A busy restaurant, people queued outside waiting to get their table but Mason whisked her straight in. No need to get in line or wait around, much to the annoyance of the people in the queue who threw them dirty looks.
“Plebs,” she joked to Mason.
He took her hand and squeezed it as they were led to their table. The dimly lit restaurant with their small table tucked in the corner ensured a private and intimate dining experience.
“What do you think of New York so far?” he asked.
“Very different from Stillwaters, that’s for sure.”
She looked around her, what the hell was this man doing in Stillwaters when he could be anywhere else in the world, so she asked him.
From the candle glow, this handsome man looked deeply into her eyes.
“I have ulterior motives,” he admitted.
“What could possibly make you hang around Stillwaters then?”
“Well, there’s this woman there.”
Aah, she thought that might be the case. Breaking off eye contact, she picked at her bread. She’d suddenly lost her appetite.
“I work with her. She’s really annoying, tries to keep me in check all the time with her efficiency and obsession with spreadsheets and she gives nothing away. But for some reason, I can’t get her out of my mind.”
Oh my, her appetite had returned. She looked back up.
“Do you mean, Louisa?”
A big, hearty laugh burst out of him. He looked so gorgeous when he wasn’t being serious.
“Yes, I have a thing for older ladies. Didn’t you know?”
“Well, Louisa thinks you’re hot.”
“And what do you think?”
She gulped. “I would agree with her.”
“Shall we get out of here?” he asked.
She nodded. They stood up, unable to break eye contact. He pulled him close to her. The drink, the atmosphere and the handsome man in front of her made her feel light-headed as she became lost in his strong kiss. They pulled apart, the people on the next table stared at them and shook their heads in disgust. Polly felt embarrassed.
Mason called out to them; “it’s okay, she’s from Stillwaters. They have no idea how to behave in public.”
She punched him on the arm and hissed, “you kissed me!”
He put his arm around her shoulder, kissed her on the cheek. “You wanted me to.”
“Order what you want, it’s on me tonight,” he called out to the snobby table.
Their looks of disdain suddenly turned to delight.
“Show-off,” she laughed at him.
“Wait until I get you home; you’ll see what a show-off I really am.”
Oh my god, what was she thinking of as Mason gently led her out onto the street. With the chauffeur nowhere nearby and Mason unable to conceal his impatience, he hailed a taxi. He snuggled up as close as possible to continue kissing her. She pushed him away.
“Easy tiger.”
She looked at the gorgeous man next to her. Who was she kidding as she pounced on him. Luckily the taxi driver pulled up before they took it too far.
“I’ll pay,” she offered. “You can only afford a two-bedroom apartment.”
She threw a twenty at the taxi driver as Mason pulled her towards him and kissed her outside his New York apartment.
Chapter 27
Mason
* * *
Okay, he admitted it; he’d completely lost his cool over this woman. There was something about her. Beautiful, sexy, intelligent and funny; a combination he’d never quite experienced before. Not to mention a great kisser. Not one normally for PDA’s for some reason, he didn’t mind with Polly. Aware that the doorman was looking at him as well as passers-by, he didn’t care.
He pulled her by the hand and led her to the lift. Alone in the enclosed space, he pushed her up against the wall. She moaned and put her head back. Using his tongue, he ran it along her neck and covered her with kisses. He placed his hands firmly on her breasts as she grabbed his head, pulled it back towards her face and kissed him hard. He moved his hands up her dress; she pushed him off.
“Wait until we get out,” she whispered. “Otherwise, I’ll press all the buttons.”
He grabbed her hands and flung them up against the wall.
“You wouldn’t dare,” he warned her as he pressed his body against hers.
It was the longest ride in his life, he couldn’t wait to get Polly out of the lift and into his apartment.
Finally, the doors opened, they ran into his apartment. He slammed her up against the wall. She pulled his shirt open. Some buttons ripped off. He didn’t care. He lifted her dress over her head. Dying to touch her, he stepped back for a moment as he also wanted to study her; to take in her beautiful body. She blabbered something about being glad to have matching underwear. He laughed and told her to shut up and kiss him. His head drove down to kiss her cleavage. Slowly, he unhooked her bra to reveal her full breasts.
“You’re so beautiful, Polly,” he said as he kissed her breasts and gently sucked her nipples. Her skin was so soft. She gasped with her head against the wall as she stroked his hair.
“Come on,” he led her up the stairs to the pool room. It was dimly lit by the moon and the blanket of stars from the clear night sky of Manhattan.
“I want to make love to you under the moonlight.”
“You’re so cheesy,” teased Polly, looking vulnerable in just her pants.
“Don’t be cheeky otherwise I might turn into a wolf.”
He nuzzled her neck.
“Take them off,” he directed his gaze at her underwear.
She slid them off and dove into the pool so quick that he barely got to look at her.
“Come on! What are you waiting for?” she called as she resurfaced.
