Page 105 of Surviving Love
“Obviously.”
I turned on my side, watching him. “Why are you here so much?”
He lifted his brows. “Okay, something is definitely up with you.” He exhaled and sat on the edge of the bed.
I shifted away from him, and he shook his head.
“Mason, what could I possibly have done to offend you? I thought we were having a nice evening,” he said.
“We were.”
“Then why do I feel like you’re mad at me?”
He was confused, that was apparent. I even understood why he was confused. I realized I was being unreasonable. But for whatever reason, I was feeling very vulnerable tonight. I decided to just take the bull by the horns.
“Can I ask you something?” I studied him warily.
“Of course.”
I clenched my jaw, wondering if I should just shut up and go along with things as they were. Problem was, I knew myself well enough to know my insecurities would fester.
“Do you need space from me sometimes?” I asked.
He frowned. “I don’t follow.”
“You have your own place for a reason.”
He cocked his head. “Is that a problem?”
“You’re always here.” I sounded so breathless, it annoyed me.
“Am I here too much?” He frowned. “Is that why you’re grumpy tonight? Am I smothering you?”
“No. That’s not what I mean.”
He blinked at me. “Then why are you upset with me?”
I sighed, feeling uneasy. “I don’t understand why you pay a mortgage when you basically live with me.”
He bit his lower lip, and a light went on behind his eyes. “You’re not really asking if I need space from you. You’reassumingI do.”
Embarrassed heat tinged my cheeks. “Am I wrong?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Uh,yeah, you’re completely wrong, Mason.”
Surprised at his irritable tone, I sat up. “I doubt it.”
“My god,” he muttered. “You know, if you want to live together, you could just tell me that. You don’t have to go about it like this.”
When I didn’t respond, his frustrated expression softened. He undressed swiftly and got under the covers with me. My pulse raced as he pulled me into his arms. I pressed my face into his chest, wanting his comfort but feeling foolish that he’d seen through me.
“Listen to me. I’d move in with you in a heartbeat. I was trying to be respectful of you because I knew you hadn’t had a lot of relationships. I was givingyouspace, not me. I’d think that was obvious because of the fact that I’m literally over here every night.”
I kept my face buried in his chest.
“Mason,” he said, sounding frustrated. “I love you. Don’t you get that yet? I’m in this for real.”
I sighed and lifted my head. “Sorry.”
