Chapter 3
Julia was lying on the bed. She''d said she wanted to sleep. Mason was sitting on the couch reading a newspaper. The air seemed cleaner, as though after a storm, and Julia was glad Mason had let her in his heart, if for a moment. Now they both felt quiet, serene and content together.
She couldn''t sleep.
She rolled and stirred and finally sat up.
"I was wondering," Mason commented. "It''s only eight o''clock."
"I know."
Julia was not sure how to put it or what exactly she wanted to say, but she felt it rather clearly.
"Mason," she called.
"Julia?"
"I know how much it hurts, what''s happening with your parents," she said earnestly. "But when you''re not a child any more--"
Mason laughed bitterly. "I--"
"Let me finish, please."
He nodded.
"I mean when you - when a man has his own family, he has his wife and - kids--"
She sighed. She did not know how to put it, not to sound like she wanted a commitment (which, by the way, she did want very much).
"--or - just a woman," she went on desperately.
"Yes, Julia?"
"To love him."
Mason got up. He turned to the window - rain pouring down the window glass and panes.
Where was Counsellor Wainwright, the storm of the courtroom, ever so apt with her wording? She was hurting for him, and opening up to him. Was he worth it?
Julia needed to hear something in return, didn''t she, but it was to be true, and what could he tell her?
The truth, he thought.
He turned to her.
"Thank you Julia. It - makes the difference."
Her face lit up. Mason went on, "It''s very - very important for me, and it''s been for a long time now. I really don''t know how I''d live without it."
He turned to the window again. Had he said too much? And still not enough?
He heard Julia lie down, and he pressed his forehead to the cold glass.
"Mason?" she called softly.
"Yes?"
"Do you mind...?"
He turned. "What?"
"Will you come here and hold me?"
He smiled.
"Please."
"Are you sure you can stand it?" he teased. "You refused--"
"Mason!"
Quietly, he undressed and lay next to her.
"Hold me - please," she asked him, turning her back to him. In a moment his body wrapped hers, and Julia felt secure and happy.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"SURREALLY good manners," Mason muttered into her hair.
Chapter 4
Mason and Julia slept like husband and wife. In the morning, Julia was the first to open her eyes. She lay quiet, lest she''d wake him up, enjoying the weight of his hand on her hip. It was a proprietor''s gesture, and such a feminist as Julia could enjoy it only secretly.
The more she thought of the hand on her hip, the more she liked the idea. She thought of the situation more globally: of his hands elsewhere on her body, and then of more than a hand on her hip. Gradually her pulse quickened. It was rather a long time since they''d been together last. Feverishly, Julia recalled what Bill Merrick said: she was not to have sex. She sighed.
Mason rubbed his nose against Julia''s back, tenderly, and her body arched.
"Julia," he murmured sleepily.
"I can''t," she said apologetically.
"What?"
"Have sex. I hope you don''t think I don''t want to? I want you, I do!"
"I do, too," he said, hastily drawing back. "I understand. Don''t worry."
Julia turned to him. "But Mason--"
"It''s okay. Really."
She sat up. She looked so unhappy Mason couldn''t help chuckling.
"Look, I''m sorry--"
"Julia," he said. "We''re adults. We''ve shared so much, and we trust each other. We can share this - restriction, can''t we?"
Her eyes grew big with surprise. She had never thought this cynical, sexy and - usually selfish man could see it this way.
Mason chuckled again. "Julia," he said. "You shouldn''t look at me like this. What you said and what you''re doing--"
"Come here," Julia demanded softly. "I guess you are right, we''re adults, and we CAN find a way to deal with this - restriction."
He stopped laughing. "Are you serious?"
"Now, it''s no laughing matter, is it?" Julia teased and pulled him by the hand.
*
Mason took a shower, and so did Julia. They breakfasted quietly, and Julia found Mason looked relaxed. Maybe having lifted his defense shield, even a tiny bit, he felt better. She hoped so.
"Julia, you''re not eating anything."
"I am," she argued.
"Hardly. Are you sick?"
She listened to her body. "No," she said, surprised.
"Can it be my presence that helps you?" Mason supposed.
"It can," she agreed, and was happy to see his smile.
"Then you should spend every night like this, - and, of course, every morning, in the very same fashion. I did not know, Ms Wainwright, that you can be - shall I say inventive, or lascivious--"
Mason expected to hear her favorite retort, consisting in pronouncing his name in her own special manner, but Julia only blushed and hid her face. He loved this trait in her.
"And if I needed to be lured out of Santa Barbara to learn this, I am glad," he added with a grin.
Julia met his gaze. "We don''t need to be away from home, you know."
"Of course we do not," he said. "Now I''m thinking hard in what way I can surprise YOU, and--"
"Mason!!"
Here it was, unmistakable. Mason laughed light-heartedly. It was unbelievable, how good he felt with this woman who was pregnant by him.
Chapter 5
Back in Santa Barbara, the life did not seem as bright. Mason did not try to bring up the question of Julia''s moving up with him, again; he thought gentleness was the best tactics he could use with her.
