Page 58 of Mason's Run

“Well, yes, actually, itishard. Super hard. Hard as a fucking steel pipe. So hard…”

“Ah! Ah! Ah!” I interrupted him as his words seemed to escape him. “This is a family show… Watch the language, please!”

“Show? What—” He froze, a shiver passing over his skin and the pinkin his cheeks fading swiftly to a ghost-like pallor. I watched his gaze dart around the room and for a moment, I was lost. What had I said? Shit.“Show?”Oh,fuck. He’d told me Ricky had videotaped him being raped. The thought of that being out there all these years, evidence of him being violated when he was at his most vulnerable, had to have weighed on him.

“Shit… I’m sorry, Mason. Bad word choice, I’m so sorry,” I began. He held his hand up to stop my words, his eyes squeezed tightly shut. I felt the shudder run through his body as he fought whatever demons my words had summoned. He began muttering something. I couldn’t quite make out exactly what it was, but I could hear him doing what sounded like some kind of countdown.

After a few moments I felt some of the tension ease from his body and he opened his eyes again and looked at me.

“Fuck. Guess I lost my level,” he said with forced gaiety, sadness and longing etched plainly on his face as he eyed me from across the bed.

“Mason… Mason May I… hold your hand?” I asked, laying my palm out, face up, holding my breath. I saw him swallow nervously, then breathed a sigh of relief as he stretched his hand out to twine his fingers with mine.

“Yes, you may,” he whispered. His eyes darted up from where they had been watching our hands to meet my eyes. “Thank you.”

“For what?” I asked, incredulous. This man was the most courageous person I knew. He wasn’t fearless, he hadsomany fears, but he faced them every minute of every day, just by surviving.

“For helping me regain my level,” he said, a wavery smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Ha!’ I laughed, squeezing his hand tighter. “Thanks for playing with me.” I said. “Or rather, letting me play with you,” I teased, waggling my eyebrows at him suggestively.

He chuckled.

“So, Level Two, right?” he asked.

“Mason, we don’t have to—” I started, but this time it washislips stopping the words from leaving my mouth.

“I said it before, Lee.” He insisted. “I want this,” He gripped my hand hard, his eyes glittering.

“I-I…” he squeezed his eyes shut and shivered, then he groaned. “Why is this so goddamn hard?”

“I want you… I want you to fu… make lo… have sex… with me…” he managed to choke out.

He was so adorable when he was like this, his smile a little crooked, his cheeks and ears red with embarrassment and passion as he struggled to speak. I couldn’t help but grin at him as he choked the words out.

“I… I want you to kiss me, again,” he said, sitting up and sliding one arm around my neck. His voice gained strength as he looked up at me, obviously struggling to focus.

“And…” he started, but his voice trailed off for a moment, so I prompted him.

“Kiss you and…?” I said, raising one eyebrow at him in question.

“Touch me,” he continued. The hand that had been locked in mine unclasped to land gently on my neck, moved down my chest, caressing to my waist, then he moved his hand to his own body, until his beautifully strong fingers danced delicately over the front of his underwear.

“Touch me… everywhere,” he said, his eyes fixed on mine, his voice growing strong in certainty.

I smiled at the telling wet spot on the cotton briefs where pre-cum had soaked through. His erection had temporarily deflated but was now back in full force. At least I knew I wasn’t the only one enjoying this.

“Everywhere?” I asked, raising an eyebrow and grinning at him as I brushed my mouth across the bulge at his crotch.

“Oh god, yes, please,” he replied in a gasp.

“How can I say no, when you ask so politely,” I rumbled.

I moved my arms to wrap gently around his body, pulling him closer to me. The feel of his hard muscles underneath my hands, his chest pressed to mine, the steel rod of his erection brushing againstmy own through the stiff fabric made me groan. God, I couldn’t wait to taste him.

I moved one arm up and slid my fingers through his silky hair. I’d never known anyone, man or woman, who had hair that felt as soft and silky as Mason’s.

I chuckled at his eagerness, but as soon as I reached to help him remove his pants he jerked away, and said, “Wait.”