Chapter 26
TWENTY-SIX
Nina
The moment we enter the penthouse, I’m floored by the sheer effort Mason has gone to for the evening.
“Where is your daddy, baby?” I whisper to Ellis, placing a kiss on his head.
Stepping into the room, I take in the dinner table that’s set for the three of us. A large bouquet of red roses adorns the centre of the table and candles sit on either side. The lights are dipped low, and everything feels warm, special. Reaching out I pinch a petal between my thumb and forefinger.
“Hello,” his deep voice purrs from behind me.
I turn. “Hi.”
“Dadee,” Ellis sings.
Mason’s gaze holds mine for a moment with an intensity that makes me blush. All I can do is stare back, completely lost in his eyes. Stepping forward he takes Ellis from me, sitting him on his arm and then reaches out to push my hair behind my ear. Leaning in, he kisses my cheek. “You okay?”
I nod, knowing he’s talking about Joey. “I didn’t think to dress up.” I look down at my leggings and baggy tee, then back up at his navy shirt and trousers. His hair is a tousled mess, but with obvious effort. He looks delicious.
“You’re perfect,” he tells me.
I smile, rocking back on my heels as I try to control my breathing. “Something smells good.”
“I ordered in. Has Ellis ate?”
“Yeah. He ate with Maggie.”
“Perfect.” He smiles, and it’s full of mischief. “Come with me.”
He starts towards the stairs with Ellis in his arms.
“Where are you going?” I ask.
I follow him when he doesn’t answer me, only muttering something to Ellis that I can’t hear.
It’s surprising how normal it feels being here.
It’s been so long since I’ve felt at home.
I get the same grounding feeling when we sleep at the estate, but my apartment feels like four walls. There’s no comfort in it.
Mason walks into his bedroom and through to Ellis’s. “Mummy, can you get the changing mat? It’s in the bottom of the walk-in wardrobe.”
My brows rise in surprise as I walk to the door on the other side of the room. I try to contain my gasp when I open it, but it’s no use. What almost one-year-old needs this many clothes? He will never wear it all. I spot the changing mat on top of the dresser and quickly grab it for Mason.
“Here.” I place it on the floor next to where he’s stripping Ellis of his clothes. “Does he wear all that stuff?” I ask, nodding over my shoulder.
“Some of it,” he says without looking up.
I nod, not passing comment on what a waste of money it is. If this is ever going to work between us, I need to get over the fact that Mason has money. He knows not to buy me expensive things and I know to get the hell on with it when he does it anyway.
Mason dresses Ellis into his pyjamas then spends well over five minutes raining kisses all over his small torso, making Ellis wriggle and giggle until he gets the hiccups.
“Oh man! Not the hiccups!” Mason says, looking down at Ellis with a wide smile on his face. Ellis continues to giggle while I watch on.
“Well done, Daddy,” I tut, kneeing Mason in the ribs. He grunts and falls to the side—I barely touched him. “Come here, baby.” I kneel to lift Ellis from the changing mat.
Just as I slide my hands under his armpits, Mason grabs me around the waist and pulls me to the ground, tickling my ribs.
“Mason! No!”
Ellis seems to find it hilarious, crawling over and bouncing on his knees beside my head.
I laugh uncontrollably in Mason’s arms, trying to catch my breath so I can tell him to stop. “Mase!” I cry out. “Please!”
He finally lets up, leaving both of us breathless. His body is spread behind me, and his hand brushes my hip as he leans across to tap Ellis’s nose. “See. It worked.”
Ellis pats his knees as he bounces in excitement, his dimples set deeper than I’ve ever seen them before. If I could wish for anything, it would be to have my son feel this glee every day for the rest of his life.
“Mummy” —Mason leans in, kissing my cheek again— “is going to get in the bath. Daddy will put Ellis to bed and then warm up dinner.”
I pull my lip into my mouth, looking up at him with so much love and adoration. “Do I smell or something?”
His scruff rubs along my neck as he whispers in my ear. “Fucking edible, angel.”
I stand and give Ellis a kiss good night, then as ordered I go to Mason’s en suite. The bath is still steaming, bubbles filling it to the top. There’s a robe lying across the chair, a rose placed on top of it along with a bottle of champagne and chocolates left on the steps leading to the bath.
The happiness coursing through me is everything I’ve wanted—needed— for the last year and a half. Yet there’s a guilt eating away at me, reminding me of the selfish thing I did to get here.
Mase
Nina takes her time in the bath which doesn’t surprise me. It’s been a while since she’s been here and I can’t imagine the bath at the apartment is quite the same as the one here. She used to spend hours in the tub after a day in the studio.
