Page 40 of Sensual Nights

"Iced tea."

"I'll have the same, please."

She turned to the fridge and pulled the pitcher of tea from inside. Standing next to Mason, she poured tea into his glass,then repeated for her glass. His arm wrapped around her waist, and he squeezed her. "I'm sorry. I should have remembered."

Carley chuckled. "I'm not mad or sad. It's perfectly fine. I don't expect you to come with me. You have a hole in your leg."

He shook his head. "I have a dent in my leg, not a hole. It's little more than that."

She chuckled, kissed the top of his head, then sat across from him. "So we have a green salad, and cheesy broccoli and chicken casserole."

"It smells amazing."

He used the spoon she'd put on the table to dish himself a healthy portion. She smiled as he ate. He nodded often and hummed his appreciation. "This is really good."

It felt good to cook for someone who appreciated their food and enjoyed your cooking.

22

Mason carried his plate to the sink. Carley stood with her plate, "I can get that. You should sit down and rest."

He chuckled. "I'm good, Carley. It's a little sore, and I still have a slight headache, but I'm good."

He helped her clear the table. She filled the dishwasher, and he put the leftover casserole into a storage container. She looked at her watch, and he knew she was worried about the showing.

"Hey, why don't you drop me off at the Sandbar and I'll follow you to the condos. I'll have my truck back and it'll save Jace and Margo from having to run it over."

"Okay."

"Are you nervous about the showing?"

She smiled and he enjoyed staring at her. She was something special. His heart thumped in his chest. "A little apprehensive, I guess."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a hug. "I'm sorry. This is the downside of being a real estate mogul."

She laughed into his chest and the vibration of it rippled through his body.

"Or a real estate agent."

He squeezed her tighter. "Don't sell yourself short."

She giggled into his chest, and he closed his eyes. She was getting past his walls. His heartbeat became erratic, and his breathing grew uneven.

She stepped back. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah."

He turned and stepped from the kitchen. "Are you ready to go or do you need some time?"

"I'm ready." She quickly moved to the counter and packed her laptop away, grabbed her purse, and met him near the door to the garage.

He opened the door and let her pass him, then he gently stepped out onto the top step and forced himself to use his leg to step down so it didn't stiffen up. He ground his teeth together so he wouldn't grimace. It wasn't as bad as he expected.

Carley waited to make sure he didn't need help. He was glad he didn't. He opened her door and waited until she was situated in the seat before closing it. He moved a bit slower than he usually would around the vehicle and slowly climbed into the passenger side.

Carley glanced down at his leg, then her eyes slid up to his. "Okay?"

"Yeah."

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