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  “Why?” He said, as he considered what his response should be. Why? Because I find you fascinating. Why? Because you have consumed my every waking thought since I met you. Why? Because I want to bring you to your knees before me and make you my property. He knew he could give her none of these reasons so he went for something a little less intimidating. “I would like to get to know you better.”

  “There is nothing much to know,” Amelia said, dropping her eyes to the ground. “Nothing that would interest you.”

  “I would like to be the judge of that, Ms. Wells,” Mason said taking two steps closer to her.

  “My name is Amelia,” Amelia said looking at him.

  “Amelia,” he said, her name rolling off his tongue. He was so close he could smell her sweet perfume. “A beautiful name for a beautiful woman.”

  Amelia could feel her face flame with embarrassment.

  The front door buzzer sounded again and Amelia jumped with fright.

  “That will be my pizza,” she said looking up into Mason’s face. “I should answer it.”

  She turned and walked towards the front door and buzzed the delivery man in with her pizza.

  She turned and looked back at Mason who was standing at the living room door.

  He watched her standing there nervously, unsure of what she should do.

  “If you would like to pass on going to dinner,” Mason said walking toward her. “I could go get a bottle of wine, and, with your permission, I could join you for some pizza.”

  “You are welcome to stay for pizza if that’s what you want,” Amelia replied as there was a knock on her door. Without missing a beat, Mason walked to the door as Amelia opened it and without even looking, he pulled a note from his pocket and told the delivery guy to keep the change.

  “I was going to pay for that,” Amelia said sounding almost a little angry.

  “I don’t doubt that, Ms… Amelia,” Mason replied with a smile. “But if I am going to hijack your evening, I should at least pay my way. Now I will go get the wine. I won’t be long.”

  Mason hurried out the door before Amelia could argue with him any further.

  As he walked to the liquor store, he couldn’t help but smile to himself. He had no idea why he was so determined to get to know this girl, but the more she resisted him, the more he wanted her. Now it was his mission.

  When he got back to her apartment, he reached up and pressed her buzzer.

  “Hello,” Amelia’s angelic voice came through the small speaker on the wall.

  “It’s just me,” Mason replied and smiled knowing she knew it would be him, but she was proving a point.

  “Who?” She replied and Mason laughed. Ms. Wells had spirit. He liked that a lot.

  “It’s Mason James,” he replied into the intercom, trying hard not to laugh.

  “Come on up,” she replied and he could hear the amusement in her voice.

  When Mason got to her apartment, her door was ajar. He knocked lightly before he walked inside.

  “Make yourself at home,” she called from a room down the hallway. “I will be with you shortly.”

  Mason walked into the living room and made his way through to the small kitchenette that was just off the main living area.

  He opened a couple of kitchen cupboards on the wall until he found two wine glasses and set them down onto the counter. They weren’t the crystal goblets he was used to, but they would do. He spotted a bottle opener hanging from a hook beneath the overhead cupboards. He took it down and opened the wine, leaving it to breathe for a few minutes.

  “Sorry for keeping you,” Amelia said from behind Mason. He turned and found she had changed her clothes. She was now wearing a white, knee length summer dress that showed off her slight frame beautifully. She had caught her hair up in soft curls at the back of her head. She was stunning.

  “You look very beautiful, Amelia,” Mason said honestly.

  “Thank you,” she replied with a shy smile. Mason could feel his cock twitch. He wanted to take her then and there. She was so clueless of the effect she had on him, no doubt to the effect she had on any man.

  He pushed his desires back down inside. He needed to be sure she felt the same, or at least that she would be open to the idea.

  “Some wine?” He asked as he reached for the wine and one of the glasses. He poured a glass and held it out to Amelia.

  “Thank you,” she replied, taking the proffered glass and bringing to her perfect lips. As she pulled the glass away, she ran her tongue absentmindedly across her lip, catching a tiny droplet of wine that splash onto it.

  JESUS CHRIST! Mason sighed internally.

