In His Sights Page 31

  “He told me about a few missions they’d taken on, not the specifics, but enough so I could get a feel for what they do. It sounded a lot like what I’d done with the SEALs, and when I said as much to Cooper, he agreed and said it is, but with a lot less rules.”

  “Shit, Noah. If they offer you a job, I hope you plan to take it, because the work sounds perfect for you.” Mason would not let his disappointment over Noah’s living situation show. This was Noah’s dream; he wouldn’t be a SEAL again, but this sounded pretty damn close.

  “Well, yeah.” Noah hesitated. “They did. And I did. You’re talking to the newest member of THE Company.”

  Mason pulled Noah into his arms, holding on tight. Mason’s heartbeat raced and chills racked his body. He was giddy with excitement for his friend, and ignored the heartbreak for his loss. Noah was in a similar state; his smile beamed and his eyes twinkled. Noah was happier than he’d looked in a long while, maybe even the happiest Mason had ever seen him.

  “Now it’s your turn, Mas. What did you want to talk about?”

  No way was Mason bringing up their relationship. Not now, maybe not ever, definitely not after hearing and seeing how elated Noah was. “It wasn’t anything as great as your news, just wanted to know what you’re thinking about for dinner.”

  “Oh. Um. How about we go out and celebrate?”

  Surprised by Noah’s suggestion, Mason said, “Or stay in and celebrate.” Mason didn’t look forward to sharing another meal like they’d had at breakfast.

  “If we stay in, we won’t do much other than celebrate, and I think my stomach requires a little nutrition. Let’s head out, then we can come back here and celebrate all night, or until you have to go back to work.”

  Mason going back to work wasn’t a subject he wanted to touch on. “When do you start?”

  “Not until the middle of next month. I’ve a lot to take care of before I start, so they gave me some time.” Noah smirked at Mason and winked.

  Mason thought maybe some of the things Noah had to do, were Mason. Mixed emotions filled Mason, causing his stomach to churn and his eyes to burn. Spending some of the next month and a half with Noah was a dream come true, but knowing it may be the last time they’d spend together had his heart hurting. And now there was no way Mason would bring up them starting a real relationship. If their distance apart wasn’t enough to implode the idea, then the new job that would no doubt take up a large chunk of Noah’s time wiped it out, and the last thing Mason would do was put any more shit in the pack hanging off Noah’s shoulders.

  Chapter 33

  Noah peered out of the truck window, concern holding his focus. Dinner had been great, but Mason had seemed distracted and abnormally quiet. It wasn’t as if they’d sat around dealing with an uncomfortable silence, because Noah had kept the conversation going, telling Mason more about his new job and the different men he’d met. And Mason had contributed as an active participant in the discussion, too, asking questions and making comments. But something about the quiet moments, and the way Mason’s lips had drawn and his gaze had seemed to go unfocused, had Noah worried.

  Noah had tried to ask Mason about work, what he planned to do, a few times during dinner, but every time Noah had spoken, Mason had come up with a new question to ask, keeping the focus on Noah. Noah had so much he wanted to talk to Mason about, so much to say, but the feeling that something was upsetting Mason caused Noah to hesitate. He truly did not know what Mason’s reaction would be to the discussion, and Noah wanted to start when the odds were in his favor, and Mason was in a good mood.

  Mason drove his truck onto the highway. Noah was still amazed the body shop had done such an amazing job.

  “Did you want to stop anywhere else?” Mason’s voice sounded normal, and it had Noah thinking maybe he’d been wrong about Mason’s mood.

  “No. Thought maybe we go home and play a little.”

  “Play?” Mason smiled and turned to take a peek at Noah.

  “Chess, Mas. Play a game of chess.”

  “That sounds great. I could get into beating your ass.”

  “Mas, are we still talking about chess?”

  Mason’s eyes danced, and his smile grew. “Not if you don’t want to be.”

  Noah moaned as he leaned over, stretching his arm to Mason’s lap. It was Mason’s turn to moan when Noah gripped Mason’s cock through his pants and rubbed up and down, making Mason’s already half-hard cock hard.

