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6

MASON

Mason glared at Rain. For someone so beautiful he was not a photogenic sleeper. He drooled, his hair wrapped around his face, and he splayed his limbs everywhere. How could he sleep so deeply in a strange bed?

Tilting his head, Mason wondered if the sex had knocked Rain out. It had certainly left him reeling; in fact, his knees hadn’t stopped shaking until after his shower.

Too obsessed with capturing Rain’s beauty to pursue physical intimacy, Mason had been blindsided by the sheer mindless need that had overcome him the moment Rain had straddled his lap, and he wished he’d had a camera around his neck so he could’ve captured Rain’s abandon.

But it was never too late for photos.

Tossing away his towel and pulling on new sleep pants, he grabbed the Pentax he kept on his nightstand and started shooting, getting the shine of the bedsheet over Rain’s form, the splay of his hand, and the strands of chaotic hair. Even with the clicking of the shutter and Mason jostling the bed with his movements, Rain didn’t stir at all, softly snoring into the mattress.

Once his lids grew heavy, Mason put the camera down, stretching out beside Rain and taking this time to study him, to drink his fill without anyone around. He’d never slept with a subject before, but Rain wasn’t a subject or a client. He was Mason’s inspiration.

His muse.

Flipping onto his back, he glared at the ceiling. He had so many questions, the biggest one being, what now?

Now? You get some sleep, Cricket.

Yawning, Mason wondered if he could sleep next to Rain, who currently hogged the bedding, but spinning through the ideas in his head eventually spun him into dreams. Hours later, Mason’s lizard brain broke through, reminding him that there was someone else in his bed, and he snapped awake. The light that came through the long thin windows told him that it was early morning, and he turned to the side to find Rain completely bundled up in the blanket, swaddled like a baby.

Rising, Mason made a pot of coffee and went into his studio where he transferred everything from the sunset photo shoot into his computer. Although he was rarely happy with his work, Rain’s photos were brilliant and Mason’s eyebrows quirked along with his dick as he selected his favorites, enhancing and printing a few for the collage once Rain left.

Stopping, Mason stared hard at the wall. The thought of Rain walking out the front door to live secretly at The Pointe gave him stomach pangs, and his phone added a few more stabs as it buzzed, skittering across the desk. It could be a client but it could also be his family. Gritting his teeth, he unlocked the screen, reading the text.

Hart, it’s Dolores. Call me about a project.

His jaw stayed tight with confusion and a little curiosity. Owner of the mall’s trusted photography store, Dolores had worked in portraits for over forty years and had a taciturn personality that rivaled Mason’s; however, she wasn’t an introvert and seemed to enjoy working with the public. The two of them communicated through a series of grunts and nods, but when she did speak her words were short and to the point, and Mason always listened.

Calling back, he waited, his heart pounding. What kind of project did she have in mind? Would he have to collaborate with others?

The line clicked. “Hart.”

He made a sound that told her he was there.

“My friend is doing a portrait exhibition, eleven photographers. You should be part of it. Are you interested?”

Mason’s eyes went wide. An exhibition? This was his dream or the beginning of it. “When.”

“Starts early December. Runs for a month.”

His hands shook; he had to force the word out.

“Yes.” His Gran’s lessons kicked in and he remembered his manners. “Thank you.”

She let out a short breath, which was her version of a laugh. “I’ll email the details and contact information.”

The phone beeped as she hung up without a goodbye and Mason didn’t know how long he stared at it, his mind pulling up themes and discarding them, continuously circling back to Rain. With that legendary beauty and its subsequent inspiration, Mason would be stupid not to use Rain as his subject. But would Rain be willing to model over the next few months? And could Mason even ask?

Doesn’t that poor young man need a place to stay, Cricket?

Flopping back in his chair, Mason looked up at the ceiling, rubbing his chin. He could offer Rain a room as payment for modeling. If he did, then he’d need to rip down the shrine immediately.

But he shouldn’t get ahead of himself. First, he needed a yes.

Taking a few minutes, he gathered whatever bravery and motivation he had and then went to his room, finding Rain out of the cocoon and sitting up with the blanket pooled in his lap, combing fingers through his hair. As Mason approached he dropped his arms, setting wide gray eyes on him.

“Where did you learn to fuck like that?” he asked with a stunned expression.

“Do you want a room here?” Mason blurted in response.

“Wait, what ?” Rain’s eyes stayed wide. “ That’s your answer? You ask me to move in?”

“I’m not asking you to move in with me.” Mason could feel his brow wrinkling. “I’m asking you if you want a room.”

“Here?” Looking away, Rain twisted a lock of his hair. “I can’t afford it.”

Even with his stormy gaze, Rain usually had an easy confidence, so seeing him a little defeated made Mason bold. “Be my model. As payment.”

“What?” Turning back, Rain processed the request. “You want me to model for you in exchange for rent?”

Breathing in sharply, Mason nodded once.

Squinting, Rain swung his legs over the edge of the bed, the blanket still in his lap.

“Is this a live-in fuck toy kind of situation?” He didn’t look averse to it but Mason was disgusted. He would never use Rain like that. If they happened to sleep together while Rain lived here that was a bonus, not a requirement.

“No.” He would definitely have frown lines when he was older. “I want you to be my model.”

“And that’s not code for like, sucking your dick all the time? Are you making an Only Fa-”

“ No, ” Mason interrupted, exasperated. “I want you to be my photography model. I do portraits.”