  “Do you want some pizza?” Amelia asked as she set her glass down on the counter and walked past Mason into the kitchen.

  “I would love some,” he replied shifting position to allow room for his growing erection.

  This girl will be the death of me, he thought to himself as he tried to reign in his desires for now.

  She reached up, took two plates from her cupboard and led Mason back into her living room. She sat on the sofa and pulled her legs up under her.

  “You forgot your wine,” Mason said as he set her glass on the coffee table in front of her.

  “Thank you,” Amelia said as she reached over and took a slice of pizza.

  “So, how long have you lived here?” Mason asked trying to steer the conversation to somewhere safe.

  “I have lived here a couple of years now,” Amelia said when she swallowed the pizza she was eating. “I moved here after I finished college.”

  “Where did you grow up?” Mason asked.

  “I grew up in Hartford,” Amelia replied and Mason could see her starting to finally relax a little. “My Mom and Dad still live up there.”

  “What do your parents do?” Mason asked, he was on a roll now.

  “They run a small bar and family restaurant,” Amelia said. “It is a nice cosy little place. Quite a popular spot. My mom is famous for some of her dishes. Well, famous in Hartford.”

  “Sounds great,” Mason said as he took a long sip of his wine. “So, the boy from the coffee shop, how do you know him?”

  What the hell was that? Mason groaned to himself. You were having a nice conversation, she was starting to relax and you put your big foot in it. You idiot!

  “Jeremy grew up next door to me,” Amelia said and Mason could see her pulling back a little. “He is like my brother. He watches out for me.”

  “So is there a boyfriend?” Mason asked unable to resist the question, but he needed to know. It was hard to believe someone as flawless as Amelia didn’t have a queue of men waiting for their shot with her.

  “No,” Amelia said and turned her attention back to her pizza.

  “Why does that question make you uncomfortable?” Mason asked, his interest peaked.

  “It doesn’t,” she lied.

  “Are you a virgin?” He asked, watching her closely.

  “I don’t think that is any of your business!” Amelia snapped as she stood up and brought her plate back to the kitchen.

  “Amelia, I’m sorry if I upset you,” Mason said following her to the kitchen.

  “It’s fine,” she replied but refused to make eye contact with him.

  “I can’t seem to get this right, can I?” He said feeling guilty that he had upset her.

  “I’m not a virgin,” she replied in a small voice looking up into Mason’s eyes. “My final year in high school, there was this boy. Chase Simmons. I liked him but he was a popular kid and I…well I was just me. He asked me out, I was shocked but of course I said yes. He took me to a party, and got me drunk, I didn’t know he was spiking my drink.”

  “Amelia, you don’t have to tell me this,” Mason said feeling sorry for this delicate flower standing before him.

  “It’s okay, I want to,” she replied determinedly. “We had sex, well he had sex with me, I was barely conscious. Turns out it was done for a bet.”

  Mason
was surprised to see tears dancing in her eyes.

  “So I don’t have boyfriends,” Amelia continued. “Jeremy is just my friend.”

  “I am sorry for upsetting you,” Mason said feeling like the biggest asshole in the world. He knew then that this girl was not right for him. He would destroy her and he cared for her too much to do that. “I should go.”

  “Yeah,” was all Amelia said and nodded her head.

  “I am sorry for being a giant sized asshole,” Mason said, feeling like he owed this girl an apology at the very least. He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead, before he turned and walked towards the door of her apartment. When he reached the living room door he turned back and looked at Amelia. “Take care of yourself, Amelia.”

  She just smiled.

  Without either of them saying another word, he turned and walked out of her apartment.

  Chapter 6

  “MOM!” Amelia called as she walked in through the front door of her parent’s home. She threw her bag on the hall floor and slipped off her jacket. After a sleepless night, she got up early, packed an overnight bag and caught the train to Hartford. She felt sad and she wasn’t sure why but for some reason she wanted to see her mom and dad. “DAD!”

