Fall in Love

by Anthology

  We picked up where we left off. He fisted my hair and groped my ass, pushing me against him so I could feel how much he was enjoying it. Tension built in my lower half and I ground my hips down on him to get some relief.

  He started to ease the white vest off my shoulders when I came back to my senses. I knew those period panties would come in handy.

  I pulled away. “Wait, wait.”

  “What’s wrong?” He looked confused. His eyes darted from side to side like he was trying to assess the problem.

  “I can’t do this. I’m sorry. I have a rule.” I was panting.

  “Can we talk about your rules later?” He moved to pull me into him again.

  “No. Stop,” I mumbled against his lips. I’m sure he was used to girls dropping their drawers the instant he said go but I wasn’t going to be one of them. No matter how badly my body was insisting I should be. “Ten dates. That’s my rule.”

  “Come again?”

  His choice of phrasing had my mind swimming in images of the two of us and I fought to keep my line of thinking straight. “I won’t sleep with a guy for at least ten dates.”

  He flopped back against the stairs with a defeated look on his face and scrubbed his hands over top of his shaved head.

  “I’m sorry,” I said and moved to get off him.

  He grabbed my arm and pulled me back down, lifted me by the waist and twisted me around so I was sitting in between his legs. His arms came around me and squeezed me close.

  “You don’t have anything to apologize for. I won’t lie and say I’m not disappointed though.”

  “Thanks for understanding.” I was embarrassed that I’d blurted out my rule to him, but his reaction put me at ease.

  “I understand but you can be sure we’ll be having all ten of those dates as soon as possible,” he said and laughed. “Clear your calendar.”

  “Has anyone ever told you you’re a very wise man, Mason?”

  “Save your praise until I figure out a way to shove ten dates into one day and you hear all the great ideas I have that involve you and I.”

  “Mmm…I’m sure most of them involve us being horizontal,” I said wryly.

  He nuzzled my neck and spoke low and slow into my ear. “And in the pool, against the wall, in the shower, on the kitchen counter… Stop me when you’ve heard enough.”

  Wow, Mason was a dirty talker. I’d heard enough to fuel my fantasies for years. “Enough,” I said. I laughed and swung my elbow back into his gut.

  We relaxed for a while, not speaking. Just enjoyed each other’s presence and the view of the moonlight reflecting off the water. It was comfortable. My nerves had evaporated entirely.

  I sunk back into Mason, enjoying his warmth and felt my eyelids getting heavy. The next thing I knew Mason was nudging me gently to wake me.

  “Ellie, come on. You should get home. It’s late and you’re falling asleep.”

  “Okay,” I said in what I could hear was a sleep-laden voice.

  “Unless you want to spend the night here. You’re welcome to but I have to be honest, if you do I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep my hands off you.”

  It pleased me to know I had that effect on him. I wasn’t sure what that said about me but to be honest, right then, I didn’t care.

  “Tempting but I should get home. I didn’t tell my mom I wouldn’t be home and even though I’m twenty-one she’d worry if I wasn’t there in the morning.”

  I grabbed my shoes and walked barefoot across the deck, Mason leading me along with his hand on my lower back. He walked me to my car. When I got to the driver’s side door he pinned me to the car with his arms on either side of my shoulders.

  “I had an amazing night, Ellie. The best I’ve had in years.”

  Holy crap. This guy was making it super difficult for me to stick to my ten-date rule.

  “I had a good time, too.”

  “Let’s do it again.”

  “Okay.” What else was there to say really? I wasn’t into games, which was why I was always upfront about the ten date thing. I wasn’t going to play coy or pretend I didn’t want to see him again.

  He cupped his hands on either side of my face and he kissed me. It was different than the frantic kissing we’d shared on the deck. This kiss was a slow burn; the fire between us building and building until it was a raging inferno and difficult to control.

  This time he pushed me back. “You’d better get out of here before I force you to stay.” He rubbed one hand over top of his head.

  I nodded, got into my car and started it. He knocked on the window. I rolled it down and he passed me his phone.

  “Here put your number in.”

  I did as he asked and when I scrolled up to save it I noticed that instead of adding me in his phone under Ellie Wagner he’d added me as WORTH THE WAIT.

  Damn. This guy was trouble.

  CHAPTER SIX

  It finally looked like things were turning around for me. I’d gotten two great calls. Technically one was a text but semantics, whatever.

  I had a job interview in Richmond for the programming department at a local cable station. It was only a small station—that was okay. It was a foot in the door leading me to better things, unlike my current job. I hadn’t earned my college degree to pour coffee for rich people overspending on beachside homes.

  When Mason texted to ask if I wanted to go out with him again that night my day went from great to awesome. Damn straight I wanted to see him again. He intrigued me. There was more to him than his six-pack abs and charming persona and I wanted to find out what.

  I was only a few minutes from leaving work for my job interview when Katie came strolling up to my desk. I’d told Jeff I had my annual physical knowing he wouldn’t inquire any further. The only thing that made men more uncomfortable than the topic of vaginal exams was period talk. Katie knew where I was really headed.

  “How you feeling? Nervous?” she asked.

