Authors: Danielle Breeze
He shrugged and looked
down, like he was embarrassed he’d admitted that.
My breath was caught in my throat, no one, ever, had paid that sort of attention to me. I didn’t know what to do with the feelings I had, so I ignored them.
Dinner was quieter, the only thing that did set us off was the fact that, our waiter did not return to take our orders or deliver our food.
Nope, he sent a young girl, probably my age. Old man couldn’t handle us clearly!
Other than that, quiet. Nice. Just dinner.
Mason
paid, I offered half, even though I was actually praying that he wouldn’t accept, seeing as I didn’t have a hope in hell of actually affording it.
Chapter Six
Harper
Driving home, I noticed he wasn’t driving towards my apartment, so I asked him where we were going.
“My house babe.”
He replied.
“Um, why?”
“’Cause I need to get changed for work and my uniform at your place is in the washing machine.”
There were a million and one
things wrong with that sentence, thought it would be easier to address them one at a time.
“Your uniform, is in
my
washing machine?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“’Cause it was dirty?”
He answered. He masked his statement as a question.
Argh!
“I figured that.” I answered dryly. Then spoke again. “What I mean is, why didn’t you take it home and wash it in your
own
washing machine?”
“’Cause that’s the uniform I leave at your place.”
“Okay, so why
are
you leaving a uniform at my place?” Should have asked that sooner, just never got round to it.
“I’m there a lot, makes sense.”
It was clearly moot point, he was leaving it there whether I wanted him to or not. So I tried something different.
“I’m a student Mason, students don’t put
just
a uniform in the washing machine, it’s a waste of water, electric and washing powder!”
It was a
desperate play, I actually felt a bit stupid saying that, but it was worth a try.
“Babe, god, it’s just a wash! And regardless, I put a full-load on.”
“A full load...but how?” I asked.
“Your stuff is in there too.”
Um, hell no!
“You went through my dirty washing? What the hell!” I exclaimed.
His look turned from relaxed, to cocky, arrogant ...punchable.
“Oh yeah, don’t worry though Sunshine, I didn’t put your
delicates
in, just your tops and that ya know?” He rubbed his lips together a few times, then added in a quieter voice, “Not that I didn’t look. Damn you wear nice stuff. Got hard just thinking about you wearing them.”
“You asshole!
You don’t go through girls’ dirty laundry. That’s wrong on almost every level Mason.” My voice came out high pitched and squeaky, so I definitely wasn’t hiding my embarrassment very well. Don’t get me wrong, I had nothing to hide, I just couldn’t believe he’d done it.
“I was
doing
your laundry! Not like I just went searching through it.”
“Oh fuck it, I never win agai
nst you, just don’t do it again. I’m capable of doing my own laundry!”
“
Didn’t seem like it” He replied immediately.
I didn’t resp
ond because, well, he was right.
I do the laundry, when I
need
to. I don’t like cleaning, tidying, washing...none of it! I like clutter and mess and spontaneity and just generally leaving things up in the air and unorganised.
I’m not dirty, just messy! There
is
a difference and in reality, as long as personally, I’m clean and look good, I just don’t much care about any of the other stuff.
I figured that was why my mind was reacting oddly to Mason being around all the time. That had to be the reason, the fact that everything was tidy and organised. I just wasn’t used to it, that’s all. Couldn’t have been anything else...I was
fairly
sure.
It must have been about five minutes later when I thought of something
he’d said and suddenly snapped in his direction.
“Oh, and don’t picture me in my underwear either! Friends don’t do that!”
He swerved the car slightly, earning us a beep of the horn from a driver on the other side of the road, then exclaimed, “Fuckin’ hell Harp! Don’t do that. I could have crashed. Jesus, woman!”
“Sorry.” I mumbled
, I wasn’t sorry I snapped, just sorry I didn’t wait until he wasn’t paying attention to the road.
“And anyway, friends or not babe, you’re hot, you’re beautiful, the sex was out of this world, and when I see lacy, silky, barely-there underwear, that you’ve worn, yeah, I’m gonna
picture you wearing it. It’s a personal fantasy.”
My whole body flushed and I turned my head to look out the window so he wouldn’t see my cheeks redden. I’d heard it before, that I was hot, I was beautiful, I had a good body...but it was just
different
from Mason.
He was so, just
good
. Clean, handsome, cut, just, I couldn’t even explain...
perfect.
It scared me, my reaction to him. I
liked
him, and I did want to spend time with him. But my heart was locked in a steel cage and I could already feel the locks rattling. I’d never been in love, wouldn’t know what it felt like, but I was starting to worry that if felt a lot like what was happening to me.
I didn’t get chance to analyse the feeling too much, we pulled into his driveway and I looked up at the house thinking I really should have paid more attention the last time I was there.
I could definitely understand why neither Mase nor Ruben wanted to move out. It was a palace! Balconies from every room on the top floor, huge rooms, and it had a garden! A real garden. Lush, green lawns, a paved patio, stone water-feature off to the side...it was beautiful. Even with the garden alone, I knew the place must have been worth a fortune, considering gardens were scarce in London, in general.
It’s a capital city. Therefore, it’s all about businesses, tourist attractions, high-rise buildings and apartment blocks.
