Chapter 20: New Year’s Surprise

JAMIE

Christmas was finally over, which I was thankful for. It definitely wasn’t one I wanted to remember.

My dad wasn’t happy with me. All Christmas Day we barely said two words to each other, neither one of us willing to make the first move.

Mom always says that I get my stubbornness from him—I think she’s right about that.

Now it was New Year’s Eve, and instead of going out and celebrating the start of a new year, I decided to stay home and behave.

A lot had gone on the past few weeks between dating Ryan and sleeping with Mason. My head was all over the place.

Besides, I needed to focus on finding a new job. I’d already handed in my resignation at Knight & Son.

I was curled up on my couch, a soppy film on the TV and a glass of wine by my side.

Ryan had been texting in hopes that I would spend New Year’s with him.

I kind of lied and told him I was sick and just needed to stay home and sleep through it.

I know, I’m so bad. He doesn’t deserve to be lied to. But I didn’t know what else to do.

I heard the noise of Carmen’s heels as she walked into the living area. She was dressed in a silver strapless dress, ready for her New Year’s party.

“How do I look?” she asked, striking a pose.

I smiled. “Stunning.”

She bowed.

“I feel bad leaving you home alone on New Year’s Eve. You should be coming with me.”

“Oh, no”—I picked up my wineglass—“I’m happy staying in tonight. I’ll start the year fresh. And that begins with finding a new job.”

She sat on the couch beside me. “Are you sure you don’t want to ask Mason for your job back?”

“I can’t. The damage is done. And I’ve already emailed him my full resignation. I don’t know if I’ll have to work a notice.”

~God, I hope I don’t.~

“Guess that’s that, then.” Carmen took my wineglass from my hand and drank. “At least it will keep your dad off your back.”

“That man sure knows how to sulk.”

Carmen’s phone buzzed. “Ooh, must be the Uber.” She handed me my wineglass and hugged me. “Happy New Year, love.”

“You too. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Carmen grabbed her coat and clutch from the chair before leaving the living room.

This guy she’d been pining after at work had invited her to a party. Being the good friend she is, she’d offered to stay home with me and go out another night, but I couldn’t let her do that.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door.

Who could that be?

Possibly my dad, having decided to apologize for Christmas Eve.

Without much thought, I opened the door.

“Oh, fuck.”

“It’s nice to see you too, Jamie.”

Mason was dressed in a suit, hot enough to tease even though I was still angry.

“Mason!” I paused, trying to choose my next words carefully. “What are you doing here?”

He sighed. “You handed in your resignation. You really didn’t think that I was going to let that happen, did you?”

I folded my arms over my chest. “Well, I thought it was for the best given everything else that’s happened.”

I was sure he had places to be on New Year’s Eve.

“I want you back at work. You’ve been the best assistant I’ve had and I need you.” He held up a brown takeout bag. “I also brought dinner. Think of it as my way of apologizing.”

I shrugged. “Or you could just say you’re sorry.”

He tucked a strand of my brunette hair back from my face.

“I’m sorry, Jamie,” he whispered. “Now will you come back and work for me?”

“I don’t know. I’ll think about it.”

I hated having him so close; it was a tease to every part of my body. I didn’t think I’d want him so bad after…everything.

“Well, can I come in, for starters?”

I took the takeout bag from him. “Okay. We can eat.”

We went to the couch. I was a bit mortified that Mason was in my space and I was in a T-shirt and lounge pants.

I fixed myself up while he went to the fridge for a bottle of Pinot Grigio and two glasses.

Me drinking around him is a recipe for disaster.

“Are you self-conscious about what you’re wearing? Because you don’t need to be.”

“Well, I wasn’t exactly expecting company tonight.” I opened the bottle and poured drinks.

“Lucky I showed up, then. No one should spend New Year’s alone.” He handed me my vegetarian dish on a plate. “Eat up.”

I took it from him and looked at the face I desperately wanted to kiss.

