Gone Away Read Free Page A

His shirt was next, wadded into a ball and stuffed in the suitcase before he went to the bathroom and started the shower to warm up.
    When someone knocked on the door, Mason crossed the room and opened it without much thought. “Riece.” He blinked at Riece.
    Riece pushed by him, looking at the floor, talking as he walked. “Have you had sex since we split up?”
    “I don’t think—”
    “I have been—thinking that is, not having sex, but I guess you know that since you were with me on the drive here. I’ve been thinking ever since the airport. No, that’s not true. It was ever since I found out I’d be working with you.” He hurried to the sliding glass door. “I didn’t know if…. I came here completely unprepared. I haven’t… not since you, and I don’t have any….” He pointed out the plate glass door. “But then I saw this place. And God, you look….” Riece stopped rambling and unbuttoned his shirt, draping it over a chair. He pulled his undershirt off, laid it over his other shirt, then turned and faced Mason.
    The only words Mason could form were “Look what?”
    Despite his confusion, Mason couldn’t resist letting his gaze ramble leisurely down Riece’s body. Even his body was a contradiction. Riece wasn’t a small, skinny man, but neither was he large and muscular. The best word Mason could find to describe Riece was elegant . His chest had enough definition to show he was in shape, but in a subtle way. His waist narrowed and fitted into the jut of his hips, yet he had a bit of plumpness at his belly. He had a light smattering of strawberry-blond hair that ran between his pecs and down to disappear beneath his waistband. Riece always wore his pants slung low across his hips, barely above his groin, so the slight roundness of his hips peeked out. He was breathing hard enough that the line of his ribs visibly expanded and contracted with every breath.
    “Your shower is running.”
    “Riece!”
    “It’s noisy. I can’t think. I need to think.”
    Mason stalked to the bathroom, mumbling, “You don’t need to think.” He cranked the faucet handles and shut down the water flow.
    “Amazing,” Riece said as soon as Mason reemerged from the bathroom. “Your arms and…. You… you look amazing, like always.” His voice trailed off and he looked back at the plate glass door. “It’s none of my business, but we were exclusive for most of the time we were together and if you haven’t had sex since then….”
    Mason swallowed thickly. “There hasn’t been anyone since you.” His voice came out a raspy whisper. He stood in the middle of the room, afraid if he moved Riece would turn and run out the door.
    “That’s good.” Riece was pacing now. “Well, I guess maybe not, but in this instance it is. I don’t have condoms. I meant to buy some, but I didn’t, and I haven’t been with anyone so lack of condoms won’t deter us.” He stopped and looked directly at Mason. “Do you have any lube? I should have bought that too. Do you think there is a gift shop or something here that might have some?”
    On the wall adjoining the bathroom was a minibar. Mason held up one finger, dashed to it, and looked through the contents.
    “What are you doing?”
    “Yes,” Mason exclaimed victoriously. A small, clear bag with hearts on it was tucked in among bottled waters and minibottles of whiskey. He held out his find. “We’re not going to the gift shop.” He extracted a small bottle of lube.
    Riece’s eyes widened. “That’ll work. This inn isn’t just a place to stop along the road. I shouldn’t have presumed….” His voice trailed off and he put his head down as he began hurrying toward the door.
    Something Riece’s mind had conjured up had scared him, and now he felt the need to run. Mason recognized that immediately. Sidestepping fast, Mason held one arm out and caught Riece around the waist, reeling him in against Mason.
    “Riece.” He used a soft, firm voice. Mason had