Made to Love (15 page)

Mason noticed the
silence, and she squeezed Nikki’s hand. “That’s probably because you are always getting the compliments.”

“Hmph.” Nikki’s snort of disagreement came out before she could stop herself. “Anyway, it’s not like that. Besides, you are the handsome one tonight. I can’t wait to have your arms wrapped around me.”

Mason gulped loudly and stared at the road with wide eyes.

“I meant on the dance floor, silly. You do take things literally, don’t you?”

“I may or may not have immediately thought of the bedroom. But can you blame me?”

“No. I can’t.” Nikki had pictured them together more than once. The thought of Mason’s strong fingers elicited the same visceral response that she felt right now. There was something so comforting, yet so erotic about the woman’s fingers as they moved through day-to-day tasks. Nikki exhaled loudly. “So, how’s it going with Dart?”

"Dart?” Mason asked quizzically.

“The big art thing you got into. That you and Aspen were talking about the night we met, or did I just imagine that?”

“Oh, no, you heard right. It’s stART on the street. It’s a big art festival in Worcester, Mass. It’s going okay. I’d like to get one or two more pieces done, but I would be pushing it to finish them. I have plenty in Marly’s…” Mason stopped. It was the second time in mere minutes that Marly’s name had rolled off her tongue, and each time she said it, it made Mason feel odd. Homesick in a way. She forced her mind off Marly’s absence and focused on her date. “I have enough pieces scattered around that I shouldn’t have any problem. I don’t usually sell out a show anyway. I always come home with stragglers.”

Nikki tried to ignore the way Mason said Marly’s name, or the way her face lit up when
she said it. It wasn’t that she believed Mason was in love with her, but there was something there, even if Mason didn’t know it yet. Nikki tried to tell herself it didn’t matter; that her time here was temporary. But no matter how much she told herself she didn’t care, the knowledge that Mason’s mind was elsewhere, even briefly, during their date, bothered her. It was just another sign in a long line of signs that drove home the truth that the Nikki she was accustomed to was gone. She no longer possessed the appeal and the allure that had held women’s attention for so long. Now, she was forced to accept that she didn’t have much to offer. It was high time she let the old Nikki out – the one who was more like Lex. She vaguely remembered a time when fancy last names and dollars didn’t mean a thing to her. She pictured herself fifteen years ago and her chest tightened at the naïve girl that got left behind as she clawed her way to the top. Not through her own hard work, but on the coattails of others. A chance meeting with a rich divorcee all those years ago put her on the road she was stuck on today. Nikki stared at the proverbial dead-end sign and felt sick. She sighed loudly and put a smile on her face. “I would like to watch you work sometime.”

Mason didn’t bring attention to the long silence this time. She knew Nikki was working through some
things, and until she was ready to talk about it, Mason respected her privacy. “I’m not sure. It would probably be boring for someone like you.”

“Someone like me?” Nikki nodded understandably. “I’m not
Marly; you mean.”

“No, that’s not what I meant at all.” Mason turned left onto Main Street and parallel parked in the first empty spot she saw. She shut off the engine and stared straight ahead. “This isn’t starting off so well, is it?”

Nikki shook her head from side-to-side. “But it’s my fault. You are such a sweet woman. You have gone out of your way to impress me, which is nice, but not necessary. I’m sorry I gave you the impression that I needed fancy. Right now, I think I just need someone who cares about me and not what I look like on their arm. Let’s face it; I’m a glorified boy toy.” Nikki stopped Mason before she could disagree. “It’s okay. It’s the truth, and while it hurts, it’s what my life has been for years. It wasn’t an issue before, because no one was worth caring about. But now that I’m with you, there is a mirror in front of me, and I see what I’ve become, and let me tell you, I don’t like myself much right now.”

Mason toyed with the keys then leaned her head against the seat rest. “Maybe you just needed the right person to show you what you forgot about yourself. To remind you that all the good is still there, you just have to let her out.”

Nikki shrugged noncommittally. “Maybe; I don’t know. Can we just have fun tonight? No conditions. No guarantees. No talking about the future. Can we just be for tonight? That is the only way I’m going to be able to keep the smile on my face.”

“Of course, yeah. That’s how I want it anyway.” It was a small white lie, but the relieved look on Nikki’s face told Mason it was the right thing to do. She came around and opened Nikki’s door, holding her hand as she helped her from the car. “I’m all about a good time.”

