Crash (A Billionaire Contract Romance)

Exploring

He holds my hand along The Freedom Trail. I let him, letting myself give into the desire for a few hours.

He tells me we could get a professional tour, but we agree it would be better if he gives me a personal tour so we can go at our own pace.

We start at The Great Hall. Mason explains how Peter Faneuil a wealthy businessman with no heirs sought to establish a centralized market in Boston back before the revolutionary war. Once Peter got the approval, he needed it to take two years to build. The Meeting Hall on the second floor was only added to the construction as an afterthought, funny as it goes on to be an incredibly important and progressive building in Boston’s history. It held meetings with people that played a part in the Revolutionary War, became a place for Labor unions, suffragists, abolitionists, to hold meetings and protests for their given causes.

JFK even held a campaign speech there. It’s beautiful, old wooden chairs still line the floors, an upper balcony around the sides of the rooms, massive paintings that are beautifully done, and so very old. The whole building just has awe about it.

After we make our way to the Old South Meeting House, where Benjamin Franklin was baptized. Huge historical names were members here.

Before the Boston Tea party, this is where the colonists tried to negotiate with the royal government to no success, leading to the act of the rebellion.

British soldiers were sent to Boston as punishment, where they took the building for themselves, making major renovations. Sometime after the Revolutionary war, it was finally renovated into a place of worship. Now it’s a museum and a place to get your voice or cause heard.

We stop to get sandwiches from a small restaurant on our way to the Old State House. I get a chicken Caprese, with a lemonade. Mason gets a Club with water. We talk while we sit at a table outside. He asks me about Buffalo, I tell him about the beautiful places around my hometown, Canalside, Letchworth, Chestnut ridge, and the eternal flame. I tell him some of the events I was in with Y.E.S. at those locations, some of the amazing things the community came together to pull off.

He tells me about his many adventures around the globe. He travels all over for Dixie, having to check in on locations, scout out others, and comes to agreements with foreign and local governments. He’s has a passion for what he does.

The places he’s been are incredible. I think it would be easier to list where he hasn’t been than where he has. The sights he tries to explain, we both know his descriptions don’t do them justice and they are breathtaking as is, I hope one day I have the opportunity to see even one percent of what he has.

Without plates empty, we continue with the tour. He does an amazing job going into incredible details about each place we visit, The Statehouse where the Declaration of Independence was read to the community for the first time. Paul Revere House, which was extremely cool. Set up and staged with antique furniture and decorations. Old North Church, where Paul Revere hung the Lanterns as a warning to the colonists that the British were coming.

Finally, we end up sitting on a bench in the Boston Public Gardens.

“How did you know all of that?” I’m amazed that he could remember so much, I mean I know he grew up here but he knew details like he really was a tour guide.

“I enjoy History and random trivia. Take me to a game night and I’ll make sure we win.” He has his arm wrapped around my shoulder, our sides pressed together, and I’m resting my head on his shoulder.

I’m lost in a fantasy, today has felt perfect, the best kiss I’ve ever had, an unexpected orgasm, the best date I’ve been on with a man that makes me question everything.

“I don’t doubt for a second that you win at most things Mase.”

“Losing is never an option.” He’s very serious, he gets what he wants always has, and always will.

“Did you play sports in school?”

“Played every sport at least once. Baseball was my favorite to play, still, my favorite to watch. I’d ask if you played anything but I can’t imagine someone that falls as much as you being athletic.” He chuckles.

“Nope. No sports ever. The gym was the worst! I don’t mind running, sometimes. I should run more often with my sugar intake.”

“You’re damn good at what you do Crash. I’ve thought about that peach mousse almost as much as I’ve thought about kissing you.” He runs his hand up my leg, his touch seeping into my bones. His eyes hold so much burning lust I instantly catch fire. I want another kiss. I need to taste him again so we meet in the middle.

I slide my fingers into his soft hair, loving that I can grip the strands, Brian always kept his hair short, almost buzzed down to nothing. Mason has beautiful soft silky hair, so different from the rest of him. He shudders, releasing a sound so erotic it sends pleasure shooting straight to my core.

His hand settles on my hip grabbing on like he wants to lift me to his lap, before remembering that was being indecent as it is, sitting on a park bench making out. Leaving my hip he moves his hand to cup my neck, his thumb rubbing up and down leaving me light-headed. His tongue battles with mine for dominance. I don’t realize I’ve moved my fingers to under his shirt until they are pushing his shirt aside finally touching his hard body. Finding all his dips and ridges in all the right places.

We’re creating our own electric current that could light a small village. If we kept it going we could combust like a nuclear reaction.

Mason pulls away first, cupping the back of my head he waits till I open my heavy lids, “You’re so beautiful, Aria.” He whispers, his breath brushing against my swollen lips. We share a tender look before he places one soft kiss on my lips, pulling back before it gets heated and out of control.

He pulls me up with him leading me back to the car, my handheld in his, keeping me by his side neither of us able to escape the magnetic pull, touching wherever we can as we walk.

It’s on the ride home when reality comes crashing back to me, the fantasy falling away. How the hell did I get so lost? How did I allow myself to fall in so deep? Every single instinct is screaming at me to retreat immediately.

My blood pressure is rising, my breath that just steadied is fast and erratic. I roll down the window needing the wind against my face. In through my nose out through my mouth. Concentrating on steading my breath I’m able to pull it together before I delve deeper into my panic and memories.

