All Time Love Read online

  Mason looked at her for a moment. Amelia thought he looked almost annoyed. Either way, he wasn’t her problem. She looked down at her books and cup of coffee on the ground. The top of the cup, was on the ground next it, the contents splashed all over her books. She sighed as she bent down to pick up her belongings.

  Mason, thinking the same thing as Amelia, bent down also to pick up her things, at exactly the same time.

  “OUCH!” They both cried in unison as their foreheads collided. Once again Amelia lost her balance and landed on her butt on the sidewalk. She looked up at Mason and just began to laugh. Mason began to laugh, too.

  “I live a block from here,” Mason said as once again, he helped Amelia up from the ground. “We could go there, you could clean up.”

  “There really is no need,” Amelia replied as she took her books from Mason, after he’d picked them up from the ground.

  “Well, at least let me buy you another coffee,” Mason suggested, giving Amelia his most dazzling smile.

  She thought for a moment before she smiled and nodded. “That would be lovely.”

  Mason led her towards the coffee shop on the corner, the same one she had just left a few minutes earlier.

  “You miss me already, Milly,” the young man behind the counter said brightly, when he looked up and saw Amelia walking back into the shop.

  “I had a bit of an accident,” Amelia said with a giggle, briefly glancing sideways at Mason.

  “Are you okay?” The guy asked with a look of genuine concern on his face.

  “I just hurt my pride, Jeremy,” she assured him and gave him a big smile. “And lost my coffee.”

  “Let me get you another one, on the house,” Jeremy said as he quickly grabbed a paper cup from the stack next to the register.

  “That isn’t necessary,” Mason, who had been watching quietly the interaction between the two until now, quickly interjected. “I will be buying the young lady her coffee. It is my fault she is without her first cup.”

  Jeremy looked at Amelia, and waited for her to confirm what this stranger had said. She nodded, confirming that he was buying her coffee.

  “Oh, cool,” he said and looked at Mason expectantly. “What can I get for you?”

  “Well I would like a cappuccino,” Mason replied, then turned to look at Amelia. “And for the lady?”

  “A latte please.” Amelia quickly replied, even though she knew Jeremy already knew what coffee she drank.

  “And a Latte for the young lady,” Mason repeated when he turned back to Jeremy.

  “Take away?” Jeremy asked looking from Mason to Amelia.

  “No, we will have them here,” Mason replied, then turned back to Amelia and added. “If that is okay with you?”

  “Here is fine,” she nodded and smiled.

  “Can we have two chocolate muffins too, please?” Mason added as he turned back to Jeremy.

  “Take a seat and I will bring it over to you,” Jeremy told them, then looking past Mason, he smiled at Amelia.

  Amelia followed Mason to a small table over beside the window. He stood and waited while she eased herself carefully into the big padded armchair, taking care not to sit down too suddenly on her sore backside.

  She watched as her coffee companion, whose name she didn’t know, took his seat across from her. Amelia had to admit, he really was attractive. His thick, wavy black hair, was cut short but long enough to have it swept back perfectly. His strong jaw had a light dusting of stubble, which ran up into a well maintained goatee.

  He was impeccably dressed, wearing a three piece black suit, single breasted and finished off with a white shirt and baby blue tie, which made his ice blue eyes stand out even more.

  “Are you sure you are alright?” Mason said once he was settled in his seat.

  “I am okay, honestly.” Amelia replied. “I’m sorry, I don’t know your name.”

  “I’m sorry, where are my manners?” He said, quickly sitting forward in his seat and offering her his hand. “Mason James.”

  “Amelia Wells,” she replied taking his hand.

  “Pleasure to meet you Amelia Wells,” Mason said in his velvet voice. Before Amelia could reply, Jeremy appeared, carrying their order, and she quickly pulled her hand from Mason’s.

  “Here you go, guys,” Jeremy chirped as he placed their coffees, along with the muffins, down in front of them. “A cappuccino for the gentleman and a latte for Milly.”

  “Thank you,” Amelia said smiling up at Jeremy.

