by Shae Buggs
I am digging in my clutch for my keys, my shoes still in my other hand, when he grabs my hand and stops me. He is standing inches from my face and staring intently into my eyes. We stand like this for a few seconds and a million things run through my head. What is he doing? I wonder how my breath is. Did I lock the car? Focus, I think to myself.
My breath hitches as he leans in closing the small gap between us and presses his lips against mine. I close my eyes but in an instant the kiss is over and he pulls away. I open my eyes and find him staring at me with a lopsided grin on his face. He looks breathtakingly gorgeous. He shakes his head and then grabs his keys out of his pocket and unlocks the door. I can see that he is still smiling.
He disappears inside and I find I can’t move my feet. I am stuck to the spot where he kissed me. I sigh and then take a step towards the door. That’s when I realize that one of my feet is literally stuck to the sidewalk. I pull hard to lift it up and there it is; I must have stepped on a piece of gum on our walk because the sticky substance is stretching between my foot and the pavement. “Shit!” I whisper as I try to get into the grass to wipe it off. My foot finally comes free of the pavement but the gum is all over the bottom of my foot.
“What are you doing out there?” I hear Mason yell from inside.
“Oh, nothing, just enjoying the…grass.” I spout out the first thing that I see. The grass? Honestly, Lucy.
“Um, ok. I’m going to take a shower,” he says a little skeptical of my behavior.
“Ok, I’ll be in in a minute…not in the shower but you know, inside.” Cheese and rice! What in the world is wrong with me?
“Ok,” he laughs.
I collapse on the grass and find a leaf to use to get the gum off my foot. I finally get it all off but my foot still feels a little sticky. I get up off the grass and scoot inside trying not to let the sticky part of my foot touch the carpet. I make it to the kitchen and get the remaining grime off. I go into my bedroom and plop down on my bed completely exhausted. I run through this evenings events in my mind and I can’t believe everything that has happened. Mason, well this new Mason, actually likes me and I think I like him too. When he kissed me tonight, it was like the time in Mexico all over again. I feel giddy with excitement but exhausted at the same time. I pass out on my bed with my clothes on.
I wake up suddenly. It is light outside. I look at my alarm clock and I see that I am going to be late for work. It’s finally Friday. I hear the door bell ring and know that must have been what woke me up. I put on my robe and answer the door.
“Flowers for…Lucy,” the man says reading the envelope attached to the wicker basket.
“That’s me.” I grab the basket of roses and take it inside. These must be from Mason, I think. I rip open the envelope excited that he has sent me flowers. The card inside reads:
For my beautiful girl,
Love Eli
I smile as I smell the flowers and then blanch. Eli! Why is he sending me flowers at home? I panic not wanting Mason to see the flowers. I quickly stuff the roses and the basket in a garbage bag, looking around to make sure Mason doesn’t see what I am up to. His bedroom door is open and I don’t hear him so he must have already left for the day. I tighten the belt on my robe and I head outside to dump the flowers in our garbage can at the end of the driveway. “I can’t believe he did that,” I say out loud to myself. “What is he thinking?” I shake my head and lifting the lid to the garbage can. When I put the lid down I scream. Mason is standing on the other side of the garbage can. He was obviously on a run and here he stands glistening with sweat looking like a Greek god. At least he has his shirt on today.
“Who were you talking to?” he asks chuckling at me.
“No one, I was just singing,” I say a little too quickly. He eyes me skeptically and then smiles and I know he is just going to move on. “Go on a run with me?”
“Right now?”
“Yeah, it’s the perfect time for it.”
“I don’t think so. I don’t run.” I turn and head towards the house.
“Well you used to,” he says watching me walk away.
“What do you mean?” I never mentioned anything about running to Mason.
“I found an old scrapbook that your mom made.”
Oh shit. My face falls and I know exactly the scrapbook he is talking about. Not more damned pictures! Freshman year of high school, my mom thought it would be good for me to do track and field. I thought hurdles would be fun, forgetting about my lack of gracefulness. It was a disaster. The picture he is referring to is probably the one of me in my orange and black spandex running suit tripping over a hurdle. My hair is in pig tails and I am screaming, which shows off my braces.
