Made to Love (22 page)

Aspen smiled gratefully. “You will. It may not be when or with whom you want right now, but I know you will meet someone
who melts your heart.”

“I already did. I just hope my head didn’t mess it all up.” Mason paused at the doorway to the living room. “Tell Lex I’m sorry, okay?”

Aspen shook her head from side-to-side. “She knows, honey. You take care of you.”

Mason nodded and slipped out quietly, her mind already playing tonight’s scene over and over in her head. No matter which version she saw, they all ended with someone getting hurt.

#

Mason took a deep breath and opened the door. She plastered the biggest smile on her face she could. “Hi.”

Nikki
smiled and slipped inside. “Hey.”

Mason pulled her into her arms for a hug, but stopped short of kissing her. “I missed you.”

“Me too.” Nikki’s eyes searched the room distractedly.

“Good visit?” Mason sat down on the couch, not reacting at all when Nikki took the recliner opposite her.

“Oh, you know how it is. The first hour is fine, but after that, family just gets on your nerves. And my mother…oy!”

Mason laughed softly. “That’s what my mom says the second she sees me. Or maybe it’s ‘oh, shit, the lesbian is here’.”

“I might trade you for one that doesn’t try to marry me off to all the single Greek bo
ys who are still single for a reason, or tries to feed me seven hundred times a day.” Nikki paused and looked down at the floor. “It was nice to be back in the city.”

Mason could tell there was more to the comment than that. “
We need to tal…”

“We need to tal…”

Both women laughed in relief. Mason smiled. “Somehow those words don’t seem too bad when we both say them. You go first.”

Nikki dipped her head gratefully. “I like you, Mason. I really do. But being back in the city reminded me just how boring this town is
. I don’t mean you. Just this life. I miss my friends and the nightlife. And…”

“Yes?” Mason knew what was coming next.
Nikki didn’t need to spell it out, but she let her continue just for the simple fact of hearing the words out of her mouth.

“I saw Katherine. She wants to give us another try. I
haven’t done anything or made any promises, you know, because of us. It was nice to see her. It felt good.” Nikki winced guiltily. “You’re not mad, are you?”

Mason pushed out her bottom lip and did her best to look upset.
What she actually managed was a comical pout that fooled no one. “Can I just say what a relief it is to hear that?”

“So, you’re
not
mad?” Nikki relaxed visibly.

“No.” Mason shook her head and smiled. “Don’t get me wrong. You’
re worth the chase and I had a blast doing it, but…”

“But we weren’t meant to be together.”

Mason nodded her agreement. “And that’s nothing bad against either of us. I’m sure I couldn’t have handled the full Nikki.”

“And I’m sure I wouldn’t have loved you like you deserve to be loved.” Nikki tilted her head and regarded Mason with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “I’ve got a feeling you may already have my replacement in mind as well.”

Mason smiled demurely. “I have the hope of something wonderful.”

“What about Marly?” It didn’t bother Nikki now to ask about her. Looking back, it was only her competitive self that
made her envious of Mason’s subtle reaction to just the mention of Marly’s name. Now it amused her to see the reddening of her cheeks.

“What about her?” Mason’s pretense of
cluelessness did little to fool Nikki.

“Come on, Mas
e. I think anyone can see you’ve fallen for her. There was always a part of you that you held back from me. Eventually, I figured out who had captured that part of you. You’d have to be completely blind to miss the way your eyes light up when you mention her name.” Nikki saw the apologetic look on Mason’s face and dismissed it. “I’m not upset, hon. This was never for keeps. I knew that going into it. Sooner or later, your heart would have won out over your head. Who am I to stand between you and true love?”

“That’s easy for you to say now. You dumped me.”

Nikki laughed easily. “I’d say we dumped each other.”

“Fair enough.” Mason
leaned back on the couch and crossed her arms behind her head. “So, Katherine, huh?”

“Yeah, what can I say? She’s a bad habit I can’t break.
Oh, I know she’s not good for me. I’ll probably end up regretting my decision. Maybe you will have better luck.”

“I don’t think so.” Mason frowned. “She’s not into me like that.”

“The hell she isn’t!” Nikki stared at Mason incredulously. “I’ve seen the way she looks at you. If she tells you she isn’t interested, she’s lying to you.”

“Besides, she’s not staying here after the house sells.”

