City of Sin (20 page)

Bee

"You look different," Kendra said as I sat down in
her cubicle to eat lunch with her.

"I don't know what you mean by that." I unwrapped
the granola bar I had bought from the vending machine and avoided her gaze. I
had been distracted all morning. The more time that passed, the more it seemed
like Mason was a dream.

"You look all happy."

"I think I look normal."

"Not to burst your bubble, Bee, but you usually don't
look this happy at work."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I had a good weekend."

"Oh my God, you had sex with him, didn't you?"

"Kendra, can you please keep your voice down?"

"You did. Bee!" She put her hand on my arm.
"Give me all the details. Was he big? God, I bet he was big. Where did you
do it? Please tell me you got to see where he lives. I've always wanted to stay
at Trump International."

"Why do you know where he lives?"

"Oh." Kendra laughed. "Just a guess." She
took a huge bite of her sandwich.

"Did you look him up?"

"Eh. Marie told me that you went to the Silver Gala this
weekend. And I knew Mason was rich, but I didn't know he was
that
rich."

"That doesn't really answer my question."

"Fine, okay? I did some very light snooping. It's not a
big deal." She smiled at me and shifted in her seat slightly. "Do you
want to know what I found out?"

"No."
Yes?

"Are you sure?"

"What, is it weird? It's probably weird, right?"

She laughed. "No."

I bit my lip. "Okay, tell me."

"First tell me how good he was in bed."

I shoved the rest of the granola bar into my mouth.

"So good you can't even talk about it? I'm so
jealous."

"I think my body is addicted to him."

"And your head?"

"My head is wondering why he's with me if he's that good
at sex. He could have any girl that he wanted. Why me?"

"Because you're Kick Ass Bee."

"Seriously, Kendra."

"Why are you always so hard on yourself. You're fucking
gorgeous. And you're broke. Guys like the whole damsel in distress thing. He
probably thinks he's saving you. Maybe he has some weird complex or
something."

"Is that what you found out when you were stalking
him?"

"No. But did you know that his parents are billionaires?
Not just rich, Bee. Freaking billionaires. Him and his brother are going to
inherit so much money."

"I know he's wealthy."

"And he graduated from Harvard with honors."

"I know he went to Harvard."

"Okay, fine. So you know all that stuff. But did you
know that he hasn't had a girlfriend since high school?"

"How could you possibly know that?"

"Deep, deep Facebook stalking."

"And you said I don't have a life? Is that what you were
doing all weekend?"

"I was looking out for you."

"I know." I bit the inside of my lip. "He told
me on our first date that he didn't do the whole relationship thing."

"You never told me that."

"I didn't think I was ever going to see him again."

"And what about now? Are you okay with that
now
?"

"I don't know. I mean, he's not acting like he wants to
stop seeing me. He's picking me up after work."

"Is he seeing anyone else?"

"I don't think so." He had said he hadn't been to
any of those clubs since he had met me. But that didn't meant he wasn't dating
anyone else. Or that we were in fact dating. He had said he wasn't going to
share me.
That I was his.
"I think that maybe he's changed."

"Overnight? I don't think so, Bee. He's a playboy."

"A playboy? I don't think he's actually like that. He's
a really nice guy."

"You should Google image search him. He's with a
different woman in every picture. I think you need to be realistic about what
you're getting yourself into."

"I'm really just trying to enjoy the present for
once."

"So you really don't care at all that you're just one of
many?"

It didn't feel that way when I was with him. When we were
together it seemed like he couldn't get enough of me.
He only wants me,
right?

"He's a rich, intelligent bachelor with commitment
issues. Just be careful, okay?"

A pit in my stomach was forming. Mason had said that I was
his. But he had never said that he was mine.

