Mason was sure that the exasperated man was preparing to throw him out of the bed. He gripped the sheet tighter.
"Come here, baby.” The words were low and deep, the sound rich, soothing and so gentle with compassionate understanding that Mason couldn't bear it. He made to roll out of the bed, but he didn't get far.
Eli yanked Mason toward him in a won't-take-no-for-an-answer bear hug. Mason's eyes popped wide. His heart, which might have been slowing just a fraction, began to race in earnest—'though for a much more pleasant reason than before. They were naked chest to naked chest, and nose to nose, groins so close that body parts jostled and rubbed. Even slightly blurry in a soft out-of-focus way, Eli was amazingly handsome. He smelled good, too—woodsy and clean. Mason broke out in a cold sweat.
"I've got you."
That was all it took. Three words and Mason's last vestige of control snapped and the tears poured down his cheeks. They were mixed with gasps, sniffles, and broken sentences. “I mean ... I haven't kissed any one in almost, shit!-almost twoyears. Nobody!” A surge of righteous anger pushed terror aside. “If any lips are going to be pressing on mine from now on, they sure as hell ‘t going to be cold, d-dead ones!"
He stuttered and gasped, half the time burying his head under Eli's chin wiping away his slowing tears on the man's hot skin, and the other half staring wildly up into Eli's silent, watchful face. “I mean, if someone's lips are going to kiss me, I want them to be warm and firm and wet and ... “—Mason swallowed hard, his gaze darting back and forth between Eli's eyes to read his expression and his lips to stare at their full, wet goodness—"attached to a living, b-breathing man."
Mason became aware of Eli's hand running soothing strokes over his shoulders and down his back, slipping easily under the waistband of his loose flannel sleep pants and lingering on the curve at the small of his back. It was exciting and distracting.
"A man with strong hands, not one made out of mist.” His voice faltered and the fluttering in his gut changed from fear to desire. He'd had a hard-on threatening to burst to life the moment he'd fled his own room. Now his cock was fully engorged, heavy, hot and eager. It poked Eli's abdomen, but the man didn't pull back from the embrace in which he had Mason wrapped.
Mason managed to hold his gaze still long enough to look Eli in the eye. His own hands began exploring the warm flesh he was pressed against, growing bolder when he didn't meet any resistance. “One with dark hair and dark, kind, compassionate eyes and a name that's easy to whisper. Eli?"
"Like I said, baby, I've got you."
Eli's dark-eyed stare caressed Mason's face and his hungry soul. Mason's breathing came in jerky, little gulps. He couldn't stop his limbs from trembling. He was a mess and he knew it. But, Eli's powerful embrace calmed Mason's quaking nerves, giving him a sense of security and protection he hadn't felt in a very long time.
And, none of that seemed to matter the moment Eli's lips touched his.
They were hot and firm, commanding and gentle. Just what Mason needed right at that moment, a calm, in-charge kiss while locked in a tight embrace. The controlled passion Mason saw in Eli's eyes made him feel safe, warm, cared for. It let him know he was desired, but that this wasn't going to go any farther than Mason wanted it to. It could be a comfort kiss to sooth and reassure, or it could be the start of a passionate night filled with exploration and discovery. He knew the choice was his.
He just didn't know which way to run, forward or backward. Mason's brain spun in circles. Backward held ghosts—several different kinds of them—and loneliness. Lots and lots of loneliness. Forward lay a future that was blurry at best, but it at least held a chance at happiness. The future held a chance to chase away his demons. All of them—the one from upstairs and the one he'd brought with him.
A hand slipped under the loose elastic waistband of his pants and kneaded his ass while a gently exploring tongue parted his lips and pressed against his teeth until they opened. Wet warmth invaded his mouth and Mason groaned as his cock shot up in what seemed like a ridiculous attempt to touch Eli's tongue tip to tip. Blood rushed to the surface of his flesh and a tingling glow bathed his skin. God, this felt good. So. Damned. Good.
Thinking went out the window and Mason ran full tilt toward forward. He slid his hands up Eli's neck to cup the man's head and pulled him closer, devouring Eli's mouth with a long pent-up hunger that made both of them moan.
