What about you? - 29

Chapter 29 

It had been two weeks since Kate had parted with Mason, that tearful, emotional moment at Heathrow. She wasn't proud of the way she'd clung to him as though her life depended on it. It had upset him, and he'd held her tight murmuring into her ear how he hated leaving, she'd cried all the way back to her dark and dank home. Everything seemed harder without him there.

She'd also had to watch Steve and Mike pack up or sell all their possessions before their trip. They were flying onto Asia from the wedding in Cyprus, and had no real agenda for coming home. In terms of that, Kate had her head well and truly buried in the sand. Their lease ran out three days after she was due back from Cyprus and she had nowhere else to move to.  She really needed to think about her future, but at the moment she couldn't, everything was changing and she was struggling to manage with that.

She'd flown to Cyprus with the boys, Tilly and Ashton had come on ahead of them to organise the final arrangements, but the three were flying out three doors before the service, the intention was to have a few days relaxing first. The location for the wedding, an adult only resort on a headland overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, was idyllic, lots of lagoon pools and white sandy beaches, though it was really too early in the year, and too cool to appreciate that. They intended on using the spa, the gym and any other pampering they could fit in, the boys in particular were intending to live in luxury for the few days before they headed off into traveller poverty.

Kate had booked a room in the hotel, but when she arrived at reception, she was told that Mr Fitzgerald had upgraded the room to a suite. She was currently stood open mouthed gaping at the opulence of the three rooms. She'd walked into a huge lounge with fantastic views of the azure sea, an archway led through to the stunning bedroom that was dominated by the huge bed with high thread count Egyptian linen, then there was a bathroom big enough to hold meetings. When she glanced at the double shower cubicle with an array of shower heads at various levels, she couldn't help but blush, enjoying the vision of her and Mason in there together.

So she'd been pampered. After a workout in the gym, and then a nice long swim, she'd treated herself to a hot stone massage followed by a manicure and pedicure. Feeling well pampered, Kate headed back to her room...or rather her suite and stretched out on the bed. The next thing she knew, she must've nodded off, because she was woken by two oh so familiar lips touching hers, and she responded with fervour before her eyes were even open.

When she did manage to separate her tender sleepy eyelids, it was to see Mason's eyes, less than an inch from hers, breath warm on her cheek, a smile spread across his face. 

                "Hey you!" He breathed softly devouring her greedily with his eyes, "I've missed you!"

Breaking into a reciprocal smile, she reached up to cup his cheek, "I've missed you too! I wasn't sure when you'd get here!"

Mason nodded; he'd struggled to get a reasonably timed flight to Cyprus from Dubai that didn't sweep miles out of the way into a major European City first. He was struggling on taking time off and needed to get as quick a connection as possible. "I wasn't able to get a decent flight, so I just thought stuff it and got a flight when I wanted. Brandon's not happy, but hey, needs must. I wanted to see you SO badly! These last three weeks have felt like an eternity!"

She nodded as his mouth found her throat, teeth nipping and tongue lashing as she murmured her appreciation and explained just exactly how much she'd missed him as his hands reached for the buttons on the front of her shirt.

Kate sighed, she'd described the bed as huge in her own mind, but in reality it was perfect. Stretched out, yet wrapped around Mason, there was still plenty of room in the bed for them.

Propping herself on an elbow and running her spare hand along the contour of his chest, waist then bottom. "This is heaven!" she whispered before stooping to place a kiss on his shoulder.

Mason's arm, the one not holding her close to him, was tossed over his eyes, and initially his only response was a groan.  "Do we HAVE to go to dinner tonight?"

Kate looked up to see Mason peeking from behind his fingers, like a naughty schoolboy and chuckled, "it's the pre-wedding dinner. Come on!"

An hour later they walked hand-in-hand to the dining room, to where a group of more than thirty people had gathered. As soon as they saw them, Tilly and Ashton rushed over to smile and fuss over Mason. They were both pleased for Kate that he had finally joined the wedding party, and of course her life.

All through the meal, Mason was attentive, his eyes never leaving hers and a permanent satisfied smile adorning his face. Kate could honestly not remember being more content in her life, she loved Mason in a way she'd never loved Peter, this was so new, so all consuming. But the days apart were murderous, in her own mind she'd tried to find a solution, but there was no way she could leave her job, not with Peter's bills, and she'd used up most of her holiday time doing things with him. There was nothing more she could at the moment.

                "Penny for your thoughts!" a very sexy voice whispered in her ear.

Turning to smile at Mason, she pulled herself out of her reverie, "great food, great company...that's all I can ask for."

He raised an eyebrow, doubting every word of it; she'd looked so forlorn when she'd be gazing into the distance so distractedly. But he wasn't going to rock the boat, not now when they were both so content to be together.

