Finding Mr. Wright (Leanin' N Book 2), page 12
He took Mason’s hand with his, then opened the window with his other. Oh, that was nice. Cool as a cucumber. He liked the way the temperature dropped when the sun went down here. In Texas it could linger all night.
He leaned back and closed his eyes and let Mason take care of him a little bit.
Forty-five minutes later they were sitting at supper, the wine a dry white that would cut through the cheese. A tabletop grill was set up, and it held these little melting trays underneath for the cheese. He couldn’t wait to try it.
Mason had him rolling with laughter, genuinely tickled at the tales of weddings and parties. Of the night his goddaughter was born. “I swear to God, I’m standing there, Veronica is squeezing my hand so hard I thought I was going to die, and the guys are down getting coffee!”
“Oh, no! How could they leave you like that?”
“It was supposed to be, like, another three hours, so I said I’d let them have a break. In two contractions, the world changed. I was the one that cut the cord!”
“Did they freak out?” He poured more wine, knowing he was supposed to let the second waiter do that, but he wanted another sip.
“It worked out. They have a birthday planner every year, after all.”
“They totally do.” Noah shook his head and was about to recount a story of his own, when the cheeses and meats arrived, along with sliced potatoes, onions, and cornichons. “How fun is this?”
“I thought you’d like it. Fun and tasty and weirdly sexy.”
“Definitely. Finger foods and tucked away at a table for two where I can feed you with my fingers if I want? Yeah.” Sexy for sure. The place had a real rustic, French Alps kind of charm.
“I know it’s not a perfect circumstance, but… I’m glad to be here with you.”
“I am. Too. With you.” He laughed, the wine making him giddy. “So show me how we melt.”
“Put some meat and veg on the grill, then pick your cheese and put it in the melter.”
They both chose the mild raclette cheese to start since it shared its name with the process, and the melt was on.
Mason played with him, keeping him chuckling, keeping everything sexy and light, charming him and plying him with cheese and wine.
The cornichons cut right through all the richness, and they shared a dark chocolate mousse. He would have thought he’d be stuffed at the end, but all the food was small, and it was lovely and perfect.
“Oh, man, that was good. I even stopped checking my phone for catastrophes.”
“Now I get to drive you home.” Mason dared a quick kiss, and Noah heated. “I promised you tonight.”
“You did. I intend to collect. Why do all of our hot dates have to be at the end of exhausting days?” Someday they would just have a night where they sat on the couch and watched a movie and ate pizza.
“I was wondering that myself, Mister. Seriously, we should just take a vacation someday.”
“That sounds perfect. Where have you always wanted to go?”
“Like pipe-dream go or actual-dream vacation?”
“Either. I’m all about making dreams come true.” Noah wanted to do something amazing for Mason, who had done so many things for him.
“I’d love to go to Venice one day, but really? I’m saving for an Alaskan cruise. One of the fancy ones.”
“Yeah? You ever been on a boat?” He had a yacht docked at the Gulf. They could sail away for a week or two.
“I’ve been white-water rafting a lot.”
“But never on a cruise?” Noah had taken a gay cruise once. Oh God, that would be a hoot with Mason. They would have a ball being able to make out on the promenade.
“Not yet. We should go sometime!” Mason bounced a little in the booth. “When you have time, of course.”
“It’s probably easier for me to get time than you, honey. I have a huge, well-oiled machine. As long as I can check in occasionally, they can do without me.”
“I see how tired you get, Mister. I see you.”
“Do you?” Noah stroked the back of Mason’s hand. He did get tired because he was the support system for so many people…. He loved them all, but he did get worn-out.
“Yes.” Mason nodded, then paid the check, shocking the hell out of him.
He blinked, opened his mouth, and then closed it. Just did it, not a look or a wiggle or a word that meant he was trying to impress.
Damn, this one was a keeper.
“You ready to go home with me, Mister? We have a promise to fulfill.”
