Made to Love, page 19
“Jesus.” Nikki laughed nervously. “That scared the shit out of me.”
“The little guy has a pair of lungs, doesn’t he?”
Nikki grabbed the monitor off the table and kissed Mason soundly on the mouth. “This conversation isn’t finished, tiger.” She ended the statement with a perfectly sexy cat meow then sauntered out of the garage, leaving Mason to pick up her jaw.
Chapter 13
Mason dipped the red-hot metal in a bucket of water and listened to it hiss as it cooled. She lifted her welding mask and eyed the curve with an annoyed smirk. “So this is how we’re going to play this? You’re gonna be a bitch, aren’t you?”
“I’ve only been gone a month, and already you’re talking to yourself.” Marly rested against the doorjamb and shot Mason a smile. If she thought time away would cure her, she was sadly mistaken. Suddenly, the absence makes the heart grow fonder nonsense seemed entirely too apropos.
The aggravation in Mason’s face disappeared at the mere sound of Marly’s voice. “My God, you are alive.” She quickly shut off the acetylene and oxygen valves and released the needle on her blowtorch and set it on the table. She scooped Marly up in her arms and spun her around the garage, despite her squeals of protest. Finally, Mason set Marly down and stared at her, arms akimbo. “I was beginning to think I’d never see you again.”
Marly smiled ruefully. “Things took longer than I thought, but I’m here now.” She stepped around Mason and eyed the piece of metal that was causing Mason trouble. It was smaller than the pieces Marly was used to. The sides curved up gracefully like hands cradling a baby. The inside resembled nothing Marly had seen before. “I’m not exactly sure what look you’re going for, but I think you have a way to go.”
Mason growled threw off her gloves. She grabbed a piece of paper and pressed it into Marly’s hand. “This.”
Marly studied the orchid closely, letting her eyes go back and forth between the picture and the piece of metal Mason was partway through. “Well…”
“Well what? If you have any words of advice, feel free to give them. If I don’t get this right, Anne’s flower is finished. I’ll have to come up with something else for the Art Hop and time is running out.”
“See how this part resembles a…uhh…” Marly indicated the labellum, or lip of the orchid, trying to get Mason to see what she saw. “It looks like a woman’s you know.”
Mason shook her head, feigning ignorance. “I’m not sure what you mean. Just say it.” She was enjoying Marly’s discomfort. Having not seen her in weeks, Mason missed the good-natured ribbing that they shared and longed to get that connection back.
Marly sighed in exasperation then scrunched up her face and swatted Mason’s arm when she saw the smirk on her face. “You turd. You know full well what I mean. You need to flatten this section out some. Make it look like a woman’s v-jay-jay.”
“And there it is.” Mason snorted. “You said the v-word.”
“Technically, I didn’t.” Marly stole a glance at Mason, wondering why it was so hard to say the word in front of her. They were adults. She figured it was the sexual tension that she imagined existed between them, though Mason had given no indication that she felt inclined toward Marly in any other fashion than as a friend. All the awkwardness was on Marly’s side, and it made simple interaction difficult, which was exactly why she’d stayed away so long. “I should let you get back to work. I’ve got some unpacking to do. I’ve decided to tackle the attic today.”
“Put it off another day. I need your skilled hands to finish Anne’s orchid.” Mason’s eyes pleaded with Marly to stay. She craved the woman’s company. The thought of only having her for brief moments here and there made her sad. “If I can get this part done and attached, I can start painting today. Please…”
Marly’s defenses shattered at the strangled plea. She could no more resist Mason then the tides could resist the pull of the moon. It was dangerous to be so drawn to someone. The voice in Marly’s head screamed at her to run and lock herself in the house until she could wrap everything up then get the hell out of dodge before she lost any more of her heart. But her heart ached at the mere thought of never seeing Mason again. Marly still hadn’t figured out how to get control of her heart where Mason was concerned. It was a battle she didn’t know how to win and one she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to. Marly realized Mason was watching her expectantly. “I don’t know. I have a ton to do back home. Maybe tomorrow…”
“Unh-uh. Today.” Mason handed Marly a welder’s mask and gestured for her to put it on. “You’ve been all work and no play lately. Come play with me, Ms. Cabot.”