Sliding a hand under the table and over her thigh, he flexed his fingers slightly and was rewarded by a moan escaping her lips. There was time to talk, plenty of it, but at the moment Mason could barely concentrate on anything more than plotting his activity when he got her alone again later.

After the meal, the gathered group milled around in the hotel bar, talking, smiling and planning.

                "Have you really got to stay with Tilly tonight?" Mason's voice was a growl in her ear.

Turning she smiled at him, "of course I do. I'm bridesmaid, she's the bride. You can manage one night without me!"

HHHe shook his head, "I've had the last sixteen nights without you. Phone calls and phone sex only have a limited benefit. I don't think I can sleep here knowing you're only a few doors away!"

Laughing she swung her arms around her neck, "the wedding's at one, after the service I'll be at your side, I promise. Can you last fifteen hours?"

Shaking his head, he ensnared her wrist with his fingers, "definitely not!"

There were floor to ceiling panoramic windows along the length of the bar and some of the panels had been slid open to let the cool evening breeze circulate around the room. With a tug, he led her towards the veranda that overlooked the beach.

Her feet barely touched the floor as Mason led her rather forcibly down the winding terrace steps to a darkened and very secluded area of the gardens. Hidden behind trees and a rocky outcrop, he pulled her into his arms.

Kate giggled as his hands slid under her dress, his tongue and lips devouring her neck. Reciprocating, she tugged his shirt free of his belt, then slid her hands under the cotton to his warm muscular body. Groaning Mason lifted his head and looked down into Kate's eyes, the moon casting a silvery light across her face.

                "God you drive me insane Kate. I'm behaving like a bloody hormone charged teenager!"

She chuckled, raising her arms to drape around his neck, "I like that I bring out the uncharacteristic side of you! And..." she glanced at their present environment, "I've always thought that outdoor sex was underrated!"

With that she slid one hand down to his groin and started to buckle his belt. With a quick look at the heavens, he groaned before pulling her skirt up over her hips, warm fingers running over her thighs.

Mason wasn't sure of anything anymore. After the rather delicious romp that he and Kate had shared in the darkened gardens he'd hardly been able to concentrate. Her smell occupied his nostrils, her laugh his ears, and he couldn't look at any part of the suite they'd shared for the brief afternoon without seeing, remembering. He'd never felt like this about anyone, and instead of scaring him, it actually excited him.

It had spurred his little trip into town earlier this morning. Stopping, he checked out his reflection in the mirror with a smile of approval, he knew he looked good in a tux, few men didn't. Black brought out the darkness of his complexion and was in contrast to the crisp, sharp whiteness of the shirt he wore. Running fingers through has decidedly shaggy dark hair, he pulled it into some semblance of a style, then checked his pocket for money, his vital link to life his phone, and of course his recent purchase.

Standing in the small room that had been turned into a chapel of sorts, he waited patiently with the other thirty or so guests. Ashton looked nervous which amused Mason, normally he was so calm, assured...it was obvious how much this marriage, and of course Tilly meant to him.

Then all eyes turned to the bride, a vision in white accompanied by her anxious looking father. Tilly looked confident and beautiful, but Mason's eyes only glanced over her. Instead he was drawn to the vision in purple that followed her down the aisle. Kate's dark locks were piled up on her head and African Violets were dotted through it. Her strapless dress clung to every curve, and she walked elegantly, her feet crossing in a style that most catwalk models would claim as their own.

She was the epitome of sophistication, classiness and beauty and he knew that he'd made the right decisions with regard to him, her and their future. AS she drew level with him she smiled, a dazzling, sexy, I-want-to-eat-you smile, and he felt a surge of longing shoot through his body.

                "You look SO hot!" she mouthed, knowing that every other pair of eyes were following the bride in front of her. He merely widened his eyes in amazement, anticipation and excitement at the forthcoming evening electrifying his body.

The service was emotional, and as the bride and groom kissed Kate was reminded of the last wedding she'd attended, and been bridesmaid at. Was it only five months ago? She'd stood there, then with such sadness, such awkwardness at both the situation and the hideous dress she’d worn. It was hard to believe that before that day she hadn’t known Mason, he’d so quickly become as essential to her as oxygen. He’d looked so beautiful, elegant, strong and what her gran would have described as dashing, that she suddenly wanted this magical day to be over so that they could be together alone. Her face flushed at the memory of their walk the previous evening, barely able to believe she’d gone along with it, let alone looked forward to it happening again.

Every time she looked up his eyes were on her, whether it be during the service, as they bridal party was being photographed, or as they entered the reception. They were set apart for the formalities of the meal, but as soon as that, and the speeches were over, they came together like magnets. It was expected that Kate would dance with Paul, the best man, but this seemed to be ignored on this occasion, and after a brief ‘hello’, Mason dragged her into his arms on the dance floor.