“That was a long time ago, Mason and I don’t run anymore.”
“Come on we can go slow. It is really good for clearing your mind.” I can tell he isn’t going to give up on this and I am already beyond late for work so I guess it couldn’t hurt. I will just go in after lunch. I haven’t run in a long time and it might feel good. Besides, it means I get to spend some time with Mason. This is such a new concept for me to embrace.
“Fine, let me go get changed.” I roll my eyes and go put on some shorts and an old college t-shirt. I come back outside and Mason is waiting for me. “I guess I’m ready.”
“We can just run to the park and back. It will only take like 30 minutes.” 30 minutes? I can’t run for 30 minutes. I have no time to think because he has already taken off. I sprint to catch up with him and then slow to his jogging pace. I really start to breath in the morning air.
“It feels good doesn’t it?” he says glancing sideways at me.
“It’s not so bad.” I’m actually enjoying myself. The breeze feels good I like to look at our neighbor’s yards as we whiz past them. After what feels like forever I start to get pretty winded. “Are we getting close?” I ask, the anticipation audible in my voice.
“Are you kidding, Luce? It’s only been like three minutes.”
“Oh…right,” I say shrugging it off. “I was kidding, you were right.” I’m not kidding. I’m not even close to kidding. My side is starting to cramp up and I’m sweating. My lungs are on fire and my legs feel like Jell-o. This sucks but what is worse is that Mason keeps trying to talk to me. I can’t form sentences so I give him one word answers. I feel like I am dying.
After I have run as far as I am going to make it, I find myself turning in a small semi-circle and jogging in the direction we just came from. I keep jogging at my own slow pace hoping that maybe Mason won’t notice that I disappeared. I feel a little relief when I realize that a few seconds have passed and I haven’t heard him yell for me yet. I escaped his tortuous run, I think in my head but I get a weird feeling like someone is watching me. I look to the right towards Karl Carter’s house but no one is there. I must just be paranoid.
“Whatcha doin’?” Mason says as he walks to my left. I jump and let out a little squeal. I keep jogging and he continues to keep pace with me as he walks beside me.
“I decided I don’t like running.” I can see his smile out of the corner of my eye.
“You can stop running if you want. We can just walk home.” I stop running, or jogging, or shuffling, whatever you want to call it, and slow to a walk. I notice that my face is dripping with sweat, I have dark splotches on my gray shirt under my arm pits and I am breathing really heavy. Attractive Lucy. Way to go.
“I haven’t run in a long time and I remember why now. I just don’t think it’s for me,” I say trying to catch my breath.
“I could tell by the way you left me over there. I already got five miles in for the day so I don’t need to run anymore today.” I forgot how much he ran because he had never asked me to go with him before. We walk back, slowly for my sake, and I make us some eggs and bacon for breakfast. I take a shower, get ready, and leave for work.
“Ow!” I wince as I round the corner by Erin’s desk.
“What’s wrong and where hav
e you been?” she asks looking concerned.
“I went running this morning with Mason.”
“But you don’t run.” Her face is one of pure horror and shock.
“I know, and I won’t be doing it again.” I feel like I pulled every muscle in my legs and torso. I head into my office to set my stuff down and then I march right into Eli’s office without knocking. “What the hell was that?” I yell after the door has slammed shut.
“I see you got my flowers,” he says with a sly smile. “Thank you is a more appropriate response.”
“Listen, I told you that this couldn’t continue with us,” I snap.
“Don’t tell me you are working things out with Mason,” he says as if that is the last thing that would ever happen. Up until a few days ago, it was the last thing that would ever happen.