What the fuck is going on between us?

Twice we’d slept together, breaking his rules, and now he’s in my apartment having dinner and drinking wine on New Year’s Eve.

Was I changing him?

***

Before long I was on my second glass.

I was beginning to think Mason might enjoy my company: he was still sitting on my couch and didn’t look like he was planning on leaving anytime soon.

“I figured you would have plans tonight—with a blonde woman, perhaps.”

“I’m right where I want to be,” he turned on the couch and looked at me. “So you’re coming back to work?”

“You’re very persistent,” I mumbled, bringing my glass to my lips.

“I get what I want, and I want you back at the office. Simple as that.”

“Is that all you want from me?”

Panic set in straightaway. Usually I wouldn’t be so forward, but he was confusing me.

“You’re here in my apartment on New Year’s Eve when you could be anywhere.”

“Jamie, you know that’s not all I want from you.”

He leaned forward and set his lips on mine. As he kissed me, he moved his hand up my neck and into my hair.

I heard a knock on the door and pulled back.

Bloody hell.

“Are you expecting someone?”

“No. I’ll go see who it is.”

I got up and walked toward the front door and looked through the peephole.

Ryan!

He’s here...and Mason is sitting in my living room waiting for me with a massive erection.

I had told him I was contagious.

Ryan knocked again.

I think I’d better open up and talk to him.

I no longer needed to act—my stomach was in knots. I opened the door. “Ryan. Hey.”

He looked insanely cute in a plaid shirt and dark-wash jeans.

He even wore a Christmas hat, except it didn’t look ridiculous like my brother’s did. Somehow he pulled it off.

He was holding a plastic bag.

“Hey, you. How are you feeling?”

“Not great. I was asleep.” I sniffled, pretending my nose was runny. I was feeling the guilt of all my lies. “I didn’t think you were stopping by.”

“Well, you couldn’t come out to dinner with me, so I figured I would at least bring you soup.”

He reached out and placed his palm on my forehead.

“You’re a bit warm, you should take something.”

I cleared my throat. “Um, I did already. It’s still kicking in. But the soup will help.”

Ryan handed me the plastic bag with a sturdy cup of soup inside.

As he did, his eyes were fixed behind me.

I turned with a sinking feeling and saw Mason standing behind the island, hands in the pockets of his pants.

I turned to Ryan, the blood draining from my face. “Ryan, hold on. I can explain.”

“No need. I think I understand what’s going on here.”

He gave me a look I’d never seen on him before. The sadness in it broke my heart.

“Enjoy your soup.” He walked down the hallway.

“Ryan! Please!” I called after him several times, but he didn’t turn around.

I can’t blame him. Not one bit.

I closed the door and buried my face in my hands for a moment, then whirled toward Mason.

“Why the hell did you do that?”

“Oh, come on, it was obvious you weren’t into that guy. I did you a favor. And him.”

“Stop calling him ‘that guy’! His name is Ryan!”

I stepped forward.

“And you mean you did yourself a favor by getting him out of the way. What’s going on, Mason? Do you have a problem with me seeing someone? Because if you do, you can tell me straight up to my face.”

I was breathing heavily.

Just one more time?

That’s what he said the last time.

This is ~not~ the behavior of someone who only wants temporary control.

People who don’t want commitment don’t go around wrecking other people’s relationships.

“You know it is.” He stepped forward too, toward me. “I want you all to myself.”

Before I could react, he stepped to me, his fingers grazing my inner thigh.

How did this happen? It’s like he’s put me under some sort of spell.

“Let’s go to your room,” Mason whispered against my lips.

My room?

When we were getting hot and heavy in his apartment, he told me that he didn’t bring women to his room. I figured the same went for mine.

“Hmm. I thought that was another rule of yours?”

“Fuck the rule.” He pulled me flush against him. “I want you.”

Mason Knight breaking yet another rule for me.

Surely this means something…