Page 38 of Housekeeping

20

Mason

Once we were done eating, I followed Laura back to the kitchen to clean everything up. She was insistent on me returning with the empty dishes and the basket, even though I didn’t have to. When she nearly pushed it all into my arms, I folded them over my chest.

“I feed you and now you want to kick me out? Great!” I teased with a cheeky grin.

She took me seriously and looked flustered as she set the basket down on the counter.

“Well, you just came to eat dinner with me, right? The dinner you made for me. It was all very good, thank you, but won’t your family be wondering where you are?”

I shook my head. “No. I’m not staying at the mansion. I just went there today because I was free from work and I wanted to visit.”

Technically, I’d skipped out on work. And I’d forgotten to ask why Trent was still around considering Dad had tricked us into coming back, he knew and was still here. Dad had gone to see him, and I wondered what they’d talked about. He hadn't arrived home by the time I wanted to leave, so I was putting off speaking to him for something much more important.

“Didn’t they wonder why you took all that food with you?”

“Not really. They already know I’m living alone at the hotel, and while they do trust the hotel’s standards, Mom was happy to see me take home food she’d helped to make. They probably figured I’d eat the leftovers tomorrow or something. They didn’t even ask.”

“And the groceries?”

“I went to the supermarket nearby and bought them. It’s the first time I’ve ever done that,” I admitted.

“Going to a supermarket?” she asked.

I shrugged. “You can have just about everything delivered to your doorstep these days, even groceries. It was… a strange experience?”

I couldn’t exactly decide what I’d thought of it. I’d of course seen grocery stores on TV. I’d known what to expect, sort of. Still, I left home early to go and shop with the list I’d made up. Laura smiled, seeming amused.

“Everything I bought should be useful to you. If you’d like, I could lend you some nice recipes. It’s all either stuff I’ve eaten or something that’s been recommended to me.”

“What would you have done if I hadn’t taken your gift?” she asked, curious.

I shrugged and said, “I would have taken it all to the hotel with me. You know my room has a kitchen. I’ve been known to use it once or twice for more than just beer storage.”

She wasn’t trying to push me to go, and I let a small smile cross my lips, satisfied I’d sufficiently distracted her. But then, I found myself distracted as well as I looked at her. When she smiled, it lit up her whole face. The effect was especially beautiful compared to how she’d looked when she was scowling at me, trying to get me to leave.

My body moved on its own, closing the space between us as my hand rose to her cheek. The smile dropped when she saw just how close I was getting. She eyed my hand as I brought it to her face, but she didn’t flinch or try to avoid me, and I took it as a good sign. I leaned down, moving my face a little closer to hers.

“Laura,” I murmured. “You never did answer my question before.”

“What question?” she breathed out.

“Are you trying to kick me out? Do you want me to leave?”

I’d imposed on her enough. No matter how much more I wanted, she’d let me in figuratively and literally. If she asked me to leave again, I definitely would because I didn’t want to risk getting on her bad side again.

She didn’t say anything immediately, and it gave me hope.

“Laura…”

“Stay,” she said before I could ask again.

That made me grin. Then I leaned my head down a little more and lightly pressed my lips against hers.

We were both still. I couldn’t even say it was a kiss, even a chaste one, it was just a press of lips. I didn’t know if I should continue or not because while she’d asked me to stay, I wanted her to participate, not just go along with this because I wanted it. So, when she sighed into the kiss and pressed a little closer, her body coming into contact with mine, I let myself relax.

Carefully, I moved my lips against hers, pushing just a little closer. Laura placed her hands on my chest, and I lowered both of mine to wrap my arms around her waist.