  “Milly, is that you?” Shannon Wells called from her kitchen. Moments later she appeared at the door, in the hallway. Her big welcoming smile instantly made Amelia feel happier. “Hey Sweetheart, we weren’t expecting you this weekend.”

  “I just thought I would surprise you guys,” Amelia replied as she embraced her mother. “Where’s Dad?”

  “He went into the restaurant early,” Shannon replied as she held her daughter at arm’s length and looked at her closely. “One of the pumps in the bar broke last night, so he has someone coming in to fix it.”

  “Oh, okay,” Amelia replied giving her Mom a small smile.

  “Are you okay, Sweetie?” Shannon asked and Amelia could hear the concern in her voice.

  “Yeah,” Amelia replied trying to sound happier than she felt.

  “Amelia Ellen Wells,” Shannon said, seeing straight through her daughter. “What’s happened?”

  “Nothing’s happened,” Amelia replied with a laugh. “I just wanted to come and see you guys.”

  “Is it a boy?” Shannon asked. “You and Jeremy haven’t fallen out have you?”

  “No Mom, it’s not a boy,” Amelia sighed. “And Jeremy is fine. Really, sometimes I think you still think I am sixteen.”

  “I’m sorry Sweetie,” Shannon said as she pulled her daughter into another embrace. “I just worry about you up there in that big city all by yourself.”

  “I like it there, Mom,” Amelia said as she looked up and gave her Mom a big genuine smile. “But it does feel nice to come home. I miss you and Dad.”

  “We miss you too, honey.” Shannon replied as she turned and walked back towards the kitchen, followed by her daughter. “I am making some pies for the restaurant tonight. Come on, you can be my official taster.”

  Amelia laughed. Her mom always said that whenever she was baking and Amelia was around. She sat on the high stool next to the counter and watched as her mother got back to baking.

  “So, what’s new with you?” Amelia’s mother asked, giving her the “I know something is up, now spill,” look that she always gave when she knew Amelia had something on her mind.

  “Nothing much,” Amelia said as she absentmindedly twirled her hair around her finger.

  “Oh,” Shannon said as she put down the spatula and stared at her daughter. “You sure there isn’t something on your mind you want to talk about.”

  “I’m okay,” Amelia said, but she knew she was not convincing her mother. Maybe her mother would have some wise words regarding her encounter with Mason James. “It’s just…”

  “Shannon,” Charlie Wells called from the hallway. “Is that Amelia’s bag in the hallway?”

  A couple of moments later, her dad appeared in the kitchen and his face lit up when he saw his daughter sitting at the counter.

  “Hey Monkey Face,” he said as he walked to his daughter and kissed her on the top of her head. “This is a great surprise.”

  “Hey Dad,” Amelia said, smiling up at her father warmly. Amelia and her parents had a very close relationship. There was nothing that she couldn’t talk to them about. Well almost nothing. Sitting there in the kitchen, she realised that what had happened with Mason was best kept to herself. There was nothing to tell anyway, they had a coffee, they shared a pizza, and that was it.

  “Did you get the pump fixed?” Shannon asked as Charlie walked around the counter to kiss his wife.

  “All fixed, Minnie Mouse,” Charlie replied before he kissed her again. Amelia smiled at this. She loved that even after twenty five years of marriage, her parents were still very much in love.

  Shannon and Charlie were high school sweethearts. They got married on the day of Shannon’s twenty first birthday. Charlie was a year older than his wife. He would always joke that he would never forget her birthday but could never remember when their anniversary was.

  Amelia loved how much her parents were in love. She wished she could find her Charlie. Someone who would love her unconditionally. First she needed to find someone who she felt she could let her walls down for.

  After the incident with Chase, she closed herself off. She guarded her heart like a rare stone, never letting anyone close enough to touch it.

  “So, did Jeremy drive you down?” Charlie asked turning his attention back to his daughter.

  “No, I got the train,” Amelia said and knew her father would be unhappy about this.

  “Amelia you know I don’t like you travelling alone,” he said with a deep sigh. “You should have called, I would have driven into the city to collect you.”

