Page 61 of Undeniable Temptation

“He said he needed fresh air.”

Mitch winced. “He wasn’t happy on stage. I thought I was going to have to hold him back from ripping Mason’s head off.”

It was her fault for not warning him. Her text message wasn’t good enough. Then again, she’d never expected him to flip from the calm, caring man she knew, into someone overrun with aggression. “Can you please keep an eye on him? Let him know you’re supporting him.”

Blake tugged a clean shirt over his head. “To be honest, Leah, I don’t think it’s us he needs.”

She winced, not appreciating the affirmation of her own thoughts. “I can’t be enough for him right now. He’s got the paparazzi all over him due to the divorce and this crap with Slicker. I should be keeping my distance.”

“Is his old lady still stalling with the divorce proceedings?” Sean asked.

Mitch nodded. “I overheard him talking with his lawyer last night. She’s not letting up and refuses to negotiate any further until she can see him in person.”

“Seems like a dick move to me.” Blake came to her side and gave her shoulder a squeeze. “It’d only make me more adamant to give her nothing.”

She leaned into the embrace, thankful for the connection. “She must be working another angle.”

The bathroom door opened and Mason stepped forward through a wall of steam, a towel wrapped around his waist. “A displeasure to see you, as always, Leah.” He made for the duffle resting on the couch and pulled out a set of clothes. “Thanks for shoving me into a media nightmare. I’m going to have every vulture worldwide wanting the details of the cross dresser who tried to ram my dick down his throat.”

“Tried to ram your dick down his throat?” Sean laughed. “I wonder how your hard dick escaped your pants in the first place.”

“Let me remind you that you pushed first.” Leah crossed her arms over her chest. “You should know by now that I’ll bury you in return.”

“Yeah, I think the upcoming year filled with bi-sexual headlines will firmly cement that in my mind.” He glanced around the room. “Where’s Bennett?”

“Getting some air. Nice job causing him more stress, asshole.” Sean pushed to his feet and disappeared into the bathroom.

“This is my fault?” Mason dropped the towel, his ass on full display before he tugged on his underwear and jeans. “I was told to divert attention away from you and lover boy. In what way did I fail?”

“You didn’t fail,” Leah muttered. “I just wish you’d all realize how hard his life is at the moment. The only constant in his world is the four of you, and most of the time you’re all too busy or preoccupied to consider how he’s feeling.”

“We’re not too busy or preoccupied.” Mason turned to her, fastening his belt. “It’s a guy thing. We don’t do deep and meaningful shit or bond over chick flicks. We decompress in other ways.”

“For example?”

He pulled a collared shirt over his head. “We divert attention away from the crap he can’t control. We play devil’s advocate so he has someone to take his anger out on. We give him the freedom to lose his shit if he needs to. We don’t hover over his shoulder and make everyone aware that he’s struggling.”

She sighed, knowing all the times he’d said ‘we’ should’ve been ‘I.’ “I understand that you’re more comfortable saving the day by hiding under your Captain Asshole persona, but Ryan’s not like most of you. He needs friendship. He needs someone to talk to. He needs—”

“Does he?” Mason raised a brow. “Or is that what Julie shaped him to need? Because I sure as shit remember him being one of us when we first started out. It wasn’t until after they were married, and she sank her nails in, that he turned soft.”

“He’s not soft,” Blake muttered.

“No, he’s not.” Leah glared at Mason. “You need to stop treating him like a leper just because he thinks and feels differently than you.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. Am I the only one who remembers who Ryan used to be? Who he was before his wife changed him?” It was Mason’s turn to hit her with a feral stare. “Yeah, he’s always been the Romeo of the group—the charming son of a bitch who knew how to sweet-talk. But before he was shoved under the thumb, he used to party like the rest of us. He used to get into fights and swear like a trucker and not give a shit about upsetting everyone.” He stabbed a finger at his chest. “I, for one, am not going to sit around and stop the old Ryan from making a comeback. You’re too busy trying to keep him in the box Julie created, while I’m trying to help him escape that hell hole.”

Leah blinked, once, twice.

As much as Mason drove her to insanity with his carelessness, he was far more emotional than he let on. And he was right, Ryan had been different back when she’d first met him. He was never the seducer or the egotistical manipulator. But he’d been more alive. More energetic. More like the man she’d spent time with over the past week—the man she’d originally fallen for. She just hadn’t realized until Mason pointed it out.

“OK,” she mumbled. “Then what would you suggest to make things easier on him?”

“It’s simple. Give him what he wants.”

She swallowed, remembering what his most recent request had been.

Mason latched onto the sight, his eyes narrowing, his lips quirking. “What does he want, Leah?”

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