Nikki’s self-deprecating laugh was the only sign she gave that a good time was all she thought she had to offer. She slipped her arm through Mason’s and fell in step beside her. “So, tell me about this amazing burger.”

Mason recognized the quick change of topic and knew that any talk about where they were headed was off the table
, at least for now. “I won’t promise it’s anything like the fancy dinners you probably eat, but it will do in a pinch.” Mason opened the door to the Farmhouse Tap and Grill. Inside, the restaurant looked like a fraternity reunion. Mason hoped they could accommodate a party of two without a long wait. She gave their name to the hostess, and bit back a look of surprise when they were shown to a table immediately. “That’s the fastest I’ve ever gotten in here.”

Nikki laid her purse down and let Mason help her with her chair. “Thanks.” She let her gaze roam around the dining area before she smiled at Mason. “This looks like someplace I wouldn’t have been caught dead in when I was in school. Too many jocks and nerds here. I was more the
you know
type.”

Mason shook her head. “No, what type?”

Nikki rolled her eyes and smiled awkwardly. She held her thumb and forefinger in front of her mouth and inhaled loudly. “You know…”

“Oh.” Realization dawned on Mason slowly. As a kid in college, she tried pot once or twice. It never seemed as fun as her friends made it look. “It was never really my thing.”

“It’s not anymore; I gave it up a long time ago. But years ago, that’s another story.” Nikki paused when a waiter showed up at their table and she ordered a water.

Mason narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, but didn’t question the choice. She was sure Nikki had her reasons. She ordered a Coke and asked for a few more minutes. She flipped her menu open and stole glances at Nikki over the top as she pretended to scan her choices.

“Do I have something on my face?” Nikki didn’t look up from her menu, but the small smile on her face let Mason know she knew she was being watched.

“Uh
, no. I was just…”

“Wondering why on earth you asked someone with purple hair out on a date?”

“No.” Mason chuckled. “I was wondering how one family could produce so many gorgeous children.”

Nikki batted her eyes demurely. “Luck
y, I guess. Though I probably wouldn’t say I was gorgeous. I just do the best I can with what I have.”

The smile on Nikki’s face made her even more beautiful, at least to Mason. “Didn’t your mother ever tell you that if you get a compliment, you are supposed to just smile and say thank you?”

Nikki smiled sarcastically. “Thank you.” She dropped her eyes back to her menu and scanned the choices quickly. She finished and set it off to the side. “What about you? Any more gorgeous specimens in your family?”

Mason snorted. “I’m not sure if you’ve had your eyes checked lately, but I am far from…” The look on Nikki’s face stopped Mason dead in her tracks. She smiled guiltily. “Thank you. Actually, I have a younger sister. She’s the one with the looks. Tall like me, but long blond hair and more curvy. She was always the one that got attention when we were growing up.” Unlike Mason, who on the rare occasion that her mother paid attention to her, it was to give her the list of things she was currently doing wrong.
“And I got told what I was doing wrong all the time.”

Nikki watched a dark cloud pass over Mason’s face. She knew there were things Mason wasn’t sharing with her. In all fairness, Nikki wasn’t sharing everything with her. “Doing wrong? How rotten were you?”

Mason opened her mouth to respond just as the waiter returned to the table. She motioned for Nikki to go first then followed up with her order. When they were alone again, Mason laughed. “Who knew you were a blue cheese fan?”

“Oh, I love it! I’m a dairy freak. Don’t take me anywhere near ice cream. Promise?”

“Promise.” Mason saluted solemnly as she said the word.

“Anywa
y, back to your delinquent, ill-spent youth…”

“Oh, yeah. I was not half as bad as my mom made me out to be. Shell
ey, that’s my sister Michelle, was the bad one. Mom never let herself see just how much trouble Shelley was always in. I thought when Shelley got pregnant, things might change, but actually, it got worse. I was never the daughter she wanted me to be. I was too much of a tomboy. She wanted a girl who wore dresses and played tea party and let her curl her hair. All I wanted was to ride my bike, play sports and be a boy. When I came out, you could see the disappointment on her face. She never said it directly, but I could feel it in every interaction we had. I think the last straw was following Dad in his career. A woman welder wasn’t something that my mom would accept. When Shelley had the baby, it was painfully obvious that I was the outsider, so I did what Mom wanted all along. I disappeared.”