  “Stop. You’ll have me running off the road again, but this time on purpose, so I can take you here and now.”

  “Have a little self-control, will ya?” Noah squeezed Mason’s cock and took his hand back, straightened in the seat, and put the same hand down his own pants to adjust himself. Noah stayed there a tad bit longer than necessary, taking a second to stroke himself.

  “Think you might be having a little trouble there of your own.”

  Noah slid his hand from his pants with a smile on his face. “Hush. You focus on driving, and taking us home.”

  Mason laughed. “Quick as I can. Promise.”

  Noah’s smiling expression reflected in the truck window. It was a look he’d become more used to seeing. Between Mason and his new job, he felt pretty damn good. Now all he had to do was make sure he could keep both.

  By the time they drove up the driveway, Noah’s heart raced and his stomach knotted with thoughts of what he wanted to say to Mason, but it was now or never. When he got in the house, he planned to just blurt everything out, before his nerves told him otherwise.

  Mason put the key in the door and opened it, then turned on the lights as he held the door for Noah. Once inside, they headed right to the kitchen.

  “Do you really want to play chess?” Mason glanced over his shoulder as he walked to the refrigerator.

  “Yeah. You?”

  “Yeah. Sounds like fun.” Mason grabbed two beers. “This, or something harder?”

  “How about a shot?” The liquid courage couldn’t hurt.

  “Okay. Grab a bottle out of the cabinet, and I’ll set up the game.” Mason walked toward the living room, and Noah followed as he headed for the liquor cabinet.

  He searched through their choices. “Have a hankering for anything specific?”

  “How about some moonshine? It’s in the small bottle on the left side, clear liquid.”

  Noah nodded. The drink would get him to where he wanted to go. “Perfect.” He picked up the bottle and grabbed two shot glasses, bringing them over to the game table up against the window.

  Mason finished setting up the last pieces of the game. “This a friendly game, or you want to make a wager?”

  “I thought maybe strip chess,” Noah suggested.

  “That could work, and how about winner’s in charge for the night.”

  Noah stomach dropped and his cock hardened. “I’m in.”

  “Good.” Mason smiled, causing Noah’s cock to fill faster, then Mason leaned over the table with his lips smooched, waiting for a kiss. Noah leaned over, putting his hand on the table for balance, and gave Mason what he wanted, grabbing Mason’s lip with his teeth. Mason’s first moan came out, and Noah caught the second and third when he latched his mouth onto Mason’s.

  When Mason drew back from the kiss, both men’s complexions flushed and they breathed hard. Mason’s dilated pupils and his half smile told Noah Mason would continue if Noah simply asked, and as tempting as carrying on was, Noah wouldn’t. The game of chess sounded like fun, especially with the added stripping and the bonus ending. Also, playing the game would facilitate Noah’s need to talk to Mason, because really, what better time for a conversation than during a friendly game of chess?

  Noah picked up his shot glass and handed one to Mason.

  “What should we drink to?” Mason asked.

  Us almost came out of Noah’s mouth, but he bit his tongue. “How about we drink to a good, fair game.” Noah thought back to the last game they played, and Mason had blatantly thrown the game,
losing so he could rim Noah. Although Noah had gotten to return the pleasure, it had been the principle of it.

  The smell of alcohol burned Noah’s nose.

  “Fine.” Mason downed the liquid and grimaced.

  The moonshine blazed a trail down Noah’s throat, and when the fluid landed in his stomach, he cherished the warmth. “One more and let’s start.”

  Mason stared at Noah for a second, appearing as if he was trying to read Noah’s mind.

  Noah held his breath, attempting to keep his expression from rattling off the truth of how he felt.

  Mason gave Noah a reprieve, moving his gaze to the shot glass in Noah’s hand. “This time we drink to your new job.”

  The pride in Mason’s voice had Noah’s body tingling, and his heart racing. “To my new job.” And maybe yours.

  Both men finished their drinks and put the glasses on the table.

  “You go first.” Mason opened his bottle of beer and took a big swig while Noah studied the board.

