Page 24
Tyler eyes me up and down. “How’d you get out of your wet suit?” he asks, wry humor in his tone.
“With a lot of f-bombs and a coat hanger. I almost asked Mrs. Bollard to help me.”
“You should have. Let her check off that bucket list…”
“First of all, you better shut your mouth about Mrs. Bollard before she hears you. She’ll kick your ass and outlive you. Second, seeing me naked is not a bucket-list item.”
“I think she wants to do more than look.”
“Fuck you,” I say without any bite.
We walk in uncomfortable silence up the stairs and into the house. Tyler looks around the living room like it’s infested with vermin and he’s trying to find the safest place to put Elliott.
“The couch?” I suggest.
He nods, and lowers him onto it. Elliott rolls onto his back, still asleep. The towel parts to reveal silken skin, so flawless he looks painted. Thick lashes smashed together. Berry-tinted lips parted. Cheeks flushed. Sweat dewing on his brow.
“He’s naked.” I say the obvious like an idiot.
“Yeah.” Tyler adjusts the towel to cover Elliott’s lap with a doting gentleness that fills me with envy. “Let’s talk in the kitchen.”
8 TYLER
Touching Elliott started a fire I can’t put out. I was so close to giving Elliott what he needs, what would chase away the inferno inside me.
Except he belongs to my best friend. Of course. I finally meet an omega I’m attracted to and he’s Alden’s date.
I stand with my back against the sink so I can still watch Elliott. Every muscle in my body coils with tension, and not just because of Elliott. I’m scared Alden will be furious. I’m scared what just happened will destroy our friendship. I’m scared that Alden is going to fall in love with Elliott—how could he not?—and I’ll be forced to watch them from the sidelines.
Alden waits, holding his fingers in front of his mouth while his other hand cups his elbow. He does that when he’s stressed. He used to bite his nails when we were kids, but his parents hated it, so he learned to hover his fingers by his mouth instead.
“Ty, what happened?” Alden asks, eyes round and uncertain, vulnerable, and hurt. I don’t want to hurt him.
“He was in so much pain, and I just wanted him to feel better so I could get him out of the sun and somewhere safer. I didn’t know he was your date.”
The muscles in Alden’s jaw twitch as he nods.
“I fingered him and sucked his dick,” I continue with a grimace. “That’s it.”
Alden’s skin flushes in red blotches. His body betrays him when he’s upset.
“He told me earlier that he was supposed to meet someone, but he couldn’t get hold of him,” I continue. “I didn’t know he was your date until you said yours canceled.”
He lifts a hand. “How could you have known?”
Some of my tension fades. “I’m sorry.”
He shakes his head, one quick jerk. “I’m glad you were there to take care of him.”
Relief fills me. I cross our narrow kitchen, and press my forehead against Alden’s, losing sight of Elliott, but I don’t care right now. I need it to just be Alden and me.
“Thank you.” I roam my hands up and down his neck, intermingling our scents, soothing us both. I close my eyes slowly and inhale.
“I can smell him on your lips,” he says, desire in his tone instead of anger.
My gaze drops to his lips. He’s right there. All it would take is for me to tip my head. Fuck, I want to kiss him, to let him taste Elliott from my lips, share our omega with him, and never leave him. Never leave them.
But I can’t. This isn’t real.
