Chapter 32
thirty-two
. . .
Violet
The sound of the wind rattling the windows wakes me up the next morning. While the outside world is in the trenches of winter, in this bed with Mason’s arms wrapped around me and my head tucked under his, all I feel is summer. I look down and see my hand entwined in his and I press a tender kiss to his fingers. His head moves a few seconds later and he nuzzles my neck with his bearded chin.
“Morning.” Mason’s rough voice, along with the soft kiss he leaves on my neck, sends sparkling heat through my body.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” I yawn. My body feels a little sore from last night and I debate getting up and stretching.
“You didn’t, I was already up.” Mason moves one of his legs over mine, trapping me in place. “You looked so content. I didn’t want to move and mess that up.”
His hands trail up and down my legs while I trace the intricate design of his tattoo. “I’m going to need to bring over some silk pillowcases if this becomes a regular thing. I can’t have my curls suffer while the rest of my body is sated,” I tease.
“ If this becomes a regular thing? I thought I made it clear you’re stuck with me.”
“Yes, stuck with you, not your pillowcases.” We lay tangled in each other for so long I lose track of time. It feels like the whole world around us has stopped. My phone vibrating against the nightstand is a cruel reminder that the world is, in fact, still moving. Sometime after I had fallen asleep Mason brought all of my things back into his room, and while I loved his thoughtfulness, I wish he had left my phone in the living room so we could’ve stayed in our bubble for a little bit longer.
He loosens his grip on me slightly so I can reach over and send whoever it is to voicemail. None of my research assistants were scheduled to run participants today, so I don’t have to worry about any work-related emergencies. The call was likely spam. I make to nuzzle my way back into Mason’s cocoon. We get about 30 seconds more of peace before my phone goes off again. I let out an irritated groan, this time flipping over my phone to see who was this determined to ruin my morning.
Nice. My mother is cockblocking me. “It’s the matchmaker. She’s probably calling to get an update on how things went last night.”
He tucks one of my stray curls behind my head before wrapping an arm around my shoulders and grinning wide. “I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to know you’re in my bed.”
“Pervert.”
“Well, you don’t want to leave her hanging.” He nods his head toward my cell. “You know she won’t give up until you answer and every call that goes to voicemail is only going to increase her determination.”
Ugh. I make a move to slide off the bed so I can make this call as quick as possible, but Mason refuses to let go of me and instead reaches over to accept the call and puts it on speaker .
“I promise I’ll be quiet.” He whispers in my ear as my mom’s voice fills the room.
“Violet Amin, did you send me to voicemail?”
“Who is this?”
“That’s funny. So, tell me all about last night. How’s Mason? What did you two get up too?”
Mason’s eyes widen as he hears my mom’s question, my face flushing a bright red remembering all the things he did to me last night that no mother should ever hear about.
“Mason’s good. He took me out skating at the Frog Pond which was a lot of fun.”
“Oh honey, you finally went skating. I’m so proud of you.” My mom had spent her fair share of time sitting next to me on the bench when I was a kid. “Anything else?” she pries.
“We had dinner.”
“That sounds nice, where did you go?”
“Um. We went over to Mason’s apartment, and he made me dinner.” And we ate your beef stew Mom, and it was incredible, and I’ve definitely fallen for him again.
My mom’s voice notches up several octaves. “Ah so you went over to his place to hang out did you?” Mason, being the actual 14-year-old he is, can’t control his laughter and hides under the covers. I make to clamp my hand over his mouth, and he responds by grabbing my hand and nibbling on my fingertips. He will be punished for this.
“Was that Mason in the background?” My mom gasps.
“Hi Elaine, how are you?” Mason gives his best I-am-a-polite-young-man voice.
“A lot better now, knowing you’re with Violet,” She beams. “You are with her now right? Because I don’t know how much longer I can take with the whole ‘ will they, won’t they ’ you two put us through.”
“She’s so dramatic,” I whisper under my breath.
“I heard that, Violet Amin. Don’t sass your mother.” She turns her attention back to Mason. “So…? ”
“We’re together, Elaine. And I have no intention of letting her go.” His words are so matter-of-fact that they feel less like a reply to her and more like a promise to me.
“Well, it seems like I have some important news to share with Melissa.”
“Great. First Melissa, then the town,” I grumble.
“Oh, it’s not my fault word travels fast here. I’m sure everyone will be delighted though.”
“You’re impossible. Do you know that?”
“I bet Castle Harbor’s going to be in complete chaos once you finally spread the news, Elaine,” Mason smirks.
I elbow him in the ribs. “Don’t encourage her.”
“You know what else would send Castle Harbor into disarray? If you were to come back home for Christmas, Mason.”
I cringe at her request. This is what I get for answering a call from my mom while still in a post-sex haze. Bubble = burst.
“Elaine.” His lighthearted tone has turned more serious. “I really don’t know if I feel comfortable doing that.”
My mom’s not having it. “Well, Melissa has already talked to Joe about being on his best behavior for Christmas Eve dinner.”
“I don’t know…”
“You can stay at our place when you come visit.” It’s more of a statement that a question.
“I don’t want to inconvenience you, Elaine.”
“Never. Melissa and I have been talking about doing a little stay-cation girls’ weekend for a while now. This will be the perfect excuse. You and Violet can spend some time together and you can be reminded how Castle Harbor used to be home.” She pauses, ready to lay down the final blow. “Plus, you know how much our girl loves spending her favorite holiday in Castle Harbor.”
“Mom. Enough. He already told you no. You promised you would let me ask him and accept whatever decision he made.” I may have to put up with my mom’s pushiness, but Mason sure didn’t .
Mason lets out a deep breath and looks over at me. He’s uncomfortable, I can tell. But he’s biting his lower lip which means?—
“I’ll be there Elaine. Vi and I will work out the details and keep you posted.”
She is satisfied with herself; the sigh on the other line tells us as much. “Okay, now I really need to run and tell Melissa. I love you two. Bye.”
“Mason I’m so sorry. She’s literally the pushiest person on the planet.” I place my hand on his bare chest while taking his face in my other hand. “You don’t have to go just because she asked.”
He turns his face so he can kiss the palm of my hand. “I know, but I probably should.”
“I just hate feeling like you’re being forced into this.”
“I am, but honestly I need a kick in the ass or else I’m never going to do it.” He shifts us slightly so he can wrap his arms around me again as he buries his head into my neck.
His voice is muffled by my curls when he says, “Plus I will finally get to make out with you in your childhood bedroom. Been wanting to do that for years. Maybe for foreplay I’ll climb in through the window.” He looks up at me and finds I’m shaking my head and smiling. “I’ll have you by my side the entire time, Vi. I can face anything as long as I have you.”
There’s nothing more I can say so I wrap my arms around his neck and hold him tight against me hoping he can feel how my heart beats for him. I’ll always be on his side whenever he needs me the most.