  With Noah’s first move complete, Mason went. The room stayed quiet as they took their turns going, both men keeping all their pieces, thus all their clothes.

  Nerves bounced around in Noah’s stomach and had him focusing more diligently than necessary on the game. It was his way to the talk he and Mason needed to have. He was being a wimp, but couldn’t help it.

  Mason made a move, earning Noah’s pawn and his sweatshirt.

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “Enjoy this now, because it’s not going to last. You’re the one who’ll have a chilly butt and hiding balls before this game ends.”

  Mason belly laughed. “I don’t think it’s cold in here, but okay, if you say so.”

  Mason’s eyes were alight, and his smile contagious, and Noah took his happiness as a sign. Noah blurted out, “I was wondering what you’re planning with work.”

  The change in Mason shocked Noah. Mason’s body turned tense, his hands jittery, and his focus moved from Noah to the game in front of him, even though it appeared as if he was staring through it.

  Heat washed through Noah, and his hands fisted. What the hell was going on? Why would his one question have such an effect? “Mas, are you okay?”

  It was as if Mason had been in a catatonic state and suddenly woken—he shook his head, his eyes blinking. Noah would have thought the actions funny if not for the fact Mason’s face appeared strained, and his eyes weary.

  Noah bounced out of his seat, moved around the table, and knelt in front of Mason in seconds. He took Mason’s fidgeting hands in his and tightened his grip, as Mason seemed to need a base to hold on to. “Mas, what’s going on?”

  Mason opened his mouth, then closed it before anything came out. While Noah knelt, his heart slamming out of his chest, he waited for Mason to answer him.

  “I…I don’t know what I’m going to do.” Mason’s voice came out low, weak.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Shit, Noah.” Mason sat straighter in his chair, jerked one hand out of Noah’s grip, and rubbed his eyes. “I don’t want to talk about this. Not now. Not when we’re celebrating your good news.”

  “Mason, fuck my good news. You’re making me nervous, what the hell’s going on?” Noah’s heartbeat pounded in his ears, and a slight sheen of sweat covered his body.

  “It’s nothing. Really. Just some shit I need to figure out.”

  Noah shook his head. It wasn’t something so easy. “Well, tell me what’s up, and we can figure it out together.”

  Half of Mason’s lip turned up in a smile, but his body remained stiff, and his mouth closed.

  Noah stood up, his hands again entwined with Mason’s. He pulled him up out of his chair and walked them over to the couch.

  “I want to finish the game.” This time Mason’s words came out a little more like a whine.

  “Then talk to me, and we will.”

  “It’s just…I’m not sure what I’m going to do.” Mason closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the couch, then took a deep breath and released it.

  Noah remained quiet to give Mason a second to continue, but when he stayed silent, Noah tried to give him a push. “About what? Work?”

  “Yeah. About everything. I don’t know.”

  “What the hell? Everything?” What was going on with Mason Noah didn’t know about? Hell, everything had seemed fine when Noah had left to go back home. Well, as fine as it could be with work. The rest, as far as Noah could tell, seemed on track.

  “Shit. Mainly work.” Mason changed his words too quickly, confirming Noah’s fear that something more was definitely up.

  “Talk to me, Mas, come on. You can tell me anything. You know that.”

  Mason opened his eyes and peeked at Noah. “It’s nothing like that. It’s just I don’t know what I’m doing. Don’t know if I can stay with the agency. If I can stay after all that happened.”

  “You’re a hero now. What’s happened since I left?” Noah was confused.

  “No, nothing. I’m thinking before. When my bosses were so eager to believe all the shit about me. That all it took was someone writing a letter questioning my ability to do my job, and the higher-ups took the information as fact. I don’t know if I can go back to that. That I can trust if it ever came back to something similar, they would have my back?”

  Fuck. Noah hadn’t thought of what Mason had gone through in those terms, but now he understood exactly what Mason was saying.

  “I just don’t know what else I’d do. Going back into the Marines is always a possibility, but I don’t think I want to do that either. It’s too rigid. Great when I was younger, but I don’t know if I could deal with that now.”

