Page 79 of Sapphire Spring

“You know what I mean.”

Mason looked back at Naser, as if trying to gaugewhether or nothe was upset. Naser wasn’t upset. He wasmoved.

“It was nicer waking up in bed with you this morning,” Masonsaid with a smile that made Naser want to melt into his arms.

“I’d kiss you right now, but you have food on your face.”

Mason grinned, then chewed his lower lip in a way thatreminded Naser how good it felt to kiss MasonWorther.“With a construction crew right up the hill? Pretty kinky. You an exhibitionisttoo?”

“No, I’m not. Also, the idea of outdoor sex in generalalways sounds better than it is, so if that was part of today’s plan, let’scancel that right off.”

Mason shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. Outdoor sex can be fun.”

“That’s right. You don’t know. Because you’re not a womanand you’ve clearly never bottomed.”

“Beach sex. What about beach sex?”

“Once again, you’ve never had a mix of sand and God knowswhat else up your naughty bits.”

“That’s what blankets are for.”

“And the fact that you think that’s enough to protect one’sprivates against the all-powerful force of beach sand further proves myargument.”

“All right, tonight’s festivities are off the menu then.”

“I’ll take you any way I can get you. Inside.”

Mason gave him a cocky grin. “Actually,insideisexactly where I’d like to go with you.”

Naser was surprised by the cascade of responses thatricocheted through him. A bolt of desire so powerful he wanted to pin Mason tothe blanket right there. Then, right on its heels, fear that seemed so suddenand total it encased his entire body in something cold as metal.

The wildness of their Saturday night session had made for acomplicated memory ever since. He felt partly responsible for having triggeredMason’s breakdown, felt like their role play might have been too much, toosoon. Their make-out sessions since had only occasionally resulted in nudityand orgasms, and then they were easy, relaxed. Mellow. A comedown, or a buildupto something bigger, he wasn’t sure. The thought of accelerating their tempoagain frightened him.

More specifically, the thought of letting Mason inside himreturned him to that moment of frenzy in bed on Saturday when he’d felt adesire so potent it seemed capable of wiping away all good sense.

“Hey, no rush,” Mason said.

Naser smiled, his thoughts forming a logjam.

“Eat up!” Mason said, then he reached over, gripped the backof Naser’s neck, and gave him another hard peck on the lips. It was like thekiss he’d given him through the car window, and there was something Naser lovedabout it. A man learning how to show semipublic affection with another man. Itwas quick and confident—like he was trying to outrun his own doubt—but it wasalso strained in a way that reminded him this was all new. Forboth of them.

When they were done eating, Mason packed up the basket, theblanket, and the umbrella and carried them back to his car as Naser followed.Then he asked Naser to follow him to the construction site where he introducedhim to the foreman and several members of the crew. The prospect of meeting theinfamous PeteWortherput Naser’s heart in histhroat, but Mason’s father wasn’t among the introductions.

Mason listened and nodded while the guys gave him a longlecture on their plans for the guardhouse’s foundation.

Naser stepped aside to check some work emails. When helooked up again, he saw Mason had drifted over to where a man and woman inmatching dark green polo shirts were examining two rows of concrete plantersthat had been installed in a line leading from the first brick walls of theentrance gate to where the guardhouse would soon rise. On their shirts werelogos for something Naser figured was a landscaping company. Mason seemedexcited to see them both.

Odd, given there weren’t any actual plants in view, just theempty receptables for them. After a while, Naser got concerned about making itback to work in time for his next meeting, so he gave Mason’s sleeve a littletug.

“Oh, hey. Sorry,Nas. This here’sPaula and her husband Jim. They’re with Green Mountain, our landscapers for theproject.”

Naser shook their hands, and they gave him bright smiles.

“I’m trying to make a case for Douglas Iris in the planters,but they’re coming down hard on the side of Canyon Liveforevers.”

With no idea what either thing was, Naser just smiled.

“All drought tolerant, of course,” Mason added quickly, asif Naser had been on the verge of filing a report with the water authority.“You have no idea what we’re talking about, do you?”

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