You know what? Fuck it. I turn and pull Mason’s face toward mine, and a flash of confusion washes over his features in the split second before we’re too close for me to see anything. Then his mouth is on mine and he tastes warm and sleepy and fuck Gavin for waking us up and dragging us out of bed, because I would have liked to have woken up with Mason and taken our time.
But we are all subjects to the whims of Queen Athena, so even without Gavin here, who knows how this morning would have gone?
Hopefully we have lots of chances in our future to get it right.
“You can go,” I say to Gavin. “Thank you for bringing my dog back. If this ever happens again, please call so I can save you the gas you burned driving her over here.”
He scowls, and I wait for the protest, but finally he stuffs his hands in his pockets and backs through the door. He doesn’t even say goodbye to Athena, so clearly his concern for her well-being only extended to how long he could be inconvenient to me.
For a long time after he’s gone, we stand in the hall, like we did that first time we touched each other, when I wanted to do everything right for him and nearly ruined it in the process.
Finally, Mason says, “Are you okay?”
I blow out a breath. “Yeah.” I was hurt about how things ended with Gavin, and I can’t promise I’m not still carrying baggage that might pop up sometimes—Mason’s dick still isn’t quite that magic—but calling him a jerk to his face was very healing.
Mason slides an arm around my waist. “I like this look for you. It’s very fashion forward.”
“Shit.” I scramble down the hall, Athena bouncing after me, so I can deal with the flannel monstrosity.
When I’m dressed, I join Mason in the kitchen. He’s got eggs and bread on the counter, an open carton of milk on the table, and he’s back in the fridge looking for more.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“I was going to make breakfast.”
“That’s not how you make breakfast. This is how you make a mess.” I push him out of the way, and he laughs before he grabs me again, then pins me to the counter so he can bite at my ear and press his whole body against mine. My muscles go to the consistency of pancake batter, and I groan as his hands slide over my stomach and down the front of my pants.
But the telltale sounds of nails on the kitchen floor give me just a moment of warning before I duck under Mason’s arm and ward off Athena’s approach.
“Oh no. We are not doing that again.” I take Mason by the arm and drag him out of the kitchen while a dismayed Athena follows behind.
“Where are we going?”
“We’re going down to Bold Brew where Vann can make us some coffee, and we’ll have pastries for breakfast. Then we’re going shopping.”
“Shopping? For what?”
“A crate. A big one.”
I have plans for Mason and me, and they involve not getting out of bed for a very long time. We are not going to be disturbed by anyone, least of all my highly amorous, escape artist of a dog.
Mason laughs and squeezes my hand. “I like this plan.”
“Damn straight you do. See? I pay attention.”
“Of course you do,” he says.
Of course I do. After all, I’m a good boy.
Epilogue - Mason
Charlie’s caris parked in the driveway when I pull off the highway.
“Hello?” I say as I let myself into the house. The only reply I get is the scramble of nails on the stairs as Dante and Athena bound up from the basement. One of them paws at the door, but the deadbolt we added stands its ground. Nothing smaller would hold back Athena. She’s got problem-solving skills that would make NASA proud.
I open the door, and a swirl of black, brown, and white fur engulfs my ankles.
“Hi. How are things?”
