Mason carried their overnight bags to the guest room at the back of the house. The drive was much too far for them to not stay the night; it only made sense. They would have stayed in his old bedroom had his mom not converted it into a craft room years ago.
“You and Mom seemed to get along well,” he said.
“She’s great,” Jocelyn said, the trepidation clear in her voice.
“Did something happen?” he asked, concerned at her flat tone.
“Sorry.” Jocelyn shook her head. “She’s great. Just something she said caught me off guard.”
Mason closed the door, wanting to get more details in private. Whatever it had been shook Jocelyn up. When he’d talked to his parents on the phone they had nothing to say about the age thing. It was a non-issue to them. And to now find out something might have changed had him torn. They deserved for one thing to be easy.
“Joss, talk to me,” he demanded, pulling her against his body as her head rested on that perfect spot on his chest.
“Your mom is really great. I like her a lot. She just said something that caught me off guard.”
“Well, what was it?” Mason pressed when she didn’t continue.
Jocelyn pulled back enough so their eyes met. She took her bottom lip between her teeth, and a delicate crease between her brows made an appearance.
“Uh. She said it’d be great if we could give her some grandkids.”
Mason went rigid. He hadn’t expected that, nor had it been something that crossed his mind. Forced to think about it now, it might be fun to have a miniature version of themselves running around, but he’d never had his life planned out far enough that he was set on having, or not having, kids. Meeting Jocelyn changed his world, and if she wanted kids, nothing would make him prouder. And if she didn’t want kids, he’d love her all the same. He wished the idea hadn’t been pushed upon her, that it would have been a discussion that came up naturally between the two of them when the time was right. Is the timing right?
“Mason.”
He let out a heavy breath, one he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “Yeah, I can see why that would… I mean… Wow. Do you…want kids?”
Jocelyn pulled out of his embrace and paced the room. As much as he wanted the connection, she deserved her space to think right now.
“I haven’t thought about it in years. Cliff and I kind of tried, and when it never happened, I let the idea go. I feel like the moment might have passed? But now… I just don’t know. I want to see the world. Can we do that with a kid? How selfish is that?”
“It’s not at all,” he assured her. The idea of being locked down, for lack of a better word, with a kid right now wasn’t something he was jumping at, but maybe in the future?
“I have to know…” Jocelyn said, taking his hands as her smoky, hazel eyes, the pretty green color only tinting them now, pierced him. “Is this a deal breaker? All I know is that right now I can’t promise it.”
A small smile cracked the side of Mason’s lip. “It isn’t. I just want you. And I want to give you everything you want, or don’t want. And if you end up changing your mind in the future, we can address it then. I don’t want you to feel any pressure.”
“Thank you.” Jocelyn pushed up on her toes, and a sweet kiss met his lips.
Reacting to the feeling of her body against his, he pulled her tight, compelling her to open to the dramatic kiss he now sought. His hands roamed across her body, cupping her ass, grinding against his growing loins. Jocelyn broke the kiss, trying to move out of the embrace, but he only held tighter, placing kisses along her neck, nibbling up her ear.
“Mason.” She giggled. “Not here. We can’t.”
“Sure we can. We just have to be really quiet,” he mumbled as the onslaught of kisses continued.
“No. Please.” She laughed, pushing him away. “You’re going to have to wait until we get home.”
A grunt of displeasure was his only answer. He kissed her forehead, knowing she was right. He needed to get away from her body that called to him in this tiny space. Turning, he started to arrange their bags around the generous room.
“How’d it go with your dad?” Jocelyn asked, taking a seat on the bed.
“Actually, that’s something I wanted to talk to you about.” He cleared his throat. “My dad said he’d be honored to walk you down the aisle—you know, since your dad isn’t able to.”
Jocelyn’s delicate smile gave nothing away as she stood, placing a soft hand on his cheek. She hadn’t mentioned any remorse about her father’s inability to attend the wedding, but Mason wanted this to be her perfect day.
“It’s the most thoughtful offer, and I appreciate it on so many levels. You know how nervous I’ve been about meeting them—my age, and the quick engagement and all. But I think…and maybe this isn’t traditional, but I want to walk myself down the aisle. I want to be the one to give myself to you. Is that okay?”
“Is it okay?” He smiled, pushing his hands in her hair. “I fucking love it. And I might die right now not being able to put my hands all over you.” He took a half-step in, the magnetic pull too much as the air around them turned musky with lust.
“Hey, you two, dinner’s ready,” Mom called from down the hall.
Fuck. “Come on.” He pulled open the door, gesturing for Jocelyn to leave first. He needed a moment to collect himself. “But we are leaving first thing tomorrow morning,” he assured her.