“Back off and leave me alone!” I scream and march out of his office. Erin gives me a scared look and I go into my office, slamming the door behind me. I go most of the day without encountering him again. After lunch, we pass each other and he just smiles at me and I refuse to meet his gaze. I fill Erin in on what has been going on as we walk to our cars. She has never liked Eli. She thinks he is a sleaze ball and I am starting to agree with her. I promise to give her every detail about my feelings for Mason tomorrow as I slide into my dark blue Range Rover. I wince a little, still sore from this morning’s excursions, and I rest my head on the steering wheel. My mood lifts significantly when I think about getting home and seeing him. Our kiss last night, even in its brevity, has left me wanting more. Much more.
9. Sex a la Mode
When I walk into the house, I can tell Mason has been cooking. It smells wonderful. I think he always wanted to be a chef and open his own restaurant but his father had other plans for him.
“Hey, Luce!” he says when I walk into the kitchen. I love when he calls me Luce. He is stirring a pot on the stove.
“Hey. What are you making? It smells delicious.”
“Chicken enchiladas. I made the enchilada sauce from scratch. Come try it,” he says looking more excited than I have seen him in awhile. I walk over to the stove and he holds the wooden spoon up to my mouth. For whatever reason, this makes me all hot and bothered but I try and focus my attention on the spoon before I burn myself.
“That is so good.” I set my hand down skimming the boiling hot pot on the stove. “Ouch!” I scream in pain. Mason grabs my hand and pulls me over to the sink. He turns on the cold water and sticks my hand under the faucet. He is standing so close to me and I can smell his cologne.
“You know, I am learning that you are very accident prone,” he says as he smiles and shakes his head, still letting my hand sit under the cool water. I want to yell at him and tell him it is his fault I can’t think around him but I don’t want to reveal my weakness. Plus, that isn’t a very valid excuse for my grace. I just nod in response.
He releases me and gives me a wet paper towel and an ice pack. I sit at one of the bar stools holding the back of my hand and watching him cook.
“You have always been an amazing cook, you know,” I say watching him practically dance around the kitchen. He is so natural and at ease.
He grins from ear to ear. “Is that right? I just had a strong urge to come in here and cook. I have a good feeling being in here.” I can’t help but smile at his enthusiasm. Twenty minutes later he is pulling the enchiladas out of the oven. They are the best I have ever had and the guacamole and salsa he made is to die for.
“What’s for dessert?” I ask as we finish our meal.
“I didn’t cook anything but I did buy something. Go sit down on the couch and I will bring it to you. Leave the dishes. I’ve got those.” Wow. This is so unlike the Mason I used to know. I sit down on the couch and wait patiently while I hear him load the dishwasher.
“I made extra salsa and guacamole to take to the lake this weekend,” he says from the kitchen.
“Oh shit! I forgot about the family lake trip. How did you know about it?” I think I sound a little jumpy but he doesn’t seem to notice.
“Your mom called this afternoon. I told her we will be there.” I see Mason making his way to the living room carrying a carton of ice cream and one spoon. One spoon? Maybe he isn’t eating any, I think to myself. “So what do we usually do at the lake?” he says sitting down right next to me, making me tense slightly but welcoming the close proximity. He pops the lid off the carton and puts the spoon in. It looks like vanilla ice cream with chocolate and caramel swirls. I am distracted as he scoops a spoonful and plops it in his mouth. I swallow and try to respond.
“Well, my entire family goes to my Cousin Isaac’s lake house. They have a boat and-“ I have to stop mid sentence because he is holding the spoon with a mound of ice cream in front of my lips. He is feeding me, I think feeling my heart run wild. I would be lying if I told myself this wasn’t what I wanted him to do. I move towards the spoon, looking him right in the eye and open my mouth. He eases the spoon in and I clamp down. He smiles slowly and pulls the spoon out. This would be romantic if I didn’t just give myself a brain freeze. I try my hardest not to contort my face. The ice cream tastes delectable and I sit there for a second enjoying the coolness in my mouth. He chuckles at me.
“You were saying…” he says prompting me to swallow and continue my story.