As if he was waiting for me to roll open the window Mason asks “You still want to ignore what we have Crash?” as soon as my window shuts.

“Yes, I still f*****g do! That should never have happened! It definitely won’t be happening again!” I stress the last part. I’ve let this get out of hand, I need to rein this situation back in, but Mason isn’t ready for my response. I don’t blame him, my mood swings are giving even me whiplash. I was just sucking his face off ten minutes ago, now I’m yelling at him to leave me alone.

“Why Aria, if we can do all of that with just a kiss, imagine what I can do when I get my hands on you,” He keeps his left hand on the steering wheel, his right reaches out to grip my thigh, if he moves his thumb he’ll be touching my swollen c**t. “My mouth,” He licks his lips, not something I would think would be attractive, but f**k does Mason surprise me.

Before he can say or do any more, I cut in “Stop!” Pushing his hand off of me I lean over the center console, getting him with my pointer finger, glaring at him. “For once in your life listen to me, Mason! I don’t care what happened back there, it cannot happen again. I want you to drop me off at home and leave me alone for good. I honestly don’t know how to be any clearer with you!”

“Give me one good reason to leave you alone Aria. We have out-of-this-world chemistry, your body lights up whenever I get close. You’re beautiful inside and out, you don’t give a f**k who I am you just f*****g give it to me however you see it.

“Do you know when the last time anyone’s talked to me the way you do? f*****g never. There’s something important here and I want to find out what. So, you give me one good reason to walk away from all that and I will.”

“You know what a good reason should be?” He’s pulled into a spot at my building, so he’s turned to face me now. I don’t wait for him to answer but I look him in the eye well I say “Because I f*****g said no.” I want to get out and leave. Leave him with that, but I know he’ll just follow.

I need him to accept what I am saying and agree to leave me alone permanently. He deserves to go find someone that’s just as amazing as him. Someone that doesn’t have hang-ups and monsters in her past. Someone that can actually follow through and have s*x with him. Please him as much as I know he’d be able to please me.

My gut twists thinking about him being with anyone else. Another woman getting a kiss as I did? The fear of that is almost more than the fear to let someone in.

Ultimately, I can’t ever forget the last time I had a man inside me. I won’t ever forget being pressed against a wall, tears running down my face. I can forget saying no over and over, begging for Brain to stop.

I can’t forget how sore my throat was the next day. Or how I bleed for days after. I can’t forget the last thread of hope leaving my body, breaking when I learned there’s nothing in my life I get to keep pure, untarnished, nothing but baking.

“I hear you Sweetheart, but why? I know you feel this. I heard you when you said you don’t want a distraction, but I’m f*****g busy as s**t too. I don’t want to deter you from reaching your goals. Tell me why you don’t want to give me a shot to prove to you this could work?” He’s pleading, holding on to hope that I really don’t want to crush but need to. Mason Maverick is a wrecking ball, he destroys me in ways I didn’t know was possible.

“I’m broken beyond repair Mason. I’m not what you need nor what you deserve. I can never be the woman for you. All of this is just making it harder than it needs to be. If you care even a little bit about me then listen to me when I tell you that I cannot do this, and I need you to walk away, please?” I’m crying now, big ugly tears with a hitch in my chest. More painful than it should be. At this moment I grow to hate Brian even more for taking this beautiful man from my life. I didn’t think it was possible to hate him more but it is. I do.

Kissing my forehead he uselessly wipes at the tears running down my face. “Who hurt you, Sweetheart?” I shake my head still cradled in his hands. Seeing the pain and pity in his eyes makes it all so much worse. The tears come harder and faster, my chest shakes with all the sobs. He pulls me up and over the center console, settling me on his lap, cradling me in his arms as I sob on into his chest.

He holds me for a long time, alternating between rubbing my back and running his hands through my wavy strands. He whispers sweet words of comfort, just holding me as I let it all out, all the resentment and hate I have for Brain. The memories from that night and every night he hurt me before then.

I cry for the days I spent in the hospital with broken bones and concussions. I hurt for the little girl that hid in the basement closet so her dad wouldn’t find her, for the words Brian and my dad used to cut me down day after day until all I have left is a shell of who I should be.

I cry for all the amazing memories Mason and I could have made if I was a different person. How amazing we could have been because he’s right there is something incredible here. Something I’m not sure I believe in anymore. But would if I lived a different life.

When my tears dry and my body stops shaking I wipe my eyes and face him for the last time. I place my hand on the side of his face loving the feel of his five o’clock shadow. “I’m not capable of being in a relationship ever Mason, not because I don’t think you are amazing. I’m just too broken, my pieces won’t ever fit together again.” I pause to take in a deep breath, praying my eyes to stay dry until I get upstairs. “Thank you for a really amazing day, I enjoyed myself more than you’ll know. And I never thanked you for the beautiful flowers and groceries, I love it all.” I press my lips against his one more time, enjoying one last kiss from an amazing man. Pulling away I say, “I hope you have a good life Mason, you’re an incredible man and I hope you find an incredible woman worthy of you.”

With that I crawl off his lap, open his door and walk myself alone into my building. For once Mason listens, I hear his car pull away as I grab the door handle. My chest-rattling once more, “Bye, Mason”.