Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Mason
My phone rang insistently in my pocket, but considering I had a sheet of drywall in my hands that I was installing, I let it go to voicemail.
After I got the drywall up, I pulled my phone out to check it, eyebrows rising when I saw Emery had called.
He’d left a voicemail and texted me to call him whenever I had “a few free minutes,” so I stepped outside, sat in my truck, and gave him a call.
“Hey there,” I said when he answered. “What’s wrong?”
“I got the job,” Emery blurted.
My stomach did a somersault. “Seriously? That’s amazing!”
Over the line, Emery sighed softly. “Are you really excited?”
“Of course I am. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you.” I was being honest, too. I was excited for him. I was a little nervous—a lot nervous—about the ramifications for our relationship, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t thrilled for him to be offered his dream job.
“I haven’t decided if I’m going to take it.” His tone was cautious, like he was testing the waters and wasn’t sure how I would respond.
“Em, you have to take the job.”
“I don’t have to.”
I shook my head in frustration, even though he couldn’t see me.
“Yes, you do. This is your dream job. You love teaching, and this job is, like, all the things you love about teaching and none of the stuff you hate—state testing, kids forced to take your class for an elective, jumping through hoops with the school board just to put on a show every fall and spring. You are absolutely taking this job.”
“How do you know all this?”
“I listen when you tell me things.”
He hesitated a moment before responding. “What about us?”
“Don’t worry about us. We’ll figure it out.
Can we talk about it tonight? I’ll bring home takeout, we can have a couple of drinks in the hot tub, and we’ll hash it all out.
For now, just let yourself enjoy the fact that they offered you a job less than twenty-four hours after meeting you.
They loved you. You’re going to be a great fit at BIA.
” Not a word of it was a lie, either. I was thrilled for him.
And if I were being honest, I could find work anywhere.
There was no reason not to relocate with him—if he wanted me to, that was.
“Look, I need to get back to work, okay? But don’t you dare turn that job down. ”
A few moments later, we ended the call and I headed back inside. My mind reeled with all I’d need to do if Emery wanted me to join him in Birchwood Bay. I tried to keep my mind focused on the job at hand, but all I could think about was Emery.
On the way home, I stopped and got takeout from his favorite Chinese restaurant, texting him when I was close to home so he’d know to come to my place for dinner.
At home, I plated our meal, turned on some soft music, and set the table while I waited for Emery to arrive.
Not five minutes after I’d finished, Emery let himself in, calling out to me.
“Mase?”
“In here,” I called back from the eat-in kitchen.
A moment later, he stuck his head around the corner. “Hey there.”
I hurried to give him a kiss, pulling him in close. “It’s the man of the hour.”
Emery shrugged. “I don’t know if I’d go that far.”
“Did you accept the job yet?”
He looked away and shook his head. “I’m not sure I’m going to.”
I pulled back, tipping his chin up until he met my gaze. “Do you want the job?”
He shrugged. “I want you. The rest isn’t important.”
I thought about that for a moment before nodding firmly. “Good. Then take the job.”
“But—”
“No buts. Take the job.”
“What about your job? And Tommy?”
I pulled Emery close again, wrapping my arms around his waist. “Tommy can take over the business here. I can find more work wherever you are. I’m a skilled contractor.
I’m confident I can find work. And Tommy?
He’s ready to be his own boss. He’s more than capable.
Hell, he’ll probably love the opportunity. ”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying, Emery Wilson, that if you’ll have me, I want to move to Birchwood Bay with you. Let’s move in together. Or, if you’re not ready for that, I’ll find a place near you and we can keep things the way they are, seeing each other after work and on weekends, until we are ready.”
He hesitated again for a long moment. I was sure he was going to say no. My gut flipped, a swarm of butterflies in the pit of my stomach, my throat tight. Just as I was about to take it all back, tell him I’d stay in Cedarvale if that was what he wanted, Emery spoke. “Okay. Let’s do it.”
“Yeah?”
The smile that broke out on his face was like a ray of sunshine. “Yeah. Let’s move in together. We used to talk about it when we were in our twenties, so it’s not like it’s a new idea. Besides, I think our relationship is ready for it.”
I pulled him against me for a tight hug. “So you’re taking the job?”
“I’m taking the job,” he murmured into my shoulder. Then, after a minute, he spoke again. “I love you, Mason.”
