Exquisite

Chapter Twenty Three

Lena walked into the cafeteria searching out her friend. She spotted her in the corner with a book on the table and her glasses perched on her nose. Making a beeline toward her she snagged a seat and sat down smiling when Shelly looked over at her munching on a piece of apple. "What?"

Lena's latest hobby was to drive Shelly insane with twenty questions about Paul, a lawyer she’d met around a month ago and had been seeing regularly since. As Lena told her, payback’s a bitch.

"Seriously? Why are you grinning at me like that?" she asked pushing her glasses up her nose. "It freaks me out. I'm still not use to or fond of 'happy Lena'."

Laughing, Lena smiled and reached over snagging a piece of apple for herself. "Oh shut it. You wanted me to get a man and get laid. I did and now you're complaining."

"Well excuse me if I didn't realize that achieving both of those things would turn you into a happy, grinning, annoyingly smug, pain in my ass."

Lena’s grin only got wider. "You only have yourself to blame. Now, how was the date last night? Sex or no sex?"

Shelly harrumphed and Lena knew that meant no sex. Biting down on the apple Lena sat back in her chair and said around the food in her mouth.

"Me." she said pointing to herself, "Sex. Great, hot dirty sex."

Shelly flipped her off. "Remember karma? Watch out she'll find you. She sure found me." Pausing Shelly reached out took the bottle of water off the table, undid it and took a drink. Placing it back down she looked over to Lena. "What kind of man wont sleep with you when you ask him too? It's been a little over a month for crying out loud."

"Maybe he thinks you're special and doesn't want to rush?"

Shelly tilted her head giving Lena a, really? kind of look. As though she was an idiot for even suggesting it.

"Well no need for that." she paused then continued at a louder pitch, "I know I'm special! I'm also sexually frustrated, think he knows that?"

Lena couldn't help it she burst out laughing. "Well I don't know about him but everyone in this cafeteria now knows."

Shelly glared over at her. Looking at the clock on the wall she grimaced and stood looking down at Lena. "Well you can sit here all smug with yourself. I need to go and see my patients."

Picking up another piece of apple Lena bit into it and chewed watching her friend with the accused smug grin. "Ok. I'll just sit here and think about how sexually satisfied I am."

Shelly finally cracked a grin. "Remember I helped you get him."

Lena nodded, "I know and I thank you every time he puts his mouth..."

Shelly held her hand up interrupting, "I can't even bare to hear it, that's how hard up I am."

Shelly turned around and walked away, and Lena was sure she heard, "Smug lucky bitch." being mumbled under her friends breath and she had to agree, that was a fairly accurate description.

Mason was sitting at his desk when there was a soft knock on his office door. He put down the pen in his hand and looked up to see Rachel standing in the doorway. It looked as though she’d been crying and he immediately thought of his mother. Standing up he came around the desk and motioned for her to come inside. She made her way over to him and he reached out hugging her.

“What’s wrong Rachel?”

She started to cry then in earnest. Sobbing and wiping her nose on his sweater, ah the joys of a sister.

“It’s,” she sobbed once, “It’s Ch–ch-Charlie.” she stuttered out between sobs and Mason knew right then what was going on from years of comforting a broken hearted sister. He tugged her closer and kissed the top of her head.

“What happened baby girl?”

Sniffling she looked up at him and her purple tipped hair curled down over her shoulders. He pushed it back from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “He told me he didn’t want anything serious.”

Mason winced, knowing he’d used that line a time or two himself. “And you did?”

She nodded. “Doesn’t everyone?” Pausing she tilted her head to him, “Don’t you with Lena?”

Mason thought back to last night and smiled nodding, “Yeah I guess I finally do. But for a long time I had no interest in it.”

Rachel put her head on his chest again, “That’s because you finally met the right person.”

Running a hand down her hair he sighed, “Yeah I did.” He shifted back from her and looked down and asked seriously, “Did you really want to wake up everyday to those eyebrows?”

He waited as she glared at him then she burst out laughing punching his shoulder. “Jerk.”

Hugging her close he chuckled, “What do you need Rach? Tell me?”

She took a deep breath and asked softly, “A break? I just need to get away from him, from our place while he moves out.”

Mason nodded and let go of her moving back around behind the table. “What were you thinking?”

Rachel wiped her eyes and came to sit down in the chair opposite him. “My friend over in Italy invited me to stay with her for a couple of weeks.”

Mason leaned back in his chair. “Italy huh? I miss Italy.”

“And the Italian women?”

He thought about that then shook his head, “Nope. The food.”

Rachel came around and hugged him around the neck. She kissed his head this time and whispered. “Thanks Mase. You’re the best brother.”

Looking up at her he grinned, “I’m the only brother you have.”

“Same difference.” and with that she kissed him again, gave him a final squeeze and walked out the door.

Monday evening rolled around and he’d just arrived at St Luke’s to pick up Lena so they could go over to his mom’s. He rode up the elevator and when he got off he almost ran into Shelly, or as he liked to call her, Dr Monroe.

“Well hey there Casanova. Coming to pick up your girl?”

Smiling at her he nodded and walked along beside her, “Sure am. Think she’ll be ready for me?”

Shelly turned down the corridor with him. “I’m sure. Since you’ve come along Lena no longer lingers at work like she use to.”

He could believe that too. Before, him Lena had been a complete workaholic putting in ridiculous hours only to go home and run herself into the ground in the hopes of being able to fall asleep nightmare free. He was happy that she now had him to fight off her demons and so far it seemed to work like a charm. Although they still ran in the mornings he liked to think their evening extracurricular activities were one of the reasons she was now eager to get home.

“Earth to Mason.”

He focused back on Dr Monroe smiling down at her.

“I was going to ask where you went to but by the look of that smile I can already guess it was x rated.”

