Page 89 of Grand Love

Nina

“Everything okay?”Maggie asks, her eyes wide and laser sharp.

I watch as Mason pales. He knows how this looks.

“Everything is fine.” I step forward and take Ellis from Maggie’s arms, giving her a reassuring look.

“Maggie, I’m sorry, I—”

“Will you get Ellis in the bath?” I ask Mason, needing him to stop talking and not make this any worse.

“Sure,” he mutters, nodding eagerly.

I give Ellis a kiss and hand him over to Mason. They disappear into the hall, and I know Maggie is waiting for me to turn around so she can interrogate me.

“What in the world? Nina, has Mason put his hands on you before?”

“It’s not like that, Maggie. Mason would never hurt me.”

“I beg to differ. I always thought he was such a gentleman.”

“Maggie, that man is anything but gentle.”

Her eyes widen, then her cheeks flush. “Oh. Oh!” She leans into me, clearly curious. “So, he wasn’t being aggressive, he was being… kinky?”

“Oh, god. We aren’t doing this!” I laugh.

She smiles wide. “I have to know you are okay. Goodness gracious me.” She places a hand on her chest. “I panicked when I walked in here.”

“He definitely wasn’t being kinky,” I explain. “But it wasn’t completely innocent either. He’s just annoyed that Joey is pissing on his carpet. But it’s not even Mason’s carpet anymore.”

“I don’t think that’s the correct analogy dear.”

“You know what I mean.” I wave her off.

“So, he’s staking his claim,” she asks, still looking extremely curious.

“Yes, and no. I don’t know.”

I can’t exactly tell Maggie that I wanted Mason’s hands on me. Or that I wanted him to squeeze just a little bit tighter.

“When me and John got together, we just talked. Like an actual conversation. It was simple. He said, ‘wanna go watch a movie’ and I said, ‘yes’ and we got married six months later.”

“If only it was that simple, Mags.”

“It’s as simple as you make it. You’re both too damn stubborn. Just have a conversation.”

I puff out a breath, fed up with everyone else having an opinion on what me and Mason want. “Who said we even want it to work?”

“Well, if that boy isn’t kinky or aggressive, I’d say you definitely have some things to work out. Wouldn’t you?”

I grin at her, not believing I’m having this conversation with her. “Was everything okay with Ellis today?”

She purses her lips. “Good as gold, he’s just perfect.”

“Thank you, Maggie.” She gives me a kiss on the cheek and tells me to come over Sunday for dinner, then leaves.

The sound of Ellis screeching with laughter makes me smile and I sneak off in the direction of the bathroom, wondering what’s so funny. Only as I round the corner I falter, caught completely off guard by what’s unfolding before me. Mason is standing beside the tub, his top is soaked and discarded on my bathroom floor, and I’ve caught him in the middle of pulling off his trousers.

---