Page 62 of A Little More Forgiveness

“Well, I wouldn’t want you to worry about me, now, would I?”

He grumbled a response.

“Plus, I don’t have my laptop, so apart from checking my emails, I can’t do any actual work.”

“Fine. Message me if there’s anything urgent and I’ll take care of it.”

“Thanks, Mason.”

We were quiet for a few moments.

“So are you going to tell me what’s really going on, or do I have to play twenty questions and figure it out on my own?” he asked, his voice calm and gentle. I should have guessed he’d see right through me. But what did I say to him? I’m hooking up with two men and having the best damn sex of my life? I might well be starting to develop feelings for them, and I’m scared to death if I do, history will repeat itself?

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

Met with a wall of silence, Mason tried to let me off the hook. “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk. I won’t push you if you’re not ready to speak to me, Gabe,” he soothed.

“I’m sorry. I guess I’m unsure where to start.”

I heard him settle down, readily picturing him sinking into the sofa, his legs resting on the ottoman. “Take your time; there’s no rush.”

After dragging him from his bed, he at least deserved an explanation, so after metaphorically slapping myself around the face, I forced the words out. “Something might have happened with Leo and Mitch last night.”

“Ah, okay,” he replied. “When you say something, do you mean you hooked up with them both?”

“Yeah,” I huffed out. “I did.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“Gabe.” His voice had his “don’t give me any bullshit” tone.

“Ugh. I’ve no fucking clue, all right?” I absently picked at the hay, pulling a few stalks…fronds…whatever, from the bale and dropping them on the floor.

“About?” When I didn’t answer, he smoothly changed tactics. “Is this the first threesome you’ve had since—”

He didn’t need to say any more. “Yeah.”

“And how was it?”

I chuckled. “You want me to tell you all the dirty details, Mason? You not getting enough jerk-off fantasies from Ash?”

“You know what I mean,” he replied primly. “And for your information, I guarantee I don’t need to add any of your scenarios to my spank bank material, especially when Ash is with me twenty-four seven, and I can have the real thing.”

“Yeah, yeah, okay.”

“So, is this a one-off, or do you want it to happen again?”

I must have hesitated a fraction too long as Mason’s long aah told me he’d finally figured out the problem. “This wasn’t a quick hookup for you, was it? This goes far deeper.”

“I…I…”

“You want more from this than sex,” he stated softly.

Yes, no, yes, no. “Hell, if I know.”

“Is this you genuinely being interested in these two men, or is it because Christmas Eve is just around the corner?”

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