Chapter 16 Mason
Mason
Surely this must be what heaven feels like, I thought. It seemed like I was floating, my body strangely heavy and light at the same time, as if a breath would knock me over, but the only damage it would do would be to make me drift back to earth like a feather.
I wasn’t sure if my bliss-addled brain had just blanked or what, but when awareness crept back into my mind, Lee had just come back from the bathroom with a warm washcloth in his hand.
I didn’t even remember him leaving, and I was too high on this post-orgasmic wave to even realize what he was doing, until he began cleaning me up.
It was so sweet, but a little embarrassing, too.
There hadn't been anyone to take care of me like this since I was a baby.
His hands were gentle as he used the washcloth to wipe away the evidence of my orgasm off my stomach, chest and even, as he chuckled at me, my face. He wiped a corner of the washcloth across my cheek to erase the splashes of cum that had splattered across my face.
He flipped the bedspread off the bed, gathered all the washcloths and towels we had used, and dropped them into a laundry hamper.
Once he was done, he crawled back into the bed with me, pulling the blankets up around us, wrapping his arms around me and pulled me close to his body.
It was only as he did so that I felt the stiffness of his arousal sliding against my ass.
“Wait,” I said, battling the fatigue that was trying suck me down into the abyss. I refused to be that selfish. That was entirely too much like the men I’d experienced in my life. “I want to do something for you…” I said, a touch of whine to my voice.
“Shh… Don’t worry, sweetheart, you already did,” he said, his lips nuzzling the back of my neck as we spooned. “My orgasm had me seeing stars! It’s just that, seeing you like this… Damn, you’re making me hard all over again. Now get some sleep.”
Somewhat mollified that I hadn't been a completely thoughtless jerk, I lost my battle, and fatigue overtook me.
When I woke, I could tell I was alone in the room. Much like the day before, but this time I realized I was still naked under the blankets. I groaned and looked at the clock. It was a little after nine a.m.
I lay there for a minute, my mind reviewing the events of the previous night.
Shit. That had easily been the hottest night of my life.
Lee hadn’t seemed phased by my history in the slightest, which had surprised me, because the few times I'd shared my history with anyone, I'd been met with shock and disbelief. With Lee, he had just… accepted. I’d learned over the years how to deal with the doubters, but I’d never had anyone just…
believe me. Maybe because he was military?
I was sure he’d seen a lot of evil things in his day.
My phone pinged and I groaned. Only one person would be texting me at this time of day.
I picked my phone up from the bedside table, realizing I didn’t remember plugging it in to charge the night before. Did Lee do it? That thoughtful gesture sent a warm feeling soaking through my chest, and I grinned like a fool as I opened my phone and read the messages.
LIZZIE: Hey Bug! How was your night?
ME: I do not know who this “Bug” is you speak of. I am WINDSHIELD MAN! Hear me roar!
LIZZIE: !!! Who are you, and what are you doing with Mason’s phone???
ME: Ha fuckin’ ha! Good morning to you, too. :)
LIZZIE: Wait… was that an emoji? A GOD DAMN SMILEY FACE?!?!?
I snickered at her message. I usually didn’t use emojis. I’d never really figured them out, so I hadn’t gotten in the habit of using them, but at least academically I knew how to make a smiley face.
LIZZIE: OMG. You got laid!!! /squee!
I could almost hear her squeal as she put two and two together. Before I knew it, my phone was ringing.
“Hey, Queen Bee!” I said by way of greeting, sitting up in bed, a grin playing on my lips.
“You fucked him, didn’t you?” she squealed, and all I could do was laugh.
“Shush, Missy. You have a dirty mind,” I said lying back on the pillows. “I can be in a good mood and use the occasional stupid combination of colons and parentheses to create a low-quality video image without having had sex.”
“Um, no, you can’t,” she said knowingly. “I know you too well. C’mon, Bug! Spill!”
I eyed the door, but it sounded quiet in the house. It felt awkward talking about Lee behind his back.
“I can neither confirm nor deny…” I began.
“Oh, shut it. I already know you fucked him. That’s the only thing that would have brought out this side of you,” she laughed.
“That, or alcohol. Remember that one time with the tequila?” she began.
The Tequila Incident, as it was forever enshrined in my brain, was not one I wanted to review in detail, so I interrupted her.