I’m pouring myself a beer when her arms slink around my waist. “I was waiting for you to join me, Bossman,” she purrs.
I can’t help the smile that splits my face. “You wouldn’t have let me in.”
“Hmm, we all know what happens when you give a girl champagne.”
I turn, smoothing my hands down the back of her robe.
“Had I known you’d have let me in.” I kiss her, meaning to make it a quick peck, but losing all train of thought when she deepens the kiss.
I grasp her jaw in my hand as I take over, pushing her back to the island as my tongue licks through her mouth.
“Mase,” she breathes desperately against my lips.
Lifting her at the waist, I place her on the island, sliding myself between her smooth legs as her hands work on pulling my shirt free from my trousers. I let her do her thing, my eyes on her dainty fingers that work my buttons.
“Mase,” she purrs. “We should have dinner, right?”
I lift my gaze to hers, my cock growing stiffer behind my zipper with the look in her eyes.
We’re both fucked.
Slowly, I loosen the tie at her waist, keeping my eyes locked on hers as I use my finger to nudge open one side of her robe. “Oops,” I mutter.
Her full round breast is exposed to me, and I drop my eyes to her hip noticing she’s completely bare. Pushing her hair over her shoulder, I give her a long, wet kiss, then run my lips down her neck to her chest, taking her stiff nipple into my mouth. I bite down.
“Ouch!” she cries.
I continue down her side, running my mouth over her exposed hip and thigh. Flicking my eyes up, I watch her head drop back, rolling to the side then falling back to me.
I don’t ask if she wants more, it’s clear to my own eyes what she needs. My hand slides into the other side of her robe. I push it aside, letting it fall off her shoulder and onto the counter.
“Jesus Christ,” I groan, dropping my head to her stomach before I come in my pants just from looking at her.
I feel her stomach jiggle against my stubble as she laughs lightly, running her hands through my scalp. I place a kiss on her stomach then lift my head. Closing my eyes and leaning into her touch.
“What have you done to me?” I sigh.
“I’ve made your ass mine, Bossman. That’s what I’ve done to you.”
I take her nipple again, biting down on the hard nub. “That cockiness will get you fucked, angel.”
“Fucked? I don’t think I’ve ever been fucked before.”
I arch a brow at her. “No?”
She shrugs a shoulder, her chocolate eyes fixed on me. “Not that I remember, I’ve had some good sex.”
“Good sex.” I nod, licking my lips.
She giggles, pulling my head up and demanding my lips.
I place my hand to the base of her throat and guide her back to the counter.
The very tips of my fingers trail down the centre of her chest until I meet her pussy.
I bring my other hand up and then grip each of her legs, bringing them up and placing them on the counter.
“Are you going to fuck me now?” Her lip twitches despite her best efforts to control it.
“No, Pix. I’m going to have my dinner.”
She chuckles as I slide my hands under her thighs and up to grip her full hips. I lift her at the ass and onto my waiting mouth.
A sigh falls from her parted lips, her head dropping back to the marble with a thud.
Her hips lift voluntarily as I flatten my tongue, slowly licking up through her slickened folds.
“I could live off the taste of you.” I bite down on her swollen clit and her hips jolt under my hold.
I grip her tighter, my tongue swirling over her as I nip and suck until she’s trembling beneath me.
Lifting my thumb to her mouth, I slide it past her lips, her teeth scraping along the skin. “Suck.”
She does as I ask, hollowing her cheeks and drawing my thumb deep into her mouth. I pull back, letting it pop and place it on her now pulsing clit.
“Oh god,” she moans.
I apply the slightest of pressure, sliding my thumb down to trace her slick pussy until I reach her opening. I dip my thumb inside and suck her clit into my mouth. She tenses around me, her legs locking my head in place. “So fucking tight,” I groan.
She whimpers as I pull away from her, lifting herself up onto her elbows to look at me.
“Do you know how good you taste?” I ask, licking up the side of my thumb then offering her a taste with my hand stretched out to her.
She gives me a devilish smirk then leans forward, grasping my wrist. She pulls my hand to her mouth. Starting at my pinkie, she starts to suck each of my fingers into her mouth. I watch her in fucking awe.
When she reaches my slickened thumb, she stops. Leaning in, she bites the pad, then places a kiss on my palm. “This is for you,” she whispers, directing my thumb to my own mouth.
I suck every inch of her off my skin, then take her lips in mine again in a rushed frenzy.
With our mouths still locked, she blindly reaches for my trousers, finding the button easily and shoving them down my legs.