Twitter. A ‘friend’ posted a video of the epic yelling match between the two women, Allen standing there dumbstruck not knowing what to do until he ultimately had to physically separate them before the cops showed up.”
“Oh man, that sucks.”
“I have dealt with so many people who lost their minds in the moment and regretted it almost as soon as it was over. Allen begged his ex to forgive him. She couldn’t. Not after he’d embarrassed her in public like that.” Mason sighed. “It’s too bad, too, because if they’d tried, they might have come out of it stronger.”
“And Sabrina wouldn’t be caught in the middle.”
Mason nodded, looking solemn, then took a sip of his wine.
Sierra went on, “Your job is so complicated and emotionally straining.”
“My clients aren’t happy to be ending their relationships; the anger is just a mask for the pain. Mostly they’re hurt and bitter. They think they want revenge, but what they really want is to be able to move past the pain and anxiety over starting a new life without their partner. Change is scary. Most of them are better off after the divorce, emotionally, but it takes time and perspective to get there.”
She squeezed his hand. “It took me a while to get there after David’s death. I felt rocked by it. I didn’t know how to go on without him. I was his wife. I didn’t know how to be a widow and what was expected of me. I just knew I was still a mom and I needed to be there for the boys. But I still needed to figure out how I felt and what I wanted now that my life had changed.”
“And then the fire happened and your life is upended again.”
She appreciated that he got it. “So much is still in flux, but I feel anchored here now.”
Mason brushed his thumb against her skin, sending ripples of warmth through her hand and up her arm, spreading out to every part of her body. “I hope I’m part of the reason you feel at home here again.”
“It seems like everything in my life has been hard lately. Then you came back into my life and I don’t know . . . it just seems so easy to be with you.”
“Because we’re friends?”
“That part’s always been easy. Hiding the attraction in front of the kids is a bit harder.”
Mason leaned in close, his breath whispering against her cheek. “You don’t have to hide anything tonight.” His lips brushed her skin in a light kiss that left her wanting even as every nerve in her body lit up with lust.
Mason sat back and smiled at their waitress. “We need another minute to decide what we want.”
Sierra didn’t need even a second to know she wanted Mason.
The sexy smile he gave her said he knew it, too.
She took a fortifying sip of her wine, picked up the menu, and tried to concentrate on the words and not every breath Mason took, or the way his arm brushed hers when he opened his menu.
“They do a great steak. The potatoes au gratin are amazing. But you might like the roasted chicken with white wine sauce. It comes with a side of mac and cheese. I know you can’t resist that.” He knew her all too well.
“I kind of want it all.”
Mason turned and locked his gaze on her. “You can have anything you want.” He let that hang for a moment and her heart beat faster and her breath hitched when his gaze dipped to her mouth. “I’ll get one. You get the other. We’ll share.” His blazing blue eyes met hers again. “What do you say?”
“Yes. Okay.” She had a feeling she was answering a question he hadn’t asked, but needed to be answered all the same.
“You make it hard to concentrate.”
His deep voice and the thoughts he invoked did the same to her. “You make me think about all the things I’ve been missing.”
His eyes darkened with desire and the sexual tension grew thick and heady between them. She pressed her thighs together to ease the ache of it, but she didn’t take her eyes off his gorgeous face.
“You’re coming home with me tonight, right?”
“Yep.” The word popped off her lips.
He chuckled, humor and frustration all packed into the light sound. “Why didn’t I think to just make you dinner at my place?”
To ease the tension and make him smile, she teased, “Well, you can’t be brilliant all the time.”