“So, you make it impossible for her to leave. Give her a reason to want to stay. Marly just needs to know that she has someone worth sticking around for. I know you, Mason. You’re sweet, sometimes too sweet. Tear her walls down, honey. Or melt them down. I don’t care which. Just don’t let her walk away without telling her how you feel. If you do that and she still chooses to leave, at least you won’t always wonder what would have happened. I’d rather hear a
slam the door in your face
no than spend the rest of my life playing the
what if
scene in my head. That woman needs someone like you to restore her faith in love, or at least to rock her world once or twice before she goes.”

“Nikki!” Mason felt her face heat up.

“Hey, we made out enough times for me to be disappointed this is ending. I think you would have made it worth my while.”

“Stop. You’re just saying that.” Mason knew she was teasing, but it did help her ego.
Something of the old phrase about equating a person’s dance moves to how they are in bed had always haunted her.

“Mm, maybe it’s just wishful thinking, but I think I’ve been around enough to know when a woman is good in bed or not.” Nikki ba
tted her lashes. “I just think it might be time to let your body do the talking, if she won’t listen to reason.”

“
Maybe I’ll just tell her how I feel first.”

Nikki eyed Mason for several seconds before conceding. “Yeah, that might be better. I guess I should get going.”

“You’re leaving right now?”

“Yes. I only came back to talk to you
face-to-face and get my stuff.” Nikki stood up and stretched. “You think I would be too old for this shit. I just can’t let it go yet. Maybe one day.” She waited until Mason stood up then hugged her. Nikki lingered there for several seconds before she pulled back and smiled. “If you’re ever in the city, look me up. I’ll show you a good time.” Nikki laughed at the scared smile on Mason’s face. “Don’t worry, not that good a time.”

“Deal.”

Nikki stepped toward the door and held Mason’s hand a moment longer. “Good luck, honey. You are one of the good ones. You deserve to be loved.”

Mason nodded and watched Nikki leave. She knew it would
probably be the last time she would see her, and that was okay. She shook her head and laughed. Nikki Castellanos was something else. Mason hoped one day she would realize she deserved to be loved as well.

Chapter 16

Mason knocked on the front door and waited anxiously. She could feel her body fidget with nervous energy. She’d never been nervous with Marly, but things were different now. She was certain it was only seconds before the door opened, but it truly seemed like
hours had passed. Mason smiled shyly. “Hi.”

“Mason.” Marly kept the door partially closed, hiding behind the safety of the structure. “Is something wrong?”

“No, why?” Mason looked puzzled, but then remembered she never used the front door, and it must seem odd. She wasn’t sure how to explain herself.
I’m officially courting you. The back door is too informal. I want to take this to the next level, so I used the front door.
They all seemed too lame to even say. “I…I…I just…well, I…here.” She shoved a vase into Marly’s hands. “It’s for you.”

Marly stared at the vase dumbfounded. There was a single flower in it that reminded her of th
e orchid they had worked on together. “What’s this for?”

“I wanted you to have it. It reminds me of you. I think that might be the reason yo
ur mom loved them so much. Orchids reminded her of you. They are beautiful, but fragile and need a special kind of love. I think I was meant to make this for you.” Mason looked sad. “You don’t like it?”

“No. I love it.” Marly finally opened the door and Mason followed her inside. Marly set the vase on the mantle. “Thank you.”

“I wanted you to like it.” Mason shuffled uncomfortably. “Can we talk?”

“Mason, I…” She didn’t think she had the mental fortitude to withstand a serious conversation today.
She was mentally exhausted from meeting with the realtor, reviewing her contract and signing on the dotted line. The house was officially for sale. Marly watched Mason’s face fall. “Sure.”

Mason held her breath, unsure where to start.
“You know when I first met you, I couldn’t stand you.”

“Uh, okay.” Marly sat down, not sure where this was going.

Mason started to pace. “You were rude, condescending and all together not a nice person.”

Marly bowed her head in embarrassment. “That’s fair.”

“But then we started to hang out, and I realized you were just lost and hurt and alone like me, and you were just protecting yourself. Then you helped me
tweak
things, and I knew I had found a best friend.”

“I’m glad. I consider you a friend as well.”

“I’m not done.” Mason paused to gather her thoughts. “All of that changed when we kissed. I realized that all this time, it wasn’t Nikki I cared to impress; it was you. It was your face that haunted my sleepless nights and you that filled my heart. I know you don’t feel the same, but I would never forgive myself if I didn’t say this to you. I love you with everything that I am, and if I never have more than what we’ve already shared, I know it will be enough. Because, for one second, I got to feel what true love feels like. I got to hold you in my heart for one brief moment, and that is more than some people get to experience in their whole lifetime.”

“Mason, I can’t…”
Tears welled in Marly’s eyes, and she turned away from Mason before she could see them. The naked look in her eyes and the raw emotion in her voice was too much.