  “A little. I’m sure it’ll get worse the closer I get to Richmond.”

  “Probably.”

  Friggin’ Katie.

  “You have to promise if you get the job we’ll still be friends,” she said sounding really concerned.

  “It’s just one interview. It’ll probably turn into nothing.”

  “Bullshit. You’re a smart girl, a good worker, and any company would be lucky to have you.”

  Aw, that was kinda sweet because I knew she meant it. For better or worse, Katie said what she meant. “Thanks. And of course we’ll still be friends.” Despite her rough exterior, she was growing on me.

  An hour later I was in the Program Director’s office in Richmond waiting for her to come in to conduct the interview. I sat in the plush leather chair, legs crossed with my foot bobbing up and down. I’d chosen to wear my navy suit with a white blouse underneath and had pulled my hair back into a twist in an effort to look more sophisticated and mature. I’d achieved it. When I’d walked into Beachside Realty that morning Katie had asked why I was looking so matronly.

  The Program Director walked into the office with an air of authority wearing her own nicer and clearly more expensive, pale yellow power suit. She may have only been running a local Virginia station but she had an air about her like she was running a multi-billion dollar corporation in New York or Los Angeles.

  She walked around to her side of the desk, leaned over with her hand outstretched and introduced herself.

  “Claire Ambrosa.”

  I shook her hand. “Ellie Wagner. Pleasure to meet you.”

  She squinted and tilted her head when she looked at me. “Have we met before?”

  “I don’t believe so.” I’m not sure why it didn’t dawn on me where our conversation would eventually lead, but it just didn’t.

  “Hmm,” was all she said before she sat down and began perusing my résumé.

  For the next twenty minutes or so she went through the standard interview questions: where I went to school, what previous jobs I’d
had, what made me the right candidate for the job, blah, blah, blah. I’d had enough interviews by this point that I could probably recite the answers in my sleep. She was direct but pleasant and I had a feeling she liked me. I thought I really had a shot this time. Until she finally realized where she recognized me from.

  “All of this looks really good, Ellie. I have a few more candidates to interview later this week but I hope to have a decision made by early next week. Are there any questions you wanted to ask me?”

  Now I have a philosophy that when an interviewer asks you this question (and they all do eventually), you must come up with something. Otherwise it seems as if you don’t give two shits about the job. There was nothing people loved more than talking about themselves, and by extension the company they worked for.

  “I do, I was wond—”

  “Wait! Now I know how I know you.” Her eyes were wide and she pointed a finger at me across the desk.

  My stomach dropped and did a somersault. My chest tightened. No, no, no, no…

  “You’re that girl from the YouTube video.”

  Damn it. What did I say to that?

  “The one that went viral,” she continued.

  “I can explain…”

  “No explanation necessary. I think we’re through here.” She began tamping together the sheets of my résumé, put it in a folder and proceeded to throw said folder into the recycling bin. Right. In. Front. Of. Me.

  I tried to keep my composure in case there was any way to salvage the situation. My cheeks were flushed in anger, but maybe she’d think it was from embarrassment. “Miss Ambrosa, if you’d let me explain.”

  “Save it. I’m not hiring you. Not only do your actions in that video reflect poorly on you, but I wouldn’t take the chance someone else in the media found out you worked here and tried to use it to their advantage. This station doesn’t need any bad press. A huge portion of our operating budget relies on donations from the public.”

  I kept my mouth shut and willed the tears that had begun to burn behind my eyes not to fall. I refused to give her the satisfaction of knowing how she’d affected me.

  She leaned across her desk toward me and lowered her voice. “Let me give you a tip, Ellie. The world of media is a cruel one and has little tolerance for screw-ups. It’s even harder for women because unfortunately, there is still an old boys’ club. Buck up, get rid of the emotion I can see in your eyes, and get used to it. If you want any kind of success in this business you’re going to need to grow a thick skin. It’s every woman for herself.”

  Jeez, why was it always the women who were the cruelest to other women? We didn’t need to worry about men oppressing us; we could do it just fine ourselves.

  “Thank you for your time.” I rose out of my seat and left as quickly as my feet and my three-inch heels could carry me. I reached my car and leaned over the steering wheel and sobbed. I didn’t give a shit what she said. This moment deserved a good cry.

  One mistake. One instant of not thinking before I acted was affecting every aspect of my life. It didn’t seem fair. Everyone made rash decisions sometimes but it seemed that thanks to a camera phone mine was able to play out over and over again to anyone with a WIFI connection.

  I pulled my phone out of my purse to check the time and saw that Skye had texted me to see how the interview had gone. I typed her a quick rundown, hit send and started my car to begin the drive home.

  I’d been on the freeway for a few minutes when my phone rang. I hit the speaker button knowing it’d be Skye.

  “That bitch!” came blaring through the speaker. “I can’t believe she said that to you.”

  “It was harsh but she’s probably right.”

  “I don’t care if she’s right or not, that was just plain rude.”

  “I’m so sick of that stupid video following me around. It’s been over a month now. When will people forget it?”

  “We’ve all done things we regret.” The tone of her voice was serious. She sounded like she was talking from experience.

