AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Connor raking his fingers through Katy’s hair didn’t stop, except now his fingers lingered, brushing them against Levi’s chest before starting again at the top of her head. Each touch sent a jolt of lightning through Levi. He really did want this, but he couldn’t help think of how Connor had left them before, and how he was just about to do it to them again.
“Why’d you run?” Levi asked softly.
“What? I didn’t run.” At Connor’s defensive response, Levi opened his eyes and raised one eyebrow. “Yeah, okay. But it’s not like I went far. I just needed some time.”
“You disappeared for six years. You had leave but only came back once, and you didn’t tell us when you were taking it the other times so we could meet you. You ran.”
“You’re right.” He sighed. “I was in love with someone, and it hurt too much to see her happy with another man. And it wasn’t like I had anyone special in my life to miss me.” His shrug infuriated Levi.
“Are you kidding me?” he spat in a much too loud whisper. “That’s what you thought?” He jabbed his friend in the shoulder and blew out a frustrated breath. Tempering his voice back to a level that wouldn’t wake Katy, he added, “Mate, you were special to Katy. And you’re my best mate. You’re special to both of us.”
Connor shook his head, the lines on his forehead appearing again. The light dimmed from his eyes before Connor looked away. “You two are special to each other. I’ve always been the tag along.”
The memory of a young, scared Connor resurfaced. Those days when he didn’t know what’d happened to his dad, when Child Services were trying to take him away and Levi’s parents had fought to keep him. Alone and unknowingly rejected by his aunt and uncle in the UK—Dr Stratford and his wife were apparently far too good to have their orphan nephew living with them—Levi had begged his parents to let his friend stay. He’d never forget his mum’s words,“He’s our family, Levi. Maybe not by blood, but that doesn’t matter. Family doesn’t give up on each other, and we aren’t letting him go. Hold tight to him, okay, baby.”Levi wanted to reach out and caress Connor’s shoulder, but he didn’t. Holding tight hadn’t worked before, maybe this time Connor needed towantto stay. “Is that what you think now? After last night?”
Connor shook his head, his gaze imploring. “You two’ll always have each other and I’ll still be jackin’ off in the spare room if I stay.”
Knowing he couldn’t say anything to keep Connor there was like a dagger piercing his heart. “You’re still leaving.”
“I don’t see any other choice. What happened last night…” He scrubbed a hand over his face and blew out a breath. “It’s not like we can keep going. You’ve got your job, and you guys are meant to be together.” Frustration laced his words, but he knew Connor well enough to know that there was no changing the man’s mind once he’d made it up. And whatever the result, Connor would follow it through. A longing as deep and fathomless as the oceans filled Levi. He wanted his friend close, needed him there.But my job—it wouldn’t be around for long if news of our threesome ever saw the light of day… yeah, there is that.
“It was her all those years ago, wasn’t it? You fell in love with Katy.”
Connor started to shake his head in denial, but the fight left him when he could no longer meet Levi’s gaze. Raising his eyes back up, he asked, “What gave it away?”
Levi huffed out a quiet laugh. “Your eyes follow her around the room like a freakin’ puppy dog. And instead of wild monkey sex, you made love to her last night.”
Connor flicked his gaze down to Katy and the adoration pouring off him made Levi want to wrap him in a hug and never let go. Connor’s whispered words struck a chord with Levi. “She’s easy to love.”
Levi grasped Connor’s wrist, stopping his motion through her hair. “Is that why you’re running again? Because you think you can’t have her?”
“Like I said, you two are the couple here. I’m the third wheel. You aren’t gonna want me here forever—you’ll wanna get married and have kids and, what… I’ll be the pathetic, creepy mate the kids call uncle who lives in the spare room and is in love with their mum?”
“You’re an idiot sometimes, you know that? She loves you too.” The silence lingered between them, their gazes colliding. Levi could see Connor wanted to add something more. Hell, there was something he wanted to say too—what about me? Are you in love with me? Do you want me like I want you?But the words remained unspoken. He wasn’t brave enough to admit them out loud. Levi laid there for long minutes, just looking, taking in his fill of Connor and Katy, watching as Connor gently kissed her forehead, as the lazy smile once again appeared.
“Mmm,” Katy sighed, reaching out to Connor as she snuggled back against Levi, connecting them from chest to knee. “Last night wasn’t a dream, was it?”
“No, Cupcake,” Connor murmured. “It wasn’t. Are you okay with what happened?”
“Hell yeah.” Katy laughed a husky, sleepy laugh before Connor tilted her face up to him and captured her lips in a slow kiss. “I’m happy, but I’m also late for work. Again. I need to get my arse outta bed.” Wrapping a hand around the back of his neck, she pulled Connor’s face to hers again and kissed him hard and fast. That sense of longing filled Levi again, pulsing through his body.
Levi then watched with amusement as she rolled over to him, climbing him like a cat. He went willingly onto his back, snaking his arms around her body to hold her close while she teased his lips with a barely-there kiss.
“I probably reek of sex, but I’m so late.” Katy slipped off him and, naked, she dashed out the room. Her chef’s whites, together with most of their other clothes were sitting in the laundry room. Five minutes later, she was ready and running out the door, slamming it in her wake.
“Damn, she’s like a hurricane when she’s late.” Connor grinned and raised his arms above his head, arching his back as he stretched out.
“You can say that again,” Levi’s laugh got caught in his throat as he swallowed his tongue, and stared at the rippling lean muscles of Connor’s abs and that delicious vee which led to a patch of dark hair nestling his package. Before his semi gave him away, he swung his legs off the bed and onto the hardwood floor. Connor climbed over to his side and stepped off the bed at the same time as Levi, but stumbled, falling straight into his arms. Reflexively, Levi hugged Connor close, holding the other man to his body.
“Ow shit, pins and needles.” Connor shook out his foot, and they looked up together, their gazes locking. So close and both completely naked, the air seemed to get sucked out of the room. The other man’s lips were barely a couple of inches away, begging him to sample them. But that was the problem. Once he’d had a taste, Levi wasn’t sure he’d be able to stop. As much as Levi wanted that, he wasn’t sure if he was ready for it, wasn’t sure if he’deverbe ready. And where did that leave Katy? He’d never—absolutely no question, ever—leave her feeling like she wasn’t enough for him. So Levi did what he did best—he deflected.
“Thanks, Con. For making her happy, I mean.” He smiled at his friend and resisted the temptation to stroke his hand down Connor’s face. “I’m stoked it’s you she fell for. Anyone else and I’d have to walk away. That’d kill me.”
Connor leaned his forehead against Levi’s and squeezed his hips. “You really think she’s fallen for me?” The vulnerability in his tone wrecked Levi.
“Yeah, she’s loved you forever. I didn’t understand it while you were gone, but seeing her now—with you around—I know it.”
Connor exhaled, the stress visibly leaving his body as his shoulders relaxed. He nestled his head against Levi’s shoulder, hugging him tighter. The soft stubble on Connor’s cheek had Levi pulling him closer, while the heady mixture of Connor’s spicy aftershave and sex filled him with want. Levi breathed him in, savouring his unique smell. He had to give him this—the reassurance that he wasn’t alone, that Katy needed him too.That I need him. If only I wasn’t such a pussy.Their nudity, the contact between the two of them wasn’t about sex, it was comfort. It was love.