He didn’t need to be asked twice as he stripped off his clothes and dived in after her. Underneath the water, he grabbed her legs and pulled her under. They kissed submerged in the water. She wrapped her lean legs around him as they reached the top of the water. He felt her hand reach down to caress his erection.
“I want you so much, Polly,” he murmured in her ear and reached down to stroke her in between her legs.
She widened them and gave out a gasp.
“I want you too,” she whispered as she gyrated on his fingers for a few minutes.
He loved the look on her face as he gave her this pleasure.
She manoeuvered herself on the tip of his manhood. It was too much for him as he entered her with force. An even louder moan from her, excited him as he got lost in this beautiful woman. Afterwards, he grabbed some towels and took her to his bed where they made love throughout the night.
He woke up the next morning, exhausted and happy, staring at a sleeping Polly. The fact he hadn’t come completely clean spoiled the moment slightly. But the opportunity never arose. They were too into each other. So much for using her and dumping her, he was now worried she might dump him when she found out who he really was.
Chapter 28
Polly
* * *
Her eyes opened. Mason wasn’t in bed; she shot up. Looking around there was no sign of her clothes. She grabbed one of Mason’s shirts. It was so big on her. Tiptoeing into the kitchen, he spotted her and demanded she go back to bed. She was spoiling his surprise; he was making her breakfast in bed.
“I’m surprised, trust me; surprised you’re actually cooking breakfast rather than getting a skivvy to do it.”
He threw a tea towel back at her.
“Get back to bed, cheeky.”
“What if I don’t?”
“Oh-oh! You’ve asked for it now, young lady,” he called out.
He turned off the hob and marched towards her. She made her way to run away before he grabbed her, threw her over his shoulder and carried her back to bed. He threw her down. Laying on the bed, the shirt rode up. Mason stood before her, dressed only in boxers. She stared up at his muscled torso and pulled him down on top o
f her.
Chapter 29
Mason
* * *
What a woman. Normally so in control and so professional, his schedule was now firmly out of the window. They’d missed the meeting they were supposed to attend. He shut the whole world out by turning off his phone and shutting down his laptop.
“I’m so honoured you turned off your phone for me,” she joked as she lay on his chest, circling it with her fingers while he stroked her long, silky hair.
Little did she know, he never did that for anyone. Work always came first.
“Come on, we’d better get ready and at least pretend we’re going to do some work,” Polly said as she stood up.
“You can’t just stand there naked and expect me to go to work.”
She pulled him up, with little impact – this muscular man was too big. Instead, he pulled her towards him and she fell back into bed on top of him.
“That’s not fair. You’re bigger than me,” she complained as he kissed her.
This time, she got back up and wrapped the sheet around her.
“I’m here to learn and gain experience,” she reminded him.
“That’s exactly what you’re gaining here in my bedroom,” he said.
She rolled her eyes at his cheesiness. “Up, now,” she demanded. “I’m having a shower and we’ll leave in half an hour.”
“Yes ma’am,” he agreed, feeling slightly disappointed yet slightly impressed at his ambitious girlfriend.
The week in New York flew by. Mason made sure Polly was fully immersed in the business side that week. She furiously made notes and more importantly, she stayed in his bed every night. Then sadly it was time to go home. Mason couldn’t persuade Polly to stay out any longer. She had to get back to her mum and her job.
“I expect a full debrief back in Stillwaters about what you’ve learnt and what you can apply to the business when we get back,” he said on the flight.
“Yes, Sir. I’ll have it on your desk first thing on Friday morning.”
“I’ll have you on my desk, first thing Friday morning,” he counteracted.
With a gentle slap on the arm, she told him to behave himself. Rumours around work would be detrimental to her reputation. She’d worked hard to discredit those sort of rumours in the first place.
“In that case, Polly Taylor, I expect a full debriefing tomorrow night instead. You’ll just have to bring it to the hotel.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“But you don’t really have to bring any work with you,” he added as he held her hand on the flight.
“Yeah, I assumed that, Boss.”
He liked being called Boss.
“I’ll remember that,” she winked at him.
He kissed her. He kissed her for most of the flight, like a loved-up teenager.
Chapter 30
Polly
* * *
Polly loved the fact Mason couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. In the New York office, everyone commented on how they’d never seen him so happy before. Knowing it was because of her made her feel special. Like she had some superpower over this arrogant, standoffish man.
But after their intimate time together, she discovered his standoffish reputation was not because he was rude and arrogant. It was because he was sensitive and private. The need to keep life and feelings private, resonated with her. She’d been doing that for most of her life.
This was it. This was something she’d been waiting for years. She had boyfriends in the past but no one she thought she’d happily spend the rest of her life with. True love was something she’d never experienced before but she felt it now.
“Tell me what you’re thinking?” asked Mason as he noticed her grinning to herself from in between the kisses.
No chance of that. She couldn’t tell him she loved him already after being together for one week. It might come across as desperate and needy.
