“Do you want kids?” he asks.
“Maybe,” I answer. “But I don’t know how that works with this relationship... it all feels complicated.” I think about my conversation with Ethan the first night in Tahiti. Not understanding how this will all work in the real world.
“Why does it have to be complicated? Can’t it be what we make it?”
I twist my lips not thinking anything is that easy. “But what if one day I got pregnant with your baby, how would the other guys feel, or vice-versa? Or what would a doctor say? Or each of your families? Everyone would have an opinion.”
“I don’t know, Chloe. But this is our life. No one else’s. Hell, I almost got killed by a fucking shark. I’m not going to waste any more time caring what anyone else thinks. I was so close to not being here at all. I can’t waste my life waiting for other peoples’ approval. I know what I want. I don’t need to ask permission from anyone but the woman I love.”
His words cause tears to prick my eyes and I shake my head. “You are so freaking good to me, Mason,” I say, leaning over to kiss him. My hand reaches under his hospital blanket, wanting to feel his cock, to feel him. I miss being with him so much.
“Oh, baby,” he groans, his eyes closing. “That feels so fucking good.”
I lick my lips, loving that I’m getting him excited. His cock is nice and stiff in my hand, the velvety length growing as I stroke him.
“Good, because you deserve a little TLC.” Looking at the hospital door, making sure it’s shut nice and tight, and I lower my head to his cock, burying myself under the blanket.
Just as I begin to lick his perfect tip, he groans—but not in pleasure. It’s in pain.
I shoot up. “Mason?”
His eyes are squeezed tight. “It’s not you... it’s this fucking leg. The pain. Fuck…”
I reach for the call button, knowing he needs his nurse to help. I hate that there isn’t more I can do. And the one thing I thought would help—getting him off—only causes him more pain.
“Sorry, Mason,” I say, returning to my seat as the nurse comes in and checks his vitals, upping his meds.
“It’s okay,” he says, exhausted, letting the pain medication enter his bloodstream.
I wring my hands together, hating that I don’t know how to help him.* * *A week later everyone is even more stressed. Apparently, the reason we’re here in Tahiti is for a surfing competition in Teahupo’o. Teams of four enter and compete in a three-day event. The brand Billabong is hosting it and my guys were front-runners. The day of the event Ethan, Enzo and Noah are at the resort instead of competing. Sitting with them at an early morning breakfast I try to gauge where they are all at.
“It’s not that I’m mad, just disappointed,” Enzo says. “I hate that Mason is missing all of this and that we are all in limbo until he recovers.”
“I really wanted to beat that asshole, Drew Riley, today,” Noah says. “His team are a group of fuckers and I hate that they will get the title.”
Ethan nods in agreement. “Black Bull said if we miss the Oahu open in two months they might drop us.”
That is the last thing we needed to hear this morning.
“Please don’t mention that to Mason,” I ask them. “He’s having a hard enough time as it is, and feels terrible.”
“It’s not his fault,” Ethan says. “It’s just the facts.”
“I’m just saying maybe try and be sensitive.”
Noah exhales, reaching for a halved papaya. “It’s just hard when we’re a team, Chloe. You wouldn’t get it.”
I purse my lips together, just as tired of this situation as they are. “I actually thought we were a team.”
“It feels like this team is falling apart. You’re at the hospital 24/7, Chloe,” Noah says. “I haven’t seen you in days.”
“It’s not my fault,” I say, incredulous. “What am I supposed to do?”
“Bella, Noah didn’t mean anything,” Enzo says trying to even us out. But there are wrinkles all over this relationship. “You haven’t taken care of yourself in days, maybe you should stay here today and rest.”
“I have to go to the hospital. I’m not around because you guys are off working. And Mason needs support. He’s going out of his mind.”
“We know,” Ethan says, resting a hand on my shoulder. “And we are so grateful you can be there for him.”
“But?” I raise my eyebrows. “There is always a but.”
“But you were right, what you said the day we first got here,” Ethan says. “It’s a lot to manage. Our lives are really closely connected and when one piece of the link gets broken, I can see how we might all fall apart.”
My eyes widen. “You think we might fall apart?” I look around the table trying to see where Enzo and Noah stand. “Is that how everyone feels?” I lower my voice, knowing we’re in a public place, and our relationship is already getting more attention than I’d like. “Do you think this is falling apart?”