Page 2 of His for the Holidays
“Wait a second, how is that fair?”
Mason shrugged. “It’s my name on the rental agreement. Anything happens, it’s my ass on the line. That means I get to drive. Now get in before I leave you here.” Mason slid into the driver’s seat and Adam did as he was told.
Adam turned on the navigation through his phone and did his best to help Mason find his way to the remote cabin through the blinding snow.
“Why your rich parents bought a tiny bare-bones cabin and all those acres of forest instead of a time-share at a cushy ski resort, I will never understand.” Mason cranked the heat higher as he grumbled.
“Something about authenticity, I think. Look, at least they’re generous enough to take us skiing, so shut up and enjoy it, okay?” Adam threw a balled up napkin at Mason, who laughed and rolled his eyes. The laughter caused a twitch in Adam’s groin.Stop that. He’s Drew’s best friend. He’ll never see me that way.
Mason sighed dramatically. “Fine.”
Adam peered out the window at the blur of white as they drove, a smile on his face the whole time.
Mason
After a quick detour to the tiny local grocery store to stock up on essentials, Mason and Adam arrived at the cabin. Mason had squinted through the near-blizzard to make it the last few miles, moving at a crawl on the winding back roads, but they’d made it safely with groceries in the back. The cabin stood nestled among the trees as it always had, and Mason carefully parked the station wagon next to it in the rutted, neglected driveway.
Mason stole a glance at Adam once he was parked, and his stomach lurched and twisted, the muscles in his shoulders tightening.What wasthatabout?Adam pushed open the car door and Mason’s mouth watered a little as he caught himself checking out Adam’s firm ass.
Stop it, perv, he told himself.He’s Drew’s little brother, which is practically the same thing as beingmylittle brother.Mason didn’t have a sibling, but he knew the twinge in his gut when he thought about Adam that day was decidedly un-sibling-like. Adam had been out as gay since he’d entered high school, but Mason had only recently come to accept his own sexuality as “definitely not straight.”I wonder if Drew told Adam anything.
The cabin was dark and cold when they entered, and Adam immediately flipped a light switch. The cabin was illuminated, one main room that included a small kitchen and assorted furniture. A wood-burning fireplace took up the better part of one wall. To either side of the fireplace were the bedrooms, one for the parents, one for the kids—not that they were exactly kids anymore. The only bathroom was on the same wall as the kitchen and it also served as a small laundry space.
Everything was exactly as Mason remembered it, even though he hadn’t made the trek to Montana with the Bowen family in several years. The decor was rustic, plaid and burlap everywhere, with light, natural wood covering the floor and walls. Mason exhaled, at home in this cabin where he’d spentmany winter and summer vacations with the Bowens starting when he’d moved to their hometown—a Chicago suburb—in fifth grade.
Adam went to the thermostat to crank up the heat. The heating unit sputtered and coughed to life from somewhere outside. “It’s fricking cold in here. The thing says it’s about fifty degrees.” Adam rubbed his hands together quickly. “That should get us warmed up soon enough.”
Mason shrugged. He was cold too, but he didn’t want to admit it to Adam. “Wuss,” he shot with a grin.What’s my best friend’s little brother good for if not picking on, after all?“Now do you think you can get yourself together and help me get the supplies inside?”
Adam sighed and pushed his way past Mason without a word. The two of them unloaded the station wagon, stocking the kitchen with enough groceries to last them a few days, at least. They’d stopped and gotten just the “essentials”—snacks, instant soup, and beer. Nothing that had to be cooked for real.We’ll leave that to the parental units.
Just as they’d finished unpacking the food, Adam’s phone rang. Mason’s eyebrows raised. “I’m surprised you can get a signal at all out here, much less in this storm.” He glanced at his own cell—zero bars. “Besides, why didn’t they just call the house phone?”
Adam shrugged and peered at the screen. “We just got here. They probably didn’t know we’re here yet.” He swiped to answer his phone. “Hi Mom. Oh, you’re—hold up, you’re cutting out.” Adam paced towards the window.
Mason tuned them out and hauled his duffel bag to the bedroom he and Drew would share with Adam. The room was … cozy, with two sets of bunk beds barely separated by a small nightstand that held a lamp with a burlap-covered shade. A small closet and a pair of dressers took up the opposing wall.He hauled his duffel onto the bottom bunk of one bed with a grunt, taking his usual place. Drew always took the top bunk, and Adam took the other set of beds, usually sleeping on the top as well. Mason had a thing about heights, though—which made getting on ski lifts interesting—and always opted for the mattress closest to the floor.
A few minutes passed as Mason unpacked his belongings. He felt more at home when he used the dresser, even if it was just one drawer full of clothes, rather than living out of his suitcase, which Drew had always preferred.
Adam rounded the corner, clapping his hands against the door frame and stretching tall. His long, brown hair fell in his eyes and Adam flicked his head to the side reflexively. “So …” A sliver of pale stomach peeked out of the bottom of his t-shirt, revealing a trail of hair that led directly into the top of his dark jeans.
Mason stopped unpacking and looked to Adam, whose body was fit and sculpted, all lean muscle.When did he get into such good damn shape?He shook his head a little.Do not think about Drew’s brother that way. Nope. Not gonna happen. But Jesus, that happy trail …He licked his lips. “Yeah?”
“Mom said we’re on our own tonight. Maybe tomorrow, too. The Bozeman airport is closed because of the blizzard.”
Mason laughed once, sharply, trying to play off his excitement. “Blizzard?” Being trapped in a cabin with Adam would normally drive him up a wall, but tonight it was becoming increasingly appealing.
“She said that’s what they’re calling it now. They’re forecasting two feet of snow by the time it all passes. And the wind out there is intense.” As if to underscore Adam’s words, the wind began to howl outside.
Mason raised his eyebrows. “Guess we’re staying in. What do you want to do?”
Adam looked around and dropped his hands from the door frame. “Wanna play poker?”
They’d played hundreds, if not thousands, of hands of poker in the cabin over the years. Mason grinned. He was totally in. Then it occurred to him that he had nothing to bet with. “What are we playing for? I didn’t bring any cash.” Usually they bet with pennies.
Adam’s face went bright red, to the tips of his ears. Mason narrowed his eyes and tilted his head to the side. “What?”
With a shrug, Adam looked at the floor. “We could—um—we could play strip poker.”
