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“We can head to bed if you want,” Mason suggested.
“Could you take me home?” I asked. Everyone looked at me funny.
“I had the guest house set up for us,” he stuttered.
“Oh, okay, that’s fine.” I put on a smile.
“I’ll see everyone out,” Cassie said, being the first to stand.
I followed Mason out the patio door to the backyard. The guest house was far in the back, a good distance from the main house. As I entered bedroom, the smell of freshly cut flowers filled the room, to set the mood. Mason wrapped his arms around my waist. I felt his lips connect with the skin on the back of my neck. Without breaking the embrace, I turned to face him. He kissed me. His tongue plunged between my lips, but it no longer felt right. The way my body used to melt into his had changed. His hands slid up my neck, pulling the clip holding my dark-brown hair out, and grabbed handfuls of it. His lips crushed hard against mine. I gripped his hair in my hands, playfully pulling. Blindly Mason turned, pushing me up against the wall. The need to feel him, touch him and be touched by him nearly overwhelmed me. Then thoughts of Nick started to creep in, and I pulled away, gasping.
“You okay?” he breathed.
“Yeah,” I exhaled, shaking it off. Slowly he started to lift my shirt; his fingers gently tickled the skin on my neck. His hands were quick to pull the shirt up over my head. Then his lips caressed my bare skin. His touch was warm, sending a burst of heat through me and a moan escaped through my lips. He tightened his arms around my waist, pulling me closer. My mouth moved beneath his, nibbling and sucking. He groaned as began to I unbutton his shirt and stroked my hands across his chest muscles. His shirt fell to the floor next to my shirt. Mason took my hands, laced his fingers with mine, pinning them against the wall behind me, as he crushed his mouth against mine. Then Nick’s face popped in my head again, and I pushed Mason away.
“What’s wrong?” He asked, breathless.
“I can’t.” I said, rubbing my forehead. “I’m sorry,” I said, grabbing my shirt and putting it back on.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m sorry, Mason. I know you planned this night and it has been a beautiful day, but I need to go home. I told my mom I would be there—”
“Say no more.” He raised his hand to stop me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him tight. I knew that if I was planning on marrying him, I should be telling him that I loved him by now. But I couldn’t say it and we really needed to talk about that.
We pulled up to my mother’s house, and Mason parked in the driveway. “Thank you for understanding,” I said, turning in my seat to look at him. “No problem.” He tried to smile , but I knew it bothered him. “I’m going to head home tonight rather than wait until tomorrow,” he said.
“Oh?” I questioned. “Yeah , I, uh, have some things to take care of. I sort of left my place in a mess to be here today,” he replied.
My heart lurched.
He had planned an amazing and memorable birthday and had hoped we would finally consummate our relationship, and I had put it on hold again.
“I’m sorry—”
“It is fine, Lauren.” He turned, took my face in his hands and kissed me gently. “We have the rest of our lives to be together.” His smile was strained.
“I’ll see you on the weekend, then?” I replied, taking off my seat belt.
“About that.” He sucked a breath in through his teeth.
“You’re not coming back for the weekend?” I asked.
“No. I have to work over the weekend this time,” he said.
“I can come see you, then.”
“No! I, uh, will be working, and I don’t want to leave you alone the entire time,” he replied. I stared at him in disbelief. He must have forgotten that I knew when he was lying to me. He did it seven months ago, when he left town.
“I see.” I frowned.
“I should be available the weekend after that. If you want to come down, I’m fine with that.” He nodded.
“Okay.” I eyed him. I got out of the car without kissing him good night. Something was up. I waved Mason off, and then went in the house. I shut the door, leaned up against it and let out a long sigh. I was startled by my mother as she walked out of the den.
“Evening,” she said, shoulders rising and falling as she took a deep breath, wrapping her arms around herself. I forced a smile, then jumped in her arms and began crying. “Let’s have some tea and talk,” she said, walking me to the kitchen.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
