Six
It’s Monday morning, and I’m in my car, sitting in the parking lot, thinking about everything that has happened since the last time I was here.
After Mason and I had very public sex on the boat, no one bothered us.
My sister and Trey seemed to be at odds, as was indicated by their tense smiles.
After we left, I texted Evelyn and told her exactly what Trey said to me.
I was debating on whether or not I should, but I know, if it were me, I’d want to know what a scumbag my future husband is.
She never responded. I skipped family dinner yesterday, not only because I didn’t want to come face-to-face with those who hurt me so much, but also because I was a bit preoccupied.
I never left Mason’s house all weekend. We stopped by my condo on Friday night so I could pack a bag, and I didn’t return home until last night.
To say the weekend was amazing would be undervaluing it.
I’ve never felt so loved and worshiped and taken care of as when I was with him all weekend.
Sure, there were still the dirty comments and jokes, but it made it interesting, and I loved shutting him up.
I think he would irritate me just so I’d sit on his face.
We didn’t talk about what would happen today, where we would stand once we were thrown back into reality.
I think that’s the real reason I don’t want to get out of my car.
In the back of my mind, I know where this weekend is headed.
Nowhere. I can’t risk my job. I’ve come too far to ruin it.
Trey made me choose between him and my dream.
My feelings for Mason could possibly take it away.
Maybe I should do what I’ve done with my feelings for him all this time… ignore them.
I walk with purpose into my office, curious as to why his computer isn’t up and running. He must not be in, and for some reason, that comforts me. It pushes off the awkwardness for a moment.
Entering my office, I don’t see any coffee or a printed-out schedule for the day.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
This makes me nervous. Mason is never late, ever.
I go through the motions of turning on my laptop and emptying my bag, trying not to let my insecurities seep in.
Once all that is completed, I decide to get myself some coffee.
The hallway is still semi-quiet, but the breakroom holds a couple of assistants. I spot Mia pouring herself a cup.
“Morning, Mia,” I greet her. When she looks up, she seems surprised. I guess I get it…I’m never usually nice to her. Maybe I actually was jealous.
“Good morning, Ms. Marx.” She smiles back, finally.
My hip hits the counter as I lean into it and brave the question. “Have you seen Mason?”
Her blonde curls bounce as she nods her head yes. “As soon as he walked in, his dad called him into his office.”
I still. “Do you know what it’s about?”
“No.” She stirs the cream and sugar into her coffee before heading toward the door. “Have a good day.”
“You too.”
Unease fills my veins even more. What could Mr. Finn want? Does he know what happened between his son and me? Is he asking Mason about it? Will Mason tell him?
Oh my God. He would tell him. Would he use it to get my job?
My legs shake as I walk down the hall back to my office, but this time, I find Mason at his computer, leaning over it as something prints from the computer.
He’s dressed in khaki pants and a blue sweater.
As if he can sense me approaching, he looks up, his dark brown eyes meeting mine.
I can’t gauge what he is thinking, and he volunteers no information.
His eyes sparkle as he says, “Good morning, Liv.”
“Morning, Mason.” I walk past him, intent on ignoring our weekend tryst. Which is hard to do, seeing as I can still feel his hands all over my body, and my mouth is still chapped from his tie. Yet I can’t help but wonder what he and his father spoke about.
Just before reaching my door, his hand gently grasps my wrist. “Liv, I need to talk to you.”
My head falls as I release a sigh. I know we need to discuss what happened. Where it will lead or not lead, but right now is not the time. “Later, Mason. I’m busy.”
He doesn’t let go of my hand, but instead, he leans in close enough so only I can hear. “I guess you didn’t need a good fuck to pull you from that foul mood, or are you just lusting for another round?”
The words irritate me, yet the brashness jumpstarts my hormones. Can I let this get to me? No. My eyes meet his. “Don’t kid yourself, Mason. It wasn’t that good.”
“You fooled me,” he growled, licking my ear. “The way your pussy convulsed around me all weekend says differently, but if you want to pretend like this weekend didn’t happen, I’ll allow it. Just for today, but look at you. You’re trembling under my touch, and your nipples are begging to be sucked.”
