“I’m not so sure about that,” Mason said with a soft chuckle. “You’re wiser than you give yourself credit for and you’re an amazing person. But you don’t have to expose yourself to more stress and possible drama, especially if you don’t think it’ll give you any closure.”
“Not at the moment. I’ve had a little too much closure, if I’m being honest. I’m still figuring out what to do with all of it.”
Mason’s cheeks puffed out as he nodded. “That’s understandable. Maybe it’s better if we take it slow, and I fly under the radar for a little longer. Until you’ve had more time to adjust and we’ve seen how everyone handles Sina’s news.”
Sky shook his head. “You come out whenever you’re ready. I already have a dubious reputation, and I’m a Sutton. No one bats an eye anymore when we do something scandalous. Not that this would rate very high on the Sutton Scale after Sina’s announcement. But your life would change in ways that I don’t have to worry about, so you decide when and how you come out.”
“Thanks.” Mason laughed softly and shrugged. “The things I was afraid of before kind of evaporated when I saw my dad in the hospital. I realized that I could have lost him before I had a chance to tell him the truth about me, and us. I didn’t want him to die and somehow find out I was a liar. I didn’t want him to be ashamed or disappointed in me because I didn’t tell him who I really was and that I’ve loved you for almost as long as he knew me.”
“Mase…” Sky groaned as he cupped his cheek and kissed him, too choked up with love and pride to do anything else. “I love you, and I’m gonna stay this time,” he said when he finally raised his head and searched Mason’s eyes.
They filled with tears as he gasped. “Really? I get to keep you?”
“I think so… If it doesn’t get too weird or make things more complicated for you and Sina and Sam. I can move into Sutton House for a trial period and see how it goes, being back in Roseview and living in the same town as Mom again.”
“Really?” Mason rolled Sky onto his back, laughing as he kissed him. “You’re going to stay? That’s the best news ever!”
“I don’t know if anyone’s ever been this excited about me…” Sky murmured, making Mason snort.
“I’m always excited about you, I just couldn’t show it as much as I wanted to before. I’m looking forward to telling everyone you’re mine when we’re finally ready.”
“I’m yours,” Sky whispered, a huge smile spreading across his face.
“You’re mine.” Mason’s lips covered Sky’s for another one of his lazy, toe-curling kisses. “If you want to be,” he added sheepishly.
Sky nodded as he hooked a leg around Mason’s hip. “I do. I’ve always been yours, but I didn’t think you wanted me like that before. And when I knew you did, I didn’t think it—we—would ever be possible. It felt so wrong and unfair on a cellular and a cosmic level. But I didn’t know what to do about it or how to accept it and move on.”
“I’m sorry. So, so sorry.” Mason kissed the words all over Sky’s face. “I’ll never stop apologizing for all the years of hiding.”
“Why? You did it for Sarina and Sam and so you would be safe. I don’t like everything about it, or the things I believed about you and Sina. But I understand why, and I love you for taking such good care of my sister.”
“I want to take care of you now. Sina doesn’t need me anymore, and we’re always going to be a team when it comes to Sam. I want to have a real relationship, and maybe even a real marriage with you.”
“Marriage?”
Roughly twenty-four hours earlier, Sky was extolling the virtues of celibacy and swearing off of men forever. Now, he was consideringmarriagewith the only man he had ever loved. The one man hecouldn’thave.
“Does the idea of marriage scare you?” Mason asked him. “You haven’t seen a lot of good examples.”
Sky grinned and nodded. “Not in my family, but your parents have a great marriage. I thought about them and your mom when I heard about Sam Sr.’s stroke. He’s the best and it would have been a huge loss. Not like when my dad died.”
“He is the best, and he wants me to get this right with you. I don’t care if we have a ceremony, or I have to sign a pre-nuptial agreement. I just want to spend the rest of my life with you. Whatever that looks like, wherever it takes us, I’m in.”
“Me too.” Sky sighed contentedly as he rubbed the end of his nose against Mason’s and wondered if he’d ever get used to being naked and this close to him. “Want to help me figure out where to setup my room and office in Sutton House tomorrow?”
An excited laugh burst from Mason. “That would be great! I’ve never seen any of the bigger suites, aside from Nana’s. Just yours and Sina’s rooms, but there’s no reason for you to keep those, they’re too small.”
“I don’t want Nana’s suite. That will always be hers, unless Sina wants it. My grandfather’s is pretty nice, if I remember correctly, and it’s been out of use for decades.”
Mason’s eyes lit up. “We could turn it into your dream space! The library’s nice and would be a killer office for an author, with a few upgrades.”
“Nana would want us to use the house and for it to be a part of our family’s lives again. She didn’t like having it all to herself.”
That was certainly true. Mason smiled as he remembered how happy his visits with Sam made Nana. “She enjoyed watching Sam run through the halls and playing in the garden. She didn’t want Sutton House to be a tomb.”
“Sam can help us remodel, and maybe he can hang out with me after school sometimes. When I’m not in hermit mode. Sutton House is going to be his one day, so he should get to make some decisions and create memories of his own there.”
“Wow.” Mason shook his head and his eyes filled with tears. “He’s so lucky to have you for an uncle and Sina as a mother. Your parents might be terrible people, but the two of you turned out great. And no matter how confusing or upsetting the news about Lance might be for Sammy, he’ll never doubt that he’s loved and the most important thing in the world to you two.”