                “Talk about torture...” he murmured, his lips brushing over her hair.

                “What?” she leaned back and looked up at him with an expression that showed more innocence than he knew was right.

                “You, looking divine in that very sexy dress, across the room from me ALL day! It has more than tried my patience Kate, I swear to you!”

She chuckled and was rewarded with a distinct change in tension in both his arms, and his pelvis, pressed against her. “Well all you had to do was ask and I’d have brushed past you!”

Mason groaned, “Once things calm down can we speak? I really need to talk to you...alone!”

She waggled an eyebrow, “you devious man! I’ll see what I can do.”

It was late afternoon and the sun was beginning to set over the horizon casting hues of red across the sky. The wedding had dispersed somewhat in that some people were eating, others drinking or dancing around the room, some had gone away, presumably back to their rooms. So Kate sought out Mason, a bottle of champagne in one hand, two crystal flutes in the other. Catching his eye across the room, she raised her hands and showed him her wares before disappearing out on to the adjacent veranda.

A heater above the door took the chill off the cool evening, but by the time he joined her, she was shivering a little.

                “You cold?” he asked, slipping out of his jacket and draping it around her bare shoulders.

Smiling she looked up at him, “thanks!” She watched him wrestle with the bottle and fill the two glasses before she spoke. “So you wanted to talk to me?”

Kate sipped from the glass as she waited for him to speak, and it was a few seconds before he opened his mouth.

                “We need to speak about the future Kate; we can’t go on living like we do...apart.”

She nodded and cut him off, “I’ve been through every option in my mind Mason, and I can’t find a way to make this work, I hate to say it. I don’t want to think of you not being here, us not being together, but I just can’t see how this can be sorted. I mean I can’t expect you to move over to Britain, you own your company, you’ve got your commitment to Brad, employees, responsibility...but I can’t jack in my job, it’s not possible, I mean there are so many things, people...”

Mason had been amazed at several things, firstly her eagerness to discuss this, and then there was the amount of thought she’d obviously given to their situation. He didn’t need her to think about leaving her job, but the fact that she couldn’t as oppose to didn’t want to sent a chill up his spine.

Placing a finger over her lips, he sighed, “I’m glad that you’ve tried to work this out, but I can’t accept there’s no solution, and anyway I’ve got my own thoughts about what should happen.” His fingers moved to cup her cheek, “what I’m more interested in is why you can’t possibly meet me in the middle here. Come on Kate, what are you hiding now?”

She blushed and he sighed at the thought that he was right; she was hiding something, “tell me Kate, you have to trust me!”

Tears welled in her eyes as she looked up at his caring face, “I’ve got commitments...”

                “The truth darling, please.”

Kate sighed, “I need the money, I’ve got responsibilities...”

                “And a VERY good job,” he coaxed.

Taking a deep breath, she looked at him, “Peter’s fees...when he moved into the residential home he’s in now, the only place that can offer him a future, well Clarissa couldn’t get any assistance, funding, so I offered half the money.”

Mason felt as though a knife had penetrated his chest, the pain was acute and debilitating, how much more had this girl been put on, how much more did his aunt expect from her. He could barely find his voice, “how much?” The words were a raps and he dreaded the answer. When she gave a four figure value, he asked, “a year?”

Kate shook her head, “a month.”

Mason couldn’t cope, turning away he punched the nearest wall, ignoring the pain, the blood, just wanting the pain to take away her revelations had caused. Suddenly his anger was more than he could deal with. Kate, poor vulnerable Kate who’d wanted to leave Peter had been saddled with emotional, physical and now financial obligation to him. It was disgusting and he hated it.

A tentative hand rested on his shoulder, “don’t hate me please.”

Kate, the person this was really about was trying to comfort him, blaming herself yet again. Spinning around he pulled her into his arms, “Jesus Kate, don’t you dare blame yourself! I just hate that this has all fallen at your door. You will not pay that again, I will if Aunt Clarissa really can’t manage it. But I never wanted you to give up your job. That was never the plan. I’ve sold my business, admittedly Brad wasn’t happy, but he found the new buyer...my mother needs me more, even if you hadn’t captivated me. I haven’t had a sensible day since I left you, and there’s no way I can bear to spend any more time unnecessarily apart from you.”

Her eyes had widened as she’d digested the words, “Mason?”

He smiled at the confusion in her eyes, loving that he’d finally managed to surprise her. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the small, royal blue, velvet box and flipped the lid.

Kate swooned as she looked inside at the exquisite diamond solitaire that blinked back at her.

                “Marry me? Please? Stop me going insane...I know it’s quick...but...I really think...”

It was her turn to silence him with a kiss, when their lips finally parted she smiled, “yes!”

With a whoop he pulled her into his arms.