  “Dad, I am a grown up,” Amelia said as she rolled her eyes. “I wanted to surprise you guys. Besides, the train is perfectly safe.”

  “Well, sugar,” Charlie said walking back around the counter to his daughter. “You will always be my little girl.”

  He hugged his daughter tightly and Amelia smiled. This was exactly what she needed. She was glad she came home.

  “So what’s new with you?” He asked as he took the stool beside her. “How many boys are chasing you this week?”

  Amelia laughed, it was a question he had asked her ever since she could remember.

  “Oh so many, I lost count,” she laughed as she give her usual reply.

  “It is good to have you home kiddo,” Charlie said giving his daughter a big smile. “Even if it is just for the night.”

  “Actually, I am off until Wednesday,” Amelia replied. “I was hoping to stay a few days.”

  “You can stay as long as you want, Milly,” Shannon replied. “This is your home.”

  “Thanks, Mom,” Amelia said as she jumped up from the stool. “I better put my things up in my room.”

  She kissed her parents again and headed for the hallway, then up the stairs.

  Later that afternoon Amelia went to the restaurant with her parents. It has been a few months since she was last there and it felt good to be back in the place that held so many of her childhood memories.

  “Amelia Ellen Wells, as I live and breathe,” Jilly, their longest serving waitress, exclaimed when she saw Amelia walk in with her mom and dad. “Sweetie, you get prettier every time I see you. Tell me you have seen sense and come home for good, leaving that horrible city behind you.”

  “I am just visiting, Jilly,” Amelia laughed as she hugged the woman. Jilly was almost like an aunt to Amelia. She had known her all her life. “I thought I would come down here and help you guys out tonight.”

  “Well it is certainly good to see you, Amelia,” Jilly said holding her at arm’s length. “It has been far too long.”

  Amelia got a fresh apron from the storage room and put it on. She had helped out here since she was old enough and it was now second nature to her.

  Most of the regular
customers seemed genuinely happy to see her. They asked her about her life in a big city like New York. Amelia smiled and gave them the same rehearsed reply that she was so busy but was loving every minute. When they asked about a boyfriend, she told them she was too busy having fun to think about boyfriends.

  She loved being back in Shenanigans, her mom and dad’s place, but she was glad when the night came to an end and they said goodnight to the last customer.

  “You did good tonight, kiddo,” Shay, the head chief said, when she slumped into a chair after they were finally finished cleaning up.

  “I forgot how hard this place can be,” Amelia said as she leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes.

  “Well you handled it like an old pro,” he laughed. “I think you are wasted up there in that fancy bookstore, you should come back and be with those that love you.”

  “She won’t be in that bookstore forever,” her father said from the doorway startling Amelia.

  “Oh,” Shay said looking at Charlie in confusion. “And why is that then?”

  “Because Shay,” Charlie said smiling at Amelia. “One day my baby girl is going to be a world famous author. Number one on the Times Best Sellers list and travelling the world to meet her millions of fans.”

  “Dad,” Amelia said with a broad smile as she stood up and walked over to him. She kissed him on the cheek. “There is only one fan that will ever matter to me, and that’s you.”

  “I know someday you are going to do it,” Charlie replied.

  “Well for now,” Amelia said as she linked her dad’s arm and leaned against him. “I will settle for a nice cosy bed. I am tired.”

  “Mom is just about finished out front, so we can head home soon,” Charlie said kissing her on the forehead.

  Twenty minutes later they were getting into the car and were heading for home.

  “It was great to have you back in the restaurant tonight,” Charlie said as he looked at Amelia in the rear view mirror of the car. “It makes me realise how much your mom and I, miss having you around.”

  Shannon looked over at her husband and gave him a sleepy smile.

  “I miss you guys, too,” Amelia replied as she stared out the window as they drove through the town she grew up in. She had so many good memories here and some really horrible ones too. She frowned as she remembered the night of the party with Chase Simmons. That was the night that changed Amelia’s life drastically. Even though it was six years ago, some aspects of what happened still hurt her, deeply.