Two days after they''d come back, CC phoned Mason. He wanted to see him in his mansion as soon as possible, and Mason did not like his voice. He promised to drop in after the business conference was over.
Driving to Montecito, Mason was thinking of his parents. What CC wanted to discuss was sure to be something about the issues Pamela had raised - not without her firstborn''s help. Maybe CC hoped to get Mason back to his side; but then he should have sounded a little less dictatorial. However, the great CC Capwell seldom asked, eh? He gave orders.
"I''m here, Dad," Mason said from the threshold. He did not want to lose his time - or his balance.
"Hello Mason," said CC raising his chin haughtily, in his usual manner.
"You wanted to see me," Mason reminded him. He stayed by the door.
"Yes. Just wanted to know what you mean, plotting against me and still using my jet."
"When it''s Eden, or Kelly, or Ted who uses it it''s the family jet, and when it''s me it''s suddenly yours."
"What do YOU have to do with this family? It seems you''ve shown quite clearly where your loyalties lie."
"Ok; is this why you called me? I won''t use your jet any more. Somehow I''ve missed the moment when I was disowned again. Must be getting quite habitual, if I fail even to notice things like this."
At that, Mason turned to the door.
"I''m not finished with you yet," the father''s voice boomed.
Mason turned back to him, his face displaying fatigue. "What else, Dad? Should I not be dining at Eden''s restaurant? Just name it."
"You took the jet to spend a night with a woman."
Up to now, the fight was familiar, old and stale, though it still hurt, it did every time. But now...
"No," Mason said slowly. "I took it to meet a client. In Eureka, as you must know from your spies already."
"You have no client in Eureka."
"The firm does. Is it any business of yours?"
"You took the jet, spent the night in a hotel sharing the room with that woman, and flew back in the morning."
"Right. The client''s plans changed. Now, if you''re finished with this ridiculous--"
CC''s eyes flashed. "I''m just starting, Mason. What do you think you''re doing-"
"I''ve said I won''t ever again come close to your precious jet plane. And don''t YOU come close to my life, professional or personal, Dad."
Mason''s eyes were flashing in the same fashion. Like father, like son.
"So you shared the room with Julia Wainwright," CC stated.
Mason never ceased getting surprised at CC''s wish to interfere - and destroy.
"I did," he said with dignity.
"Sharing the bed."
"What do you care, dad."
"Why did you need to get away for carrying out this - affair, I wonder."
"We did not, and it''s no affair."
CC''s spies, or CC himself - were they as short-sighted as that?
"So it''s no affair, and you''re not sleeping with Julia Wainwright?"
"If I am, Dad, what business is this of yours?" Mason raised his voice. "I''m a big boy, and a widower, in case you forgot. Are YOU going to pick women for me now? And why do you suddenly care?"
CC seemed furious - probably just because there was something he could not control. "Do you know Ms Wainwright is pregnant?" he said.
Mason had to concentrate now: he''d almost given a start at this. Damn you, Dad.
"I do."
"Do you care to know who the father is?"
"I know."
"Oh really?"
"Yes, dad. The baby happens to be mine."
CC looked startled, for a moment. "Your baby? You mean you''ve been carrying it out long enough--"
"And you thought Julia to be a gold-digger?" Mason said with contempt. "Oh Dad. Not everyone is like you - which is a great relief."
"Your baby," CC echoed, still in a shock.
"Your second grandson or granddaughter," Mason rephrased.
"My--" CC regained control. "How long has it been going on?"
"Julia''s been my intimate friend long enough, and - I don''t see why I must tell you more."
"You impregnate a woman and call her a friend; isn''t it nice."
Mason was starting to lose his patience. "Look," he said. "Julia and I are adults. I don''t run asking Daddy for advice."
"So you''re planning to walk out on her and my grandchild," CC said gloomily.
The quickness with which his father would believe the worst about him always made Mason feel somewhat helpless.
"I am not, and this is not because it''s your grandchild, Dad," he said. "It''s my baby. My flesh and blood. My own baby. Of course you''ve no idea what I am talking about, dad, you''re devoid of any paternal instinct. I''ll never walk out on my baby, and Julia''ll make a wonderful mother, she''s wonderful with Matt."
"So the woman''s quick to pick both Mary''s husband and Mary''s baby," CC muttered under his breath.
Mason grew pale. This was too much, really. "Unlike you, dad, I''ve never been unfaithful to my wife," he said, every word ringing with cold fury. "Mary died, and though you wanted to bury me with her, I survived it, dad; I survived. I never drove my wife away, never took our son away from his mother the way you did. I know you hated Pamela; I loved Mary. I know you hate me, dad; and I love Matthew, I love my first-born. I know you''d do anything to keep me low and miserable and unhappy, but Mary gave me the heart to live my own life. And I''m going to do this, to try my chance with Julia, and you - you can go to hell, dad."
At this Mason walked out. He would have slammed the door if that had been possible - but it was too heavy.
to be continued
Olga Lisenkova
