Chapter 8
PARKER
As I sit in class, I think back to this morning.
Mason was sound asleep beside me when I was finally roused from my own deep sleep.
His dark red hair hung in messy waves across his face, his lips plump as the pillow pushed his cheek up and out.
It’d taken everything inside me to not reach out and touch, to not take something from him in his sleep that would be a violation.
But I respected Mason too much to even attempt it.
Halfway through class I’m yawning and wishing I’d stopped to grab a cup of coffee. Once class wraps up, I rush out and head toward the campus coffee joint. A whistle in the air stops me in my tracks, and I wait for Jacob to catch up to me.
“Sup?” Jacob asks as he jostles me to the edge of the sidewalk.
“Just finished class, you know, as is required to maintain our scholarships.”
Jacob rolls his eyes so hard it looks painful. “I also attend class. You and Hayden need a new schtick.”
“Don’t lump me in with Hayden.”
“Ughhhhh.” Jacob pushes me again, this time making me stumble into the grass that still hasn’t yet recovered from the bite of winter. I freeze and glare at him until he rolls his eyes again. “Fine. Sorry. Listen, Reid was serious about Dante’s birthday party. We’re having a game night tonight.”
I really do not want to go to this party.
Perhaps I’ll make something up. Sometimes when I want to be left alone, I tell Jacob I have a separate mission, assuming he won’t mention it to Hayden because Hayden is the one who gives me the missions.
This sounds like a perfect time to do that.
My next mission isn’t for a few more days, but he doesn’t need to know that.
“All right, but I’ll have to leave early because I have a separate mission.”
“Always a separate mission,” Jacob grumbles under his breath.
“Do you have a problem?”
“No.”
Jacob follows me into the coffee shop like a lost puppy. I order us both Americanos from the sweet barista behind the counter. With a smile and grin, I join Jacob where he stands scrolling through his phone at the pickup counter.
“I get the vibe Dante doesn’t enjoy surprises, so I don’t think this is going to go over real well.”
Jacob snorts in agreement. “You and I both.” He pockets his phone and stares hard at the menu. “I oddly think Reid is good for him though. Those two have some toxic codependency thing going on, but Dante is definitely less angry than he used to be.”
I grunt but don’t deign him with an answer.
I don’t like to gossip about Dante. We’re…
friends? So I try to keep things he tells me in confidence even from my own brother.
Just like I respect Jacob’s privacy. I’m a steel trap but I’m also Switzerland.
No information goes in or out and no side is ever taken.
“Reid doesn’t know when our birthday is, right?”
Jacob looks anywhere but at me. Oh hell no.
“Jacob.”
Jacob grimaces and rushes forward to grab our two drinks. I grab mine from him with a deep frown, patiently waiting for him to explain himself to me.
“Listen… Hayden knows when our birthday is, and he told Reid.”
What the hell? “Why does Hayden know?”
I’m met with silence and the sight of Jacob’s back as he flees the coffee shop. Now I’m getting irritated.
“Fuck you, Jacob Chambers! Why does Hayden know our birthday?”
I hustle after Jacob because I’m going to get the truth out of him no matter what. Finally, he stops close to the quad, where we’re out of earshot from the small number of afternoon stragglers between classes.
“Hayden made me tell him. He wanted to know everyone’s birthdays.”
I blink slowly. “Okay… but why does Reid know.”
Jacob makes a noise somewhere between a grunt in disbelief and a snort of annoyance. “Are you serious right now? They’re, like, best friends. You do not pay attention.”
“Hayden and Reid are best friends?” I ask in confusion. I don’t see it. They’re both opposites and bossy and so blond… Well, Reid is less blond now that he’s dyeing his hair silver and blue. But he’s blond in spirit, so it counts.
“Yes,” Jacob says with an air of regret.
“Well, whatever, but we don’t need birthday parties.”
“I don’t know why you hate our birthday so much.”
“Because we’ll have to share it for the rest of our lives, and we’ve shared everything else, so I like to pretend it’s just another day.”
“Parker.” Jacob says my name like I’ve personally offended him.
“I’ll see you tonight.”
Jacob calls my name when I’m almost out of hearing range. Turning around, I find him grinning and saluting me, probably in agreement of keeping his mouth shut. Whatever.
The house is quiet when I finally arrive home in the late afternoon. I don’t know what Mason does now that he’s not working for his uncle. Maybe I should ask him. I hang my jacket up and put my bag in the living room so I can hopefully remember to do my homework tomorrow.