“That’s awful. I can at least say our family has been pretty good about Lex and me
, aside from the constant comments about giving them grandkids. I know I disappoint my parents with my choices, but they never say anything negative.”

“You’re lucky.” Mason paused as their drinks were delivered, taking a sip before she continued talking. “What was it like growing up with all those people around? Lex swears it was chaos.”

Nikki shook her head reminiscently. “It was chaos, but it was fun, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. You’ve seen videos of the trading floor at the New York Stock Exchange, right? It was a lot like that. Everyone yelling all the time. Seventeen different conversations going on. The crazy thing is no matter where you were in the room or what the subject was, we could move in and out of conversations without missing a beat. Sometimes, I long for that. And maybe, it’s just that I miss things being simpler, the comforts of knowing that someone is there when you need a hug.”

“Life is only as complicated as we let it be. Maybe it’s your chance to get back to the basics. To embrace what made you happy before. Uncomplicate things.”

“It’s sweet you think it is that simple.” Nikki played with her straw as she spoke. “I guess you could be right.”

“I think so. And I’m right here if you need a hug.”

Nikki laughed at Mason’s lopsided grin. “Be careful being too nice to me. I could get used to a thing like you.”

“I’m hoping you do.” Mason studied Nikki’s face. Her piercing eyes and beautiful features could capture anyone’s attention, and if all they paid attention to was her outer beauty, Mason knew they would miss everything that made Nikki who she was. She realized Nikki hadn’t figured it out yet either, but maybe with Mason’s help, she would. “I sort of like having you around.”

“Flatterer.” Nikki caught the waiter out of the corner of her eye and leaned back as he set down plates of enticing food. She waited until he left before picking up the burger and taking a huge bite. She chewed slowly, savoring the tender flavor of the meat, complimented perfectly with local blue cheese. “Perfect! You were right about this place.”

Mason exhaled as relief washed over her. “I’m right about a lot of
things; you'll see.”

“Something tells me you aren’t just talking about food.”

Mason winked cryptically. “
Stick with me, kid.”

The rest of dinner was filled with stories of growing pains and first date disasters and before either woman knew it, they were pulling up to the club. Mason shut off the engine and rested her hands on the wheel. “Ready?”

“Yes! I feel like I haven’t danced in ages.” In her excitement, Nikki didn’t wait for Mason to get her door.

Mason shook her head at Nikki’s enthusiasm. She grabbed her hand and held on for dear life as they weaved through the throngs of people. She found herself starting to move to the rhythmic pounding of the music. When they made it to the bar, she ordered a whiskey and Coke for herself and a water for Nikki. When their drinks arrived, she led them toward a table near the dance floor and set their drinks down. She inhaled nervously. “You ready?”

Nikki pecked her on the lips and slid her hands into Mason’s. “Don’t be nervous. Forget about everyone else. They don’t care how you dance. It’s just you and me.”

“Okay.” Mason followed Nikki onto the dance floor and started to move her body, slowly at first, but when she got the rhythm, she got into it. “This isn’t as bad as I thought.”

“I told you. Those lessons must have worked.”

“I guess there isn’t much that you can’t learn from a video game.” Mason had to shout over the music, so she decided to avoid conversation and let her body do the talking. She stepped behind Nikki and put her hands on her hips and started to move with her. As they danced, she narrowed the distance between
them, and soon her hips were flush with Nikki’s bottom. Mason felt her pulse quicken each time Nikki touched the seam of her jeans. She slid her arms around Nikki’s waist and brushed her lips against the nape of her neck. Mason didn’t need to hear her moan; she felt the way her body melted into hers. By the time a slow song came on, Mason had found her groove and had no trouble keeping up with the sway of Nikki’s body. She turned Nikki around slowly and pulled her arms around her neck, dragging her palms down her sides as she pulled Nikki close to her. Everything about the moment felt right. Her body reacted just as it should, her pulse raced and her clit thrummed with excitement. But the one part of her that should be engaged was a million miles away and no matter how much she told herself to focus on the now, she couldn’t wrest her mind back to the tiny dance floor or the beautiful woman in her arms.