Behind the Mask

Chapter 13

Nate's POV

I lay in bed, watching Kota sleep. Last night was refreshing for all of us. Marissa was like a breath of fresh air with her honesty and acceptance. I hadn't seen Silas or Luke so relaxed in years, and Sean, well when she bluntly said Sang was wrong to leave without talking to us, it was like a weight fell off him. His whole body shifted and perked up. As the night went on, we began to see the flirtatious old Sean with his jokes and innuendos.

When Gabe came home from dropping her off and explained what had almost happened between them, I was irritated at first. Then when he said that she was concerned about us, all of us and that it would hurt us, I felt bad for being so quick to judge. Of course, the room went into an uproar when he talked about pursuing more with her. As usual, Silas was the voice of calm and reason. He pointed out that we had all decided long ago that the marriage was open with communication and consideration. If Gabe felt drawn then he should explore it, but he needed to discuss it with all of us if things became more than just casual. I'm not sure if any of us are really ready for another Sang situation - hell, we may never be.

Kota stirred next to me and I began to place kisses along his chest. "Hey you," he said groggily.

"Hey yourself," I said, then brushed my lips across his. "What is the plan for today?"

He rubbed his face, then ran his hands through his hair, "Actually, I wanted to go talk with Marissa about touring some of the offices. She's going to be a part of all this madness, so I'd rather show her the ropes first," he said. I arched my eyebrows but didn't push the issue.

It was almost nine by the time we reached her office, and after some good-natured joking, we mapped out a calendar of tour dates. We were just wrapping up when her stomach growled loud enough to make me jump slightly.

"If we promise not to tease you, would you let us take you to lunch?" Kota asked. "I mean we did sort of crash your day without notice."

Her stomach growled again, "I think the decision has been made," she laughed and we headed out. I couldn't help but notice the harsh look Phelps and his wife gave her as we passed. That man seems to think he's the boss, and if what Luke thinks is true, this could be a real mess for her.

Kota pulled up in front of a small Indian restaurant and she smiled. "Have you been here before?" I asked.

"No, but I've driven by a few times. Have either of you?"

"Yeah, it's one of my comfort food places," I laughed. "My cooking skills aren't great, better than Sean's but still not great."

She tapped her chin, "So what I'm hearing is politely decline if either you or Sean offer a home-cooked meal?" I chuckled and nodded, "Good to know," she giggled.

"At least the city has hundreds of restaurants to choose from," I shrugged as I helped her out of the car. "We can keep you entertained for a long time before repeating locations."

"Why Mr. Griffin, you make it sound like you plan on taking me out for food regularly," she teased, batting her eyelashes. I felt my cheeks redden at the innuendo. Damn, she's feisty! I was saved from further embarrassment by the hostess who led us to a table and took our drink orders. We chatted about the dishes for a bit before ordering.

I noticed Marissa was playing with her napkin nervously and shot Kota a side glance. "Everything okay?" he asked her.

She looked up then spoke hesitantly, "Yes, well, um, did Gabe speak with you by any chance?"

Kota gave her a grin, "If you're referring to the hallway last night, then yes he explained." Her shoulders sank a bit and she seemed to shrink inward. Her body language screamed a fear of rejection and Kota noticed it as well, quickly adding, "Marissa, you don't need to worry. As we explained last night, all of us are bi-sexual, we enjoy women and were married to one once. As long as there is open communication, you and Gabe are free to explore whatever you want."