My heart beats erratically. “Stop…” I whisper. “We can’t do this here.”
He looks down at my lips as though he’s ready to claim them right here, right now, in front of everyone. Instead, he says, “I need to tell you what my father said.”
A knot forms in my throat. “You didn’t tell him…”
“Liv!” Mr. Finn calls as he walks down the office hallway, forcing Mason to drop my wrist and step back. “Do you mind heading into my office when you get a chance?”
“Of course.” I look at Mason, who seems to be giving nothing away. It’s just now that I notice he has a box on top of his desk and looks to be packing up. When Mr. Finn leaves, I ask, “Why are you packing?”
He smiles, glancing toward my office, and winks. “I’m taking over your office. It’s mine now.”
I gasp, probably loud enough for everyone to hear. “You’re fucking kidding me!”
“Kidding? No.” He laughs, putting a picture frame into his box. “Fucking, if you’d like.”
Now standing at the edge of his desk, I attempt to keep my voice low. “What did you do, Mason?” I ask, millions of thoughts running through my head, and the worst of them all, I spew out. “Did you fuck me so you could tell your dad and take my job?”
He stops what he is doing, rage evident in his eyes. “You think I would do that, Liv?”
Shrugging, I respond, “I do. I honestly do. You’ve been miserable since you took this job, and I wouldn’t put it past you to use my moment of weakness against me to get mine.”
His head is thrown back in a laugh. “I don’t fucking believe this.” He falls back into his chair. “A moment of weakness, huh?”
“Yes!”
“You didn’t sound weak, Liv. You sounded like a woman who knew exactly what she wanted.
Someone who dreamt about it.” He laughs again.
“You told me not to keep my big dick to myself. That you’d get on your knees and wrap your lips around it.
That doesn’t sound anything like weakness to me. You spent the entire weekend with me.”
Embarrassment flushes my face. I did say those things, and I meant them, and despite all the shit I had encountered on that boat, it wasn’t a moment of weakness.
It was a moment when a year of lust and longing collided.
And now, knowing he betrayed me like this, I realized it wasn’t only physical. I like him.
Liked him.
“Well, fuck you, Mason. I’m glad you got everything you wanted.” I push off the desk. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go see about my severance package.”
He shakes his head. “I want you to remember this, Liv. Remember this moment because you’ll regret it.”
Letting that little jab go, I walk toward Mr. Finn’s office, hoping like hell I get a good severance package. His secretary has me go straight in, but I knock before entering.
“Come in,” he calls out.
Stepping inside, I find him staring out his window before he turns and smiles at me.
He is a handsome man. Just fifty-five years old and just starting to collect some gray hair.
Mason is the spitting image of him. He has some good genes to grow old with, but I won’t see it.
If I walk out of here today, it’s forever.
“Ms. Marx,” he greets me, walking over to his desk. “Have a seat. We need to talk about your future here.”
Mason’s words play on a constant loop from four days ago.
He told me I’d regret it. He said that I should remember that moment, and I do.
It was the last time I spoke with him. Now, as I look around my new, much bigger corner office, I regret jumping to conclusions.
My future here at FVS is secure. I was told that by Mr. Finn himself when he not only gave me a raise but also the new office.
The one that belonged to a colleague who left to pursue other avenues.
Now, I have to pass by Mason’s office, my old one, every day as he has now been hired on as an architect.
He’s taking on his own projects and a new assistant.
He finally has the job he wanted. The one he waited patiently for, worked his way from the bottom, and didn’t use me to get it.
Each of the past four days, I have looked at his office door, more than once, trying to build the courage to walk in and apologize, but I’m a chicken.
I’m afraid that if I do, I’ll also admit to all the things I figured out during my soul search this week.
That every moment we don’t talk guts me.
I may tell him I actually have feelings for him, not just physical ones.
I may say how I miss his touch, even the accidental brushes against one another as we pass by.
I miss the jokes, and the frustration, and the protection.
I’ve seen him in the hallways, each time my heart beats out of my chest, and even though he doesn’t give me the time of day, I still catch him eyeing me up and down.
I think both of us are waiting for the other one to crack. I know it’s coming soon.