“I am.” They left the restaurant, and it felt almost chilly to his heat-tough Texas skin.
He felt dazed, like he was on the cusp of something he didn’t understand. This happened to him sometimes while he waited for his head to catch up with his gut.
Whatever it was, he had a feeling that with Mason along for the ride, it was going to be amazing.
Chapter 16
M ason had his headphones on at seven in the morning, dealing with phone calls from the ranch, where Rachel had set up camp.
“Rach. Rach, you’re rocking it. I’m sending a car to pick up the Wrights, and I have a lovely four-bedroom vacation home near the hospital rented for the week. It’s empty and on the market, but Nan says they can have it. You need to make sure that the tech stuff is set up so Noah has the choice of coming back to the ranch or staying here, you got it?”
“I’m on it, boss. Is she going to be okay? Mrs. Preston?”
“So far, so good.” He stopped and sipped his coffee. “I’m proud of you, girl. Seriously. You rock.”
“Thanks. This has all been so crazy.” She sighed. “Also, you have a phone conference at two this afternoon. Should I reschedule?”
“I’ll take it. I can do it from here or the office or the hospital or the ranch.”
“Yep. It’s Calleigh from Amazing Cakes. She wants to run her designs and flavors by you.”
“For….” Suddenly his mind went blank.
“The Findlay birthday. She’s seventy-five.”
“Right. Right. I’m on it. Text me fifteen before to remind me?”
“You got it. Laters!” She hung up, and he paused one more time to breathe in mountain air and drink more caffeinated bean water.
He wanted to make this as easy on Noah as he could, and since organizing things was what he did, that was what he focused on.
Noah poked his head out the patio door. “How cold is it?”
“It’s not. It’s gorgeous.” He loved his wee baby balcony that looked out on the mountains. “You get you a cup of coffee?”
“Not yet. Let me get that robe you got me.” Noah disappeared, and he laughed out loud. Such a Texan.
He had stuff for toast if Noah was starving, or they could stop on the way to the hospital for danishes and coffee.
Noah joined him moments later, wearing a robe and carrying coffee. “This view makes a man believe in God. I see why so many Texans come here every chance they get. That way we have the best of both worlds.”
“It’s perfect. In the winter, I get to watch the skiers.”
“And in the summer, you get ravens and magpies.” Noah was fascinated by the birds.
“Yes. You tell me when you’re ready for business, huh?”
“Ugh.” Noah grimaced but then smiled. “I slept great. So anytime.”
“I’ve spoken to Maydell. All is well back home. I’ve arranged a vacation home for your folks and Doug for the week. It is on the market, but it’s fully stocked. It’ll be available at noon. I do have a car bringing your folks up, and I have Rach setting up the electronics for you to skype in for your meeting this morning.”
“You’re inhuman.” Noah grabbed his hand, toying with his fingers. “How are you this morning?”
“I’m good.” Waking up next to Noah was perfect. He was going to miss it desperately.
“Okay. Well, how about we have breakfast. I saw you had bread and eggs and milk. Do you have butter and syrup?”
“I do….”
Noah cooked? Food?
“Excellent. Momma taught me that a man ought to know how to cook one breakfast, one supper, and one dessert. I can make french toast, hamburgers, and peach cobbler.” Noah rose and stretched, his robe opening up to show his ripped, fuzzy belly.
“My magical man.” He leaned forward and nuzzled said belly. “Sounds delicious. How can I help?”
“Find said butter and syrup and show me where I can find a griddle or a flat pan.” Noah stroked his hair. “Breakfast with my lover. Wow.”
“I know, right? Don’t tell anyone and maybe we’ll even get to share another cup of coffee.”
“Shh.” Noah led him inside, and the next forty-five minutes were… unreal.
Noah cooked perfect french toast. Mason warmed the syrup. They ate and read the newspaper on their tablets and did shit like a real couple.
He was stunned at how easy it all was.