Marly’s stomach fluttered pleasantly. She wanted to play with Mason alright. She just wished it was her actual lady parts and not just a flower that resembled them. Marly almost laughed out loud at her imagined words. Lady parts. God, she hadn’t heard that since her mom had tried, rather unskillfully, to have the birds and the bees discussion with her back in sixth grade. “I really shouldn’t. Maybe tomorrow.”
Mason grabbed Marly’s hand as she walked away. Her eyes held Marly’s with searing heat. Neither one of them spoke as the currents of electricity passed between them. Finally, Mason pulled her gaze away. “I need your eyes for this one, for Anne. I just can’t get it right.”
Marly couldn’t breathe for her heart pounding out of her chest. She wanted to run away, to bend over somewhere and catch her breath. She felt the weight of her emotions closing in on her like a tidal wave. She couldn’t say a word; only nod her head up and down.
Mason, realizing she still had her hand, released it awkwardly. “Cool.” Mason shook her head and berated herself. Cool? Marly was back and had agreed to help with Anne’s flower and cool was all Mason could manage. God, you’re such a nerd. Mason handed Marly the mask again and smiled gratefully. She readied the torch and bent over to turn the tanks on. “So your trip was good?”
Marly nodded as she pulled the mask over her head, leaving it perched on top of her head. She slid an extra pair of gloves on as she spoke. “I said good-bye to yet another place. I don’t seem to stay long anywhere.”
“That’s all the more reason you should stay here.” Mason picked up her striker and flicked it in front of the torch. A thin blue line of fire danced from the tip of the torch. “Besides, it’s the perfect house. It’s close to mine.” Mason shot Marly a confident smile then pulled her mask down. She motioned for Marly to come closer as she picked up the metal lip with her clamps. She pointed the torch toward the tongue and let the heat start to warm the metal up. Once it was pliable, she handed the torch to Marly and motioned for her to hold it away from them. Mason grabbed a pair of needle-nose pliers and pulled gently on the soft metal. With each pull, Mason lengthened the tip until she was satisfied. She motioned for the torch again and reheated the metal. When it was ready, she handed the torch back to Marly and flipped on the English wheel. With a skilled touch honed from years of practice, she rounded the tip of the tongue until it mimicked the picture she’d shown Marly. Mason smiled beneath her mask. She hadn’t changed much, but having Marly beside her seemed to be the difference in her success. She lowered the finished piece into the water, careful not to damage her progress. Mason grabbed the torch, turned off the tanks once again and bled the torch needle and set it aside before she flipped her mask up. She pulled the now cooled piece out of the water and held it out for Marly to inspect. “What do you think?”
Marly slipped her mask over her head and leaned in closely. She let her eyes pass between the orchid lip and the picture. “It looks perfect.” She was starting to feel comfortable in her own skin again. She was able to breathe normally once more. “Now what?”
“I just have to attach this to that.” Mason gestured over her shoulder to the table behind them. “Then paint it.”
“Oh.” Marly eyed the mostly done plant and made a face. “Seems easier said than done.”
“This is where I’ll really need a hand. I need you…” Mason reached around Marly and grabbed the soldering iron and a small stick of metal. “…to hold the base while I work to attach the flower. I don’t think I can do this part without a second pair of hands.”
Marly swallowed at the feel of Mason’s arm grazing her body. The heat felt wonderful as the touch sent chills down her spine. Being near Mason felt so good. “Just tell me what to do.”
“Okay…” Mason grabbed the metal plant and set it on her work bench. She picked up the petals that she already welded together and laid it in front of them. “…I’ll attach the applebum thing to the petals then the fun starts.”
“Labellum.” Marly laughed when Mason stuck out her tongue in response to being corrected.
“Like I said, I’ll attach the apple bottom to the petals first.” She winked at Marly to let her know she was teasing. “You won’t need your mask for this, unless you just like wearing it. I’ll admit; you do look pretty damn sexy in it.”
Marly made a bite me face and set the mask down. “Just tell me where to hold it.”