“We go out on the boat and go tubing and water skiing. We have a barbeque for lunch and dinner and then we have a bonfire at night. It’s fun with the kids there. They run around and eat s’mores while the adults drink and reminisce. We all stay the night out there.” I pause slightly to enjoy him putting another spoonful in his mouth. He definitely notices me watching him so I continue with my story trying to sound as casual as possible. “There are bunk beds and air mattresses all over the cabin and we stumble our way in the dark and find a bed after the bonfire. Then of course there is breakfast the next day and then we all leave.”
“Hmmm,” he thinks and then feeds me another bite. “That sounds like a lot of fun. I can’t wait.” He eats another spoonful deep in thought.
“You look like you have a question,” I say and he turns his head from the ice cream to me. I stop breathing for a slight second. “I was just wondering if we will be sleeping together, on an air mattress or something, in the cabin. Not that it matters. It’s just something we haven’t done in a while from the sounds of it.”
His statement totally takes me off guard which sends my heart thudding and coaxes Henry out. “We won’t know until we get there that night. We have to wait and see which beds aren’t occupied when we go to get in them after the fire.”
Mason puts the ice cream down on the coffee table and scoots closer to me. He is so close I can feel his breath. “I know we haven’t slept together in awhile but I wouldn’t mind,” he says as he leans in. I can feel his cold lips along my jaw. He is making a trail of tiny kisses to my ear and then down my throat. I can hardly contain myself and I try not to squirm. I just want to pounce on him but I don’t want to ruin the moment. He pulls his head back slightly and then takes my face in his hands, looking me over for a second with a smile on his face. I can’t help but answer his smile as he closes in on me. My eyes flutter close. The kiss deepens and his hands move in my hair. Ok, I guess kissing isn’t something that you forget when you get amnesia. I will have to remember that. My insides start to swirl at his touch and he can probably hear my heart pounding. His lips are so soft and cool from the ice cream. I could do this all night. Oh crap! I just remembered that I have a date with Kara and Drey tonight. We are supposed to get drinks and catch up on everything. I haven’t talked to them since Mexico.
“What’s wrong?” Mason asks pulling back with a confused, but ravished look on his face.
“I just remembered I’m supposed to meet Kara and Drey. I need to be there in like fifteen minutes. I’m sorry.”
“No, that’s fine. We can do this any time,” he says in the sexiest voice. It makes me not want to leave. He stands u
p and picks up the ice cream.
“You know, I can cancel. It’s no big deal.” I watch him walk back to the kitchen and open the freezer. He turns and gives me a big grin so hot it probably just melted the entire contents of the freezer.
“Go with your friends. We can talk when you get home.” He’s right. I can’t cancel. Besides, I need to tell them all about what just happened anyways. I pout a little as I go freshen up and then I tell him bye as I rush out the door.
“I know I haven’t been the biggest fan of Mason be he seems to have changed. I guess I’m ok with you guys getting back together. You should have cancelled tonight. You would have been getting laid right now.” Drey says after I tell her and Kara every detail about Mason. Kara gives her a disapproving look.
“Drey!” I try to sound appalled but I can’t help but think the same thing.
“I knew this would be good for you two,” Kara says as she sips on her blended daiquiri.
“I feel different around him,” I try to explain. “It’s like dating the Mason I first fell in love with but he’s not quite the same. Just a little different. It’s hard describe it.”
“So when do you think you will sleep with him?” Drey chimes in.
“That is a valid question,” Kara agrees a little reluctantly.
“I don’t know. We haven’t done anything besides kiss. I feel like it might just complicate things between us.”
“Oh, like it isn’t complicated enough now. You are re-falling in love with your husband that lives with you, that you used to hate, but has no memory of anything that happened in his life,” Drey says in a mocking tone. We all burst out laughing at the audacity and trueness of her statement. We don’t talk about Mason any more for the rest of the evening.
Kara tells us about Scott’s promotion and Drey complains about her lack of sexual activity lately. It feels good to catch up with the girls but I am anxious to get home. Mason will probably be in bed when I get back which makes me a little sad.