patiently looking back at him. The guy was tall. The features of his face were sharp. His hair was dark, and for some reason, it looked soft. Mason took a deep breath. At least the stranger was wearing boots, even if they didn’t seem to be too helpful in the cold.
“Hello,” the stranger finally responded, and a tiny smile blossomed on his lips. “I’d say it’s a pleasure to meet you, but under the circumstances…. Well, you know.” He shrugged and Mason nodded along.
Right. Circumstances. Those were his fault. But Mason didn’t mind them right now. Would he ever get a chance to see this particular stranger in his briefs if not for the fire he’d started? Not likely. Mason wondered if he should feel guilty for not feeling guilty.
“So, you’re one of my new neighbors?”
Luckily, the stranger distracted his thoughts once again. Mason looked up to find him checking Mason out. “Yes,” Mason managed to say. “Why are you so naked?” he blurted out before he could stop himself. Not a question you asked someone you just met, but he couldn’t help himself. He also noticed countless cats printed all over his briefs. It was adorable. Mason realized he was glancing down there again, and he hurried to look up.
“I apologize. They didn’t give me much time to get dressed.” The stranger seemed uneasy. Maybe because Mason had pointed it out? It didn’t seem like he minded standing there in his briefs. He had an air of confidence around him. Mason couldn’t blame him. He’d probably be pretty confident too if he looked like that.
Then he realized the stranger must’ve been woken up by the firefighters and most likely thrown out of his bed. Well, that sucked. Right?
“Oh, yeah. I was watching a movie. And I was a bit cold.” Mason was making excuses for himself and he knew it. He was still in his cozy Christmas sweater, and he even grabbed a scarf on his way out.
The stranger nodded. “I am a bit cold now. But I’ll survive. Do you have any idea why there was a fire?”
Mason could have squealed, but he managed to stop himself before it could happen. “No,” he lied. He blushed again. He knew lying wasn’t nice, but he couldn’t tell the truth either.
“I’m guessing some idiot is to blame,” the stranger went on, and Mason knew for sure he couldn’t tell the truth.
He kinda liked the stranger. He was attractive, and Mason liked his smile a lot. He wanted to get to know him better. Hell, he wanted to take him home and wrap him up in something warm. Maybe make him some hot chocolate so he’d be okay for sure. Would it be a good idea to tell him this unpleasant situation was his fault?
“God, I just hate irresponsible people like that. I mean, this isn’t even a real fire. We’d see it. Someone must have forgotten he left his oven on or something like that. And thanks to that moron, I’m freezing.”
Mason froze a little too when he heard the angry rant. Oops. He sounded genuinely upset.
“Here!” Mason pulled the scarf off because it was the least he could do. It took him a while because the scarf was huge, but that meant it was so much warmer. “Please, take it. I’m in my sweater anyway and it’s woolen and it will keep me warm enough. I’d hate it if you caught a cold or something like that.” Especially because that would be my fault. I’d hate to see you stuck in bed because I did something stupid. But he didn’t say the last bit out loud. He didn’t have the heart to do so.
The stranger looked surprised. “For real?” He sounded pleased. He took the scarf and wrapped it around his neck, flexing his muscles while he did so.
Mason realized he was staring again. But how could he not . The man was so good-looking, it should be illegal. Mason swallowed and made a sound that was supposed to be approval. This would be much easier if the man didn’t look like a model for a calendar, featured on December. God, someone should take a photo of you.
“Thank you so much! Oh,
“Hello,” the stranger finally responded, and a tiny smile blossomed on his lips. “I’d say it’s a pleasure to meet you, but under the circumstances…. Well, you know.” He shrugged and Mason nodded along.
Right. Circumstances. Those were his fault. But Mason didn’t mind them right now. Would he ever get a chance to see this particular stranger in his briefs if not for the fire he’d started? Not likely. Mason wondered if he should feel guilty for not feeling guilty.
“So, you’re one of my new neighbors?”
Luckily, the stranger distracted his thoughts once again. Mason looked up to find him checking Mason out. “Yes,” Mason managed to say. “Why are you so naked?” he blurted out before he could stop himself. Not a question you asked someone you just met, but he couldn’t help himself. He also noticed countless cats printed all over his briefs. It was adorable. Mason realized he was glancing down there again, and he hurried to look up.
“I apologize. They didn’t give me much time to get dressed.” The stranger seemed uneasy. Maybe because Mason had pointed it out? It didn’t seem like he minded standing there in his briefs. He had an air of confidence around him. Mason couldn’t blame him. He’d probably be pretty confident too if he looked like that.
Then he realized the stranger must’ve been woken up by the firefighters and most likely thrown out of his bed. Well, that sucked. Right?
“Oh, yeah. I was watching a movie. And I was a bit cold.” Mason was making excuses for himself and he knew it. He was still in his cozy Christmas sweater, and he even grabbed a scarf on his way out.
The stranger nodded. “I am a bit cold now. But I’ll survive. Do you have any idea why there was a fire?”
Mason could have squealed, but he managed to stop himself before it could happen. “No,” he lied. He blushed again. He knew lying wasn’t nice, but he couldn’t tell the truth either.
“I’m guessing some idiot is to blame,” the stranger went on, and Mason knew for sure he couldn’t tell the truth.
He kinda liked the stranger. He was attractive, and Mason liked his smile a lot. He wanted to get to know him better. Hell, he wanted to take him home and wrap him up in something warm. Maybe make him some hot chocolate so he’d be okay for sure. Would it be a good idea to tell him this unpleasant situation was his fault?
“God, I just hate irresponsible people like that. I mean, this isn’t even a real fire. We’d see it. Someone must have forgotten he left his oven on or something like that. And thanks to that moron, I’m freezing.”
Mason froze a little too when he heard the angry rant. Oops. He sounded genuinely upset.
“Here!” Mason pulled the scarf off because it was the least he could do. It took him a while because the scarf was huge, but that meant it was so much warmer. “Please, take it. I’m in my sweater anyway and it’s woolen and it will keep me warm enough. I’d hate it if you caught a cold or something like that.” Especially because that would be my fault. I’d hate to see you stuck in bed because I did something stupid. But he didn’t say the last bit out loud. He didn’t have the heart to do so.
The stranger looked surprised. “For real?” He sounded pleased. He took the scarf and wrapped it around his neck, flexing his muscles while he did so.
Mason realized he was staring again. But how could he not . The man was so good-looking, it should be illegal. Mason swallowed and made a sound that was supposed to be approval. This would be much easier if the man didn’t look like a model for a calendar, featured on December. God, someone should take a photo of you.
“Thank you so much! Oh,
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