“I’m thinking that if you carry on kissing me, you’re going to rip my skin apart from the stubble rash.”
“I’ll stop then,” he suggested.
“Don’t you dare,” she grabbed him back.
She could live with stubble rash; he was worth it. Soon after, he made his excuses and then came back from the loo ten minutes later – clean-shaven.
“You did that for me?” she asked as she stroked his face.
“No excuses now.”
“Will you stay with me in Stillwaters?” he asked.
“I’m not sure. How long are you staying for?”
Aah, the big question. Was this wealthy man really going to hang around her boring hometown indefinitely?
“Forever, if you’re there.”
He must have felt it too as she grasped his hand. It was too early to worry about the details.
Chapter 31
Mason
* * *
That was the big question – how long was he going to stay in a town he hated? A town that conjured up bad memories. But now the bad memories were mixed with good memories. And he still hadn't told her who he really was. They’d been having too much fun together; he didn’t want to spoil the moment.
Once the flight landed, Mason dropped Polly off at her house. They wouldn’t see each other that night, she was going to spend it with her mum. He missed her already.
“Have a lie-in, Polly. Don’t rush into work tomorrow. Bosses orders.”
Back at his hotel, he didn’t know what to do with himself. He couldn’t concentrate on work. He sent Polly a couple of silly texts. And then the phone rang. He jumped off his bed. Hopefully, it was Polly. No, it was reception. He had a visitor. They wouldn't leave their name. Intriguing, he thought as he made his way down to check out his mystery visitor.
It was Rupert, his best friend.
“Surprise!” he called. “What the hell are you still doing in a dump like this?”
A back slap and Mason suggested a drink in the bar.
“It has certain charms.”
“So I hear.”
The staff from the New York office had divulged some of Mason’s private business.
“It is real? Or is this Polly woman still part of your revenge plan?”
“It’s real,” Mason confirmed.
“So you bought this dodo of a company in this dump for no reason?”
Mason wouldn’t say it was for no reason. He wouldn’t have reunited with Polly otherwise.
“So you’re completely over your childhood. The town is forgiven. You’re a happy man now?”
“Almost,” Mason admitted.
He’d been so busy focusing his attention on revenge on Polly that he’d forgotten who was truly to blame. Not the helpless teenage girl who stood back and did nothing. It was the bullies – one in particular. Charlie White.
“Polly did hurt me, I thought she was a friend but we were just kids; it’s all different now. No, it was that thug who did the damage.”
Mason admitted he’d been digging around about this lout. Of course he hadn’t made anything of his life and still lived in town – unemployed.
“So what’s the plan?” asked Rupert.
“I’m going to offer him a job.”
Rupert laughed. “You are rubbish at this revenge stuff. Your first victim, you whisk off to New York, buy her expensive gifts and fall in love with her. Your second victim, you’re going to give him a job. What next? Buy him a car and make him best man at your wedding?”
Mason held his hands up to stop Rupert. “Who said anything about falling in love?”
“It’s written all over your face. You’re a complete goner.”
Was it true? Probably. He didn’t mind – he’d never felt this happy before.
Anyway, Mason divulged his plan. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. He’d offer his tormentor a job and hope. He’d be the boss from hell and once his victim completely depended on him, he’d snatch it away from him.
“Maybe just get some thugs to beat him up? Far less com
plicated,” suggested Rupert.
Yes, it was but Mason wanted to see what type of man this Charlie had turned into. Eventually, Mason would reveal himself, show off and belittle this prick, the way Charlie had belittled him as a spectacled teenager.
The two men toasted to the plan of total humiliation of one’s enemy.
The next morning, Mason almost skipped into the office. Polly was already there – on time, even though he told her to have a lie-in.
“You little minx, ignoring bosses orders. Come to my office for punishment,” he whispered to her when he saw her at the coffee machine.
She shushed him.
“No business and pleasure in the office. People will talk.”
He didn’t care. He owned this building – he could do what he liked. She ignored him and walked away with a smile. Damn her professionalism as he watched her. He knew he’d thrown his out of the window.
He called Louisa into his office, told her to arrange an interview for a post room position. Too good for the likes of Charlie White, but he didn't think he could tempt Charlie in with the offer of a toilet cleaner position. Louisa took one look at the name.
“No way, Mason, I used to know this boy. He’s a bad ‘un.”
“Really?”
He wanted to know more.
Louisa divulged that he was a total bully as a lad, he’d been in trouble with the police and generally had a bad reputation.
“He probably has a criminal record.”
He did. Theft, minor drug dealing and GBH. Mason had done his homework.
“It’s a favour for someone. I said I’d give him a chance. He might be a reformed character,” he lied.
Louisa was about to refuse again when Mason ordered her to do it and tell no one. She sighed, who was she to argue with the boss – as long as Charlie was kept downstairs and didn’t cause any trouble. Mason agreed.
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