CHAPTER 16: Isabelle

I couldn’t believe my mom. Mason was my boss and she shouldn’t encourage this. Could she see that there was something between us?

Mason walked forward, and I followed him, slipping my purse over my body. He walked to the car rental section and walked up to the Hertz counter, giving his name and smiling at me. When we walked out to the convertible Mustang, I laughed and gave him a long look.

Mason opened the door for me, giving me a slow kiss as I closed my eyes. I slipped into the seat when he pulled away and stared forward. We could do this here. Mason put his bag in the trunk and got into the driver’s seat, starting the engine. “What’s good here?”

“There are a lot of seafood places on the water that are good. Just catch the freeway and head towards the ocean. We can decide there.” Isabelle leaned her head back and laughed. “I can’t believe my mom.”

“You deserve to have some time to yourself. She’s right.” He told me as I smiled at him. “Maybe she knows that there’s something going on. Have you told her?”

“I didn’t tell anybody anything. I wouldn’t know how to explain this,” I said slowly as he merged onto the freeway. Mason moved past all the other cars and I smiled with the feeling. Life had been so safe for so long. He got off in La Jolla and headed along the water, both of us searching for somewhere to eat. “Lucy’s is great.” I told him, pointing to a sign.

“That is where we shall go,” Mason told me as he eased the car into the small lot. We parked, and he opened my door for me, offering his hand before we walked inside. I took it with a soft smile and we walked together as I looked at the waves rolling up to the rocks to my left. Mason opened the glass door, and we walked to the hostess asking about a table as I looked around. She gave Mason an appraising look before glancing at me and calling out to one of the waitresses to seat us.

I chuckled as we followed a blonde to a table that overlooked the cliffs where the full moon was shining in the sky. It cast a beautiful reflection on the water and I smiled as I looked out. “You’re a popular guy,” I told him as Mason stared at me.

“I am with you, Isabelle.” I looked at him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. “I knew when I met you that you were special but I’ve gotten to know that more over the last few weeks. This is probably wrong and risky but I will handle anything that comes about in your career. I just want to be with you.”

“Mason,” I murmured as he leaned closer to me to kiss me. We were seated beside each other, and I parted my lips for him to deepen the kiss. I wasn’t the kind of girl to make out in a restaurant and I giggled as I sensed someone at the table. I looked up to see the waitress staring at us as Mason reached fluidly for the wine menu.

“White or red?” He asked as I told him that white sounded perfect. Mason ordered a bottle of the house wine and we looked at the menu together as we decided on our entrees. Dinner was relaxed with a lot of laughter and talking and he paid the bill when we were done, leading me outside as he looked around. “There’s a path down there. Want to walk for a bit?” I nodded, feeling the glasses of wine that I enjoyed with dinner. We headed down and walked along the cliffs as I told him how gorgeous it was here during the day. He nodded as he listened to my rambling, stopping as we reached a rock. Mason turned to me, cupping my face with his hands before he kissed me. I returned it, feeling the strong emotions between us as I wrapped my arms around his waist. Mason didn’t hold back here, and he kissed me hungrily, telling me that he wanted more with me with his lips and tongue. I moaned as I kissed him back, my mind wandering to being alone with him somewhere where we could take this to the end.

“I want you,” I murmured against his lips before I kissed him again.

“I have a hotel reserved in Carlsbad. Want to go there with me?” Mason asked as I considered my answer. I could text Mom and tell her that I was going to be late. Kendra was fine with them.

“Yes,” I told him as I kissed him again. We hurried to the car, and he got me inside with another long kiss as I clutched his shoulders. Mason drove through the dark streets and I watched as he pulled into the parking lot of a five star hotel. We went to check in and he took my hand and pulled his luggage to the elevator. I pushed the button, and he kissed me as the doors closed, pressing me against the wall. We stumbled out when the door opened, searching the doors for his room before he unlocked it and pushed me inside.

Mason dropped his bag down and it fell over as he stepped towards me. He kissed me again, gripping my ass as he carried me towards the large bed in the center of the large room. I clung to him, craving his mouth all over my body as the dam broke inside of me. I couldn’t fight this anymore and I slid down to the mattress, unbuttoning my shirt and dropping it to the floor and removed his shirt as well. Mason unbuttoned his jeans and kicked them off as I dropped to my back and slipped the skirt down over my hips.

He crawled over me on the bed, claiming my lips as he slid one hand down my body. I arched against him, needing the feel of his skin against mine as our tongues crashed together. I wanted Mason tonight as well as forever and I moaned as he kissed down my neck and chest. Mason moved slowly, but I wanted him to taste me and I rocked up against him, feeling his hands opening my bra and cupping my breasts. He brought his mouth down to a nipple, sucking it into his mouth as I cried out. “I’ve wanted you since I met you,” Mason told me before moving to the other one to draw it between his teeth. I cried out, wrapping my legs around his body as he groaned and thickened against my thigh.