“So how are things with Ev?” I asked. Smooth, Mason, real smooth.
“He’s, ah, good…” she answered, but I could hear the wheels of her brain moving even at this distance. “But more importantly, how are things with Lee? How did your evening go…?” she asked nosily.
I could almost see her scooting her glasses down her nose and looking at me over them.
My head flopped back on the pillows and groaned. “I think I passed out at some point…”
“Woot! Finally!” she said, laughing. “About time you got to feel the Mighty O!”
“Shut up…” I said peevishly, wondering if I could throw a pillow from here to Seattle with any accuracy.
“So, tell me everything!” she continued.
“No,” I refused, but before she could quiz me further, I continued, “But I will tell you it was the most amazing night of my life.”
“Awww, Bug! It’s about damn time someone made you feel as wonderful as you are!”
I sobered at her comment. Lizzie had helped me through so many rough spots in my life. She had literally seen me at my worst.
“Thanks, Liz. He was just... sweet, gentle, adorable… not to mention fucking hot,” I said. “…and you would approve. We thoroughly discussed consent beforehand.” I smiled as we spoke. Not right now, but at some point I’d have to tell her about my new favorite game…
“Damn. Maybe he is a keeper,” she said. I could hear her wheeling around the kitchen of our apartment. “So, when do I get to meet him?” she asked.
“Meet him? Umm… I don’t know…” the question made me pause. I hadn’t really thought any further than last night.
For the first time I felt torn about Lee.
His life was here, in Ohio, with his family and the business.
I couldn’t ask him to come to Seattle… could I?
This was all too fast, anyway. I mean, we’d only known each other a few days, but what a glorious few days they had been.
I shivered as my eyes fell on the used washcloth hanging out of the dirty clothes hamper.
It had been an amazing night, but it wasn’t even close to being the sum total of all the things we could have done with each other…
“Earth to Mason, Earth to Mason. Come in, Mason…” Her voice sing-songed over the phone.
“Sorry Liz,” I said, snapping my mind back to our conversation. “I just hadn’t thought that far ahead.”
“Oh, I think you were thinking about A head,” she giggled.
“Oh my god, woman! You have a one-track mind,” I complained. “Do you think about anything other than sex?!”
“Occasionally, but then Everett reminds me about what’s important,” she continued.
Lizzie and Everett had met her senior year in college. Lizzie was graduating with a degree in business management and Everett had graduated the year before with a music degree.
They’d met at a geek-themed bar near the university called AFK Tavern. When they met, Ev hadn’t been phased by Lizzie’s disability. He’d always been focused on her abilities instead. I'd a feeling a Christmas engagement was in her near future, but I wasn’t going to ruin the surprise.
“How’s Ev doing?” I asked again.
“Good. Busy. Angsty. You know – an artist,” she laughed.
Everett was a songwriter and Lizzie had been managing him since college.
He was the one who had gotten her into the talent management business to begin with.
She’d been out of work after college, trying to find a job where she could use her degree, but that would also allow her the flexibility she needed to be able to manage her obligations with her family.
Ev had written an amazing song about Lizzie shortly after they met but before he’d worked up the courage to ask her out.
Even not knowing that it was about her, Lizzie loved the song.
She had reached out to friends and friends of friends and had gotten him connected to a star who shall not be named, but who’s name rhymes with “ink”, and Everett sold his first song.
“Wheels of My Heart” had been in the Top 10 for sixteen weeks, and number one for three. Not bad for a first-time songwriter and his freshman talent agent.
She’d worked the same kind of magic for me and my art.
After graduation I’d started out doing some graphic web design, but I’d hated it.
I was tired of just telling other people’s stories and never my own, but I’d been too terrified of discovery to publish anything.
I hadn’t even shared my whole story with Lizzie at that point, but we had decided to get an apartment together.
One day when we were straightening up the apartment before some friends of hers came over, she found my sketchbook and the outline for Dark Angel Series I.
I’d refused to publish, though, afraid that Ricky would find me.
She introduced me to the magic of creating a pen name and Mason Cameron was born.
Before I knew it, we were reviewing proofs and scrambling to meet deadlines.
My success helped her cement her reputation as an agent with a great eye for new talent. Now she had a moderate-sized group of new talents that she coaxed, cajoled, swore at, and supported as they began their careers.