Page 20 of Between the Paragraphs

“How are you doing, Maria?” a woman asks, pulling me from my internal rage.

“I’m great,” I say as I turn. “Karen, right?

“Yes, we met at a conference last year. I have to admit, I like this one better. It’s such a great group of authors from multiple genres. I’ve already spent too much money on books and have to buy an extra bag to get home.”

I laugh, knowing that’s the response she expects. I look away from Mason, not able to look at him anymore. I don’t want anyone in this room to know how upset I am. If I don’t react, then maybe they won’t think it’s a big deal that my so-called boyfriend is letting another woman hang all over him.

How can he kiss me the way he did earlier, compliment me half the night, and then so easily forget me? I don’t think I’ll ever have a chance to understand men. I’m destined to die a lonely cat-woman. I’m okay with this as I love cats. I think I’ll get twenty of them. Much nicer than a lying and cheating man.

“That’s a lot of books. I have to admit, I have overflowing shelves myself,” I tell her. I’m not really into this conversation, but I need to do something to distract me. We chat for a while, and no matter how much I don’t want to, my mind keeps drifting back to Mason and Sabrina. I haven’t looked at them again and have no idea if they’re still together.

I eventually move around the large area and talk with several people. After about an hour Mason appears back at my side, his arm wrapping around my back. I don’t look at him as I tense. I find a way to unwind myself from him without making it obvious, and feel him growing quieter. I pray for this event to end as I continue drinking too much. The alcohol really does help. I hate that I need it.

Eventually, the event comes to a point that I can slip out. I manage to scoot away from Mason, then exit the room and start making my way straight to the elevators. I don’t want to run into anybody else. I simply want the comfort of my own room.

I enter the elevator with a sigh of relief as the doors begin shutting. At the last minute a hand shoots out, and then Mason steps inside with me. I finally meet his eyes, and he looks confused.

“What happened back there?” he asks. “Why did you leave without me?”

“You seemed perfectly happy on your own,” I tell him, keeping my voice neutral. The shear amount of alcohol I’ve consumed is making this hard to do.

“I’m seriously confused,” he says.

“I thought the whole point of our fake dating was to keep your ex off of you,” I snap. I’m ticked that I’m blurting this out, but I can’t seem to help myself. The elevator reaches my floor and I practically run out. He’s right on my heels as I open my door. He doesn’t give me even the remotest of chances to shut the door in his face.

He shuts it behind him and glares at me. “I seriously have no clue why you’re mad at me.”

“My colleagues think we’re a couple and you were flirting with your ex. It’s embarrassing,” I tell him, my voice rising.

“I wasn’t flirting with her. She came over to me and I didn’t know what to do. I looked for you, and you were gone. I stood there for as long as I had to, and then I got away to find you. I kept getting stopped. As soon as I could I was back at your side and you turned into the arctic queen.”

“That’s not what I saw,” I tell him. Then I throw my hands up, and before he can stop me, I rush into the bathroom where I lock the door. I’m too drunk to have this conversation.

“I’m not leaving, Maria,” he calls through the door.

“I’m tired, Mason, and I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” I call back. I hate that I’m acting like a jealous teenager. I turn on the shower to drown out his voice. I hear his frustrated growl on the other side of the door, and this makes me smile. Good. He can be as irritated as I’m feeling right now.

I take my time in the bathroom, glad I’ve left my pajamas in here. I wash my face, shower until the water turns cold, then take extra care with my nighttime moisturizing routine. He surely has to have given up by now.

With caution, I sneak out of the bathroom and hear silence in the room. I smile. The grin quickly fades when I find him on my bed . . . sound asleep beneath my covers. What the heck? I move over to Nikki’s door and find it locked. That might mean she has a man in there with her. I don’t know what to do. I’m not sleeping on a couch in the living area if there’s a man in Nikki’s room who might come out.

I move back to my room and shake Mason. He doesn’t budge. We both drank a hell of a lot tonight. With little other choice, I grab some pillows and place them in the middle of the large bed, and then I climb in and hug the edge making sure no part of our bodies are touching.

As irritated as I am with him over the party, I’m exhausted. I curl around a pillow and close my eyes. I assure myself he’ll be gone when I wake up in the morning. I can think about what to do about this situation tomorrow. I fall asleep far too quickly, the sound of Mason’s even breathing way too soothing.

Chapter Eight

Mason

I wake up disoriented. I blink as the morning light filters in through the partially open curtains, assaulting my tired eyes. I shift, then feel a soft, warm body next to me. I turn to find Maria peacefully sleeping, her body curled against mine. I feel pillows at my feet and can’t help but smile.

I wasn’t leaving the night before, so I made myself comfortable and laid down to wait for her to come out of the bathroom, and I must’ve fallen asleep. I wish I would’ve seen her expression when she came out to find me. Once I’m asleep it takes a marching band with multiple drum sets to wake me back up. I’m sure she tried. It appears she built a wall of pillows between us judging by the pillows scattered around the bed. It also seems that didn’t work out too well for her since she’s currently curled around me.

I don’t mind waking like this one little bit. We’ve got to finish talking. I was in no way flirting with my ex last night. I am, however, aware that people’s eyes are always on me, and I’m not willing to be a jerk to a woman at a public event. That’s why I wanted Maria at my side so Sabrina wouldn’t have a chance to corner me. I’m not sure how it all went so wrong.

Maria shifts, turning away from me, and I frown. I like having her in my arms. I decide to get up and use the bathroom. When I see my image in the mirror I realize I look like crap. I don’t normally drink as much as I did the night before, but once Maria turned to ice, I found myself needing an extra drink or five.

I care about what this woman thinks about me. It’s such a strange feeling since it’s been a very long time since I’ve cared. It’s not that I don’t want the women I’m with to be happy. I just don’t play games, and when they get icy or pouty I turn around and leave. It appears this isn’t the case when it comes to Maria. I come back to the bedroom and carefully climb back into the bed, sitting up against the backboard. I want to see her the moment she wakes up.

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