Mason made me crazy with his mouth and I was weak when he kissed down my stomach, slipping my underwear down. He tossed them and moved between my legs, inhaling deeply as he stared at me. “You smell like fucking honey,” he told me as I gazed at him with hooded eyes. I was going to come fast tonight but it would be the best feeling in the world. He bent his face down between my legs, stroking me with his tongue as I moaned. Every part of my body came alive with the sensation and I slipped a hand into his hair. Mason focused on my clit as I cried out, knowing how close I was.

I crashed, screaming his name as I came. I couldn’t stay still as I came, rocking against him. Mason watched me, moving to his pants and pulling something out of his wallet. “Do you want this?”

“Yes, more than anything.” I replied as I watched him slip his boxers off and drop them to the floor. I swallowed thickly as he walked towards me, kissing up my thighs as I closed my eyes. I was going to sleep with Mason, my boss. He moved back up my body, sheathing himself before he kissed my lips.

I always thought that I’d never want to kiss a man after he’d gone down on me. It sounded gross in theory but I ate away at his lips now, feeling him position himself between my legs. Mason eased himself slowly inside of me, filling me and stretching me open as I whimpered. “I’ll go slow. You’re so tight,” Mason whispered as he moved forward, holding me tight. He felt so good, and I arched my back as he slid deeper. Mason was larger than Jackson from what I remembered, but the memories were suddenly vague. The feelings I held towards him disappeared as Mason moved and stilled, giving me a moment to adjust to him.

We started to move together and my body burned with need. I clutched him, scraping at his back and crying out his name. Mason moved back, filling me as he rocked forward and I cried out louder. It was just a few thrusts before I was toppling over the edge, and he moved slower before he was coming with me. Mason groaned, burying his head in my neck as he jerked inside of me.

Mason rolled to his side, drawing me close to him as I drew in a breath. “I have wanted that for so long. At least, it feels that way.”

“I waited for six years for that. I never thought I’d find someone that I trusted again, but you changed that. I don’t remember anything about Kendra’s dad now. I think I’ve finally put it in the past.” I smiled at the idea and gazed at him in the light from the entry.

“Good, because you’re mine now. This isn’t it for us, Isabelle.” Mason stroked my damp hair back and stared at me.

“What about work?” I asked as he shrugged.

“The rules aren’t that strict, Isabelle. Hannah likes to give me a hard time and I suspect that she was protecting you, due to your daughter. I have been casual with women and nothing more. I have an ex that slept with my brother a few years back and it hardened me.” I reached forward to wrap my arm around him as best I could. “When you crashed into me in that coffee shop and I looked into your eyes, I wanted nothing more than to ask you for your number. I took the high road and acted angry, never thinking that I’d see you at work.” Mason kissed me softly. “The rules are there so it doesn’t get crazy but I can talk to my uncle. He will support me knowing that this is real for me.” I stared at him, watching his eyes lock with mine. “I am falling in love with you. I know that you don’t want to have me in Kendra’s life this fast, and that’s fine, but I want to keep seeing you.”

“Actually… she hugged you at the airport. That was big for Kendra. Maybe she is ready for someone to be in our lives.” I smiled at him. “We can take that part slow because I am falling for you as well.”

“Sounds great,” Mason agreed as we kissed again. I stayed a little while longer with him and then he drove me to my parent’s house. We made plans to meet up the next day and take Kendra to the beach casually, and I looked at him as I kissed him in the car.

“Are you here to see a friend?”

“In part. We are going to have dinner tomorrow night and he does work a lot, hence the car and hotel. I didn’t think that we’d get together like this, but I’m glad we did.” I kissed him one more time before running to the door and unlocking it. The light was on in the kitchen and I saw the light on in the living room as I ran a hand through my hair. I walked in, seeing my parents snuggled together with Kendra sound asleep on Mom’s lap.

“How late was she up?” I asked as Mom smiled.

“Ten. That nap on the plane gave her a lot of energy but dinner and playing wore her out. How was your night?” Mom asked as I smiled.

“It was fun. Thanks, Mom.”

“You don’t get that chance in Seattle as easily. I can see that Mason has feelings for you.” Dad looked at me as I blushed.

“He’s my boss,” I reminded her as Mom shrugged.

“It will work out,” she assured me as I walked over to pick up Kendra. I carried her to my room and put her in the big bed, changing into pajamas before I crawled in beside her.

I thought about Mason sleeping alone in his hotel room, but that was okay. I could balance time between him and Kendra but she would always come first. He understood that but the way she hugged him tonight was so different for Kendra. Maybe she could see something in him, in us.