Things turned fast and furious. They stripped off their sleep pants under the covers. They weren't entirely successful at discarding them, though. Kicking the pants aside still left them twisted in the jumble of sheets. Mason didn't know where to put his hands first so he put them everywhere—on defined, hard muscles and on thick, firm thighs. He threaded his fingers through dark waves of hair, slid his palms over satiny smooth hips and traced the thick tufts of chest hair down to the wiry bush of pubic hair at the base of Eli's stout, eager cock. Then he did it all over again, his own hips thrusting in rhythm to the grip Eli's strong hand had on both their cocks. Mason's brain was divided between the delicious sensations the hand was pulling from his hypersensitive prick to the metal-melting heat of the searing kiss Eli's lips and tongue were blistering his mouth with. The kiss threatened to suck all the air from his lungs and his ability to reason from his brain. Far too quickly for both Mason's ego and his enjoyment, his orgasm boiled up from the pit of his abdomen, grabbed his balls and shot out his prick.
Mason cried out and froze, body stiff with surprise and the sudden spasm of a climax so strong and so unexpected his eyes watered. He buried his face in the crook of Eli's neck, his soft cries muffled by muscled shoulder as a litany of gentle encouragement and comfort whispered in his ear. A powerful arm held him tightly to Eli's chest like a hot band of steel, anchoring and reassuring.
Mason opened his eyes and tilted his head to one side. Nope, no mist, no half-formed, white faces, and—even if he was blurry—it was definitely Eli. This wasn't a dream or a solo effort in the shower. He was in the arms of a lover, a warm, tender, attentive new lover. A lover who still had an impressive erection.
The scene clicked into focus again as his climax faded and his hearing finally distinguished the words his mind had just accepted.
"It's okay, baby. I've got you. I've got you."
God, he hoped Eli meant that for more than just now. Now that he'd jumped back into the dating pool, he didn't plan to leave the water any time soon. The hollow ache that had taken up most of the space in his chest lately crumpled like used newspaper, receding to a place deeper inside of him. It was still there, but smaller and less painful. He could breathe a little easier and he felt like his heart had more space in his chest. It was odd, but vaguely exciting, as if he'd been offered a new adventure.
Eli kept up stroking both cocks, slowing his rhythm as Mason relaxed, the caress now wet and smooth with the addition of Mason's cum. Mason's embarrassment at shooting off so quickly faded as his cock stirred and grew with each sensual flick of Eli's large, experienced hand and wrist.
Looking up into Eli's face, a rush of uncertainty washed through Mason until Eli smiled. “I got you, Mace. And in case you're worried, I'm not letting go."
Mason pulled back a few more inches to get the other man's features into marginally sharper focus. At least Mason could judge what his partner was thinking more easily when he could read his expression. The smile was genuine and the hungry look in Eli's face seemed tempered with a sparkle of tenderness.
Christ, the man was gorgeous in ordinary daylight. But, flushed, sweaty and crushing Mason to his naked, aroused body, Eli Storm was an overwhelming god of sensual power. Mason wanted him so bad, he could taste it—or he wanted to.
"Please, tell me you have condoms?” Was that actually his voice begging? God, he was desperate.
"Uh-uh. We'll have to do it the safe way this time. We'll have to save more adventurous ways to enjoy each other for next time.” Eli dropped a lingering kiss on Mason's lips then nuzzled around Mason's jaw lin
e and down his neck. “After I hit the drug store."
"Shit!"
Eli's strokes sped up, and Mason's hips began to buck in time to them. It was great, but not enough. He wanted more contact, more closeness than another hand job, even a great one. He ground his body to Eli's and wrapped his arms around his lover's broad shoulders, hands clenched into fists pressed hard against Eli's back.
In silent understanding of what Mason needed, Eli abruptly stopped and peeled Mason from his leech-like hold.
Mason was suddenly seized by doubt. “What's wrong?"
Wordlessly, Eli rolled Mason away from him. Then, he swiftly dragged him back so they were spooning, Eli's chest to Mason's back. He urged Mason to lift his leg and, when he did, Eli slid his thick, cum-coated cock along Mason's sensitive perineum. He clamped Mason's leg back down, and began thrusting so that his shaft slid in and out of the tight embrace of Mason's legs and ass cheeks, his cock's tip nudging Mason's balls on each forward stroke.
