Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94527 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94527 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
I decided to talk to Finn tomorrow.
I woke up just before noon the following day, and I heard we had company. Viv was here, which meant Shannon was up.
The door to the guest room had been closed when I’d gotten home around five that morning.
After a quick shower, I went into my closet and picked today’s outfit. Pair of nice charcoal pants, a dark blue shirt—hmm, it’d been a while since I’d worn a vest. So I grabbed the one that went with the pants and added a black tie and belt as a final touch. One couldn’t accuse me of being a slob, that was for fucking certain.
I’d fuck me.
Socks, recently shined shoes, my Patek Philippe watch that had a dial that matched my shirt. This was how I got ready to face the day. Or rather, face Shannon after I’d sucked his cock.
I might even have to treat myself to a new pair of shoes later, ’cause this motherfucker had been traumatized. Maybe a nice dinner out too.
After folding the sleeves of my shirt to my elbows, I pocketed my phones, a couple credit cards, my money clip, and my car key, then left my bedroom just in time to hear Viv say, “Maybe it’s just in my head.”
She and Shannon sat on the couch and glanced at me over their shoulders.
“Hi, Kellan—you always look so dapper,” Viv told me with a big smile. “How are you?”
“I’m always good. How’re you, ma’am?” I went over to her and kissed her cheek. Stealing a quick glimpse of Shan didn’t reveal much. He looked like he’d just gotten out of bed, with the exception that he’d actually put on jeans and a fitted pullover. A decent upgrade from the robe.
“Oh, I’m good. I was just stopping by to give my brother a prescription,” she replied.
“And these.” Shannon opened his hand to show two small bottles of something. “Drops that will help me with anxiety.”
That was good. I was gonna make sure he took them.
Viv excused herself shortly thereafter, saying she was late for an appointment, but she made me promise to bring Shan out for dinner with her family soon.
With Christmas around the corner, everybody wanted to meet up for elaborate dinners. As if seeing one another at church wasn’t enough—even more so at Christmas when there was Mass pretty much every fucking day.
Then it was just Shan and me.
I needed caffeine, so I headed out to the kitchen and asked how he was feeling today.
“Same old,” he lied and followed me. It had to be a lie, right? Today wasn’t exactly the same as other mornings. Something new had happened last night.
He’d had someone on his lap, kissing him, touching him all over, then swallowing his come.
The sick part was I had no images in my head. Just sensations. My fingers brushing over his chest hair, his warm skin under my touch, the taste of his orgasm, his tongue moving with mine…
I let out a breath and grabbed an espresso cup and a capsule for the coffee machine.
“You sure?” I side-eyed him. He was just standing there next to the counter, looking more unhappy with life than usual.
It was hard not to take it personally.
The wrinkle in his forehead deepened as he frowned, and he met my gaze eventually. “I’m not a fan of you working so late. Where were you last night?”
My eyebrows went up. “What?” I worked late all the time, at least twice a week, more if the weekends were busy.
“I know it’s not my place,” he replied stiffly. “But since you asked—there you go. I don’t like it when you’re out all night. I worry.”
Don’t smile.
That sweet idiot. He’d spent his life in the wrong field if late nights were going to bother him all of a sudden.
Maybe yesterday had shattered a couple barriers, because I didn’t think twice about closing the distance and hugging him. I hugged him tightly and stole a quick whiff of his scent.
He relaxed somewhat after a beat and wrapped his arms around my middle. “I need you safe, Kellan.”
Man, that felt good to hear. The affection in his voice—I was deprived enough to take comfort from his attachment.
I clapped his back before I eased away. “I’m always careful. You know that.”
“You’re mad as a ditch, that’s what you are,” he muttered. “I don’t know how you simultaneously managed to be the politest, most charming boy growing up—and the unruliest of hotheads, but that hasn’t changed. You and Patrick always teamed up to get yourselves into trouble with your fists, while you went out with Finn the next day and landed in a pile of shit because of something that came out of your mouths.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. Okay, it was possible I sometimes crossed the line and said something too insulting, too inappropriate—but in my defense, I hadn’t started a physical fight in ages.