“Yes! My boys! What would I do without you?” I jump up, punching him in the arm, pleased I won’t have to explain to Erin why she can’t get into the office next week.
In my glee, my hand catches the soup container, flipping it from the counter. It coats my stomach and leg, burning into my skin.
“Oh my god!” I begin to swipe the boiling hot soup off me, but I can feel my skin already tingling underneath.
“Fuck, take off your tights. I’ll get the first aid kit! I think we have some burn gel.”
I lift my top so that it’s off my stomach but still covering my breasts, then start shimmying out of my tights as fast as I can.
My hands shake from the shock.
I’m standing in my thong when Henry comes back in, but I don’t overthink it—he’s like a brother to me. I take the cold cloth he hands me and plaster it to my stomach, where the burning is more intense. He squats down in front of me, ripping open the gel packet and squirting it onto my leg. It runs down my thigh, instantly melting against the heat. My hand dashes out to rub it into the skin.
“How do you fucking manage it, girl?” Henry says, shaking his head at me.
I smile down at him, feeling like a complete klutz.
“What the fuck is going on?” Mason’s voice has me jumping back, my skin prickling at his tone.
Shit.
“I burnt myself. Henry was just helping me.” I try to explain, but I can see the rage as it visibly builds within him.
“Who’s this?” Henry asks, standing at his full six foot two height. He’s big for a twenty-three-year-old. Mason only has an inch on him.
“Her boyfriend,” Mason announces, completely losing his cool—and maybe his mind.
Boyfriend?
He grasps Henry by his vest, pulling him away from me. “Get the fuck away from her.” His eyes blaze over my semi-naked form.
God, this must look awful.
“Mason, calm down. And let go of him.” I try to defuse the situation, but it’s a task when I’m trying to hide from the prying eyes that watch on through the open door.
Gemma steps into the room, spotting Mason and Henry in a standoff as they both grasp one another’s tops.
“What on earth? Henry, stop!” she demands.
Henry eyes her for a second, then reluctantly pushes Mason back with force, removing his hand from his gym vest when Mason doesn’t let go.
“Stupid prick. She burnt herself,” Henry spits out.
Mason looks at me and the red creeping over my thigh and stomach. It’s not as bad as I first thought, but that’s only thanks to Henry’s quick thinking.
“Guys, can you give us a minute?” I ask.
Henry frowns, giving me an ‘are you kidding me’ look.
“Of course! Henry.” Gemma pulls her man from the staff room by the wrist, closing the door to allow me a scrap of dignity.
“Mason, I bur?—”
“Don’t,” he cuts me off, shaking his head. “Nina, you’ve kept me away all week, and then I come here and find you like this. I need a minute.”
I wince, trying to tame the words before they leave me. “Uh, maybe I need a goddamn minute.” I take a deep breath through my nose. “I burnt myself, Mason, you insensitive ass! What are you even doing here, anyway?”
“Nothing, it doesn’t matter. Let me see.” He nods to my leg.
