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Mason gets to the door and has
the security code ready so she can go on in. Nicholas runs to the
door and opens it hurriedly, before she can punch in the code, hiding behind
the door a bit, only his head showing - he did, indeed, shave (Mason had
called to remind him that day at around noon), and his hair is combed back
neatly. "Mason... Good evening... Might I beg a few more
moments from you?"
Mason feels, suddenly, nervous and excited... "Oh... sure... okay..." She glances around in the hallway, thinking how great Nick looks, as he flashes her a warm yet bashful smile, and wondering what they're doing that they aren't done with. She scolds her thoughts for their travels and blushes slightly as Nicholas closes the door behind him.
Closing the door softly behind him, Nick looks over the apartment critically - one last inspection, and wanders into Constance's room, to whisper in her ear. She smiles lazily, nodding, and returns to sleep. He takes a deep breath, ushering the dogs into the back room, and fidgets. Nick goes down his mental checklist as he walks towards the door, nibbling on his lip, then steps mostly behind the door, opening it gently. "Mason?"
Mason looks startled for a moment, then smiles at him quickly. "It's definitely me. Are you ready for me yet?"
Nick nods, smiling. "You look quite beautiful tonight. Ahh, you are always welcome here, Mason."
"Ohhh... thank you Nick... you look very good yourself." Mason nods slightly as she walks in. "Very......" Her voice trails off as she looks him up and down. He's dressed spiffily in a suit with jacket and tie, but his feet are bare. Something about the ensemble, and the man in it, she found utterly irresistable.
Nick fidgets again, not accustomed to wearing a suit. "Thank you. You are most kind." He closes the door after her.
"What's for dinner tonight?" Mason asks as Nicholas pauses to reactivate the alarm.
He stands, thinking for a few moments, streching on the tips of his toes for a moment. "I was not sure what you would prefer eating, and forgot to ask. My apologies.... but I got a bit of everything. I hope some of it strikes your fancy."
"Oh... my... I'm sure it will... thank you."
He nods, hoping she will. "Oh, yes. I do hope so. Umm... would you care to retire to the livingroom?" He smiles, completely at a loss for words.
Mason feels the same... nods and goes into the livingroom with him. She looks around, noting the furniture has been moved around a little. The couch has been pushed back a bit, and the coffeetable is against the wall, a large space open. The dogs are not present, being in the back room. She sits down on the couch, still quiet, enjoying the sight of him far more than she realized she would... mind absorbed in senses' array.
Nick pauses. "I have champaign, if you would prefer, though there is plenty of Dr. Pepper left." He smiles, an expectant look on his face.
"Oh... wow what a choice... " Mason giggles at the seeming incongruity. "I'll have champagne if you'll join me with that. Though if you dont feel like drinking then Dr Pepper is fine."
"Oh yes, of course. I don't drink much, normally, but would enjoy drinking with you."
"Same here." Mason looks up catching his eyes with hers. "I dont do anything like this much. Well... ever."
Nick gets two glasses and looks at the botttle of champagne, brushing off the dust. He opens the bottle and pours two glasses, carrying both back in one hand, cradling the cold bottle in his other hand, returning to hand her one.
Mason is really tempted to curl up on the couch, drawing her legs up beside her, but manages to stay sitting with her feet on the floor. "Okay." She takes her glass from him, slightly touching his hand as she takes it. Mason smiles, amused at herself as to how intense that slight touch feels to her.
He blushes as her hand touches his, but smiles. "I'll be just a second." Setting his glass and the bottle against the couch, Nick wanders away again, coming back with a blanket and spreading it on the floor. "Ahh, I hope you don't mind. It seemed appropriate, somehow." He smiles, sitting on the blanket, and pauses. "Tables intimidate me."
"Oh! a picnic... that's great...um... intimidate you?" Mason looks a little confused.
"Social function - interaction on that level, intimidates me. I'm very informal.... I hope this does not bother you?"
"Oh no... this is cozy." Mason smiles at him softly. "It's different.. fun... very... you. You're just a bunch of contradictions aren't you?"
He grins. "Oh yes. Very me. Contradictions?"
Mason nods solemnly. "Yes. Sometimes you seem very formal... and then... very informal as you said. Kinda like wearing a suit and barefoot you know? Which is awfully cute... um... I mean...." She blushes, and halts, gazing into her champagne glass looking at the bubbles streaking upward.
Nick pauses, his face going blank as he thinks over her words. "Oh, I see. Yes, I suppose it could seem that way. I was raised to one thing, and prefer to be another. Thank you, Mason. You have a beautiful blush." After a few moments of quiet between them .... "Are you hungry, Mason?"
"Sure, lets eat..."
He rises with a nod. "Of course."
Go on to: Part II: The Untouchables or back to: Prologue: Lyness