“I’m sorry I’m falling asleep,” he mumbled.“I want to talk to your family.”
“I suspect you will,” Liam said.“In fact, given how much work we have to do tomorrow, I suspect I need to call them up and put some boundaries on how long breakfast is going to last.”
Josh smiled and cupped Liam’s cheek.“The job’ll sort itself,” he said.“I can’t wait to meet your people.”
Liam glanced up and captured his hand.“The job is dangerous,” he corrected.“All things in moderation.”
Josh shook his head a little giddily.“Tired of moderation,” he said.“I want someexcess.”
“There will be time for that too,” Liam promised.“Although I warn you, I don’t think too much of you will ever be enough.”
“Pretty,” Josh hummed.“So pretty.”He found himself laid sideways on the bed and the blankets pulled tight around his chin.“Tell Grace he can cuddle for a few before you come to bed.He’ll get sad.”
A rough hand on his brow and a sigh.“Of course.I need to talk to Robert for a bit anyway.”
“Fucking cancer,” Josh mumbled, because while his shoulder was mostly recovered, his stamina—ah, yes.Another year or so before he’d be able to take that transatlantic red-eye and run around for a day before falling asleep.Sacrifices.
He was almost asleep when Grace scooted into the bed in front of him, forcing him to wiggle back to accommodate him.
“Anyone else—”
“Would have let you sleep.I know.I’m needy.Shut up and tell me you’re all right.”
“Just tired,” Josh said.Then he hugged his friend, truly able to relax because they were in this together like they’d always been.“Be nice to Liam while I’m sleeping.”
“It’s easy.He hasn’t done anything embarrassing yet.Wait until we catch him with his mouth open, snoring.Thenwe’ll do him dirty.”
Josh was too tired to do more than smile while he drifted off.
WHEN HEawoke, Molly, Grace, and Liam’s brother were gone, leaving him squinting in the grayish light coming through the tinted bank of windows.Blinking, he tried to remember if it had been raining or not as they’d arrived and decided that yes, it had been, and he closed his eyes and channeled Danny again, trying to count heartbeats.
Liam.There on the couch.Tapping furiously on his laptop, a bag of takeout on the coffee table in front of him.
Josh groaned and sat up, more to give him notice than anything else.Among other things, Danny had taught him how to creep out of bed so quietly nobody would know he’d woken up, a thing he’d done many times before Grace had come to live at his house, because he and Grace were frequently up to no good, and they didn’t want to trouble the adults with pesky morality questions.
“You don’t have to do that on my account,” Liam told him, glancing up from his computer.“I’ve seen you get out of bed enough now to know you make church mice look like they’re at a rave.”
Josh smiled a little and put his hand out to balance on the wall.“Still tired,” he admitted.“But starving.Please tell me your bathroom doesn’t have a floor-to-ceiling window, because I need to stop there too.”
“Your virtue is safe,” Liam said, folding up the laptop.“Make yourself at home.”
“My virtue’s been pilfered,” Josh corrected.“It’s my dignity we’re worried about.”With that he toddled off to the bathroom, pleased to see Liam had pulled his own shaving kit out of his luggage and put it on the counter of the utilitarian bathroom.Liam had tried—there were thick bathmats and even a charming picture of a frog across from the commode—but the tile was stark white and the floor was still polished concrete.
Still, thereweretowels, and after accomplishing the necessaries, Josh decided to really start his day by washing off the travel.
He was enjoying the hot water when he felt a burst of cool air, and for a moment, he panicked, thinking, “Oh God, who’s in my bathroomnow?”Grace didn’t care about his nudity, and Stirling didn’t notice—and both of them had lived in the mansion with him for over a year.
But then the shower door opened, and in the confusion of the escaping steam, Josh could feel the heat of another body stepping in.
Breathing a sigh of relief, he leaned back into Liam’s chest, pleased when he felt strong arms wrapping around his shoulders.
“I’m sorry I slept through your brother’s visit,” he murmured, tilting his head when Liam kissed the side of his neck.
“Don’t be,” Liam said, taking liberties with his earlobe that Josh didn’t know he needed.
“But it’s not fair,” Josh breathed.Liam slid his hand along the tender concavity of his stomach, and Josh knew what it felt like to be aroused and comforted at once.“You know all my family, and I don’t—oh!”Now there was a soapy washcloth being plied.Everywhere.
“My family’s a madhouse,” Liam said, his hands busy, intrusive… ah!So glorious on Josh’s bare skin.