  “So,” Mason said once they were alone again. “This is a nice place. I live just down the street but I have never been in here before.”

  “I come in here most days on my way home from work,” Amelia said as she brought her cup to her mouth and took a long sip. She looked up at Mason and he was watching her closely. She blushed as she fidgeted nervously in her seat. She swept a lock of her hair back from her face, catching it behind her ear.

  “Where is it you work?” Mason asked as he reached for one of the chocolate muffins. Taking one, he pushed the remaining one towards Amelia.

  “Thank you,” she said, taking it from the plate. “I work in a book store across the street. It’s not a huge shop, but I love working there.”

  “What kind of books do you sell?” Mason asked inquisitively.

  “All sorts really,” Amelia shrugged but then smiled. “I love to read, pretty much anything, but what I would really love to do is write myself.”

  “Really?” Mason asked in surprise. “Wow. Then why don’t you?”

  “Because…I don’t know?” Amelia sighed turning her attention to the chocolate muffin, as she began to pick at it nervously. “I have written something. I have written a lot of somethings but…”

  “But what?” Mason asked as Amelia looked up and their eyes met. “You don’t know until you try. It’s fun to try new things, Amelia.”

  “Maybe,” Amelia said taking a sip of her coffee trying to hide her discomfort. “What is it you do?”

  “I am a lawyer,” Mason replied as he sat back into his chair and crossed his legs.

  “Wow!” Amelia exclaimed. “Your parents must be very proud of you.”

  “I guess so,” he replied quickly.

  Leaning his elbow on the arm of the chair, he brought his long, elegant fingers to his lips, and rubbed his bottom lip slowly. He just stared at Amelia, neither of them saying a word.

  She felt her face blush as she squirmed in her seat, once again self-conscious under his gaze.

  Jeremy appeared once again beside their table.

  “Can I get you guys anything else?” He asked but he directed his question directly at Amelia.

  “No thank you,” Mason replied impatiently, much to Amelia’s surprise.

  “Milly?” Jeremy pushed.

  “I’m good, thanks, Jeremy,” Amelia replied with a smile, but she suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.

  “Just call me, if you need anything,” he said, giving Amelia a strange look. Then he turned and headed back behind the counter.

  “I don’t think your friend likes me very much,” Mason said when they were alone once again. “I don’t think he likes the competition.”

  “Jeremy is just my friend,” Amelia replied, feeling she needed to defend her friend.

  “He calls you Milly,” Mason said, and took another sip from his coffee. “Have you had sex with him?”

  “EXCUSE ME!” Amelia exclaimed almost choking on her coffee. She was completely stunned.

  “He seems to think you are his property to protect,” Mason replied his eyes holding hers.

  “He is just doing his job,” she snapped back angrily. “And my personal life is none of your business.”

  “I’m sorry,” he replied quickly. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”

  “Not that it’s any of your business,” Amelia said as she leaned forward in her chair and gathered her belongings together. “But Jeremy and I have been friends for a long time. He is the only
person, other than my mom that calls me Milly.”

  She stood up and picked up her books and her handbag.

  “Thank you for the coffee Mr. James,” Amelia said as Mason stood up also. “Have a lovely evening.”

  Before Mason could reply, Amelia headed towards the exit and hurried out into the warm, late afternoon sun.

  She was fuming as she walked the eight blocks to her apartment. She reached it in record time. She hurried up the front steps of her apartment building and let herself inside. She replayed the encounter with Mason James in her head over and over again.

  Did he actually ask her if she had sex with Jeremy? She was completely stunned.

  When she walked into her apartment, she sat her books down on the small table in the hallway and slipped off her jacket. She hung it up and walked down the hallway to her bedroom.

  Slipping off her trousers she walked to the full length mirror in her bedroom and turned slightly to look at her backside. There was a big bruise already there from where she made contact with the pavement.

  She walked into the bathroom and switched on the shower. While the water heated up, she stripped off the rest of her clothes.

  She climbed under the hot water and let it wash away her day. As she stood in the shower, her mind replayed her encounter with Mason James once again.

