Relieved, Jude shifted closer and ran his hand over all that beautiful, naked skin. He’d never shared his bed before, and having Mason to wake up to made their night together even more incredible. He pressed his lips to Mason’s neck, loving how he shivered and sighed.
“No regrets. And I have shirts and ties. You can wear them. We’re close enough in size.” He wrapped his hand around Mason’s erection and rubbed up and down its length.
“I-I…God, Jude, I can’t think when you do that.” But he didn’t pull away, and Jude threw his leg over a slim hip, enabling him to take his and Mason’s shafts in his palm and stroke them both.
“Good. Then don’t.”
He crushed his mouth over Mason’s, and their tongues explored and twisted together while their bodies rocked. Heat blazed through him, and he groaned as his orgasm crashed over him. Mason cried out and followed a moment later, their release coating their hands, stomachs, and chests.
Breathing heavily, Jude kept his face buried in Mason’s shoulder, still confused as hell about the events that led him and Mason to be so insatiable together. Because it didn’t matter if his head told him that sex with Doug’s younger brother might not be his smartest move; Mason intrigued him like no one ever had. In and out of bed.
“What’re you thinking? I swear I can feel your mind spinning.”
“I’m still shocked. About us. You have to know I didn’t plan on this after what happened at the wedding.”
“I know. But I haven’t been able to forget that night.” Mason propped himself up on an elbow, looking straight into Jude’s eyes. “And I think no matter how hard you’re trying, you can’t either.”
This wasn’t the frivolous, spoiled Mason of ten years ago, and Jude had to admit that maturity sat well on his broad shoulders. And he deserved an honest response.
“You’re right. I was embarrassed and ashamed we spent the night together, and I swore I wouldn’t let it happen again.”
“And yet it did, and here we are.”
The sound of rain pattering against the window drew his attention just as thunder rumbled. He made a face, thinking about walking the dog.
Mason, seeing his expression, narrowed his eyes. “Okay. I get it. It was a mistake. Again.”
“No,no. I wasn’t thinking about you. I have to take that damn dog out, and she’s a pain in the ass about getting her paws wet.”
Mason stared at him, then broke out in laughter. “You’re fucking kidding me. I’m baring my soul to you, and you’re getting all pissy about a temperamental dog.”
“You try walking that monster. I have the battle scars to prove it,” Jude muttered.
“How about we walk her together?” He jumped out of the bed.
“I think we need to shower first. And Mason?”
“Hmm?” Mason peered at him from beneath the fall of his hair, looking so damn sexy and gorgeous, it took all of Jude’s strength not to pull him back to bed and fuck him until they both couldn’t move.
“I don’t think you’re a mistake. Yesterday was a choice we both made, and I won’t deny I was a willing partner. And this morning as well.”
Mason’s smile was brighter than any morning sunlight. “Thanks, Jude. I needed to hear that. And I meant everything I said. I don’t want you to think I don’t care about you. I want to get to know you, because neither of us is the same man we knew years ago. Maybe we can take the time to find out who we are? Together?”
Opening up to people wasn’t a choice Jude had ever had to make—easy enough when you kept everyone at a distance, never allowing them to step inside that invisible circle you drew around yourself. And even if it was so damn fucking lonely in the middle, he didn’t know any other way. Sex might be the most intimate merging of bodies, but with physical release came Jude’s mental withdrawal. There’d never been a connection with anyone beyond a hot rush of bodily fluids. Once it happened, he couldn’t wait to get away. He was content in his life and had his routine. A routine that now had a huge void in it, with Ilana gone and determined to make her own way. He’d known it was going to happen, but he’d never expected it to hurt this much and leave him at such a loss as to what his next step should be.
Could it be with Mason?
And despite the incongruity of their situation and how life would most likely never be as controlled and steady as he’d planned, Jude didn’t hesitate.
“I think we can try.”
Mason sprang onto the bed and attacked him with kisses. “Let’s take a shower together.”
“I’ve never done that before.”
Mason tipped his chin up and settled his mouth over Jude’s for a leisurely kiss that had Jude thinking about getting in late to the office for the first time.
“We’re going to have a lot of firsts, I think, among them being walking that she-devil you’re complaining about.”
