Page 6 of Oh My Gourd
Shit, I thought I was being so careful not to leave any hickeys on her that I didn’t even consider giving her beard burn. I squeeze Tori’s leg under the table, letting her know that I won’t let my family push her into talking about something she doesn’t want to talk about.
“Leave it alone, Natalie,” I warn.
“It’s okay, Mace. I think it’s time we told your family the truth.”
“Are you sure?” I hold her gaze, making sure she wants to do this. As far as I’m concerned, it's the perfect idea. Once my family knows the truth, I’ll explain to them that I really have feelings for Tori and that I hope she feels the same way about me.
She nods. “I’m really Mace’s assistant. We were at a work lunch, and my ex happened to walk into the restaurant and come over to our table. I panicked and told him that Mace was my boyfriend. Mace went along with it. But there was one problem with our story. My ex is Niles.”
With my encouragement, Tori goes on to tell them the whole story of her relationship—or lack thereof—with Niles.
A collective gasp erupts around the table when she gets to the part about Niles pressuring her to have sex. All except for Grandma. “Niles was always a little dickhead.” She says matter-of-factly.
“Mom.” My mother hisses at her.
“Come on, Nora. You can finally admit out loud that little prick is the reason you and his father divorced.”
“I mean, he had a lot to do with it. But this isn’t about me or Ted. It’s about Tori and Mace. You two really seem to like each other. It doesn’t feel like an act.”
Before I can open my mouth to answer, Tori beats me to the punch. “That’s where you’re wrong, Mrs. Hastings. Mace did me a favor by pretending he was my boyfriend in front of Niles, and I pretended to be his girlfriend in front of all of you.”
“I still don’t understand why you felt the need to lie to us, Mace.” The hurt look in my mother’s eyes almost guts me.
“It’s complicated, Mom.” How do I explain to my mother, grandmother, and sisters that I was so desperate after the kiss we shared to spend any amount of time away from the office with Tori that I was willing to do whatever it took to make it happen, even if it hurt someone in the process?
I lift my glass of wine to my lips, noticing Tori refilling her wine glass and staring out the window at the light, fluffy snowflakes falling from the sky.
“We have all day, Macey boy. Now spill.” Having my grandmother use my childhood nickname in this situation makes me feel like dirt.
I take a deep breath and exhale before I start. I open my mouth to speak when Tori jumps out of her chair and runs out the back door.
“I’ll be right back.” I make a stop at the closet and grab two winter coats, one for me and one for Tori, before I head to the back door and find Tori sitting in the porch swing watching the snow fall.
seven
Tori
Iwas about tomelt into a puddle if I sat next to Mace any longer. The memories of our night together kept looping in my mind. I tried taking a deep breath, even gazing out at the wintry skyline, but nothing seemed to help. Maybe it was the wine I drank or the way Mace's big, warm hand rested on my thigh under the table. Either way, I found myself biting my lip,wishing his fingers would inch just a little higher to touch me where I needed to feel him the most.
But no, this is all make believe. I was just the easiest option for him. After tonight, this delicious dream will be over, and the two of us will go back to boss and employee, which is for the best.
His warm, familiar body rushes up beside me as he takes a seat next to me on the porch swing, draping a coat over my shoulders. “Is something wrong?”
I look into his deep brown eyes and suddenly see my own feelings and concerns etched on his handsome face as he lifts a hand to wipe away my tears with his thumb. “None of this is real,” I whisper, afraid to break the spell.
He leans closer, his lips brushing mine. “Do you want it to be real?”
He was too close, and I'd had too much to drink. Surrounded by snow, I felt like we were inside a snow globe. I knew my answer wasn't wise, but when I opened my mouth, all I could say was yes. “Yes.” His mouth pressed to mine, and I didn't need to worry about saying anything more. Maybe tomorrow I would wake up and be back in the real world, where he was my employer and I was his employee. But tonight, I would enjoy the dream, just a little bit longer. “Let’s stop by a convenience store and pick up some condoms before we go back to your place.” I break the kiss, not looking into his eyes.
He tilts my head up so I’m looking into his eyes and says, “The next time we make love, two things are going to happen. First,you’re going to know that I love you. I’ve loved you for a while, but I was just too afraid to act on my feelings. I’m not asking you to say it back to me yet; I just wanted you to know.”
I don’t even have to think as I blurt out my feelings to him, “I love you, too, Mace. I have since the first day I met you. Which makes me sound like a crazy, stalker woman. I’m not sure I would have called it love that first day, but I knew I had strong feelings for you.”
“Oh, Tori, hearing you say you love me is more than I could have ever dreamed of.” His lips meet mine in a heated exchange. When we finally come up for air, I ask him about the second thing on his list of things that are going to happen before we have sex again.
“And the second thing on your list?”
“No condoms. I don’t want anything between us when we make love.”