  She thought of his question about Jeremy and she laughed out loud as she thought to herself. What a cheeky asshole!

  Not that it mattered now, Mason James was nothing to her and someone she would never meet again. Yes, he was sexy as hell, but he was out of her league.

  She pushed all thoughts of him from her mind and climbed out of the shower.

  Later that evening, as she was curled up in front of her TV eating pasta, her heart nearly stopped when Mason James appeared on her screen. It was a news report about some high profile court case. Amelia picked up the remote control and turned up the volume. She only half listened to the report as she watched the man she had coffee with earlier that day. He really was gorgeous.

  Better off out of it, she thought to herself. A man like that, would bring a boat load of trouble with him. She watched Mason as he walked from the court house. He was confident and self-assured, cocky even, but Amelia had to admit she found him intriguing.

  She picked up the remote control once again and switched off the TV. She was calling it a night. She headed to bed, climbed under the bed clothes and curled up with a book. The only place where the men are always perfect, she thought sadly.

  Chapter 3

  Mason pulled his BMW into the car park of the racquetball courts. He got out and grabbed his sports bag from the boot of the car. As the rain began to fall, he quickly hurried inside.

  FUCKING GREAT! He sighed to himself. He was in a crappy mood but he had no idea why. He also had no idea why he couldn’t get Amelia Wells out of his head.

  Since she stormed out of the coffee shop the previous day, she was all he could think about.

  The way her long, chestnut curls fell effortlessly over her shoulder, her hypnotic brown eyes, the way she moved, her glorious scent. Even the little heart shaped tattoo on the inside of her wrist made his cock twitch when he thought about it.

  Why the hell does this girl fill my mind? He thought miserably as he changed into his shorts and t-shirt in the locker room. She is not the right girl for me. I want someone to kneel before me and do whatever I say just to please me. She is not that kind of girl. She does not belong in my world.

  He threw his bag into the locker, slammed the door closed and grabbed his racket before he headed out to the court to wait for Andrew, trying hard to push all thoughts of Amelia out of his head.

  By the time Andrew arrived, Mason had already worked up quite a sweat.

  “Sorry I’m late,” Andrew said as he walked into the racquetball court and closed the glass door behind him. “Couldn’t get away from work.”

  “I thought you had chickened out,” Mason said as he continued to hit the small ball against the wall without missing a beat. “Because you know you will never beat me.”

  “We’ll see!” Andrew said with a laugh. He took his position next to Mason as he served the ball. Each taking their turn hitting the ball against the wall, moving around the court at full speed. After two hits each, Mason struck it with force and scored the first point and that’s how the game continued. Andrew chased down every ball but Mason was on fire. He didn’t miss a single shot.

  “What’s gotten into you today?” Andrew asked as he lost the third consecutive game. He dropped to the floor onto his back, his knees bent and his feet flat on the ground. “You have me exhausted.”

  Mason walked to the wall, and leaning against it, he slid down to the floor. “You are just getting too old to keep up with me.”

  “Please,” Andrew laughed, still gasping for air. “I am three months younger than you, asshole.”

  “Then it must be that sexy wife of yours, wearing you out,” Mason laughed.

  “Well, you could have that too,” Andrew replied as he lay on the ground staring up at the ceiling. “It’s not a bad life.”

  “It’s not a life for me,” Mason replied in his usual manner, but even as he said the word, Amelia Wells came crashing into his mind. He could picture her smile, the way her lips gently pressed against the cup as she sipped her coffee.

  WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH ME? He thought to himself.

  “MASON!” Andrew shouted at his friend.

  “What?” Mason said looking at him in surprise.

  “I was talking to you,” Andrew explained. “And you were miles away. Are you okay?”

  “Why wouldn’t I be okay?” Mason replied getting up from the floor. “I have just kicked your ass, haven’t I?”

  “I don’t know, you don’t seem yourself.” Andrew explained watching his friend. “Has something happened?”