My throat was thick with emotion, but I said it back without hesitation, my voice husky. “I love you too.” I dipped my head down to kiss him, sliding my tongue into his mouth, and Emery groaned, gripping the fabric of my shirt. When we parted, we were both breathing hard. “Dinner?” I murmured.
Emery shook his head quickly. “I have a better idea.” He rocked into me with his hips.
“Excellent idea.” I reached between us and unfastened Emery’s jeans, shoving them down around his thighs and gripping his cock the moment it was free. He let out a satisfied little groan and nodded, dropping his forehead to rest on my shoulder.
“Mase?”
I hummed in his ear and gripped his cock more firmly, stroking it slowly.
“Will you fuck me tonight?”
My stroking stuttered as I let out a soft moan. “Yeah. Fuck yeah.” I backed him up until he touched the kitchen island and then spun him around. Dropping kisses on his neck and shoulder, I sank to my knees and yanked his jeans down further, exposing his beautiful ass to me.
When he realized what I was going to do, Emery groaned and lowered his head, pressing his hands to the counter and spreading his legs as far as he could before I urged him to take his jeans off entirely.
In moments, he was free and I was able to spread his cheeks wide before diving in.
I dragged my tongue over his hole, causing a broken moan to escape from his throat.
Emery rocked back into my touch, urging me on, and I wasted no time in getting his rim spit-slick and ready before thrusting my tongue into his tight hole.
“Fuck, Mase,” he hissed.
I moaned in response and slid a finger inside him. When he hissed and squirmed back to take it, I added a second. For a long while, I stayed there, eating his ass and gradually pushing two fingers into him, over and over. Spreading my fingers apart, I drove my tongue into his hole.
“More.” His voice was ragged already, desperate. I added a third finger and fucked them into him, over and again until my own cock was throbbing and leaking inside my pants and I couldn’t wait any longer.
I pulled my fingers from him, drawing a gasp and a whimper from Emery. “Unless you want to use olive oil, I’ve got to get the lube,” I murmured into his ear.
Emery whined. “Hurry.”
As quickly as I could, I dashed to my bedroom and grabbed the bottle of lube, returning to find Emery leaning over my kitchen island, stroking his leaking cock and breathing hard. I yanked my jeans off and poured lube into my hands, spreading it over my erection and stroking myself a few times.
“Ready?”
When he nodded, I lined my cock up to his hole and eased in.
His hole tightened around my cock, making my breath stutter, and his hands gripped the island, knuckles white.
Emery exhaled slowly as I pushed into his body.
The moment I was fully in, pelvis pressed against his firm ass, he nodded. “More.”
With that, I pulled out and slid back in, thrusting into him, my cock aching already. “Touch yourself,” I murmured as I picked up the pace, fucking him harder.
Emery did as I instructed, taking his cock in his hand and stroking as I began to drive into him.
I gripped his hips with my hands, guiding him back onto my cock before pulling out and thrusting in again and again.
His breathing was ragged, and soon, his groans turned into desperate whines.
I pushed into his body, my orgasm drawing close.
A few moments later, Emery cried out and his hole tightened around my cock as he came, clenching me over and over, thick strands of cum splattering on the side of the island. His tight heat drove me over the edge, and I came soon after, fucking him through my orgasm until I was spent.
When I pulled out, his hole dripping with my cum, Emery groaned again, soft and reluctant, as if he wanted me to keep going.
I kissed his neck quickly before reaching for a hand towel and gently cleaned us both.
Satisfied, I turned him to face me and kissed him deeply again, slow and sensual, as if we had all the time in the world.
After several moments, I pulled away, ending the kiss. There was a soft, satisfied smile on Emery’s face. “You okay?”
He nodded. “More than okay.”
“Good.” I reached for my clothes and handed Emery his as well. We redressed in silence, and when we were both clothed, I kissed him once more. “Now what?”
“Now we eat. Then we go back for another round.”
I chuckled and shook my head. “Now who’s insatiable?”
Emery shrugged. “Can’t help it if my boyfriend’s cock is irresistible.”
“I’ll take the compliment.” I grinned at him and let out a slow breath. “So. Birchwood Bay, huh?”
He nodded and took my hand. “Birchwood Bay, here we come.”