“I know. I’ve looked you up,” Rain smirked at him and, despite the teasing, Mason felt weirdly pleased. Why did it matter if Rain had looked at his photos?

“I have a show coming up. I want you to be the subject.” The words were staggered as Mason pushed them out, and he waited for a rebuke or a look of disgust, but Rain only smiled.

“A show? That’s a big deal! Congrats!” It seemed genuine and Mason breathed a sigh of relief. “And you want to use me ?” Rain pointed at his bare chest.

Mason nodded.

“And I get to stay here for free?”

Mason nodded again.

“You know that’s the plot to like, every gay porno ever.” Rain gave him a considering grin. “Yeah, I’ll do it.”

A surge of happiness shot through Mason, but it dissolved just as quickly as Rain’s face fell.

“Um…wait.” He bit his lip.

“What.”

“I have a cat.” It was practically a whisper.

“A cat.” To be honest, Mason had always wanted a pet but he hadn’t trusted his family and Gran had been allergic. Did he want a cat now though? While he prepared for a possibly career-launching exhibition? He might not have a choice; according to the look in Rain’s eyes, they came as a set.

“A kitten, actually. She’s been staying with me at The Pointe.”

Mason frowned. “That’s a health code violation.”

“She’s not in the kitchen making soup,” Rain laughed at him. “I found her in a dumpster last week and I was going to put her up for adoption, but she’s my girl now. Don’t worry, she got a flea dip and I brought her to the vet for a checkup. They’re boarding her until tomorrow.”

“Someone…put a kitten in a dumpster?” Mason’s eye twitched. He abhorred that type of cruelty.

“Yeah.” Rain’s expression matched Mason’s feelings on the subject. “She was way too small to have climbed in there herself.”

“She can stay.” He tried to maintain his frown but it melted as Rain lit up, clearly relieved. “Pick a bedroom upstairs.”

That smile turned lascivious and goosebumps streaked up Mason’s arms as Rain’s gaze raked him over.

“But what if I want to stay here in your bed?” Ripping the blanket away, Rain reclined back, arching his sleek tempting body, and Mason’s cock filled instantly; he’d used it more in the last twelve hours than he had in the last twelve years and he was about to use it again.

Mason’s reply wasn’t verbal. Drawn in like a sailor to a siren, he sat on the bed, running a hand over the curve of Rain’s stomach and chest, thumbing one of his nipples. Rain let out a soft noise in return, his cock already standing at attention, and Mason’s brain began to spin once more.

Reaching into the case beside the bed, he grabbed an old DSLR. The body was beaten from years of use, but that didn’t matter because the macro lens was the star, and he removed the cap, tossing it aside and checking the battery. Good, he had forty-two percent left.

“Are we starting now?” Rain sat up on one elbow, his other hand casually stroking his cock. “Are you sure about no porn?”

Mason sneered at that. “Only headshots. I want to see your face.”

He couldn’t get enough of Rain’s expressions and he’d studied them for hours in print, carving their minute details into his mind, but he hadn’t seen this one before. Brows pulled together, Rain’s mouth parted as if he didn’t know what to say, accentuating the curve of his cheekbones and the long lashes around his eyes, which were filled with surprised fascination.

Before it vanished, Mason grabbed several photos and then put the camera down, going for the small bottle of lube he kept in the nightstand. He rarely masturbated so it had been there for a few years, but he had a feeling he’d need to replace it soon.

Coating his fingers, he kneeled on the bed and Rain lifted his legs, spreading them with a soft breathy sigh that caused Mason’s cock to jerk and leak.

Circling Rain’s entrance, Mason inserted a finger easily. The walls were still soft and pliable from the previous night, so he added another, searching until he found the spot that made Rain gasp and tremble.

Grabbing the camera with his free hand, Mason multitasked to the best of his ability, pressing both shutters at the same time, Rain’s bliss-soaked expression filling the viewfinder as Mason took picture after picture, wishing he could get everything on film too.

Dropping a leg, Rain grasped at his cock, forehead wrinkled and plush lips parted as he jerked his hand in time to Mason’s thrusts. Having his elfin prince spread out for him like this, pleasuring himself, open and sensuous under the lens, had Mason leaking in his pants. He couldn’t place this odd connection, this overwhelming need that burned in his gut, telling him to catch Rain, capture him.

And make him come.

“ AAAA! ” Hand stilling, Rain’s spine was a perfect curve as streams of white shot across his stomach and chest, a few glistening drops catching on a hard nipple. Mason documented that stunning face in all its pleasured contortions as the channel around his fingers rhythmically squeezed, following the orgasm through and only tossing the camera aside once Rain flopped down from the aftershocks.

Slowly pulling out, Mason slid his sleep pants down, wrapping a hand around his own cock and staring down at Rain, pumping his fist. This wasn’t him. He wasn’t the guy that had sex or even liked sex, but here he was, trying to jerk off on Rain’s face and not feeling weird or embarrassed about it at all. And he was close, so very close, just a little more…

Sitting up, Rain quickly launched forward, wrapping his plump, enticing lips around the head of Mason’s cock. With a hum, he sucked hard, and Mason’s orgasm flew out of him, his breaths rattling through his jolting body as he came harder than he had last night.

Locking his knees, he tried not to fall over as he lost all coherence. The only thing he could focus on was Rain, who made a happy sound, swallowing as he pulled away.

“You know what?” Daintily wiping the corners of his mouth, he stared up at Mason with a wicked smirk. “I think I’m going to like this modeling job.”