The jeers and shouts that followed implied the others had heard, but Mason didn’t back off. He twined himself around David and rested a hand on his thigh, as if that wasn’t going to get David hard as fuck and ready to go.Actually, probably the goal. Don’t need that in front of his friends. David still hadsomeboundaries…but he also wasn’t interested in moving Mason’s hand. Not immediately. That simple touch was nothingcompared to the knot of limbs that was Ozzy and Evander, so they could get away with it for a bit.
Then Mason got up, taking his hand with him. “Potty break.”
He walked off…and suddenly, all eyes were on David. None of the looks he was getting from around the room were angry or anything like that, but having so many people focused on him all at once, he couldn’t help the slight spike of panic. “Something going on?”
Glances flicked around the room, and eventually, Aras broke the silence. “No offense to you, but Mason’s had a bad run with guys. Whatever situation you two have going, just want to make sure you’re totally on the same page with each other. Otherwise, knock whatever it is off and don’t fucking lead him on.”
“I wouldn’t.” David tamped down his anger. To suggest he would hurt Mason like that? But he knew they were being good friends. This was inevitable if he wanted to be with Mason for any length of time.
Ozzy untwisted himself from Evander enough to speak clearly. “He can’t pee forever, so I’m just going to be clear: you seem kind of flighty. Lots of unfinished projects. Not a lot of follow-through. Don’t make Mason one of your flights of fancy or whatever, then drop him when you decide you’re actually into otters with tribal tattoos or whatever.”
David…couldn’t argue. That wasn’t a flattering interpretation of himself, but he could hardly blame them if it was what they’d landed on. “I’m not—”
“I think we’re done drinking.” Mason marched back out and stood by the door to the hotel room, lips pursed and eyes narrowed. “For the record, if you want to accuse my boyfriend of not wanting to actually be with me, send me to get ice. Bathroom walls are not exactly soundproof.”
Jake scrambled to his feet. “Mason—”
“Good night. Get some rest. You’re behind schedule on the bedroom furniture and Evander can’t wrap things up if you don’t get a move on.” His gaze moved over to Robinson. “You need to double check the fixtures in the kitchen to make sure he doesn’t spring a leak and I’ve been asking about that for two days.” Then Ozzy. “And you’re ignoring the balcony and putting all your effort into that rooftop deck, so I think you clearly need some private time to brainstorm solutions that are going to work.”
Ozzy got to his feet as well. “Mason, come on.”
“No. You and Ev especially don’t get to weigh in onanythingto do with my relationships. Yourfuckingnonsense with each other all those years, and all I ever did was comfort you when you were sad and act like everything was fine you were back together.” He opened the hotel room door. “Good night. Again. Thanks for dinner.”
Slowly, they all filtered out, no one saying anything until the very end. Bunny was the last to leave, and she paused in the doorway. “You don’t think you’re overreacting?”
Mason shrugged. “I’m allowed to.” She left and he closed the door, then sighed and turned around to David. “I’m sorry. I didn’t expect them to ambush you and accuse you like that. That was absolute BS.”
Except it wasn’t. David was still a little caught in the whirlwind of everything that had just gone down, but that was one of the only things that was clear in his head through it all: their worries made sense, and theywerejust trying to protect Mason.
The other thing… “You called me your boyfriend?”
Mason’s tension melted away into that broad smile that did stupid things to David’s belly and made his head all fuzzy. “It seemed like the right level of impact. Had to drive the point home. I…it doesn’t have to be true if you don’t want it to be.”
David gripped his cheeks and kissed him. Mason was a solid anchor in that whirlwind, and he held on tight. When they parted, he held eye contact, still keeping his hands on either side of Mason’s face. “I am absolutely fine with it.” All he had to do now was make sure that their fears were allayed. Mason may not have taken too kindly to what they’d said, but the accusations sank into David.
I’m not letting this one go.
Chapter thirty
Mason
Workwasmucheasierwhen Mason didn’t give a crap about putting on a pleasant face. He wasn’t quite so consumed by anger and annoyance as he had been the night before…but he had a hangover, so that helped to fuel him. Not that he needed all that much fuel. Any time he looked at the crew, he was reminded how they’d gone after David.
My boyfriend.That took a little edge off any time he thought about it. David hadn’t even balked at the label for an instant. They’d made out for a little bit, packed the pizza and leftover cake away in the hotel room’s mini-fridge, and then fell asleep next to each other. No funny business at all, but it was a damn nice feeling, waking up tangled in the sheets with David. In those bleary morning moments, Mason hadn’t even considered that they were both in nothing but their underwear, that David was touching him and could see him.It was also a good thing hewore underwear yesterday. I don’t know if I could have kept my hands off him if he was naked in bed next to me.
He hadn’t seen David much since morning. They would pass by each other, but he seemed to be mostly engrossed in finishing up that sketchbook. Every time Mason saw that more pages had been completed, his heart thrummed. He wanted to see what the whole project would look like, his own personal record of the job, of the time they’d met, of the creative process from someone who was so inspired and talented.
“Hey.” Robinson walked up to the table. “Could I borrow you? Need some extra hands.”
“The contractors aren’t cutting it?”
Robinson actually rolled his eyes at Mason. “Come on, you and I both know that this is an excuse for the two of us to get off camera so we can talk, can’t you just play along?”
Mason snorted…but he got up. He was pissed, but these were still his best friends. Even if he would have had to think really long and hard about whether or not to punch them all in the face, given the chance. “Better turn off your mic, then. I don’t think what I want to say will make it past the censors.”
“Already did.”
Mason rose, switched off the mic pack on the back of his waist, then followed Robinson out of the condo entirely and into the elevator. Only then did Robinson start talking. “I’m sorry about last night, but you’ve got to let us explain.”