  “Andrew, I think being a detective has made you overly suspicious,” Mason laughed but he knew Andrew saw right through him.

  “You’ve met someone,” Andrew said sitting up to get a clearer look at his friend.

  “I have done no such thing,” Mason protested but he knew Andrew was on to him. He sighed and looked down at his friend. “Fine, I did meet someone, but she and I could never work, besides she thinks I am a prick.”

  “How do you know it would never work?” Andrew asked and added with a laugh. “And why does she think you are a prick?”

  Mason rubbed his chin and sighed. He looked at Andrew, who was still sitting on the court floor looking up at him.

  “Yesterday I bumped into this girl, literally,” Mason began and he went on to tell Andrew of his encounter with Amelia. From the moment they collided until she walked out on him and left him sitting in the coffee shop.

  “You actually asked her, if she had sex with him?” Andrew asked as he sat up. He was stunned. “Jesus Mason, talk about being blunt. You are lucky she didn’t slap you across the face. I know Lori would have.”

  “I don’t think Amelia is as fiery as Lori,” Mason replied. “And I don’t mean that in a bad way towards Lori.”

  “Amelia?” Andrew asked, raising his eyebrows and couldn’t help but smile. “So other than the fact that you acted like a dick, why else wouldn’t she and you work?”

  “Oh you know,” Mason shrugged. “She is a quiet, bookish type. Nothing like the women I usually date.”

  “You don’t date women, Mason,” Andrew said getting up from the floor. “You fuck them.”

  “Exactly,” Mason laughed. “And I don’t see Ms. Wells bending over and saying, ‘yes sir’.”

  “I really don’t want to know what you get up to in your bedroom, dude” Andrew said as he picked up his water bottle from the floor. “You know you could try to, oh I don’t know, actually date this girl.”

  “Yeah,” Mason laughed loudly. “That’s not going to happen. I told you, that life is not for me.” But he couldn’t help but wonder, could the quiet, unassuming Ms. Wells, b
e the one he changed that for?

  “Oh my God,” Andrew said and laughed out loud.

  “What?” Mason asked, having no idea what was wrong.

  “You like her,” Andrew replied with a big grin.

  “Oh for Christ sake,” Mason rolled his eyes. “You sound like a fucking chick.”

  “Fine!” Andrew said as he walked over and picked his racket up from the floor of the court. “But you could do worse than try something new. You never know, you might actually like it.”

  “On that note,” Mason sighed deeply, as he too picked up his racket. “I better get back to the office.”

  The two men headed back to the locker room and got ready to head back to work.

  “You’re still coming to the baby shower in two weeks, right?” Andrew asked as he stood in front of the mirror putting gel in his hair.

  “Christ, do I really have to?” Mason groaned.

  “Yes, you do,” Andrew replied, giving Mason a look that told him he meant it. “You are the baby’s Godfather, you should be there. Besides, Mom will be there and she was saying she was looking forward to seeing you. She said she hasn’t seen you in over three months.”

  “Has it really been that long?” Mason asked feeling guilty. “Fine! I will be there.”

  “Maybe you could bring Amelia?” Andrew said, unable to resist.

  “You’re fucking hilarious, you know that,” Mason replied, and threw a towel at his friend.

  Mason pulled into the underground car park of his office and switched off his engine. He was still in a horrible mood. He had been sure that beating Andrew at racquetball would have lifted his spirits but it hadn’t.

  He got out from the car and walked slowly toward the elevator to take him up to his office. When he reached it he pressed the button and waited for the elevator to arrive. When the doors slid open, Mason just stood there without moving and watched as the door closed again.

  He turned and walked towards the door which led out on to the street. He was still feeling restless so he decided that a walk might help clear his head. He walked until he reached the coffee shop he and Amelia had been in the day before. There was no sign of her friend behind the counter. Instead a pretty little blonde came up to take his order. As she did, she smiled, batted her eyelashes and flirted unashamedly with Mason. She was pretty in an obvious way, and normally Mason would have happily welcomed the flirting. He might have even considered taking her back to her place and fucking her brains out.