Mason

I pulled my phone out and looked at it under the table. I had
gotten into a routine the past two weeks. In the morning, I woke up and fucked
Bee. I went to work all day and tried not to think about her. And then I came
home at night and fucked her again. It had been the best two weeks of my life.
She had somehow transported me back to high school where I had no control over
my erections. And my dick knew it was time. But instead of being with her, I
was at a bar with James and his little brother. That would normally be fun, but
tonight I just wanted to fuck Bee and then curl up on the couch with her and
watch whatever was on T.V.

My cell phone screen was blank. She still hadn't texted me.
Who worked this late on a Friday night? I slid my phone back into my pocket.

"Dude, you've got it bad." James' little brother,
Rob, was visiting from out of town. And he had a tendency to tell it like it
was. He had liked pushing my buttons ever since we were kids. But now that we
were adults, I couldn't just beat him up whenever he pissed me off.

I laughed. "Yeah, right." I took a sip of my beer
and looked away from him.

"Please don't tell me you're going to turn into my
brother," Rob said.

"Penny's hot, but she's a little young for me."

James cleared his throat. "Have either of you been
following the government shutdown? It really seems like it's going to happen.
Without the FCC..."

"No one wants to talk about that," Rob said.
"Stop being boring. Back to you." He pointed at me. "This girl
has got a hold on you."

"No she doesn't. Give me a break."

"You haven't stopped looking at your phone since you've
gotten here."

"Hey!" Matt said and clapped Rob on the back.
"It's been forever, man." He sat down next to me and pulled off his
jacket. "What did I miss?"

"We were just talking about how Mason is whipped,"
Rob said.

Matt laughed.

"You're just jealous that I'm getting laid every
night," I said.

"I'm fucking rich and I live in a college town,"
Rob said. "Plus, have you seen me? I get laid all the time." He took
a sip of his beer.

I laughed. "Living there was a brilliant idea. I can't
even argue with your logic. Do you ever miss it, James?"

"No. I was a professor. I wasn't going out partying,
screwing students."

"Just the one student?"

"Yup, just Penny. How many times are you guys going to
ask me that?"

"I just don't get it," Matt said. "If you
didn't care about keeping your job, you should have nailed as many girls as you
could. College girls? Fuck. You really let the ball drop."

"You guys have seen Penny," Rob said. "I get
it. I mean...damn."

James laughed. "Yeah, I got the best girl there. Rob can
have all my leftovers. Penny is all I need."

Rob frowned. "They're not leftover if you never tapped
them."

James shrugged. "I'm going to go get another drink.
Anyone else want another beer?"

"No, I'm good," I said. "I can't stay that
much longer anyway."

James laughed. "It's too late, Rob. He's already like
me."

"Mason, I just got here," Matt said. "Come on,
you have to be my wingman. There is a blonde at 9 o'clock that I have to
nail."

"I told Bee I'd pick her up once she's done with work."

"Wow, you really are whipped." Matt made the sound
of a whip cracking to emphasize his point.

"See!" Rob said. "And he keeps checking his
phone. He's like a teenage girl in love."

"I'm just checking the score of the Knicks game," I
said. But I wasn't. I wanted Bee to text me. I had been thinking about her all
day.

"Every screen in this bar has the Knicks game on,"
Rob said. "Seriously, what is wrong with you?"

"He's in love," James said and sat down.

"I'm not in love. And what do you even know about it?
You're divorced and dating a girl that's barely legal."

"Just because you're in denial doesn't mean you have to
be a dick."

"Fine. You're in love. Great. I'm not."

"Yeah you are," Matt said. "You haven't
stopped talking about Bee ever since you met her. You're completely infatuated.
Rob's right. You're acting like a high school girl with a crush."

"Jesus, why not a high school boy with a crush? You're
all crazy." I took a sip of my beer. I wasn't going to turn into some
whipped dick. I just needed to stop thinking about Bee for two seconds.

"Oh," James said. "Speaking of Bee, I need her
number."

"I thought you already got the girl you wanted from the
University of New Castle?"

