Page 16 of Obsessed

“Do you…” He took a breath. The second he got home he’d run downstairs and lock the darkroom door.

“Do I still like the view?” The way he said it, teasing and lascivious, pulled the rest of Mason’s question free.

“Do you want to sleep at my place.”

Rain’s smile struck Mason across the face, leaving him reeling.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

5

RAIN

Rainhadbeenluckya few times in his life. He’d gotten Tristan as a sorta stepdad, landed Tommy as his best friend, scored a job at The Pointe, and now he’d been given a chance with Mason. Bumping into his sexy photographer in the middle of nowhere was a gift that Rain would grab onto with both hands and his dick because so far the night had been magical.

He’d spent most of the weekend wandering around town, flipping through some of the photos from Tristan’s hike when he’d remembered the shelter in the state forest. While buggy and cold, it beat lingering on the streets, but Rain had no idea that it would lead him right to Mason’s doorstep after an oddly fun session in front of the camera.

At one point he’d considered modeling but his height kept him out of the industry and the few shoots he’d done had been cold and barren compared to Mason’s scorching intensity. Rain had never seen that side of him; he’d always seemed bored at weddings but in that short sunset shoot Rain had seen more emotion than he’d expected, and they hadn’t even slept together yet.

Somehow, it made Rain feel connected, and he hadn’t intended to reveal his storage room apartment but the way Mason had been standing there, waiting, trying to hide his trembling hands, had caused Rain to spill his secret.

He knew that Mason’s offer wasn’t fully sexual because he gave off an air that he didn’t understand his attraction, but this wasn’t Rain’s first rodeo. Being this beautiful was bewitching and while it had some negatives, one of the positives was that when he wanted someone, he could almost always have them. However, he needed to tread carefully. Mason seemed like the type to get scared and wall off, so Rain had to hold back a bit and not climb him as soon as they got inside.

“I forgot how nice this place is.” He stood in the driveway, head up, staring at the large white house, its dormer windows peering back at him from the roof. His heart beat strangely, like he was anxious and a little apprehensive, which never happened during his hookups. Maybe he was coming down with something.

“It was my grandmother’s.” Mason walked onto the porch and unlocked the front door. There was a semicircular stained-glass window at the top, and Rain studied it as he was ushered into the foyer.

“That’s what Ollie said. And your grandmother had amazing taste.” Everything looked the same as the last time he’d been there, with antique furniture arranged throughout, the cherry wood walls covered in paintings and framed photos. Rain honed in on one of a woman looking in the distance, strands of hair whipping around her, the emotion in her eyes so layered that Rain couldn’t quite decipher it, but it struck a chord in him. He’d stared at that one many times before on Mason’s website. “Is this yours?” he flirted, knowing full well that it was. “It’s amazing.”

“…thank you.” The words were stiff and Rain could tell from the short time he’d known Mason that he wasn’t used to speaking or entertaining.

“So,” he turned, moving closer to Mason but not too close. Tilting his head just enough for his hair to swing, he curled his lips in a smirk, working his witchcraft. “Did you take pictures of me when I helped Ollie move in?”

Mason drilled into him with his gaze, causing Rain to shiver and bite his lip. Slowly, he nodded once.

“I knew it!” Rain smiled, clapping his hands a little. “You weren’t ignoring us!”

Now that Rain had gotten to know Mason better, he could tell there was sheepishness in his eyes, which snapped to the door next to the kitchen. “I have to…”

“Take more pictures?” Rain chuckled. Mason gave him a look that could only be interpreted aswhat. “That’s what you said to me the first time you ran off…at The Pointe.”

“Oh.” Mason’s brows crinkled the slightest bit. Looking from Rain to the door, he frowned. “Stay there.” Heading to the kitchen, he opened a door and went down some stairs.

Rain squinted, almost following him, but he should probably respect Mason’s wishes if he wanted to get in his pants; besides, this house of treasures also piqued his curiosity. Strolling around, he studied the art on the walls, eventually stopping in the dining room in front of a painting of a young man. Although his back was to the artist, the way he looked out from the porch could only be described as wistful, with gray swirling among the blue-green hue of the piece, and it reeled Rain in.

Done with his mystery chore, Mason walked into the room, stopping beside him. “That’s me.”

“Really?” Rain studied it further, taking a step closer. “That’s you?”

“My Gran painted it.”

“Sothat’swhere you get your talent from,” Rain mused and Mason’s lip twitched, the right side moving up slightly.

“I’ll show you…” he gestured toward the stairwell, “where you can sleep.”

Mason was giving Rain his own room? Cute. Little did he know that Rain would be sneaking into his bed tonight.

Following Mason upstairs, Rain peeked into Ollie’s room and stopped, his mouth dropping open when he realized that it was empty. Sure, Ollie had brought a few suitcases to treatment but the rest of his stuff should still be here.

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