I stood at the window, staring out at the garden as I waited for Mase to get changed, wondering what it would be like to be able to sit out there all the time, knowing it all belongs to you.
Amazing.
“I’m ready Sunshine, you want me to drop you home? Or you coming to the club for a bit?” A voice asked from behind me. I tore my gaze from the view and turned to face Mason.
At his question, I faltered.
I wanted to go home, but I had something to say to his brother, Jackson. I hadn’t seen him since I entered their place and wondered if he was home.
Mason frowned, like he didn’t know why I wanted to see his brother, but replied, “Not yet babe, he took Taylor out I think.” He glanced at his watch,
then said, “But he should be back any time. You want to wait for him?”
“I could?” I asked, thinking that if I lived in a house like that, I wouldn’t want to leave
anyone
in it without me being there. Clearly, he didn’t feel the same.
“Of course, I trust you. Why
d’ya wanna talk to Jax anyway?”
“Nothing big, just something to do with Taylor, I’ve helped him a bit, and I think I know what he should do next
.
”
“You’re helping my brother, sort out issues he’s having, with a woman he wants to be with?” He replied, sounding incredulous. I had no idea why.
It wasn’t something out of the ordinary.
“Yeah.”
I answered, like it was obvious.
He shook his head and whispered,
‘wow’
, under his breath. Again, I didn’t get it. I vaguely wondered if maybe he just thought it was a nice thing to do. But I didn’t question it.
“Sure thing babe, make yourself at home, if you’re gone by the time I get home, which you probably will be, then I’ll just see you tomorrow, if not then I can give you a lift back later.”
He kissed me on the forehead.
Then
he left.
It was things like that.
The sweet things, gentle things, stupid fucking loving gestures that were messing with my head...and although I hated to admit it...my heart.
I didn’t have to wait for long by myself. No more than ten minutes later, I heard the door open and Jackson strolled through. I frowned briefly, wondering why the hell he had spotlessly clean and ironed clothes, but his face and his shaved head, we’re covered in mud.
How strange!
I was nervous though, I still didn’t know him all that well, and I didn’t know how he’d take what I had to say.
“What’s up Harp? Mase here?” He asked.
“Um, yeah...well no...
he’s not now...he was here though, he said it was ok if I waited for you. I hope it is...he said it would be. I didn’t just like, not go home, I wanted to wait for you to talk to you but Mase said he had to go the club since you were out and I like...I really needed to speak to you. I didn’t touch anything, I just waited here, even though Mase said you wouldn’t care, but I wasn’t sure so I didn’t and I just sat here yeah?”
My words were coming out too fast
, I was just babbling and he said,
“Whoa, Harp, take a deep breath and slow down
.
I don’t care that you’re here
.
You can always come here. So what’s up?”
“I think you should leave Taylor alone.” I blurted, thinking that it was just best for me to get it over with.
“You want me to leave Taylor alone
.
” He repeated, his voice slow and slightly unsure.
Wow, I didn’t think macho-men ever be unsure
.
“Yeah, I mean, no...
well, not permanently. Just for like, a few days...she told me what she said to you outside the cinema and I think, no, I know...she doesn’t really know what she wants when it comes to you, because you’re always there regardless of how she acts with you. Think about it, right now, she can treat you how she wants because you’re trying to prove a point that you really like her and she’s different. So if you just like...stopped making an effort for a few days, she’d realise that she can’t get away with it. Wouldn’t she?”
It was a good idea, I knew it was, I knew Taylor better than anyone, and I wanted her to be happy, I figured Jackson was better than any guy I’d have
picked for her. Even if he did have an
edge.
“Well yeah, I guess she would. But what if it back fires? And she just ends up realising that she really doesn’t need or want me around? Then I’m back to square one all over again
.
”
He had a point, I supposed. I bit my lip and thought for a second.
“She won’t.” I stated firmly. Then explained...“Thing is with Taylor, she thinks she has to be strong, for us. But what she doesn’t realise is that, her ice facade is all an act. Hell, we’ve known it since the day she came out of hospital after her parents died. Our old Taylor is in there. Don’t get me wrong, she always looked out for us back then too, but it was
real
then. Taylor doesn’t know what real is anymore.”
I stopped for a breath,
then continued.
“I have a plan, it’s a good plan, and you’re gonna help me do it, because it’s for you! I’m like 99.9% certain that it’s going to work. You just need to stick with
what you’ve been doing. Just not for the next few days!”
I explained my idea, basically telling him to leave her alone, let her learn to miss him, then he could just
be
somewhere she would be, and she wouldn’t have a choice but to face him. Childish games really, but I guess you could say, for an adult, Taylor was still locked inside her childhood. So it was the right thing to do. I was certain.
It seemed Jackson was too because he walked over
to me, hugged me, kissed me on the forehead and exclaimed, “You’re a genius! And you’re right. Thank you.”
Good deed for the day.
Done.
I took a moment to think about just how gorgeous Jackson actually was. He was all, rough and ready, shaved head, tattooed arms, built, really built. He walked with an air of dominance that I loved for Taylor, she was so tough, so strong,
she needed to let someone else take care of her for a change.
Not for me though, he just wasn’t my type. I liked clean, groomed, no tattoos – or at least not
many
. Pretty boys I guess. Men who took care of their appearance in an understated way.
Men like Mason.