"Yeah, I did. It's not for me. Penny wants it."

"I don't think them hanging out is a good idea."

"Why?"

I shrugged. "Why does Penny even want to?"

"Because her only other friend from Delaware that's here
is a guy. And I'd rather her hang out with your new girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend. And it's going to be weird if
they're friends if we stop seeing each other."

"
If?
There you go. Point made," James said.

"That doesn't mean anything."

"You said if, not when."

"I think it's great, Mason. You don't have to act so
defensive."

"I don't," Rob said. "I think it's
terrible."

Matt laughed. "I'm just happy she's a poor secretary.
Because Mom and Dad are going to be pissed. Not that they aren't already pissed
at you."

"She's not going to meet them," I said. "We're
just fucking."

"Whatever you say," James said. "I still need
her number."

"Yeah, I'm not giving you her number. Tell Penny I'm
sorry."

"What is she doing tonight anyway?" Matt asked.

"Studying," James said.

"Has she gotten close to any of her new
professors?"

James frowned. "No."

Rob laughed. "I don't know why, but Penny is completely
obsessed with this guy." He put his hand on James' shoulder. "Trust
me, I've made tons of passes at her, and she always says no."

James pushed Rob's hand off his shoulder.

Matt laughed. "Maybe I should come visit you," he
said to Rob. "I feel like I'm the only one who hasn't been with a
marketing major from a party school. I must be missing out on something."

"Yes! You should wait till the spring, though. When the
skirts come back out. Right now it's all North Face jackets and Uggs."

"Sold."

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I quickly pulled it out and
slid my finger across the screen. Bee had finally texted me: "Are you sure
you don't want to just meet up tomorrow? I'm so sorry this is taking so
long."

I didn't want to wait to see her until tomorrow. I wanted her
now. And I refused to let her go back to that dingy little apartment. She
didn't belong there. She belonged with me.

"Did she finally text you?" Rob asked.

"I told you, I was just checking the score."

Matt whistled. "Whipped."

I grabbed my coat and stood up. "Whatever. Fuck you
guys. I'm gonna go get laid."

James laughed. "Yeah, I'm gonna get going too. The joys
of not being single."

Rob groaned. "Lame. I'll be your wingman, Matt. Come
on."

"Sounds good to me," Matt said. "Have fun with
your girlfriends."

I didn't bother protesting. It didn't matter what they said.
I knew it wasn't true. The wind hit me hard on the way out the bar. I was
slightly buzzed and overheated inside, but there had to be a wind chill of
below zero out here. "Shit it's cold," I said and buttoned up my
jacket.

"Let me give you a ride," James said. His car was
already waiting for him outside and the driver had just opened his door.

"No, it's fine. I'm just going to take a taxi."

"Her office is on my way. Come on."

"I thought you were going home?" I asked.

"I need to make a stop first."

I shrugged. There weren't any taxis driving by at the moment
and it was too cold to stand on the curb waiting. "Yeah, that'll be
great." I walked around the side of the car and got in. I used to have a
driver. I used to have a lot of things. "So, where are you going?"

"I'm going to go see my parents."

"Are they still refusing to meet Penny?"

James sighed. "I don't even know why she wants to meet
them. But I want to give her what she wants. And the fact that I can't is
driving me crazy."

"They'll come around."

"Like your parents?"

"My dad will get over it," I said.

"How is the new venture going?"

"Okay. Slower than I wanted."

"I know you always say no, but if you just need some
seed money..."

"Thanks, but no thanks." I didn't want his
handouts. He had more money than he knew what to do with. And I was going to
get there too. Without anyone's help. "I'm more just waiting for the right
account. It needs to be something big if I'm going to quit my job." But it
wasn't just the account. I was used to living a certain way. And the money I
had from my parents was running out. Just thinking about it made me feel like I
was drowning. I didn't want to have to crawl back to my parents. Time was
running out and all I was doing recently was hanging out with Bee.
What is
wrong with me?

