Rock Bay 2 - Letting Go (17 page)

“Just get the works. I can pick off the mushrooms.”
“I still can’t believe you don’t like mushrooms. Peasant….”
Mason pulled up the local pizza place he’d saved on his phone to the background noise of Logan muttering how it was Mason who was the peasant for liking gross things that came out of the ground.
The rest of their afternoon was good. Logan looked better after a few slices of mushroomless pizza and some downtime playing video games. Mason kept eyeing him, trying to pretend he wasn’t but doing it all the same. He hoped Logan would be okay on his own the next day while Mason was at work. After work he was going to take Logan up to meet Lex and Tally, who were hopefully going to need help with their expanding luncheon catering business. As small as Astoria was, there wasn’t a huge quantity of short-term jobs available. Tally was most likely Logan’s best bet. And at least he was assured of working for someone who’d been a waiter for a million years and wasn’t an asshole.

Mason actually really liked Tally, as much as he’d disliked him at first, if on principle alone. The guy wasn’t a jerk, and he really seemed to love the hell out of Lex. He was a good friend to Drew as well, helping him through all that crap with asshole Brock taking business from him. Mason so wished there was something he could do about that.

“Yo, Mason, you spacing?” Logan threw a small piece of leftover crust at him. They’d been grazing on the pizzas all day, a slice or two here and there. All that was really left, though, were the dregs of the box.

“I guess I’m just tired. You know how I start thinking when I’m tired.”

 

“What time you gotta get up in the morning?”

Mason groaned. “Four. I’m on mornings this week. I think someone’s fucking with me.”
“You probably gotta go to bed soon, huh?”

“Yeah. I should get in the shower at least, so I’ll be ready when it’s time to pass out.” At least with as little sleep as he’d gotten the night before, it shouldn’t be too hard to fall asleep on time. Mason pried himself off the couch, gathered his pajamas, and headed for the shower in his thankfully large bathroom.

“I’ll be out in a little bit, dude.”

Logan waved him off. “No rush. I’m going to take a go at that bubble level again. I want to get a higher score.”

Mason clicked the door shut to the bathroom just as his phone buzzed and chimed in his pocket. He dropped his pajamas and the clean towel he’d gotten from the closet and checked his messages. Drew. Of course that was enough to bring a huge smile out.

Hey. Didn’t want to bug you. I know your friend is there. I wish I could kiss you good night.

 

Mason’s belly melted at the thought of one of Drew’s good-night kisses.

 

You never bug me. I wish I could kiss you too :( I’m getting in the shower.

 

Awww, man. Why do you have to tease me?

 

Mason chuckled.
Damn
he wished Drew was there.

 

I’m not teasing. You’re welcome to join me whenever you want ;)

He decided to leave it at that. With a low chuckle, Mason dropped his phone and started to undress.

“Are you sexting in there?” Logan called from the living room. Mason cursed his small apartment.

“No. I’m getting in the shower.”
“I don’t hear water, I hear giggling.”

Mason chuckled again. “Shut it,” he called casually before he reached into the shower and turned on the water.

D
REW
put his phone down so he would get some work done and not spend the rest of the night thinking about getting Mason alone in the shower, or in his bed, or anywhere they could be naked. He wanted it. A lot. Yeah, it was intimidating to think about sex with a guy, something he’d never done but wanted to for so long. But his desire was enough to drown out the nerves. At least when he was sitting alone on the couch and simply thinking about it. He’d have to see how brave he was when Mason was standing right in front of him taking his clothes off.

He forced himself to open his e-mail and get to work dealing with customers instead of fantasizing about Mason. He had an e-mail from Jessica, the owner of the nail salon just outside of town where most of the women of Rock Bay went to get their nails done. Including Brock’s wife. Jessica was e-mailing to regretfully inform him that her niece had moved to town and needed a job, so she’d hired her to do her books. Of course.
One more off my list
. Drew wondered how many more there could be before he had to shut down. It was time to start trolling for more business in Astoria. Hopefully Brock’s influence didn’t reach across state lines.

