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We held our positions until my miserable family filed out of the house. Allen slapped my shoulder and said, “I’ve got even more respect for Earl now.”
We spent the next few hours toasting my grandfather. The guys let me recount my favorite stories, and they chimed in with theirs too. This was the kind of sendoff Earl would’ve wanted, and my mood lightened as the sunlight waned and the drinks flowed. That is until Jeremy sat beside me on the couch while Allen and Lio argued about pizza toppings in the kitchen. Lio had found a pizza place that delivered, which was good because we’d all had too much to drink, and no one wanted to cook.
Jeremy pulled on his beer bottle’s label for a few minutes. I couldn’t tell if he was searching for something to say or waiting for me to take the initiative. He finally lifted his head and pinned me with his dark gaze. “How long have you and Lio been a thing?”
“I think we’ve been building toward this since we were twelve,” I replied honestly. “I’m sorry if that bothers you, but you asked a question, and I gave you an honest answer. It’s always been Lio for me. I just didn’t always realize it.” Jeremy continued staring at the fireplace, and I inhaled deeply. “I’m also sorry if I hurt you back when we fooled around.”
Jeremy met my gaze once more. “You ghosted me, Abe. I thought we could’ve had something special, and even if you didn’t feel the same, I thought we were at least good friends.”
“We are friends, though if I haven’t acted like it”—I ran a hand through my hair—“I’m genuinely sorry. Someone recently pointed out my terrible track record for reacting badly when relationships get sticky. I guess my bad habit applies to friendships too. I feel horrible that I’ve let you down and haven’t been there for you.” I placed a hand on his shoulder and felt tension ease from his body. “I promise to do better, okay?”
Jeremy held my gaze for a few moments, then nodded. “Okay.”
“Yo, Abe,” Allen called out. “Anchovies or not?”
“Hell no,” Jeremy and I both said simultaneously. We smiled at one another, and I felt like we might genuinely be okay.
We ordered three different pizzas so Allen could get his stinky fish and Jeremy could do a gluten-free, veggie pizza. Lio and I put every topping but anchovies on ours and devoured every slice. The cards came back out and the alcohol kept flowing. Lio and I stumbled to my bedroom later.
“This is going to hurt in the morning,” Lio said once we stumbled into our bedroom hours later.
I nuzzled my nose along the side of his neck. “Why’d you let me drink so much?”
Lio laughed and pushed me away so he could slide between the sheets. “Why’d you letmedrink so much?”
I slid in bed after Lio and spooned around him. “I love you, Lio. You’re the best thing to ever happen to me.” There was so much I still needed to say, but that was a good start. I expected Lio to return a similar sentiment. Alex was the very best thing to happen to him, but surely I was firmly in the number two slot. “Lio?”
A short, abrupt snore burst from the man in my arms, a sound so undignified it would’ve embarrassed him, but I wasn’t upset he’d fallen asleep during my heartfelt declaration. I knew the truth. That didn’t mean I wouldn’t get it out of him the following day.
Lio
Ipoured extra-strong coffee into two thermoses the following morning when dawn was a thin, pale blue line full of promise on the horizon, much like the heat I’d witnessed in Abe’s eyes.Speak of the devil. I felt his presence before I caught his reflection in the window over the sink. Thick forearms snaked around my waist, and Abe nuzzled his nose along my neck.
“I don’t like waking up to an empty bed,” Abe said. His voice was still heavy with sleep, but his frustration was clear, which was something I understood all too well. I could’ve watched Abe sleep for hours. His handsome face looked almost boyish when free of tension, but Abe’s chiseled jaw and lush mouth reminded me that he was all man and all mine.
“My morning wood has been hard enough to drill concrete for two days in a row now,” I told him. “I jumped out of bed to avoid temptation and punished myself with a cold shower.”
“Ouch,” Abe said and shivered hard. He pressed a kiss to my neck and inhaled deeply. “I love smelling my soap on your skin.”
“I forgot to pack my body wash,” I said.
Abe smoothed a hand over the flannel shirt I’d borrowed from him. “Is this mine too?”
“Yep.”
Abe grunted, and I snapped my head up to meet his reflection in the window. His brows slashed forward to form a deep vee,and his lips compressed into a flat line. “Your week must’ve been worse than I realized. It’s not like you to be so ill prepared.”
I turned in his embrace and smoothed my fingers over the grooves in Abe’s forehead until they relaxed. “It was a doozy, but that isn’t why I left half my stuff at home.” I would’ve forgotten to bring my head on Friday if it hadn’t been attached. I pressed my mouth to Abe’s, and his lips softened beneath my kiss. I pulled back and smiled up at him. “I was just really eager to see you.”
Abe’s mouth slanted into a smirk. “You’ve been happy to see me before but still managed to plan trips and surprise parties down to minute details that accounted for every contingency. Do you expect me to believe this weekend was so different that you forgot basics like soap and warm clothes? What changed?”
I leaned forward and bit his bottom lip until he gasped and pulled it free. “You know damn well why this weekend is different,” I said.
He quirked a brow and fought off a smile. “I’m gonna need to hear you say it.”
My heart galloped at the teasing glint in his gaze. Abe wanted a show? I’d give him one. I skimmed the back of my hand over the front of his flannel shirt and watched as his blue eyes darkened. I stopped my downward trek at his belt because I couldn’t lose sight of why I’d gotten up at the ass crack of dawn to make coffee. I stuck my finger inside the gap between shirt buttons and traced a circle against the thermal layer he wore beneath. My simple touch was enough to make Abe’s stomach muscles quiver. Maybe he was ticklish or perhaps he was just as eager to explore the attraction we’d ignored and denied for decades. Either way, I knew Abe was right there with me for the next phase of our relationship, and that knowledge was heady.
“I knew I was going to say the word you’ve been waiting to hear.”