Was it stupid to worry about whether he could keep it? It being this. Them. Noah and his amazing care, the way he loved.
Noah caught him staring while loading the dishwasher and came to him immediately. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. I was fantasizing, that’s all. Ignore me.”
“Not possible. What were you daydreaming about? Venice?” Noah yodeled out some fake gondolier song that started with “O Sole Mio” and ended with cacciatore.
He started laughing, and they ended up dancing around his kitchen, hooting and hollering like hooligans. Noah was a magic man for sure, but God help him, he couldn’t dance. They staggered out into the living room, where Noah tripped over his robe tie and landed hard on the couch, howling with laughter.
He landed on top, his headset going one way, his phone going the other.
Noah kissed him then, a warm slide of lips and tongue that stalled the laughter in his chest and made him moan. The fairy tale might end sometime soon, but right now he had a good thing going, so he had to just go with it.
“Do we have time?” he asked, the words muffled in their kiss.
“I’ll make time.”
“I do love that about you.” The word was getting easier to say all the time.
“I love you too, honey. I really do.”
Please , he prayed. Let that be enough.
Just let that get them through.
Chapter 17
S ammy and Doug were on their way home. Everything was stable, and Sammy had marching orders from the doc to see her own ob-gyn as soon as she got home.
The only one who seemed sad to leave was Frank, who had spent a week in doggy heaven with Quartz.
“So what’s the plan for today?” Noah asked, poking Mason with his bare toes. They were getting good at this breakfast and newspaper thing. Today they’d done it in bed with cereal and coffee.
“I was thinking we could play naked mayonnaise Twister and then go get tattoos.”
“Wow. That’s pretty adventurous.” He waggled his brows. “But that must mean you don’t have a gig.”
“I do not. I cleared my schedule.”
“Me too. I have at least two more days.” Noah sipped his coffee, pondering. They could do anything, everything. He had to admit, there was a peace in staying right here.
Mason grinned at him. “Are we napping and watching movies?”
“Is it bad that’s appealing?”
“We could go to the Isis tonight. There’s a bar downstairs. It’s like this charming little movie theater right here.”
“Sounds great.” He could totally spend the day just hanging out. Mason made him laugh, made him happy deep down.
“So what would you normally be doing on a Sunday?”
“Depends on the family. I skip church, much to Momma’s chagrin, but I’ll meet them for lunch.” He worked a lot from home on Sundays.
“That’s dear. I don’t have much family left, and what I have, well, they didn’t have a whole lot to do with me. Of course, I’m usually working on Sundays. Someone always has something that was winding up.”
“I’m sorry.” Noah paused. “I’m out to my whole family, though it’s not something Momma and Daddy talk about. Of course, kicking me out of the fold would be a shitty business move.”
Mason grinned at him, tickled as a pig in shit. “Yeah, I can see where that would be awkward. Sammy seems to be okay with it. Me, less so.”
“You’re not okay with me being gay?” He threw up his hands in mock horror.
Mason snorted in his coffee cup, damn near choking himself. “You bitch.”
“I am.” Noah sobered. “I’m sorry your family gave you a hard time.”
“Eh, I have another life, another family now. I have what I need.”
“I hope I’m part of that.”
“You don’t have to fish. You know how I feel about you.”
Noah snorted. “Still new enough to need reassurance.”
“You got what I need.” Mason rolled over, snuggling them together and kissing him on the cheek. “All the way, Mister.”
“Good deal.” He kissed the corner of Mason’s mouth. “Where’s your remote?”
“Uh… somewhere…. We were watching last night.”
Noah dug it out from under Mason’s butt and copped a feel while he was at it. “Have you ever been to Dallas?”
“Not yet. I just recently got an invitation to visit, though.”
“I know! You should come down. See my place.” He wanted Mason to sleep in his bed, ride down and see the ponds on his land, swim in his pool.
He wanted Mason to share his world. He’d never felt that way about anything. The TV was loud as hell, so he turned it down. “When can you come?”