  “Is everything all right?” I asked.

  “Of course. Anyway, don’t worry about it. Next week some dancing baby will take over your spot as the newest viral sensation and you’ll be old news.”

  “I hope so.”

  “Listen, what are you doing tonight? Want to get shit-faced and drown your sorrows?”

  “I can’t tonight. I have plans.” Thoughts of my plans with Mason helped to perk me up a bit.

  “Plans. What plans and why wasn’t I informed of them?”

  “Mason and I are going out again.” Even in my crappy mood I got a small thrill saying it. I grimaced as the squeal from the other end of the phone came through the speakers.

  “That’s so awesome. What are you guys doing?” Skye asked.

  “He wants to take me to Catch 31.”

  “Nice! Okay, then let’s go for drinks tomorrow night and you can give me the lowdown on your date.”

  “Sounds good. The only thing is Katie from work already twisted my arm to go out with her tomorrow night. Are you cool if she’s there, too?”

  “Hell yeah. I like that girl. She cracks me up at her blatant disregard for social etiquette.”

  “Alrighty then.” Seems Katie had a fan.

  “Are you wearing the PP’s again tonight?”

  That was the question. Mason was only here for a limited time. Did I really want to play coy for the next few weeks, following a self-imposed rule? I really liked him. If I waited until our eleventh date that’d only give us a week or less of bedroom antics before he left. I couldn’t imagine that’d be near enough. Besides, my life could use a little fun at the moment.

  “I’m still undecided.”

  “Woohoo! If this guy is as hot as you say then I don’t blame you.”

  “I said I’m undecided.”

  “Yeah, yeah, we both know you won’t be wearing them.”

  She hung up and a small grin crept onto my face. Damn, that girl knew me too well.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  I met Mason at the restaurant since I’d agreed to cover part of a shift for the night secretary and had returned back to the office after the interview. She’d needed to take her kid to an appointment and I’d needed someone to cover part of the afternoon. It worked out for both of us. Well, except me because the job interview had been a bust of epic proportions.

  I’d changed into a lilac silk dress with spaghetti straps that hit mid-thigh. Skye had suggested pairing it with my cream peep-toe platform heels and a pearl necklace. Of the fake variety, obviously. The sides of my hair were pulled back with bobby pins. Overall I was happy with the look. I even felt a little sexy, truth be told, which helped brush off my earlier mood.

  Katie had stayed late and caught me changing in the restroom. She’d been supportive and seemed to be excited for me. Hell, I was excited for me. Mason was sex incarnate, and I hadn’t worn my PP’s tonight. Anything was possible.

  I arrived at Catch 31 Restaurant on time to see Mason waiting outside for me. My stomach got that half sick, half excited feeling it did every time I saw him. He wore beige linen pants with a white button-up short sleeve shirt, his broad chest evident underneath. The tattoos on his arms were a nice contrast to the clean cut look.

  Mason smiled wide as I approached. “You look…exceptional,” he said.

  I blushed. “Thank you.”

  He leaned in and gave me a chaste kiss on the cheek. I inhaled his familiar scent. Heat immediately pooled between my legs.

  He led me into the restaurant with a warm hand pressed on my lower back. I tried concentrating on where I was walking so I wouldn’t stumble in my heels and make a fool of myself. All my attention was focused on the hand on my back. It was difficult to think anything other than naughty thoughts when he made physical contact with me.

  We approached the hostess table where an attractive and stacked blond stood. Her eyes ran over Mason like he was on the menu and she hadn’t eaten for days. He ask
ed for a table and she smiled wide and pushed her chest out. As if he could miss the double D’s pushed up to her neck. I bit back my irritation as she sashayed in front of us to show us to our table.

  She stopped at a table with an ocean view. “Here you are. Let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.”

  She was looking directly at Mason when she said it. Her tone held the implication that if he wanted to stick his dick in her later that’d be no problem.

  Mason didn’t seem to notice and thanked her without sparing her a glance. Her sultry look turned to disappointment, and she looked me up and down, clearly wondering what the hell he was doing with someone like me.

  You’re preaching to the choir, sister.

  Catch 31 was one of my favorite restaurants. The soaring ceilings, white table tops and ultramarine blue accents always gave me the feeling of being under water. My favorite part was the outdoor patio. Set in close proximity to the beach, it had a section of tables that circled various fire pits. I’d spent a few nights there sipping cocktails with my friends listening to the surf. It was a popular restaurant and the place was busy, even for a Thursday.

  After we’d gotten our drinks and placed our food orders we settled in to talk. Mason took a sip of his drink and set it back on the table. “Do you miss Miami at all?” he asked.

  “Definitely. There’s always something to do there, always something going on. I’m thankful that at least I ended up by the ocean.” I motioned with my hand toward the water.

  “You like the ocean?”

  “There’s something so calming about it. Even when the waves are crashing against the shore it feels peaceful to me. It makes me feel small, like just one tiny piece in this puzzle of a world. It makes my problems feel small, too.” I shrugged. “It’s silly, I know.”

  “It’s not. Have you ever gotten up early enough to see the sun rise over the ocean?”