Embedded

Numb

The metal wheels of Mason’s Mustang screeched as he careened around corners and shot through traffic lights. As Thea clung to the armrest, her mind raced, grappling with the same question she had been asking since she saw Greg. Had Greg really changed? And if he had, could she ever forgive him? The possibility of absolution weighed heavily on her mind, yet a part of her still resisted it.

Mason and Thea stumbled into the penthouse, spent from the evening’s events. Thea’s heels clacked against the floor as she made her way to the couch and collapsed onto the heap of cushions. She buried her face in her hands, shaking her head in disbelief, “I can’t believe that happened.”

Mason sidled up to her and draped his arm heavily over her shoulder. He let out a disgusted sigh. “I can’t believe my mother invited him,” he muttered, his voice tight with anger. “What an asshole.”

Thea nestled into the crook of his arm, the warmth of his skin radiating through his shirt. She breathed in the musky scent of citrus and spice, a mixture of her favorite cologne and him. She lifted her head to meet his eyes and said softly, “It’s not your fault. You didn’t know.”

Mason’s strong hands moved gently in slow, circular motions across her back, and a deep sigh escaped from his lips. “I should have seen it coming. I should have known she was planning something.”

Thea’s expression softened as she lightly grasped his wrists and said, “You can’t control your mother. And you can’t control what she does. You can only control yourself.”

Mason cupped her face gently and touched his lips to her forehead. His voice was comforting, “How did it feel? Seeing him again?”

Thea looked up into his deep blue eyes and found herself lost in them. His full lips hovered near her forehead, still warm from the tender kiss he had just planted there. “Are you the therapist tonight?” she whispered breathlessly.

Mason chuckled, “I’m curious.”

Thea took a deep breath as she tried to contain the swirling emotions inside her. Her thoughts raced between frustration and relief. She finally spoke, her voice shaking as she tried to keep it even, “I don’t know. A part of me is angry that he gets to have a second chance after what he did. But the other part is glad he made an effort to change and get help. That means he’s not out there hurting other women.”

Mason’s gentle touch made her skin tingle, and his thumb moved in a soothing, circular motion across her knuckles. He looked into her eyes and said softly, “It’s because you want to see the good in everyone.” He paused, and his gaze intensified as he searched her face for permission before he asked, “I want to ask you another question.”

Thea nodded solemnly. Her throat tightened, and she cleared it before taking a deep breath and softly saying, “Go ahead.”

Mason looked at her; his brow furrowed in confusion. “With everything you’ve been through, why did you choose to submit to me?” He asked slowly, trying to understand. Thea refused to meet Mason’s gaze, her eyes growing distant and wet with unshed tears. He tenderly cupped her chin, lifting her face up to his, and breathed a gentle, reassuring, “It’s okay. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”

Thea inhaled sharply, her chest heaving as if her lungs were begging for air, “I wanted to know how it felt not being in control but having the power to stop it,” she said, “A power I didn’t have in the past.”

Mason’s eyes flashed with comprehension, and he nodded. His lips formed a silent, “Understood.” His breath hitched, and he asked in a quiet voice, “And now?”

Thea held his gaze, her eyes pleading for something more. Her lips trembled, and her breath came out in shallow gasps. “I just want a moment of peace,” she whispered, “a moment to forget everything,” she let her statement hang in the air with a look of longing plastered across her features.

Mason eagerly responded to Thea’s plea for intimacy, pressing his soft, warm lips against hers and sliding his hands up her body. His fingertips lightly grazed her bare skin as he unzipped her gown with one swift motion, revealing her silky lingerie. She felt the firm strength of his arms as he lifted her from the couch, and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. With a passionate kiss still lingering on their lips, Mason carried Thea down the hall and into his bedroom. Every nerve in her body screamed with anticipation as he kicked the door closed with his foot and rested her on the bed against the sheets.

Mason yanked his shirt off, buttons popping and flying across the room. He impatiently kicked off his shoes and trousers, leaving them in a pile behind him. He clambered atop Thea, kissing her neck hungrily, exploring her body with eager hands. Every few moments, he pulled away to look at her, eyes twinkling with mischievous delight at how she trembled beneath him. But suddenly, his movements stopped, and he sighed heavily. “Thea, we can’t,” he murmured.

She sat up, her cheeks a warm shade of pink. She bit her lip and asked tentatively, “You don’t want to?”

Mason stared into her eyes, “You don’t know how badly I want to,” his fingertips lightly drew circles on her exposed thigh, and she released a stifled sigh of pleasure, “You were put through so much tonight,” he tenderly pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled, “When we finally do this, it will be because you have the desire to remember for all the right reasons, not just to escape from your troubles for the evening.”

Thea looked away, feeling ashamed. She had been so caught up in her own issues that she didn’t even consider how her actions would affect him. “You’re right,” she said softly. “I wasn’t thinking, and it wasn’t my intention to use you...”

Mason leaned in and kissed her, his lips warm and inviting. He then slid onto the bed and beckoned her to join him. His gaze was full of understanding, and he reached out a hand to her. “You don’t have to be perfect, Thea. It’s okay to feel angry or to cry. You’re human, and it’s okay.”

Thea nestled her face against Mason’s hard chest and breathed in his comforting scent. She felt a deep contentment and said softly, “Thank you. For everything.”

Mason’s strong arms encircled Thea, wrapping her in a warm cuddle. Her body melted into him, her tension and worry seeping away like a liquid until her breathing was heavy and slow. Gradually, her eyelids fluttered shut, and she drifted off to sleep in his comforting embrace.