“If I make a few phone calls, I can fly back with you.”
“No shit? Oh, honey, that would be perfect.” He gave up on the TV and glomped onto Mason.
“Mmm. Hello.” Mason grabbed him, kissed him hard. “Do I know you, Mister?”
“Better every day. Mmm.” He’d never done this in his life, lounged in bed with a man he loved. There was not even a niggle of work guilt.
All those tight little muscles and they were all for him. No wonder he was basking. He stroked Mason’s belly.
“Can you make those calls today?” Noah asked.
“I’ll see what’s on my schedule, but I’m fairly sure I can, why?”
“Because we can fly down in the morning. I have my plane, after all.”
Mason blinked. “Right. I’ve never known someone with their own plane. I’ve probably worked with people, but… that’s incredibly fucking cool.”
He knew. It was. It blew his mind. Still. Sammy never thought anything about it, but he could remember wearing Goodwill clothes and having his momma cut his hair. Now he had his own motherfucking airplane.
Noah kissed Mason’s neck just below the ear. “Cool. I’ll file a flight plan.”
“Okay. I’ll make some phone calls and clear the next… how many days?”
“How about three, at least. Maybe four.”
“I can do that. I’ll free the week, and that way I have a little leeway.”
“Thank you.” He took another soft kiss. “That means a lot to me.”
“You’re welcome. You want to walk down and find brunch somewhere after we do a little business?”
“Sounds like a plan.” He would have to make some calls as well, but he would move heaven and earth to make this happen. It was time to bring Mason into his life as well as the other way around.
He rolled to the edge of the bed to grab his phone off the nightstand. He would start with the airport. Hell, he had no idea whether Alan was still in town or if he’d flown the others back down to Dallas the day before.
If Alan had, the son of a bitch could just fly right back.
He was bringing Colorado to Texas.
Chapter 18
M ason felt like he’d been kicked in the teeth a little bit.
This was the biggest place he’d ever been in, barring the Stanley, which was a hotel that looked like a mansion.
Noah wasn’t wealthy. He was rich.
Like “here’s my limo, here’s my plane” rich.
Like “I have a staff” rich.
Like whoa rich.
He had to admit, he’d expected something grand and exciting, but this was intimidating. “Dude, I think your master suite is bigger than my condo.”
Part of him had to wonder if Noah had been embarrassed by his little place with its not-so-custom finishes and tiny footprint.
“I think it is, honey. You have the view, though.” Noah shrugged out of his dress shirt, showing off that tough body.
“I do.” He put his suitcase at the end of the bed, then headed over to look out the window and found a lovely section of the wraparound porch.
“There’s a little door over by the dresser if you want to go look.” Noah nodded toward a different section of wall.
“Yeah? Cool.” He went out, the heat hitting him like a wall. Jesus. Humid. Hot. God.
The porch was amazing, though, the sunshades keeping it from being unbearable, and there was a little suite of patio furniture with cushions that invited him to enjoy the view of the pastures. Everything was greenish brown right now, with the late August heat, but it was still pretty.
“Let me turn the ceiling fans on. That’ll cool it off.”
“Your porch has fans?” He glanced up. Huh. Look at that.
“It will be really nice out there tonight, for sure.” Noah joined him on the porch, looking almost redneckish in his T-shirt and jeans, a cap in his hand. “I hate to rush around, but Lee wants me to come down and look at some issues with the second pond. Want to come with? I’ll take the four-wheeler.”
“Sure. Let’s go. Let me put some jeans on.” He was dying in this heat, and he’d worn shorts. He grabbed some Levi’s and pulled them on, then put his shoes back on. “Ready.”
“You’re a champ.” Noah handed him a cap. “I know you do sun, but the heat can just be wicked here.” Noah dropped a kiss on his mouth before steering him out to the side yard, where a garage building held three four-wheelers, a lawn mower, and two Bobcat machines.
