City of Sin - Chapter 58
Bee
I knocked on the door again. Maybe Mason wasn't home yet. We usually shared a taxi home from work, but he knew I was getting off late. He had probably gone out with friends or something.
Home. I smiled to myself. His place did feel like home to me, because he was there.
On a scale of one to pre Patrick cheating on me?
I laughed to myself. There was no comparison.
I was in love with Mason Caldwell. And Kendra was right.
I needed to give myself more credit. I knew that Mason felt the same.
Living in fear wasn't living. I just needed to tell him how I felt.
I needed to tell him I wanted the boyfriend and girlfriend labels.
But not right now. Because he wasn't home. I pulled my phone out of my purse and looked down at the screen to see if he had texted me. There were five missed calls from Kendra. What the hell? I quickly pressed on her name and put my phone to my ear.
She answered on the first ring. "Oh. My. God."
"What?"
"Please tell me you're in front of a T.V."
"No. What's going on?"
"Layla's Prediction's escalated a little quickly."
"What do you mean?"
"Their ratings skyrocketed when she started doing the weather nude. Mr. Ellington called and told them he wanted them to take it further."
"Further than what?"
"They had sex on live T.V. It was a freaking porno."
"Who had sex?"
"The random guy whose cock she measured wrong."
"And they kept filming? How could they air..."
"They can air whatever they want. The FCC wasn't going to stop them. There is no FCC."
"Holy shit. And Sword was happy with this?" Geez, I really didn't have any idea what companies wanted. Mr. Ellington was right.
"No. Sword is pissed. Mr. Ellington did it without their permission. You got out just in time. He's losing it over here. He hasn't said it, but I'm pretty sure we lost the account."
I didn't even know what to say.
"You were right, Bee. It was a stupid idea. Mr. Ellington realizes that now. He should have gone with yours. And I know he remembers. Bee, this could be the big break you've been looking for. He's probably going to fire Jenkins over this. You may have just landed an advertising gig!"
"Oh my God. Are you serious?"
"He hasn't said it, but it's sure looking that way."
I leaned against the wall outside of Mason's apartment. "I did it?" I felt like I was in shock.
"You did it! Bee!"
I laughed into the receiver. I had kicked New York's butt. I had found the most amazing guy and had finally landed my dream job. I didn't hate New York anymore. I loved it. "I need to call Mason."
"Yeah, yeah. Go call your boy. But tomorrow after you get your promotion, we're all going out to celebrate. Besides, Marie and I need to get to know your new boyfriend better."
"Deal." I couldn't stop smiling.
"Goodnight, Miss Ad Exec."
"I love the sound of that. Goodnight Miss Ad Exec yourself.
" I hung up the phone and immediately clicked on Mason's name.
There was no one else I'd rather share this news with.
I felt like this was everything I had worked so hard on coming to light.
Finally. I thought all New York did was take.
But it was giving. I did have what it took to be here.
The ring on my phone seemed to echo. I pulled my phone away from my ear. Mason's phone was ringing inside his apartment. I heard him curse inside. I knocked on the door again. "Mason?"
A second later the door opened. "Hey, baby. Sorry, I was taking a nap." His hair was mussed up. But it didn't look like it did in the morning after he slept on it. It looked like he had run his hands through it to make it look like he had just woken up.
"Are you feeling okay?"
"Yeah." He crossed his arms in front of his chest. "What's up?"
What's up? I had been spending every night at his place for the past few weeks. What did he think I was doing here? I tried to give him a heartwarming smile. "I heard you were telling people at your office that you had a new girlfriend."
He laughed. "Who told you that?"
"Carter told Marie."
"Yeah? Well, I didn't say that."
"Oh." I bit my lip. What the hell was his problem? I needed to change the subject. "I have really good news." The cheerfulness didn't reach my voice. It sounded more likely a desperate plea for him to invite me in.
"Look, I'm not feeling very well. You should probably just head home. I'll call you tomorrow if I'm feeling better."
Hadn't he just said he was feeling fine a second ago?
All the jittery excitement I had while talking to Kendra on the phone had been squashed down.
Now I just felt like I wanted to throw up.
He was pushing me away. Why was he pushing me away?
I shouldn't have brought up the girlfriend thing.
Of course he hadn't said that. He hadn't even said that to me.
I took a step back. I didn't want him to see how much his words affected me.