Mason gestured toward the larger petals on the sides. Once Marly had a good hold on it, she held the metal stick over the empty spot where the lip would go and touched the tip of the soldering iron to the metal, melting a small drop over the space. She set the iron down and picked up the lip carefully with her needle-nose pliers. She set it in the wet metal and held it there as it hardened. She let several moments pass then tugged at the lip gently, smiling when she saw it attached perfectly. “You can let go now. I’m going to put a little more metal around the edges to make sure it stays on.”
Marly watched Mason work. She wasn’t sure if Mason realized it or not, but she stuck the tip of her tongue out as she concentrated. The gesture only served to endear Marly to her even more. She longed to brush the errant blond curls that fell around her face behind her ear, but kept her distance. “It’s beautiful, really. Mom would be so proud of you, Coyote.”
“Think so?” Mason’s eye was more critical, as it always was when she worked on new pieces, but even she had to admit it looked good. “Now the hard part. I am going to hold it over the stem and do the same thing. I’ll need you to hold the flower as still as possible while I solder them together.”
“No problem.” Marly took a breath and stilled her hands, which shook like the rest of her at their nearness. “Just show me where.”
Mason picked up the flower with her clamps and let it hover over the area she wanted to concentrate on. “I’ll have to get a base started on the stem then have you place it on top of the wet metal and hold it there while it hardens.”
Marly nodded understandingly. “You say when.” She pulled her mask off and set it on the workbench before wiping a trail of sweat off her forehead. It was hot in the garage, but admittedly, Marly was hot from more than just the temperature. She watched Mason closely as she held the steel soldering stick over the tip of the stem and heated the metal till there was a drop of hot liquid waiting for her. She moved slowly at Mason’s gesture, lining the bloom up with the spot Mason indicated moments before. She held it there and waited as Mason grabbed a water bottle and sprayed cool water over the bond. It sizzled slightly as it cooled.
Mason set the water bottle down. “Okay, let go slowly.” She held her hands outside of Marly’s as she pulled away slowly. To her surprise, the bloom stayed in place. Mason exhaled in relief. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure that was going to work. Normally, I torch the stuff together, but I didn’t want the bulky joints. Let me just sure this up some.” She grabbed the soldering iron and melted a bit more metal around the seam, following it up with a spray of water. She worked this same process several more times before she pulled away, smiling. “I think that’s it.”
They stared at Anne’s flower silently, appreciating the curved lines and delicate edges of its bloom. Marly couldn’t help but be overwhelmed. “I’m sure she loves it.”
“You think so?”
“I know so. Will you paint it today?”
“Probably not.” Mason set the bottle down on the bench and wrapped her arms around Marly, pulling her into another tight bear hug. “Thank you.”
“I didn’t do much. You did all the work.” Marly let herself slip into Mason’s hug, relishing the feel of her strong arms around her. “I just supervised…”
The sound of loud throat-clearing interrupted them. “I see you made it back.”
Marly pulled away from Mason and smiled guiltily. “Hey, Nikki.”
“Marly.” Nikki’s irritated glance passed between the two women, almost demanding an explanation. “Mase. What’s going on?”
“Hey, babe.” Mason planted an awkward kiss on Nikki’s cheek. She wondered why she felt guilty. She hadn’t done anything other than hug Marly, and that was only in gratitude. “Marly was just helping me finish up the orchid. See.”
Nikki stepped into the garage and placed herself between the two women. She followed Mason’s hand and saw the flower. It didn’t look like much to her except a bunch of old metal.
Mason must have sensed her critique. “It isn’t painted yet. It’s hard to envision the final product.”
“No, it’s lovely.” Nikki wrapped a protective arm around Mason’s waist and fixed Marly with a level gaze. “How nice of you to help my girlfriend.”
Marly bristled at her tone. Nikki was laying claim to her property, letting Marly know Mason was entirely off limits. She realized it was beyond time to go. “It was nothing. Listen, it was nice seeing you. Mason, I’ll see you later.”