Chapter Thirteen

 

M
ASON
yawned and stretched on Drew’s couch, his shirt lifting up to show a few inches of his smooth belly. Drew wanted to touch him so badly. They’d been cuddling and touching more and more over the six, no seven, dates they’d had in the past three weeks, and the kisses were
so
amazing, and getting better every day. So was their relationship, period. Drew was getting more and more comfortable touching Mason in private, in front of their friends, maybe even in public someday soon. Well, in Rock Bay at least. He had no problems in Astoria, where no one knew him but Mason and his goofy friend Logan, whom Drew had liked immediately upon meeting him. Of course he’d like the guy Mason had been friends with since the dawn of time.

Drew reached over to run his fingers along Mason’s belly, but before he could make contact, Mason’s arms relaxed, and his shirt was once again covering everything Drew wanted to get his hands on.
Damn.
He slung his arm across Mason’s shoulders instead and pulled him in closer so he was almost lying across Drew’s chest. The movie was almost over, and every minute seemed to pass faster and faster. Mason had to go home soon. Drew didn’t want him to leave. They sat there contentedly through the rest of the movie, Mason’s fingers tangling in Drew’s every so often.

Drew was barely paying attention to what was happening on screen. He was too enthralled by Mason’s scent, the softness of his skin, the way he felt draped across Drew’s body. Drew mentally willed the movie to last at least another hour. No such luck. Before he knew it, the credits were rolling and Mason was tipping his head back to give Drew a small kiss. That kiss felt an awful lot like good night. After he flicked the television off, Mason went to get up off Drew’s couch, but Drew tugged on a belt loop and pulled him back down.

“Hey you,” Mason laughed. “I’ve gotta go if I’m not going to fall asleep on the road. I did morning shift today, remember?”

“I don’t want you to go.” Drew knew he was pouting, and if there was anything a man in his thirties probably shouldn’t do, it was pout. He couldn’t help it.

“Awww, that’s adorable,” Mason teased. He leaned over and kissed Drew’s pout. “I don’t want to go either, but it’s late.”

Drew’s heart raced. He was going to say it…. “So don’t go. Stay.”

 

“Are you sure?” Mason’s eyes went wide. “Like,
stay,
stay?”

“Yeah.”
And now would be the time to tell him you’ve never done this with a guy before.
Drew kissed him instead. A long, steamy kiss that ended with his hands up the sides of Mason’s shirt and Mason trying to get into Drew’s waistband.

“Okay. You convinced me.” Mason chuckled breathlessly. “Lemme text Loogie and tell him I’m not coming home.”

They walked hand in hand back to Drew’s bedroom. Drew tried not to be nervous. It would be the same, right? Just… well, no, not the same. He’d never felt anything close with the few women he’d slept with. He didn’t think it would matter if it had been men either. None of them were Mason. The emotions were high, and that could make it so much better. But it could make it scarier at the same time. And more awkward. And—
don’t think. Just do it.

“Hey, I didn’t have a chance to take a shower after work, do you mind?” Mason asked. Drew’s mind went nuts picturing Mason naked and wet in his shower, just a few feet away.

“Of course not. Let me get you a towel.”

“Do you….” Mason hesitated. “Want to join me?”
Oh, God.
“Yes.”
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
“I’ll be right back

with that towel. The shower’s through there, if you want to get the water started.”

When Drew returned with the towel, he was surprised by Mason, naked and stepping into the shower. He knew, obviously, that he shouldn’t be surprised. Typically one does take all of one’s clothing off to shower. It was just the idea of seeing Mason naked and it actually happening were two different things. And Mason was so beautiful, just like Drew knew he would be. His skin was pretty and pale, his limbs long and lithe. He was so
young
. Drew knew he was in good shape, but he almost didn’t want to show Mason his body in comparison.