Laughing he held his arm out, she hooked hers through it and they stopped at Lena’s door and knocked together. “You’d be right.”

“Perv.” she said with a smile.

“Yeah yeah I know.”

Lena opened the door and looked at the mischievous looks on their faces and demanded with her hands on her hips. “Ok what?”

Lena could tell by the unholy smile on Mason’s face and the smirk on Shelly’s they’d been talking about her. Unhooking their arms Shelly moved into the office first wrapping an arm around Lena’s shoulders.

“Oh nothing Lena. Mason was just daydreaming and I caught him.”

They both looked over to where he was leaning up against the door frame with his arms crossed. He was smiling at her with the hottest look in his eyes Lena couldn’t help but feel every part of her clench.

“You two don’t act anything like I expected.”

Lena and Shelly both looked at him, but it was Shelly who asked first. “Oh and how are we supposed to act?”

Mason pushed off the door and came into the office leaning his hands on the back of the chair looking at both of them.

“I’m not sure.” he paused and looked them up and down, “You’re both extremely intelligent women.”

“Watch it Langley.” Lena warned.

“No, no. Hear me out. It’s obvious you’re both top of your fields. Your professional, smart, sophisticated women and yet right now you remind me of my sister when she was in high school.”

Lena’s mouth dropped open and she heard Shelly snort then start to laugh. “Are you trying to tell us you think we’re immature Casanova?”

Shaking his head he continued to smile. “No you’re both just, “ he seemed to be looking for the right word, then he found it, “Fun! You always expect doctors to be serious and kind of stuffy. But you two act like two giggling girls.”

“Alright Langley that’s quiet enough. Giggling girls?” Lena asked with an arched brow. He grinned at her insulted tone then stood moving his way around the desk to them. He reached out and placed a finger under her chin, tilting her head up.

“It wasn’t an insult Lena, you can relax. I think it’s refreshing and sexy.”

Shelly made a squeak beside her, probably falling under his spell since this was the first time she’d seen him in seduction mode. He turned his face to look at her friend who was standing beside her. She’d dropped her arm from around Lena’s waist but she was glued to her side.

“Paul’s an idiot not to get you into bed by the way.” he said softly then turned back to Lena. “That’s where my doctor performs best.” and with that he lowered his head and kissed Lena hard on the mouth.

Gasping she braced herself not knowing what he was going to do next but she didn’t need to wait long. After a quick hot kiss he stood up and she turned to face Shelly who was fanning herself with her hand. Then they both looked back at Mason who was grinning and they all started giggling, exactly like a group of teenagers.

When they arrived at Catherine’s, Mason made a beeline to the kitchen after kissing her quickly on the lips and Lena turned and made her way out the back to where everyone was gathered around the large table under a huge oak tree. Catherine sat at the head and was laughing at something Wendy had just told her. They looked up when she walked in and Catherine jumped up walking towards her.

“Lena honey! How are you tonight?”

Lena smiled took her hand and walked with her over to the table. Sitting down she said her hellos to Wendy and her husband and that was it tonight because Rachel had flown to Italy two days earlier. Mason had told her about the break up with Charlie and she couldn’t help but wonder how she would cope if Mason and her came to an end. Right now everything was great. They were in a comfortable pattern that seemed to shift and morph when it needed to and she felt that she was finally beginning to heal, she really believed that for once in her life things were going to be fine. They all sat down to a meal of steaks and salad and it was delicious. Mason was talking to Wendy about Saturday nights menu when Catherine came down and sat beside her.

“Lena dear how are you? I finally have a minute to talk to you without Mason hogging you to himself.”

Lena smiled over at her and reached out taking her hand in her own. She squeezed it gently. “I’m great. Work’s busy and things with Mason are going very well. I know that’s what you really want to know.”

Catherine laughed and nodded, “It’s true, that is what I wanted to know. He tells me you go down and visit Carly on your own now. That’s a really big step for you Lena O’Donnell. I’m proud of you.”

Lena felt tears gather in her eyes and swallowed deeply trying to hold it together. “It’s all because of him.” she paused and looked over to where he was smiling at Wendy and her husband, “If you’re going to be proud of anyone it should be him.”

Catherine patted her hand. “Oh don’t you worry. I’m very proud of him and I’m grateful to you.”

Lena tilted her head and asked, “Grateful? Why”

“You came along at the perfect time Lena. He was ready to settle down he just hadn’t met anyone worth doing that with, and especially not that silly red headed twit.”

Lena’s eyebrow rose. “Trisha?”

“Yes her. I met her once and I have to tell you, if he’d chosen her I would’ve done my best, but Lena I’ve never been so happy to see him leave a woman.”

Laughing Lena watched as Mason looked over to her and smiled a slow sexy grin that showed his dimples off and made his eyes twinkle. She felt her heart kick up and do double time then he looked back at Wendy and Lena turned back to Catherine.

“I guess it was right place right time?”

Nodding Catherine agreed then said softly, “But I’m grateful you opened to him Lena. I was worried at first.”

“Worried? “ she asked, “About me?”

“No. I was worried about him.”

Lena sat back at that. “Oh.”

“Not because you aren’t a wonderful person dear.” she paused and scooted closer to Lena. “Because you were so closed. I knew you were scared to open your heart to someone. I watched you grow from a young girl to this amazing woman sitting beside me, and I never saw you relax and smile until a few months ago.”

Lena felt tears welling in her eyes and she reached up to brush them away.

“I’m glad my Mason did that for you and I’m glad you let him.” she smiled and leaned in kissing Lena’s cheek. “You two need to look after one another, promise me.”

Nodding Lena looked over to Mason, where he sat watching her with his mother, then she turned back and smiled at Catherine.

“I promise.”