  Chills raced up Noah’s back and his heartbeat quickened. This was the perfect opening into what he wanted to talk about. “Well, I wanted to talk to you about something.” Noah’s smile grew. “An opportunity.”

  “Okay.” Mason’s body sagged into the couch, and he rubbed his eyes again.

  “During my interview, I mentioned you.”

  Mason’s body went taut and his eyes opened wider. “Why?”

  “Because I had a feeling.”

  “About what?”

  “That THE Company might be a good fit for more than me.” Noah’s insides shook with both excitement and fear.

  Mason tilted his head, and he squinted at Noah. “What are you talking about?”

  “Well, to keep the story tight, they want to meet you. Maybe offer you a job.”

  Now Mason’s eyes looked like saucers, and his mouth hung open.

  Noah laughed. “What do you think? Would you be up for it?”

  “Uh.” Mason’s mouth opened and closed. That seemed to be happening to him a lot lately. “What?”

  When Mason didn’t say anything more, Noah took his ‘what’ question to mean he wanted more information. “It would be doing the same kind of work as I’d be doing. They want to set up a time for you to meet. I truly think, you be yourself, and you got this.” The excitement was overwhelming. Noah had to calm himself, give Mason a chance to think about what Noah had said. But it was hard. “You read the information we pulled up on these guys. They’re up there, one of the top companies in their field. And I tell you, with everything they went over with me, it’d be doing the shit we used to do.”

  “I—I—don’t know what to say.”

  Mason seemed hesitant, then a thought exploded in Noah’s head. “I don’t want you letting this job pass because of me.”

  “What?”

  “Don’t let the fact I’ll be working there affect your decision. We’re friends and always will be, no matter what.” The words felt like acid in Noah’s mouth. They were so much more than friends, but if Mason only wanted that, Noah would be okay with it. He’d have to be. If Mason wanted to stop what they were doing, then Noah would go along with it, because no matter what, Noah wanted Mason to be happy, and Noah had no doubt doing this job would make Mason happy.

  Something
crossed over Mason’s face, but it was gone too fast for Noah to tell exactly what it was.

  “Um. Yeah. No. It’d be great working with you, Noah. I know how good you are at what you do.”

  “Thank you.” Noah’s chest warmed, and his face followed suit. “What do you think? You interested in talking with these guys?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Noah was eager and didn’t want Mason changing his mind. “Why don’t we call Coop right now? Set up an appointment.”

  * * * *

  “Now?” Mason glanced at the clock and saw the time wasn’t a problem, but he needed to come up with a way to tell Noah the small arms fire in his stomach was. Why the hell was he so nervous? Because this might be a dream come true. Not only the job, but also working with Noah. Although, Mason wasn’t sure how he’d handle working with Noah if he and Noah went back to being just friends. Of course, he’d respect Noah’s wishes if that’s what he wanted, but it would be hard, seeing the man and not being able to touch him, or worse yet, seeing someone else touching him. Fuck. He needed to rid himself of that thought. Quick.

  Noah touched Mason’s face, before Mason realized Noah had moved.

  “What’s the matter?” Noah asked. “You look like you’ve just eaten a chicken a la king gone off.”

  “Sorry. My mind slipped away for a second.”

  “Where to?”

  Mason didn’t want to share the truth, so he switched it up a bit. “Was thinking even though we’d be working together, we might not see much of each other.”

  Noah head moved back and a frown marred his face. “What are you talking about?”

  “There’s probably no guarantee we’d be on the same missions, and with you out in Seattle and me wherever I end up, we’re going to be in pretty much the same position we’re in right now.”

  Noah’s smile lit up the room. “Is that really what made you upset seconds ago?”

  “Well, yeah. I kind of like having you around.”

  Noah leaned in and took Mason’s mouth hostage. Their lips touched and each man’s tongue slipped out to meet the others. Noah’s growth scratched against Mason’s face as Mason’s tongue charged after Noah’s. Mason’s hands pushed up Noah’s shirt, burrowing inside in search of bare skin as Mason tugged Noah closer. The kiss quickly turned frenzied, with Mason catching each of Noah’s moans.