"Remember that time you convinced that kid at camp that
chocolate was poisonous and he threw it all out?"

I laughed. "Yeah. We got to have s'mores every night for
the rest of camp."

"You can convince anyone to do anything. You've got
this."

"Yeah." But my mind wasn't on my business. It was
on Bee. I was starting to think I wanted her more than I wanted to start my own
company.

James pulled an envelope out of his coat pocket.
"Here."

"I don't want your money."

"It's not a check."

I took the envelope and opened it up. It was a list of companies
with contact info for their C.E.O.'s or lead marketing executives. I looked up
at him.

"Some companies I work with that could use fresh ad
ideas," James said.

"I can't..."

"Honestly, it would help me too. I own stake in some of
them. Use me as a reference when you call them."

For some reason this handout didn't make me feel like shit.
He was doing it because he knew I could help. And we had been friends our whole
lives. This was better than a check. With one big client, I wouldn't need my
side business anymore. I already felt less stressed.

"Thanks, man."

"You're doing me the favor." He smiled and looked
out the window of the car.

I wasn't really. But I was glad he was making me feel that
way. "I'm glad you're back."

James laughed. "Don't get all sentimental on me."

"Seriously. The city wasn't the same without you."
James and I had lost touch after college. He had gotten married to that bitchy
ex-wife of his and completely cut me out. Or maybe I just hadn't tried hard
enough to stay friends. James had been different when he was with Isabella.
Like he was in some weird trance. Maybe he had just been depressed. If I had
known more maybe I would have tried to help him. I had heard rumors about him
falling off the wagon. But those were just rumors. Besides, now that he had
found Penny, it was like we were kids again. He was back to his old self. And I
liked Penny. She could hang out with all of us and hold her own. And she was
the best at bringing out James' fun side. Mr. and Mrs. Hunter were the ones missing
out, not Penny.

James shrugged. "I was always going to come back. I just
needed a break."

"Yeah. Look, I don't actually want Penny to be mad at
me. I'll text her Bee's number."

"I was hoping you'd say that. So, if you want to do a
double date..."

"Don't push it."

James laughed. "I told her I'd try."

"How did you know with Penny?"

"How did I know what?"

"That it was more than just sex? That you wanted
more?"

"I couldn't stop thinking about her. Even before we had
sex. She suddenly became all that mattered. It wasn't that I wanted more. I
needed more."

I looked out the window. Bee was sweet and innocent and
beautiful. And I was me. I wasn't the type of guy that a girl like Bee would
date. No one would ever get serious with me. But I could feel myself being
consumed by her. Wanting and needing seemed like a fine line. I couldn't cross
that. I wasn't even sure I knew how.

"I think Bee's great," James said.

"I know." I leaned my head back against the seat.
"She deserves someone a hell of a lot better than me. I don't even know
what the fuck I'm doing. I like my life. I like being single. Maybe Rob is
right. I'm losing my mind."

James laughed. "Trust me, Rob is rarely ever
right."

The car pulled to a stop outside of Bee's office building.

"Thanks for the ride. Tell Mr. and Mrs. Hunter I said
hi."

James laughed. "I will."

"And if they still don't want to meet Penny, tell them
to go fuck themselves."

"I might do that too."

I laughed and stepped out of the car.

"Mason?" said James.

I leaned down before closing the door. "Yeah?"

"I think until life gives you something right, it's hard
to realize how wrong you've been."

"I'm not you. And Bee isn't Penny."

"I know. You've got it easier than we did. You're not
going through a divorce and she's not your student. Just think about it."

"Yeah." I tapped the top of the car. "Have fun
at your parents'." I closed the door and walked up to Bee's office
building.
Until life gives you something right, it's hard to realize how
wrong you've been.
There was nothing wrong with my life. But Bee did make
it better. It had been a long time since I had something to look forward to.