Mason’s sitting at his computer watching a video when I pause outside his study door. He looks very serious, his lips drawn down in a frown, eyebrows furrowed in concentration.
I knock on the door to gain his attention. “Hey.”
Mason looks like he’s been slapped. He flushes to the roots of his hair and slams his laptop shut. That’s interesting. I squint and look at him more closely, noticing the red splotches on his pale cheeks, the tension in his shoulders as he slumps over to avoid my gaze.
“Do you want me to ask or do you want me to leave you alone about it?”
Mason blinks up at me in confusion. “Seriously?”
I shrug. “I only ever want to know what you want me to know.”
Mason makes a startled, disbelieving sort of laugh, then furiously shakes his head. “You’re a literal dream. Do you know that?”
“Uh…”
“You’re just sort of perfect… for me,” Mason says sourly, as if irritated by it.
“Sorry?”
“Anyway…” Mason squares his shoulders and stares me down. “I was looking at porn.”
“Oh. Was it good?”
He saws his hand back and forth. “Porn hasn’t ever really done anything for me.
I get kind of caught up in it. I wonder if they’re really enjoying it, if they’re happy, if they smell funny.
Like, what if one of their breaths just reeks but the other doesn’t say anything and kisses them just for the sake of the porno.
” Mason gasps. “What if one of them has mono!?”
I lean against the door with a smile. “I guess that’s possible.”
Mason huffs and gets this cute concerned look on his face. “Plus, I’m not that interested in anal.”
“I don’t think everyone is.”
“Have you ever done it?” Mason asks so seriously that it makes me snort a laugh. I guess we’re having this conversation, then. Right before we go over to the house for Dante’s birthday party.
“Have I had anal sex?”
Mason blinks, his mouth turning down. “Actually, don’t tell me, because then I’ll just wonder if you’re constantly thinking about how much you miss it.”
All right, that’s it. He’s going to work himself into a tizzy.
I stride across the room, watching as his face goes a little soft at my proximity.
Dropping to my knees in front of him, I stay out of reach since he’s not ready for me to touch him yet.
I’m not sure I am either, because I can already tell one touch won’t be even close to enough. Not with Mason. Never.
“I can promise you with absolute certainty that I won’t be thinking about anyone but you when we’re together. In whatever form of intimacy is allowed between us.”
Mason groans and covers his face. “See”—Mason peeks at me from between his fingers, words mumbled—“when you say shit like that, I really want to kiss you.”
My grin is borderline painful, which just makes Mason groan in frustration again. I stand back up and look down at him, trying to make myself have a considering sort of look, instead of all-out appreciative.
“Tonight is Dante’s birthday party. You’ll come with me.”
“Right,” Mason agrees, throat clicking on a loud swallow. “What are you wearing?”
“My usual.”
“Slacks and a dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to your elbows to make everyone drool over your epic forearms?”
I snort. “Epic forearms?”
Mason sighs dreamily. “You’ve no idea.”
Huh. I look down at my forearms but don’t notice anything epic about them. Shrugging, I hook my thumb over my shoulder to point toward the kitchen.
“I’m going to go make myself a small snack. Want anything?”
Mason waves his hand dismissively but follows me into the kitchen regardless.
I end up making him a cup of tea, and he smiles gratefully at me over the rim.
After a small snack of a green apple with some nut butter, I send Mason upstairs to get ready for the evening.
When he asks what to wear, I just shrug and let him decide what he thinks will make me happy.
But truly, he could wear a burlap sack, and I’d find him the most beautiful being in any room.
I stand downstairs in the foyer as the sun is setting, casting the living room in early evening darkness.
Mason descends the stairs wearing a pair of navy dress slacks and a button-down white dress shirt that hugs his slim form.
He sends me a shy smile that does more for me than the outfit ever could.
“How old is Dante anyway?” Mason asks as he follows me into the garage.
I open the door and wait for him to get all buckled in. “Twenty-two.”
“He’s the eldest?”
I hum agreement, then close the door. The car is a little cold, so I turn the heat up as I back out of the driveway. Mason cutely snuggles back into the leather seat while tucking his hands under his thighs.
“I assume you don’t want anyone knowing… about… whatever this is?” I ask quietly.
Mason shoots me a severe look. “Absolutely not. It would be embarrassing for them to all find out and then in a week or two for you to realize… Well. Let’s just keep it to ourselves for a little while.”