“C’mon,” Mason said with a small smile. “The water’s nice.”
Drew stripped quickly before he could lose his nerve and followed Mason into his big, tiled, shower stall. It was one of the first things he’d had redone when he bought the place. The shower was big and luxurious. More than enough room for two full-grown guys. Especially when the first thing Mason did when he got into the shower was wrap himself all around Drew.
“Hi,” Mason said. It had become their little joke, a memory of when they could barely talk to each other.
“Hi.” Drew leaned over and kissed him, and all of the insecurity went away. Just like that. It only took a touch before all there was left was skin, and kisses, and Mason cuddled up to him, and gorgeous wet
skin
. Drew couldn’t get enough of Mason’s smooth, perfect skin.

“You’re so sexy,” Mason groaned. He stepped back and ran his hands down Drew’s chest.
Thank you, gym.

Drew went in for another warm, wet kiss. “You’re beautiful. I almost didn’t want you to see me.”

“Are you kidding me?” Mason leaned over and sucked on one of Drew’s nipples. “I’ve been wanting to get you naked for weeks.” Drew shivered and clutched at Mason’s hair. It felt so good.

Ugh. Confession time. And I’m naked too. Jesus. Isn’t that the classic nightmare?

 

“Um, Mason?”

“Mmm-hmmm?” Mason’s mouth had moved up to Drew’s neck.
“I’m not what you’d call experienced when it comes to men… or women, for that matter.”
“What do you mean?” Mason stopped sucking and slung his arms over Drew’s shoulders. He was warm and wet and plastered against Drew’s skin. It was hard to think with Mason all close like that, but he had to come up with a coherent sentence or two.

“When I realized I liked guys in high school, I was terrified. I didn’t want anyone to find out. You know what that’s like.”

“Of course. High school was horrible.”

“I wasn’t brave like you. I would’ve never been with a guy back then, and I was scared to even be with girls—like maybe they’d be able to tell I was more into the way the boys looked.”

“I thought you were bi.”
“I am, and I eventually was with a few women. But as much as I used to hate to admit it, I notice men more. I did back then too.”
Mason nodded thoughtfully. “Have you ever done anything at all with a guy?”
“I’m standing naked with one right now, aren’t I?”
“You know what I mean.” Mason smiled.
“Yeah. I do. I made out with a few guys in college, and there was one blow job sophomore

year. But that’s all. Brock’s friend Rick went to the same school as me. I didn’t want word to get back here.”

“Why were you so afraid?”

Drew shrugged. “Look what’s happened lately. Rock Bay isn’t the place to be gay.”
“True. So why the change in attitude, then? I mean, the old you would probably never have had a naked guy in your shower.”

“Probably not.” Drew smiled and kissed Mason. He couldn’t help it. “I guess I stopped caring so much about what people thought. I didn’t want to live my life never really happy just because I was scared.”

“And you didn’t want to move away? Go to Seattle or Portland?”

“I thought about it, but this is home. As much as there is to hate bout the place, I love it at the same time.”

“And you have friends here.”
“I do.”
“And you have me.”

D
REW
shuddered and pulled Mason tighter. “You have me too.”

They held each other quietly for a few minutes. Mason’s head was spinning. Drew was practically a virgin, at least when it came to
real
sex. The kind that was sweaty and hot and totally consuming. From what he’d said, his experiences had been mechanical, uptight, worried. Nothing close to the way it should be. As much as he would’ve thought it would be a turnoff, Mason was actually kind of excited to show Drew the ropes. To teach him about passion and closeness. Use some of the considerable experience he’d gained in Seattle to drive Drew out of his mind.

“So, you don’t mind if I’m not exactly an innocent?” Mason asked. He was worried that his experience, in the light of Drew’s inexperience, would look a little slutty. “I had a few very fun years.”

Drew chuckled. “That’s probably as it should be. As long as you don’t mind my lack, I’m fine with it.”

“Good. Maybe I can teach you a thing or two.” Mason gave him a wicked smile. “Starting with how much fun a shower can be.”