Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 102549 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102549 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Him leaving hurt, and while there’s a small part of me that hopes he’ll be back on the West Coast in another year, I haven’t had the guts to ask him. The average time serving in his position is two years before most SEALs ask to be reinstated to active duty because sitting behind a desk isn’t the reason we joined the military, let alone endured BUD/s training. But from what little he said yesterday when I first arrived, Kit seems happy where he is. I don’t get it. I will never get it. I just need to accept that.
I was completely ready to cancel coming out here, and while things are kind of strained between us, Brady is holding us together. Plus, I have to admit, being around both Brady and Kit is like putting on a worn-in pair of combat boots. It’s familiar and warm.
Movement comes from the corner of my eye, and I turn to find Brady behind me, stretching and yawning in the entryway. He’s shirtless, only wearing his bright rainbow boxer briefs that hug his package in the right way. They’re tight and show off every ridge.
“Morning.” I reach for his waistband and pull him toward me by his underwear. When he’s close enough, I pull him down on my lap.
Brady doesn’t hesitate to lie back and use me like his own personal lounger, and I love that he has no hesitance when it comes to Kit and me.
“How’d you sleep?” I ask.
“The best I have in a long time.” He snuggles in and rests his head on my chest. “Where’s Kit?”
“Out there.” I point with my free hand while I sip my coffee with the other.
“Ooh, is that coffee? For me? You shouldn’t have.” Brady takes my cup, and I let him. Doesn’t mean I won’t give him shit about it though.
“You do know Kit’s the nurturing one, right? Steal a SEAL’s coffee, you’ll wake up at the bottom of the ocean tomorrow.”
He’s not intimidated even a little bit. “Any other SEAL maybe, but you’d never do that to me. Neither would Kit.”
True, but I kiss the top of his head and mutter, “Smartass.”
He settles in my arms, and it’s a comfort I didn’t even know I’d miss. Affection between the three of us has always been given freely, but there’s something different about casually touching between rounds and doing it while hanging out.
It makes me want to be closer to him. Not just physically.
“Tell me, how are you really coping with law school?” I ask.
“Next question.”
“No. Answer me. I remember being your age—”
“A billion years ago.”
“Nine, fuck you very much. But my point is, being a SEAL was my dream for so long, but when I got it, it was fucking hard. Kit got me through it. We got each other through it, and in the end, it was worth it. Is being a sports agent worth it to you?”
I can’t see his smile, but I can sense it.
“It will be. In the end. It’s just shit because it’s a lot of work. Like you, I’ve had this dream forever. It helps that my family …” He tapers off like he always does when it comes to them.
“What’s the story with them? Why are you so uptight whenever they’re mentioned? Are they secretly assholes and that whole public persona is an act? Did they hit you as a child? Do you need Kit and I to pay them a visit?” I’m mostly joking. Although if he were to say yes, I’d be on the next plane to wherever they are and beat them to a pulp no matter who they are.
But Brady cracks up laughing. “Jesus, no. My dads are great, my brother is—”
“Only the most successful rookie in the NFL right now.”
Brady groans. “No, you can’t be a fan. This is why I don’t talk about them and why I try to dissociate from them as much as I can.”
I grin. “Is that why you’re Brady T on all your socials?”
“Yep. Do you know how hard it is to have the last name Talon? I love my dads to death. I would do anything for them. But being their son is hard. It’s next to impossible to know who’s in my life for me and who’s in it to get to them. Or my brother. And finding out at graduation that you and Kit had known the whole time who they were—”
“Come here,” I say.
He hesitates.
“Brady. Come here.” I’m sterner this time, and he immediately sits up to put the coffee cup on the side table, but when he lies back down, he turns so his front is pressed against mine.
We’re face-to-face, and he’s so close I want to kiss him instead of reassure him, but at the same time, I know what it’s like to be overshadowed by family.