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“Damn, Atlas, are you sure she hasn’t got you pussywhipped?” Gauge laughs and cracks an imaginary whip.
Fuming but unable to show he’s getting to me, I grunt. Grunting is safe, and he can’t read into it. What I really want to say is ‘there’s no other pussy I would want to be whipped by. She’s fucking it and I don’t care what any of your sorry asses say about it.’ But I can’t admit it, especially when I don’t understand what the hell I’m feeling. All I know is I want more of Josephine, more than what we had on the trail this morning.
“Shit, man, I never thought I’d see the day when Maceo Tabares would settle down,” Gauge continues to poke with a smirk, sipping his coffee.
I suck in my lower lip and bite it, anything to stop myself from showing my cards. This is the last thing I saw for myself.
Gauge eyes me suspiciously and slowly puts down his coffee. “Atlas?”
“Hmm?” I don’t look at him.
Gauge leans in. “Are you shitting me?”
Fuck. Am I that obvious?
Gauge’s eyes go wide and he quickly looks around the diner to see if anyone is listening to us before forcing me to look at him. “Do you like her, like her?”
Groaning, I rub a hand over my face. “I don’t know what the fuck it is, okay. All I know is one time isn’t going to do it for me.”
Gauge’s eyes bulge. “Holy shit!”
I want to tell him he’s got it wrong. I want to tell him she’s just another notch in the bedpost. I want to tell him I fucked her out of my system, and I’m ready for the next. But Ican’tbecause it’s a lie and I don’t lie to my brothers.
Gauge straightens up, stunned. “I feel like there’s been a death in the family.”
“Will you fucking stop?” I snap.
Gauge leans toward me again. “Bachelor Atlas is dead and committed Atlas is born. I mean, it’s not a bad thing.”
Is he screwing with me? Of course, this is a bad thing.Most relationships don’t work. My job is dangerous, I have enemies who seek vengeance, and I’m gone a lot. What woman would want to stick with me through all that shit?
“You’re only saying this because you want a more permanent relationship with Opal,” I growl.
Gauge eyes narrow at the mention of Opal. “Watch it, Atlas.”
Oh, I so have him.“I can’t wait till you finally admit there’s more between you two—other than hooking up every damn night.”
Gauge’s face grows red.Yep, he’s pissed.
“Think about how awesome it’s going to be when I’m hitched and you are too. Our kids will grow up together, and we’ll celebrate the holidays like one big happy family,” I joke louder.
Gauge’s head whips around, making sure no one overheard, especially Opal. “Will you keep your damn voice down?”
I chuckle, but then I’m picturing what I just said in my head. I can see our kids running around outside, catching fireflies in jars while Gauge and I and our wives laugh around a bonfire.
Gauge waves his hand in front of my face. “Are you fucking serious?”
“What?”
“You’re actually daydreaming about this shit?”
I shrug. So what if I am? It’s a fantasy—it’s not like it’s actually going to happen. There’s a pang in my heart and I rub my chest.Shit.I really want this to happen.
Gauge squeezes his eyes shut and runs both his hands through his brown hair. He groans before looking at me. “Ah, this shit’s okay for you, but don’t be going and putting these ideas in my head.”
I look him dead in the eye. “This ‘shit’ is okay for both of us.”
We stare long and hard at each other before looking away.
