~Lena~
He’s dreaming again.
After the revelation of Claudia’s letter, we had a quiet evening. Mason didn’t talk much, and he seemed distracted. Distant. So I gave him his space and pretended to read a book.
I don’t know what’s going through his mind because he was so quiet, but I wanted to ask him about a million questions, starting with what do you think? Did she help him realize that he doesn’t want to be like Charles? Does he think she was just a silly old woman?
But I didn’t ask, and he didn’t offer.
He hardly even touched me when we went to sleep. He turned away from me, so I snuggled up behind him, enjoying his warmth. He didn’t sleep for a long time, but he didn’t reach for me in the dark either.
I’ve already lost him.
He has been having bad dreams. He murmurs things, and tosses and turns. He’s on his back now, breathing hard and talking, but I don’t understand the words.
“Hey,” I say softly. “Mason, it’s okay.”
He scowls and his head thrashes back and forth.
“Mason.” My voice is louder now. “It’s okay. You’re dreaming.”
He wakes up and stares at me, then looks around the room as if he’s not sure where he is.
“It’s okay,” I say again and cup his cheek. “You’re just having a bad dream.”
“Lena.”
“I’m right here.”
“God.” He rolls toward me and wraps his arms around me, pinning me to the bed. He’s hugging me tightly.
“Mason.”
He lifts up far enough so I can catch my breath, and then he’s kissing me. Urgently, incessantly, kissing me as if his life depends on it. He cups my breast and pinches my nipple roughly.
“I want you,” he murmurs. “God help me, Lena, I want you.”
“I’m right here.” He reaches between us, down to my center, and rubs his fingertips over my sex, growling when he finds me already wet. “You’re always ready for me.”
“I can’t get enough of you,” I reply honestly.
He shakes his head and leans his forehead against mine. “Do you have any idea what you do to me? You’re a fucking drug, Lena. I can’t say no to you. I can’t fucking stay away from you.”
“You don’t have to.”
He sinks inside me and we both sigh in relief and excitement.
“You feel amazing,” he whispers and sets a rhythm, moving his hips quickly but not fast enough to make us both crazy.
I wrap my legs around his waist and he grabs my right knee, pushing it back farther, so I’m opened wide.
“So fucking beautiful,” he growls. He moves faster, as if he’s unable to stop himself, and I’m so damn thankful because I’m chasing the most explosive orgasm of my life.
I cry out as I come, squeezing him, my body shivering, and he follows me over, calling out my name as he explodes.
As we come back to Earth, he kisses me lightly and collapses next to me.
“I don’t know what to do,” he says sleepily.
“About what?”
But he’s already sleeping again, as if the past few days have taken a bigger emotional and physical toll than I realized. He’s softly snoring next to me. I brush my fingers through his hair and let my fingertips slip along the light stubble on his chin.
He’s amazing. Physically, he really could be Captain America. But beneath that, he might be one of the best people I’ve ever met. He’s been kind and accommodating to me. He truly would have understood if I had refused to join him on this trip.
I’m so relieved that I didn’t refuse. I would have missed out on the adventure of a lifetime.
I would have missed out on being with Mason again, even for just a few short, wonderful days. And I wouldn’t trade this for anything.
He said he doesn’t know what to do, and I don’t know what that means. Maybe he was just dreaming and it doesn’t pertain to me or his aunt’s letter at all.
Or maybe he doesn’t know what to do about me.
And the fact that he even has to debate that issue within himself tells me everything I need to know. If he truly wanted me, and wanted to be with me, it wouldn’t be a difficult decision to make.
I hold my breath as I slip from the bed, not wanting to wake him. I’m going to make this decision easy for him.
I quickly pull on some clothes, and gather my bags, then sneak out of the room and down to the front desk.
Of course Sandra is asleep, and we’re in the middle of nowhere. There’s a button on the desk that says to ring for service.
So I do.
Several minutes later, Sandra walks down the hall, tying the sash on her robe.