Eli used one arm to plaster Mason tightly to him while his other traveled over Mason's chest to pinch and rub both tiny nubs of rosy flesh. He drew a lazy path down the smaller man's smooth skin to take hold of Mason's neglected cock. “Like this?” Eli breathed into Mason's the damp strands of Mason's hair, and the heat of his breath scalded Mason's scalp where it touched.
At a loss for words, panting for breath, Mason could only nod and then groan as Eli picked up the pace and sensation assaulted him. This time the building tension rose faster, ‘though it was more defined.
The heat of Eli's body, the power of his hold, the tone of his murmured pleasure and gasping need tossed fuel on the fire raging in Mason's veins. Mason was engulfed in flame, and each stroke from Eli's hand and cock stoked the blaze higher. Harsh, needy kisses marked his neck and Mason turned his head to meet the lips with his own, eagerly accepting Eli's demanding, ravenous kiss.
His mind reeled and fireworks exploded behind his closed eyes. His own climax pumped from his cock with Eli's willing fingers at the same time that he felt a sudden liquid heat bath his ass and inner thighs. The wet, sexy sound of moist flesh on moist flesh joined the scent of freshly spilled semen and forced Mason's already powerful, already exquisite climax higher. He went rigid as he came, body plastered to Eli's, legs pressed closely around Eli's cock, stoking the pleasure of Eli's orgasm.
The powerful shuddering of Eli's body drove the words from him. “God, Mace, what you do to me. Jesus!"
The deep, satisfied groan in his ear was like a reward, and Mason grinned with pride, thrilled that he had satisfied Eli by simply being wrapped around him. It spoke well for future, more adventurous activities.
"If this is what being scared does to you, I'm buying an entire library of horror movies.” Eli squeezed and Mason yelped.
"Bastard, let go.” He pushed and prodded until he had turned in Eli's arms enough to lie on his side and face the other man. It please Mason that Eli's hold only loosened instead of letting go.
And, even he could see the broad smile on Eli's face. The affection and lust still in Eli's dark eyes were enough for Mason to forgive the man's skepticism—'though Eli's gentle chuckle threatened the forgiveness.
"It's not funny. There was a ghost in my bed.” Mason narrowed his eyes and flattened his lips into what he knew was a thin, unhappy line. “And not the one you're thinking of. I didn't bring this one with me. It's your ghost, not mine!"
"Mason, Eugene Storm is dead."
"Which would be at least a basic requirement to be a ghost, don't you think?"
Eli had to concede that point, and he did with a small shrug.
Mason ventured more. “Maybe ... maybe he has unfinished business here."
"Like what?"
Eli was trying to be understanding, but Mason could hear it in Eli's voice. He was humoring Eli.
"Like maybe he's looking for his lover? He's been haunting Jeb's bedroom, dogging my tracks because I'm sleeping in there. Maybe we just need to tell him Jeb is gone?"
Suddenly he felt a pang of sympathy for Eugene Storm. He knew how lost he'd felt when Eric was suddenly gone from his life. Jeb had disappeared from Storm's life just as unexpectedly.
"If they're both dead, and they are, don't you think he'd know that already?"
"How do I know what dead people know? Is that what mediums do? Talk to the dead?"
"I don't know any professional mediums."
Mason's frowned. He had to beat back a sudden burn of tears. This was frustrating, seeing the ghost and having no one believe it existed.
"How about a séance or something? Got a Ouija board?"
Eli snorted lightly, softening it with a gentle smile and quick kiss to Mason's furrowed brow. “Well, Ruby's done a couple of Halloween party séances, but—"
"Let's ask her! Ruby believes in the ghost!” A thrill raced through Mason at the prospect of a real séance to reach an actual ghost. He loved scary movies, but now he'd been thrust into one of his own. It was more intimidating and terrifying, but at least in a séance he wouldn't be alone if the ghost showed up.
"Mason—"
"Please, Eli? For me? For my peace of mind?” He hated pleading, but he honestly didn't think he could take another wake-up call like his last one. “I can't sleep in that bedroom another night until this is cleared up. It's too creepy."
"I wasn't planning on letting you sleep there.” Eli leaned in close and pinned Mason to the mattress. He silenced Mason's token protest with a heated kiss and a rib-bruising embrace.
