She finally met his gaze again. “I just wasn’t sure what I thought I saw in you wasn’t just wishful thinking.”
Mason didn’t think, he simply went with his gut, cupped her face, and kissed her, letting all his pent-up feelings and need loose. Her hands gripped his sides and her lips opened to him. He slid his tongue along hers and tasted the same need he had for her.
“Touchdown!” Danny yelled.
Mason certainly felt like a winner having Sierra in his arms.
Sierra broke the kiss and held him away.
He caught the desire in her eyes a second before he turned and caught Danny doing his own version of an end zone victory dance, pretending to spike the ball. Oliver barely glanced up from the tablet.
He turned back to Sierra. “I should have done that that night in the bar.”
She chuckled under her breath, a pretty pink blush brightening her cheeks. “And started a fight with David.”
“I wanted to start something with you.”
She pulled him in a step and laid her forehead against his chest. “I don’t know what to do with that now after everything that’s happened. I married David. We had a good marriage for the most part.”
He wanted to dive into that for the most part, but left it alone because he didn’t want to talk about her and David. He wanted to talk about them and the here and now.
He cupped her face again and made her look at him. “The past is the past. Let’s focus on right now. Do you want to be with me? Do you want to see where this thing between us goes?”
A shyness he’d never seen in her filled her eyes as her gaze fell away, then came back to meet his. “Yes.” The whispered word rang loud and clear in his brain.
He brushed his thumbs across her pink cheeks and smiled down at her, his heart light, excitement thrumming through him. “Now we’re getting somewhere.” He leaned down and kissed her softly. “I’m so glad you came back.”
She snuggled into his chest and he held her close. “Me, too.”
The oven buzzer went off and she pulled away, but he took her hand to keep the connection between them. “Pick a day that you can get a babysitter for the kids. Let’s go out to dinner.”
A smile bloomed on her soft lips. “A date?”
He squeezed her hand. “It’s long overdue.”
The smile went megawatt. “I’d like that.”
He wanted to make her that happy all the time. “I want to spend a lot more time with you.” He squeezed her hand to let her know he meant it and mentally kicked his ass for not being this open and honest with her back in the day.
She reached over and turned the incessant buzzer off, then opened the oven door, letting loose a blast of heat and the aroma of barbecue pulled pork.
He couldn’t help himself. “That smells so good.”
“I can’t take credit. I picked it up at the Barbecue Pit. I’m just reheating it.”
“I love that place.”
“I know.” She gave him another shy glance. “You’re not the only one who paid attention.”
“Mom, I’m thirsty.” Danny spoke around the chunk of hot dog in his mouth.
Sierra turned to Mason again. “You get that I’m a package deal, right?”
“Rug rats and all. Got it. They’re great boys. I like having them here. I like you here.”
She cocked a hip and leaned heavily on one side. “How come we never got together in high school?”
“Because I was a dumbshit back then.”
“You swore.” Oliver appeared at his side out of nowhere.
Mason frowned. “Sorry, buddy, just telling your mom the truth.”
“Are there any grapes?”
“In the cooler.” Sierra took Oliver’s hand and led him over to it, pulling out the covered bowl filled with green and red grapes. “Do you want a slider to go with that?”
“Yes, please. No slaw.”
“I know.” Sierra pulled the cover off the grapes and handed the whole thing to Oliver. “Go sit at the coffee table. I’ll bring you your sandwich.”
Oliver went back to the living room, sat on the floor, set the grapes on the table, and ate while watching some car insurance commercial.
“Are you sure you don’t mind them eating in there?”
“It’s no big deal. If they spill something, I can have the carpet cleaned.” He went to the freezer, pulled out the ice container, and dumped the ice into the metal bucket filled with sodas.
“You sure you want to give them soda? They’ll be hopped up on sugar for a couple of hours.”
“Relax, Sierra. I don’t care if they make a mess, jump on the furniture, and just be rowdy boys. I used to be one, you know.”
She sighed. “I just want this to go well.”
“It is. It will.” He stopped in front of her with the bucket under his arm. “Are you talking about today, or us?”
He loved that she always met his gaze when she had something serious to say. “I don’t want to mess this up. You’ve been so nice, getting me the job, and asking us over here.”
“Stop. I didn’t do those things so you’d say yes to a date, or to manipulate you into saying yes.”
She put her hand on his chest like touching him was so easy now.
He loved it.
“That’s not what I meant at all. I’m grateful for the help you’ve offered, but that isn’t why I’m here.” She raked her fingers through her hair again. “I appreciate what you’ve done and I’m so glad we’ve reconnected.”
“Me, too.” He saved her from trying to explain herself further when he got that this meant something to her. He mattered. “Let’s eat before the boys start chewing on the furniture.”
She smiled and went to make up the sliders where she had everything set out next to the stovetop.
He took the drinks into the living room and set the bucket on the coffee table.
“No way. Root beer in bottles. Cool.” Danny pulled one out and stared at the cap.
Mason took it, twisted off the top, and handed it back.
Oliver held up a bottle to him. “Me.”
Mason uncapped his and handed it back. Both boys took deep sips, burped, then fell into a fit of giggles. Mason took a big swig of his own bottle and burped long and loud just to make them laugh.
Sierra stared at him from the kitchen island, smiling, and shaking her head, but enjoying it all the same.
* * *
The rest of the evening went smoothly. The boys ate too much and ended up on either side of Mason and Sierra on the sofa where their legs touched the whole time but he resisted the urge to hold her hand or hook his arm around her shoulders and pull her into his side because he didn’t want the boys to see how close they were getting before Sierra was ready to talk to them about her moving on. The boys loved their father, missed him, and may not be ready for a new guy in their mom’s life.
He got that and kept a respectful distance for their sakes.
The game ended with their team winning. Danny jumped up and fist-pumped the air. Oliver was half asleep watching the tablet next to Sierra.
They worked together to clear the food and put everything away. Mason loved that she rummaged through his kitchen looking for plastic containers and appreciated that she stored the leftovers in his fridge for him to eat later in the week. He hoped to spend more time with her and the boys and not eat all his dinners alone anymore.