driver's license out of my purse. It still said I lived in Delaware. I hadn't taken the time to switch everything over yet.
"Bridget Cowan?"
"Yes, that's me."
"Very well." He hit a bell on the front desk and a bellboy magically appeared. Magically because I hadn't seen him before and there didn't seem to be any doors nearby. "Adam will take you up to Mr. Caldwell." He handed me my driver's license back. "Sorry again about the confusion."
"What exactly was the confusion?"
"Nothing, ma'am. Have a good evening." He looked away from me, even though I was standing right there. Oh my God, did he think I was a prostitute?
I quickly walked over to Adam who was waiting by the elevator.
When we stepped on there was actually elevator music.
Like in all the old movies I used to watch with my mom.
But I wasn't really focused on the ornate details.
I turned toward Adam. "What kind of women does Mr. Caldwell usually entertain? "
Adam turned away from me. "Mr. Caldwell doesn't usually entertain."
I laughed.
Adam looked uncomfortable. He probably hadn't lied. The women that came to Mason probably entertained him, not the other way around.
"How often does he have visitors?" I asked.
"I don't know, ma'am. I'm only part-time."
"I see. Who was the last visitor that you escorted up to see him?"
Adam seemed relieved. "His brother came over a week or so ago."
"Oh." Mason had told me he hadn't gone to any of those clubs or anything since we had met.
So maybe that meant no late night visitors too.
Maybe the guy at the front desk just thought I didn't look like a normal guest at Trump International.
It really seemed like he thought I didn't look like one of Mason's normal hookers though.
But it didn't matter either way. I wasn't going to get in my own head tonight. It was time I enjoyed myself. This was what single people did. Especially single girls who really wanted to start dating the man they were about to see. Stop it.