Mason pushed Eli back when the man came in for a second taste. “So you're going to get Ruby to have a séance and get rid of old Eugene once and for all?"
Eli hung his head in defeat. “Okay.” He chuckled, a whatever-it-takes-to-keep-you-happy look on his face. Then the accommodating expression turned mischievous, and he nipped at Mason's neck. “If the spirit moves me."
"Not funny.” Mason had to mumble between brief but insistent kisses.
Eli hugged Mason to his chest and chuckled into his wayward tufts of fine, dark hair. “To you, maybe."
* * * *
"Are you sure we shouldn't turn on another light?"
Mason glanced around the gloom-shrouded room, dubiously eyeing the closed wooden sliding doors that cut them off from the rest of the big, old, creaky house. “Maybe that one in the corner?"
"It has to be shadowy, Mason, or the spirits won't feel comfortable coming to us.” Ruby patted the cushioned chair beside her, then motioned to Mason to move closer. He hesitated, but approached her. “Now relax.” She patted the chair again as if she had to subdue it for Mason to sit on it. “Sit down here beside me. On my right."
Mason cautiously slid into place where she wanted him. He darted an anxious glance toward Eli, who was sitting on Ruby's other side. He looked over his shoulder at the advancing shadows as the evening sun disappeared, taking with it even the faint glow behind the curtains. He searched his memory of every horror movie that he'd ever seen, and couldn't recall a single séance that had taken place in broad daylight.
They were seated in the small library, once an old parlor room. Oak bookcases lined the walls, full to brimming with rows and stacks of books and odd items. The floor was thick with the same sort of oriental rugs that Mason has seen in the lobby. The carpet muffled sound eerily. Two loveseats and a stool filled supplied the remaining furniture. Thin threads of incense smoke drifted up from ashtrays, and Mason recognized the scent of sandalwood and cinnamon.
Sliding his chair to the right along the table, Mason edged closer to Eli's reassuringly large presence. The antique, oval library table had occupied a corner until Mason and Eli had hefted its mass to the center of the room. The table was small enough that all three people could touch hands.
In the middle of the small sheet-draped table sat three, white, unlit candles and Ruby's black and brown Ouija board. It looked out-of-date and well used, and Mason surmised that Ruby had gotten the board as a child.
"Let me hav
e the book, please."
Ruby held out her hand expectantly and Mason thrust into it Jeb's gift from Eugene, the book that he had been reading the night before.
"What's this for again?"
"The book obviously belonged to both men at one point, a gift from Eugene to Jeb from the inscription you mentioned. I'm going to use it to focus on, to see if I can reach Eugene Storm through it."
Mason couldn't help giving her a skeptical look. Eli just smiled at him and then turned his attention to playing with the little plastic planchette sitting on the Ouija board.
Slightly defensive, Ruby huffed and moved closer to the table. “They say it really helps to have a personal belonging from the departed spirit to draw it back. Kind of like a psychic who has to touch items to get a vision.” She checked the inscription in the front of the book and then placed it in front of her. Looking up, she glared across the table, snatched the planchette from Eli's fiddling fingers and centered it over the middle of the playing board.
The alphabet ranged over most of the Ouija board, arched in two rows. Under those ran a straight line of numbers from one to zero. On the top left corner sat the word yes and on the right, no. An ominous farewell occupied the bottom line. In the middle of the small planchette was a hole large enough to reveal one letter or number on the board. The little wedge was designed to slip across the board on three tiny, padded feet. Mason didn't know about anyone else, but he thought the chain of bones running around the outside of the board subtracted just-for-fun elements from the game. He cast another glance over his shoulder, looking longingly at the closed doors that marked the room's only easy exit.
"We ready?"
When he didn't respond, Ruby squeezed Mason's hand to regain his attention. Startled, he flinched and jerked his head back around.
"You sure you want to do this, Mace?” Eli held the hand that Ruby didn't. He squeezed it reassuringly. “We don't have to, you know."
The heat from Eli's skin was warm comfort, anchoring Mason to the living. His own fingers felt numb and cold, and his heart thumped faster than usual in his chest. Mason wet his dry lips, settled a wide-eyed, contact-enhanced stare on his new lover and nodded. He blew out a breath to steady his nerves.
Scared Stiff Page 5