Mason followed Marly out of the garage and clasped her arm, stopping her from leaving. “I thought we could celebrate. Come to dinner with Nikki and me. Nikki won’t mind, will you, babe?”
“Not at all. You should join us.”
Marly didn’t even need to see the look on Nikki’s face to know she was just being nice for Mason’s sake. The clipped tones in her response were telling enough. “No, thank you. Right now, I feel like a hot bath. Have fun.”
“Okay.” Mason watched her stride away quickly. She immediately felt the energy change around them. There was just something about Marly that warmed everything up. Finally, she shook her head and shot Nikki a smile. “Let me get cleaned up.”
“Hurry, I’m starving.” Nikki slipped her arm through Mason’s. “I think you need to be careful around her.”
“Who?”
“Marly.” Nikki brushed her fingernails up Mason’s arm. “I don’t like the way she looks at you. She’s interested in more than friendship.”
“I can promise you she doesn’t want anything more from me than I do from her.”
“That’s what I’m worried about.”
“Huh?” Mason stopped and turned Nikki around to face her. “What are you getting at?”
“You two seem a little close. That’s all.”
Mason ran a hand through her hair. “If you have a problem with our friendship, just say it. This beating around the bush is driving me crazy.”
“I just want to make sure your heart is in the right place…with me. Sometimes, I think Marly tests that.”
“Are you asking me not to be friends with her?”
“No, not at all.” Nikki tilted her head and regarded Mason thoughtfully. “Unless you think it’s best to do that.”
“It was a hug…of gratitude. I’ve been struggling with that piece for weeks, and she helped me work it out.” Mason stomped up the steps. “You don’t see me throwing a fit about your phone calls.”
Nikki opened her mouth to reply then clamped it shut. She knew she was overstepping her bounds. But she saw the way Marly looked at Mason. There was nothing friendly about it. It bothered her more that Mason’s face shone when she was around Marly. She couldn’t figure out what Marly had that she didn’t. She was Nikki-fucking-Castellanos. By the time she finished that train of thought, Nikki was good and pissed. She took the steps two at a time. “Tell me this. Am I not enough for you that you have to go cavorting around with awkward Annie behind my back?"
“Whoa, hold on. I haven’t cavorted or done anything else behind your back with her.” Mason opened the screen door and stopped halfway inside. “You want me to limit my time with Marly, end the calls with Katherine. Otherwise, this conversation is done.”
Nikki watched Mason fume away. She had a point. She had no right demanding that of her, without offering the same. She waved her hand in front of her face, suddenly flushed. It was the first time she’d seen Mason the remotest bit angry, and it was sexy as all get out. Nikki had to admit this side of Mason really turned her on. The sad thing was it reminded her of all her old girlfriends treating her like shit, and how pathetic it was that Nikki found that attractive. “God, I’m such a mess.”
Mason slammed the bathroom door shut and stripped her sweaty clothes off. She wrenched the water on with more force than she should have. The nerve of Nikki questioning her feelings or calling Marly out for something that obviously wasn’t there. Mason clenched her fists and shook angrily. Finally calm, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes never lied. That much was certain. Buried deep beneath the rolling blue waves was a glimmer of something else. Truth. Nikki had no right to question her feelings or her friendships, but maybe she did see that Mason was keeping something from her. And unless she figured a way to get over it, it would keep Mason from committing completely to Nikki.
Mason needed time to collect her thoughts. She drained the hot-water heater and then some before she turned off the tap. Still, there was so much running around her head. So many jumbled thoughts she could sort into a tidy space. She didn’t like chaos. At least not inside her head. And she certainly didn’t like arguing. It reminded her of her life with her mother. Mason skirted around quarreling when she could. It made her uneasy and tense. She wanted to run away and hide and hope when she came back to reality, things would be settled again.
Nikki wrung her hands and waited for Mason to be done. She’d had time to think about her words. Her demands, really. Ones she had no place making. She knew if she didn’t watch herself, she stood to lose the sweetest woman she’d ever dated. Unable to wait any further, she stopped in front of the bathroom door and lifted her hand to knock just as Mason opened the door. “Oh. Hi. I wasn’t sure if you were still alive in there.”
