Page 7 of His for the Holidays
Adam watched the action without speaking.Even in a snowsuit, his ass looks great. Good grief, he’s hot. God, too bad he’s straight.
When he was finished, Mason turned to Adam. “How does it look?”
“It looks … awesome. Thank you.”
Mason turned to inspect his handiwork, nodded once, and turned back to Adam. “Let me change and clean up a little and we can start decorating.”
Twenty minutes later, Mason had switched into pajama pants and a t-shirt, mopped up the snow with several towels, and helped Adam relocate to a chair by the tree so that Adam could supervise the decorating. Adam caught himself humming carols again as Mason started to rifle through the boxes of ornaments.
Mason shot Adam a look, eyes narrowed. “I’m not doingthisif you keep doingthat.”
Adam barked a laugh and nodded. “Understood.” He stopped humming and watched Mason hang ornaments. “So how’s Cali?”
“The school or the state?” Mason threw Adam a lopsided grin over his shoulder as he found the perfect places for a family of snowmen to go.
“School.”
Mason shrugged. “It’s fine. I’m almost done, I guess. I don’t want to be a fifth-year senior but I keep changing my major. Ithink I’ve finally picked something that will stick, though. I’m in Criminal Justice.”
“What were your majors before that?”
Mason groaned. “Oh man. Art—specifically photography. English. Philosophy. History. Now this.”
“At least they weren’t all that different from one another?” Adam’s attempt at positivity definitely came out as a question, the word curving up at the end.
“I guess.” Mason dug through the box. “Still sucks that it took me so long though. Where do you want these?” He’d unearthed a number of hand print ornaments Adam and Drew had made as kids.
Adam lifted one shoulder. “Dunno. Over there, by the popsicle-stick tree? Are you seeing anyone?” Adam’s stomach twisted.Why did I say that?The words had just fallen out of his mouth.
Mason’s shoulders stiffened. “Uh, no, not exactly. Not anymore.”
Okay, lighten the mood.“No girls will have you, huh?” His attempt at good-natured ribbing fell flat.
When Mason turned to face Adam, his cheeks were pink, as were the tips of his ears. “That’s not it. I just broke up with someone, actually. He, uh, said he wanted to be with girls again.”
“He?”Is he actually gay after all?
“Yeah. I’m, uh, pansexual. You know?” Mason’s gaze was trained on Adam’s ankle, not his eyes.
Adam nodded. “Yeah. I know what that is. That’s great, man. Congratulations.”
Mason exhaled in a rush. “Thanks. So yeah, I think it’s for the best, because I’m into someone else anyway.”
“Ah.” Adam’s face froze into place.Don’t ask. Do not ask. Just smile and nod.“What’s she like?”
Mason took a deep breath and a step closer to Adam. Before Adam knew what was happening, Mason’s full lips were pressed against his own. Without thinking, Adam opened his mouth and let Mason’s eager tongue in briefly. Just as quickly as it had started, it ended, Mason standing straight and turning his back to Adam to hang another ornament.
Mason cleared his throat. “He’s cool. I’m just not sure he’s into me. He’s a freshman, and I’ve known him most of my life, so I don’t want things to be weird, you know?”
Oh, God, this is really happening, isn’t it?A tiny, surprised laugh escaped Adam. “Yeah. I know. I think—and I’m just venturing a guess here—he might really be into you, too.”
Mason turned back to Adam slowly, one eyebrow raised. “Yeah?”
“Definitely.”
Mason
What the fuck was I thinking?Mason wasn’t sure, but he was glad he’d said what he’d said. He sank onto a chair and sat facing Adam. “What do you think?”
