I shivered at the memory of Trip. So that night I told Cory all about Mason and me, from beginning to end. By the end of my story, he shook his head.
“Man, now I see why you didn’t tell him about the kidnapping.”
“Yeah, he has the potential to be unpredictable.”
I crawled in the bed and got underneath the covers.
“I wouldn’t say that. I mean, I’m glad I told him about the kidnapping. You shouldn’t have to live the way you do; afraid that someone will snatch you to get to a father you don’t know and don’t even like. If Mason can protect you from that—and I believe he can—you’re safer already.”
I smiled. “Yeah, I guess you can say that.”
Now watching what I constantly dream about and can’t have is nerve racking. I had planned on singing the Adele song I sung to him once before, not with the intent of him hearing it. But once the music started, and I started singing, I saw him look over at me and sort of smile. I knew he remembered that day. It was the first time he told me he loved me. We made sweet love to each other, and it was the first time I completely let my guard down.
I was thankful that his table was nestled right in front but a few levels up from the stage. That allowed me to stare at him without being completely noticeable. Was that want in his eyes? I moved my head to keep up the illusion I wasn’t singing to a man who belonged to someone else. I feel like such a home wrecker.
After that night, Kat and I were home alone. She didn’t have any plans to be with AB tonight. He was attending some fundraiser with Mason and Marcus, and she didn’t want to go. Instead, we sat around the television and just hung out. We talked a little, but mostly we just watched movies together both in our own world.
We did the same thing all day Sunday. We washed clothes. Then we washed each other’s hair and styled it. We cleaned the house together, and I watched Kat sleep the rest of the afternoon away while I prepared my paperwork for the clients I saw last week. Kat has been sleeping a lot lately. She’s always tired, and she hasn’t been eating very well.
When we were making dinner later that night, or rather when I was making dinner, and she was watching, she asked, “Are you still in love with Mason?”
I sighed as I sautéed peppers and onions for the steak and gravy I was making over rice.
“Yes I am.” I turned and looked at her. “That sounds stupid, don’t it? Being in love with a man who you can’t have or, hell, probably doesn’t feel the same way.”
Kat laughed. “Oh, please. From what you’ve told me about the hot sex you two had at the hotel and that kiss you told me curled your toes, I don’t think there is a shadow of a doubt he feels the same way.”
“Okay, Kat. I know you haven’t known Mason very long. Well hell, you’ve probably known him longer than I have before I fell in love with him. But Mason isn’t the type to shy away from something he wants. He just goes and gets it. He stakes his claim, and that’s it. I think if he wanted me, he would have staked his claim on me by now. It’s been a month already.”
“Yes, and you’ve also told me that he’s a man that doesn’t go half ass, right? I mean, when he broke your heart, he crushed you.”
I snorted.
“Yeah, thanks for the recap.”
“Look, all I’m saying is maybe he is waiting around for the right moment.”
“But how does he even know what that right moment is? I mean, for all he knows, I’m falling in love with Cory.”
Kat bust out laughing and laid her head on the island she was sitting at.
“Girl, pu-lease. You could clearly see you didn’t have the hots for my cousin as you do for Mason. I’m sure he isn’t worried about that. But maybe he’s worried about how you would take him. I mean, did you forgive him?”
“Well, I sort of told him I did during that hot sex we had. So that has to count for something, right?”
I turned the fire down on my gravy soaked steak slices and peppers and onions.
“Um, maybe not, sweetie. Maybe he’s trying to figure out the best way to approach you. Maybe he wants to be sure he even has a shot with you. I mean, who knows what the hell he’s thinking? But I do have a feeling he is still in love with you.”
I just nodded my head and let that marinate a little.
I started boiling my water for the rice, when I asked her, “What’s been up with you lately? You’ve been sleeping a lot, you’re always tired, and you barely eat. You know, that’s not like you.”
She was quiet, and that made me turn around and look at her. I saw tears in her eyes, and I came closer.