Mason nodded, understanding what Marly wouldn’t say. Marly was too nice to break her heart by telling her she wasn’t interested.
Mason reached out and touched her on the shoulder. “You don’t need to say anything. I’ll take that as my cue.” She strode to the door and opened it to leave then stopped. “Maybe after some time goes by, you can think of me as your friend again. Once upon a time, that was enough, and it will be enough again.”

Marly heard the door close and she started to sob.
She knew this time walking away might not be an option, no matter how scared she was. She’d spent the better part of her life running from her feelings. Now, the pain in her chest was overwhelming. Not the pain of knowing she was loved, but the ache of leaving Mason behind. Marly couldn’t breathe under the weight of her heart breaking. Somewhere between trying to quell the crying and realizing that even if she left, her heart would always be here, Marly finally accepted that her heart was no longer hers to do with as she pleased. She’d given it away long ago. She just couldn’t accept it before now.

Marly swiped at her tears and smiled tentatively. She knew what she wanted and also knew that she’d handled Mason’s heart carelessly by her silence. It was time to take a leap of faith, praying
she would soar.

Marly surveyed her face in the mirror and decided she wasn’t too worse for wear. She threw open the door
.

Mason lifted her hand to knock then stopped midair.

“You’re back?”

Mason nodded solemnly. “
I forgot one thing.” Mason walked into the house and shut the door behind her. She pinned Marly with her gaze, daring her to move. When she didn’t, Mason cupped her cheeks in her palms and kissed her hungrily. When Marly’s lips parted, Mason melted. She felt her tongue stroke Marly's, and the world started to spin. Her mouth plundered Marly’s with reckless abandon. An eternity later, she broke the kiss. Her breathing came in shallow gasps as she fought to get enough oxygen. When she could finally talk, Mason’s words were raspy with desire. “I forgot I wasn’t the only one present for the last kiss. I know you felt something. If you want me to walk away and act like this never happened, I need you to say it. Otherwise, I’ll always hold on to a glimmer of hope.”

Marly’s body thrummed with energy. The first kiss hadn’t been a fluke. The last few minutes only confirmed what her body already knew. Mason’s touch was enough to set her body on fire. Marly wanted to talk, she wanted to tell Mason that she loved her. Had loved her for so long. But she couldn’t. She couldn’
t think of anything save the feel of Mason’s body against hers. All the months of yearning for Mason surged through her with reckless abandon. This time, she initiated the kiss that set her body ablaze. Despite her size, she pushed Mason against the heavy wooden door. She ran her fingers through Mason’s hair and pinned her body against hers. Marly growled and nipped Mason’s lower lip, eliciting a moan of desire.

Mason returned the demanding
kiss with equal fervor. Her body was no longer hers to control, and she gave herself to the moment. Her hands slipped beneath Marly’s shirt and clung to her back, pulling them closer together. She could feel her heart pounding against her chest, and her body started to pulse. She explored Marly’s mouth hungrily, bruising her lips against hers. When Marly’s hands cupped her bottom, Mason broke the kiss. “Marly, wait…”

Marly kissed her again.

“We should…”

“It’s past time to talk.” Marly bit her chin and pressed against her. “I’ve wanted this for too long.”

Mason leaned back as Marly kissed her neck. “I just don’t want to rush our first time.”

“I need you to make love to me
now.” Marly licked the smooth skin at the base of Mason’s neck.

Mason forced herself to put distance between them. “
I’ve done this whole thing a little backwards. I should have started by asking you out, courting you. I love you and I want you so much, but I want to do this the right way.”

Marly sighed in frustration. She knew Ma
son was right, but the ache that pooled between her legs threatened to overrule her better judgment. “Would it help if I said I fell in love with you the day at the lake and everything else after that just confirmed what I already felt?”

Mason smiled shyly. “
You did?”

“Mmhmm.” Marly nodded innocently. “You let me see your soul that
day, and I fell in love with you.”

“Why didn’t you say something?”

“Nikki.” A frown flashed across Marly’s face.

“She was never the one for me. It was always you
. I just was too dumb to see it.” Mason rubbed her thumb over Marly’s swollen lips and rested her forehead against Marly’s. “I promise it will happen, but I don’t want our first time to be a fumbling screw in the heat of the moment. I want it to be special.”

Marly exhaled, silently agreeing with Mason.
“I’ll accept that, but don’t you dare make me wait too long, Coyote.”

This time Mason growled as she pressed her lips against Marly’s and lost herself in the softness of them.