“Lena? Are you all right, dear?”
“I need to leave,” I reply. “It’s not your fault at all. I just need to leave right now.”
“It’s three in the morning.”
“I know.” I nod and swallow hard. “I’m sorry to do this to you. Is there a car service we can call to take me to the airport?”
“Not in Philipsburg,” she replies, shaking her head. “Is there an emergency?”
“Yes,” I lie, feeling guilty. “A family emergency.”
“Okay. Don’t you worry, we’ll get you to the airport.”
I nod, relieved as she picks up the phone to make a call. “Do you have a piece of paper that I could write a note on for Mason?”
“He’s not leaving with you?”
I shake my head no, and she nods. “I see. Here you go.”
“Thank you.”
***
“And he hasn’t called?” Mallory asks later that night. She’s at my house, watching me unpack my bag.
“He called once, but I let it go to voice mail.”
“Did you listen to it?”
“I deleted it.” I shrug when Mallory’s jaw drops. “What? I don’t want to talk to him. The end result doesn’t change. He has a job that takes him all over the world and my job is here.”
“Maybe he was going to tell you that he loves you,” she suggests.
“I don’t think that’s the case.”
“Why not? You’re loveable.”
“He said it himself the day he told me why he left the first time. He’s worked his whole life to be an archeologist, Mal. It’s the only thing he’s ever wanted to do, and he’s damn good at it.”
I shrug and grab a pile of clothes to throw in the washing machine. When I come back to the bedroom, Mallory is holding the velvet box with the necklace inside.
“This is some powerful stuff.”
“I know.”
“The love they shared is remarkable.”
I nod, feeling tears threaten. “The story she told was beautiful, and so sad.”
“You brought it with you.”
I nod again. “I thought about leaving it, but he insisted that he wanted me to have it, and honestly, this is the only thing I have to remind me of the trip. I left all of the stones we found with him.”
“It’s sad that it ended this way,” she says with a sigh.
“Why? Why is it sad?”
“Because Aunt Claudia wanted you two to fall in love again and get married and have a happy life.”
“Can you feel that?” I ask.
“Oh yeah. There are so many emotions tied to this necklace it’s mind-boggling. But they’re all good. You should wear it; it’ll bring you peace.”
She sets it aside.
“Well, it’s not sad. She was an old woman who wanted her favorite nephew to fall in love, but I knew the score from the beginning, Mal. I knew that we would have a good time, and that we would have crazy amazing sex, and at the end of it, we’d go our separate ways.”
“And you’re okay,” she says.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re lying.”
I turn to her, ready to deny it, but stop myself. This is Mallory. I can’t lie to her.
“I’m not okay,” I admit and bite my lip. “But I will be. I got over him once, I can get over him again.”
“I think that’s a lie too,” she says. “But I understand.”
“I’d like to take you up on your offer of using Beau’s place in Italy, if that’s still okay.”
“Perfectly okay,” she says with a nod. “I think it’s a good idea. You can clear your head, explore Italy.”
“Write a book.” I smile at the look of surprise on her face. “I’ve been thinking about writing a book for a long time, and I refuse to be one of those people who just says I’ve always wanted to write a book for the rest of my life. I’m going to write the damn book.”
“Awesome,” she says with a smile. “Is it a love story?”
“Probably.”
“With lots of sex?”
“Maybe I’ll find a hot Italian that I can do research with.” We both laugh and Mallory stands up to hug me.
“I’m sorry you’re sad.”
“I’m sorry that you can feel that I’m sad. I’m going to be okay. Really.”
“I know.” She kisses my cheek. “I’ll have Beau make sure the house in Italy is ready for you. When would you like to leave?”
“As soon as possible.”
She nods. “I’m going to come visit. I’ve never been, and I’d love to see it.”
“You’d better come visit.”
“Are you going to be lonely?”
Being lonely isn’t new to me.
But I shake my head. “Nope. I’m going to be great.”