How him rejecting me was more important than the fact that I was about to get my dream job. I was so pathetic.
"Yeah. Okay. Well, I hope you feel better. Sorry I disturbed you."
"Not a big deal. See ya." Mason put his hand on the door.
I turned around and walked away from his apartment.
It felt like he had slapped me. I couldn't even control the stupid angry tears that started to fall down my cheeks.
Apparently he was not the one I should be sharing good news with.
I wiped my eyes with my palms and silently cursed myself for making a sniffling noise with my nose.
"Bee?"
I didn't turn around. I didn't need this right now.
I should be out celebrating with my friends.
But instead, there was a panicky feeling rising to my throat.
The same feeling I had gotten when I thought Patrick might be cheating on me.
The feeling that everything was slipping away.
I didn't like someone else having control of my emotions. I pressed the button by the elevator.
"Bee." Mason grabbed my wrist.
I quickly wiped my tears away and pulled my wrist out of his grip. "It's fine, Mason," I said without turning to look at him. "You want me to go, so I'm going."
"Hey." He pulled me against his chest. "I'm sorry." He ran his fingers through my hair. "I get cranky after I wake up from naps. I'm sorry."
His heart was beating so fast and I could feel the heat radiating off of him through his clothes.
Maybe he was sick. And there was something really comforting about his reaction to my getting upset.
He just stood there with his arms around me and didn't say anything about the wet spot my tears were leaving on his dress shirt.
I'm sure he would want me to leave as soon as he saw my scary red monster eyes.
"It's okay. I'm just being silly. Go get some rest." I pushed on his chest, but he didn't release me from his hug.
"I want you to stay."
"Mason..."
"Please don't go." There was something strange in his voice. It made it seem like if I left he was scared he'd lose me forever. I breathed in his heavenly scent. I never wanted to be anywhere except for next to him. How did he not realize that?
"Geez, I don't know why I'm so emotional. I just had a really bad day at work. We had to watch Jenkins' stupid idea for this sponsorship. And my disgusting boss doesn't take me seriously at all."
"I thought you had good news?" Mason pulled back and looked down at me.
"Yeah." I reluctantly let go of his biceps. "Well, maybe. Apparently Jenkins' idea went terribly wrong..."
"The sex on live T.V. thing? Sword Body Wash is really pissed."
"How do you know about that?"
He lowered his eyebrows for a second but then laughed. "It was all over the news. And I'm friends with Jenkins. He told me about the account."
"You're actually friends with him?"
Mason cleared his throat. "Acquaintances, really. Anyway, back to your news?" He ran his hand through his hair.
"Kendra just called me. She thinks my boss is going to fire Jenkins.
Which means there will be an ad exec position open.
I just need to remind my boss that I actually had a good idea for the Sword account.
I think I'm going to get a promotion." My angry tears were replaced by an over the top excited smile.
"Oh."
"Oh? Mason this is huge. It's everything I've ever wanted."
He smiled. "I thought I was everything you ever wanted?"
"You know what I mean."
"Well, you shouldn't get your hopes up. You don't know for sure."
"I was kind of hoping you'd want to celebrate."
"Doesn't that seem premature? I mean, you never know..."
"Mason!" I put my hands on both sides of his face. "I'm getting a promotion! I won't have to be a secretary for an asshole anymore. I'll be able to give money to homeless people again!"
"Wait, what? You shouldn't be giving money to homeless people, Bee. They just buy drugs and booze. If you want to give them something you should just give them food."
"They're hungry and cold. They'll use the money I give them for food and warmer clothes."
Mason laughed. "You're so naive. You really don't belong in the city." There was a playful twinkle in his eyes.
"Yes I do." I poked him in the middle of his chest. "I'm going to have a good job, a good salary, and the man of my dreams. I'm killing it in this city. I'm owning New York."
"The man of your dreams?" His normally charming smile suddenly seemed wicked and seductive.
"Yeah. The man of my dreams."
"Well, maybe we should celebrate by making all your dreams come true." He raised his eyebrow at me.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
He leaned down and placed a soft kiss against my lips.
His fingers ran down my back, stopping at the arch as he pulled me against him.
And in an instant I knew that we were okay.
All the tension seemed to evaporate when his tongue parted my lips and a low moan escaped from his.
He really was the man of my dreams. My naughty, sinful dreams.