Ella Frank - Exquisite

“Stop thinking so hard Lena O’Donnell and enjoy a beer with me.”

Mason watched her pick up her beer and take another quick sip. He knew she was tense, he could feel the waves rolling off her, he just didn’t understand why. She’d pretty much told him, no. She didn’t want to date. Didn’t want to start anything with anyone, but for some reason the more he was with her the harder he was finding it to stay away. He knew she’d come straight from work and tonight she was in one of those classy little skirts he was coming to like a whole lot. It was snug and curved over her hip and finished just above her knee, which meant that right now perched up on this stool it had ridden up to mid thigh. Oh yeah, he liked those skirts, a lot . Her baby blue blouse was tucked neatly in at the waist and her hair was pulled half up on her head and the rest spilled down to her waist. He wanted to wrap his hand around all that hair and pull her in close to him. He also wouldn’t mind wrapping her hair around other parts of his body, but since she was still actually seated beside him, he figured he should keep that enlightening piece of information to himself. “So how was work?”

She tilted her head to him and smirked. “Really? You’re going to ask me about work?”

He shrugged then tried a different question, “Okay, how do you like the weather tonight?”

The last thing he expected was for her to bust out with a huge peal of laughter. He felt his mouth twitch at her hilarity and took a sip of his beer. “Are you done laughing at me?”

“Oh come on. That was the worst opening line ever.”

“Well it isn’t like this is our first date and I need to impress you.”

She ran her tongue across her top teeth and nodded, “No that’s right. You threw me out of our first date Langley.”

He nodded with a serious look and replied, “Well you were being mean to me.”

She was still smiling at him, which he now knew was a huge accomplishment on his part, so he continued playing with her, “You hurt my feelings.”

“Did I?”

He nodded, “I think you should make it up to me.”

Her left eyebrow arched up in a way that was now becoming familiar. “I’m almost afraid to ask how, but ok you win, how?”

He looked over toward the band then back at her. She followed his gaze then turned to him shaking her head. “No.”

“Yes.” he replied standing and signaling the bartender. When a young blond girl stopped in front of him he gestured to his coat. “Do you stow the coats for us so we can dance?”

As the bartender nodded and took his he heard Lena protesting through gritted teeth.

“No! Mason.”

He reached over past her and grabbed her coat giving it to the bartender as well just as Liam walked by. “Oh stop giving the boy a hard time Maggie and go dance with him.”

Mason stopped and pivoted slowly towards her, “Maggie?” he asked slowly.

Narrowing her eyes at him she stood, “Don’t even think about it Langley.” and with that she stormed off toward the band leaving him to follow.

Great! She thought as she marched toward the dance floor as though it was her execution. Just what she needed, him closer to her . Wasn’t it bad enough he knew she thought he was attractive? Now she had to press up against him for, how long was a song anyway , around three minutes? Fantastic. As she reached the edge of the dance floor she noticed other couples swaying to the slow beat that was now pulsing through the pub. The women with their arms wrapped around the men, their legs tangling as they moved about the floor. It all looked so intimate and it made Lena want to run. She was just about to turn and bolt for the nearest exit when she felt two big hands gently rest on her upper arms. She could feel the warmth of him seep through her blouse and skirt to stroke her skin and all she wanted to do was lean back into him. Instead she stiffened and felt him tighten his grip as he leaned down to her. “Not this time. This time you don’t get to leave until we’re done.”

The threat shivered down her spine and he moved in front of her released one hand while grasping the other and tugging her into the crowd. She moved in close and let him guide her palm to his shoulder. When it was there he looked down at her other hand.

“What do you plan to do with that hand?”

Lena grinned. “Smack you with it?” she watched as a smile tugged the left side of his mouth up.

“Kinky. Maybe later but not in public the first time.”

Rolling her eyes she did the logical thing and lifted her other hand up to rest on his shoulder. She felt him reach down, around her small waist, and tug her forward so she was pressed chest to chest and hip to hip with him. She gasped softly and took a deep breath noticing one other appeal Mason Langley had, he smelled amazing . Whatever cologne he had on made him so damn appealing she almost gave into the urge to run her tongue up his neck. She gripped his shoulders a little tighter trying to keep herself upright incase her knees gave out.

“So why’d the old man call you Maggie?”

She swayed with him as the music throbbed around them then turned her face up to look at him. His eyes twinkled down at her and she was finding it very hard to remember that she did not want to do this with him .

“My full name is Magdalena O’Donnell, the owner of this pub Liam, is one of my dad’s longest and dearest friends.”

“Ah I see. So you’re Irish?”

Losing herself in the joy of the moment she smiled and answered, “I am.”

“So it seems I really didn’t know your name that first night.” he murmured more to himself than to her. The band stopped and Lena went to take a step back when over the speakers came Dave Matthews Band singing “Crash”. Lena looked up at him when he started to sing the lyrics.

“You like Dave Matthews Band?”

Mason nodded. “I’m a big fan. You?”

She dipped her head down hating that he’d zeroed in on something they did have in common. “Yes. I like them very much.”

He moved them back around the floor until the were out from under the bright lights overhead. She watched him closely as he gracefully pulled her around in a slow spin.

“Tell me something Lena. If you’d walked into my restaurant that night and we’d never met, would you have gone out with me?”

She looked up at him and answered honestly. “Not on a date.”

He stopped dancing abruptly then moved them a little to the left effectively cornering her in the shadows with a wall to her back.

“Why’d you stop?” she asked, suddenly realizing he’d lost his easy going sway and was now holding himself tense while his blue eyes burned as they looked down at her.

“You say not on a date. What do you mean by that?”

She looked around to see everyone still swaying and not paying any attention to the man looming over her in a way that was about to get her in all kinds of trouble.

“I didn’t mean anything.” she denied quickly.

He moved a step closer. “Yes you did.” he licked his bottom lip and god help her but Lena wanted to do that for him and maybe bite it to. “What did you mean?”

Sighing knowing she’d never get out of this without confessing she spoke quickly and softly. “I would’ve just gone home with you and then never seen you again.”

It felt like time stopped and she was frozen to the spot, because she certainly didn’t make any kind of move, as she watched Mason raise his palms and rest them on either side of her head. He leaned his body in close and there was no mistaking his intention to crowd her this time. She was glued to the wall and he was glued to her. She was mesmerized as he leaned down close and when he was a whisper away from her mouth she blurted out, “It’s not as though I’m really your type.”