Ella Frank - Exquisite

“Would you tell Monroe to move it?”

Lena pursed her lips and shook her head. “Nope, she’s right. You’re not going anywhere tonight, except home with me.”

She took great satisfaction in watching his eyes widen and he turned slowly on her.

“I thought I made it clear out there Lena. I don’t want that from you.”

Placing a hand on her hip she looked him up and down and tried to pull off an indifferent shrug. She wasn’t sure how she did, because quiet honestly she did want that from him, but he seemed to wince at her expression so she must’ve been convincing.

“I’m not offering you anything more than a safe ride home Langley. Get your mind out of my skirt.”

That seemed to piss him off even more because his back stiffened and he responded with a sneer.

“Feeling brave are we?” he leaned down until they were nose to nose, “How much have you had to drink?”

Tilting her head up she made a show of taking a breath and wincing, “Not as much as you. You smell like a bottle of scotch.” Shaking her head she said softly, “You’re head is going to hurt tomorrow.”

Grumbling he straightened, “It hurts every morning.”

Brushing past him she looked over her shoulder, “No use trying to get out of it, you’re coming with me and I’m getting you home safely.”

Closing his eyes he sighed then opened them and focused on Shelly then her. “Why?” he asked softly, “Why are you two here bothering me?”

“Because we’ve sworn an oath to help idiots.” Shelly grumbled.

His eyes flicked to her and then Lena reached out and took his hand. He stiffened and looked down at where she touched him then his eyes came up to meet hers.

“Because once upon a time I met a man who saved me.”

Frowning at her he tugged his hand free, “So what? You feel sorry for me and are here to what, save me?”

Nodding Lena stepped close to him. “Yeah something like that.” she paused then blinked and whispered softly, “I’m part of the reason you’re doing this.”

Snorting he shook his head, “Wow, don’t flatter yourself.”

Glaring at him she was about to snap back when Shelly pushed her out of they way, “Listen up buddy. You’ve been an ass for the last time, she’s trying here.”

He glared at Shelly and said between his teeth, “I told her not to bother.”

“Yeah well she wants to. For some insane reason she thinks you’re worth it.” she reached up and poked him in the chest hard. “Pull your head out of your ass!”

“Shelly.” Lena said softly reaching out to place a hand on her friends arm. Shelly looked at her with fury in her eyes.

“No Lena. Sure, this wont work the way it use to.” she turned back on Mason and asked, “But are you really willing to let her walk away?”

Dropping her voice she stepped back and said softly, “She didn’t have a choice in what she did. If you let her walk away you may find you don’t have a choice to get her back, is that what you want?” and with that she turned and walked to the door.

Mason stood glued to the spot with his eyes on Lena. Lena was about to say something, anything to break the awkward silence when he stepped forward and said softly.

“Fine Lena, you win. Take me home.”

Lena felt her breath catch and her heart clench, she’d won this round.

Mason climbed into the cab with two pissed off women. One was making it quiet obvious and the other, well she was sitting quietly between him and hot pink . He’d never seen Dr Monroe pissed off and quite honestly he pitied any man that went up against her, she was intimidating in all her hot fury. Lena on the other hand was fuming but she was sitting silently, almost as though if she breathed she would loose her temper.

He was trying really hard to push aside everything he was thinking and feeling but it was all swirling around in his head. The last time they’d been together, at her house when he’d given her the letter, and the way she’d looked at him as he’d left after telling her about his mother leaving her a part of the business.

His mother , that’s what this all came back to. Over and over he replayed the last line his mother had written to him and he shook his head, you need to forgive her. It infuriated him to no end that his mother had hidden such an important piece of information from him, but for Lena to have known, he just couldn’t seem to move past it. However, Rachel did have a point, she’d told him just the other day he was directing his anger at Lena when really it should be to his mom. After all it’d been his mom who’d chosen to keep the secret, but he couldn’t be angry at a dead woman. Could he?

So instead he took it out on the silent woman sitting beside him. The cab came to a stop and Mason presumed it was Shelly’s house because it wasn’t his or Lena’s. He watched Shelly lean in a kiss Lena’s cheek and thought he heard, “You ok?” Watching closer he saw Lena nod then Shelly glared at him and climbed out of the cab. The door shut firmly behind her and Lena scooted over to the other side making the space between them feel like a gaping hole. The cab started off and Mason rolled his head on the seat to look over at the woman now staring out the window. Her skirt had ridden up her thigh and she had her legs crossed. Her chest rose and fell softly as she took deep breaths and he thought she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. She must have felt his eyes on her because she turned her head to him.

“What?”

Smirking at her attitude he said softly, “Nothing. I’m just looking.”

“Well stop it.” she snapped.

Blinking once he let his eyes go down over her legs then moved back to her face. “Why?”

“Because you don’t even like me, so stop checking me out.”

“I like you.” he murmured softly.

Lena grunted softly at that. “Yes that’s obvious in how you’ve been treating me.” she stopped then pinned him to the seat with her eyes. “But you know what Langley? I don’t care. I’m not going away.”

He clenched his teeth and rolled his head back to look at the dirty ceiling of the cab. Ugg, it made him think about throwing up to see the dirt and cigarette rings on the roof.

“Why do you keep coming back? I try to forget about you and you just wont go away.”

He heard a rustle but just closed his eyes, then suddenly he felt small fingers grip his chin hard. His eyes popped open as she turned his head and her eyes glared at him.

“I’m not going anywhere. Get that through your thick head.” she paused and took a deep breath. “I have no secrets from you Langley. I have nothing to hide. You know everything about me and you know what?” she blinked and shook her head, “I love that. You pushed your stubborn ass into my life, made me give a shit then decided when things got hard to check out.” she laughed a bitter sounding laugh and let go sitting back against the door. He turned his head, his eyes focusing on her as she stared out the window again. “Well I don’t thinks so. I’m not giving up on you.” she looked over at him and said softly. “Even if you’ve given up on yourself.”

Mason took a deep breath then let it out closing his eyes and listening to the hum of the car as it continued through the streets. Finally it came to a stop at the front of his condo and he watched as Lena sat forward and paid the fare. He figured he should probably do it but didn’t want to get into an argument with her. He pushed open the door and climbed out and made his way into the lobby behind her. They walked past the doorman and got into the elevator standing on opposite sides as it traveled slowly to the top. The silence was tense and the air was thick as they stood staring at one another. Lena didn’t move a muscle, just kept her eyes glued to his. His hands clutched the railing behind him and he gripped it tight knowing if he let it go he would reach for her.