Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 118592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 593(@200wpm)___ 474(@250wpm)___ 395(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 593(@200wpm)___ 474(@250wpm)___ 395(@300wpm)
“You’re not leaving,” was all he said and before I could even speak, he sat up and flipped on the lamp next to the couch. I couldn’t resist the urge to check the floor to make sure it was clear. Memphis used my momentary distraction to tug me down until I was sitting next to him, my hip pressed against his muscular thigh.
“I’ll call a cab to take me to my fathers’ apartment – they have a secure parking garage and there’s a security guard on duty. I’ll have him walk me to the apartment. It’s perfectly safe.”
“That’s not why you aren’t leaving,” Memphis murmured and then he ran his fingers through his hair.
I waited for him to say more, but he didn’t. It was at least a full minute before he spoke again.
“Tristan, would you do something for me and not ask me why?” Memphis whispered, his voice sounding hoarse and uneven. I was stunned to see his eyes shimmering with tears.
“Yes,” I said softly. “Anything,” I added as I resisted the urge to touch him.
“Would you let me hold you for a little while?”
His vulnerability made my heart hurt. “Yes,” I managed to get out. I wanted to suggest that we go to the bedroom and lay down with Brennan, but I suspected Memphis was so incredibly raw that he needed someone in this very moment and even the smallest delay would have caused him to call the whole thing off. I had no doubt that if it had been Brennan sitting here, he would have reached out to him.
Memphis wiped at his eyes and then maneuvered himself so that he was lying on his side behind me. I toed off my shoes and laid down next to him, my back to his front, and I felt his arms wrap around me. His lips pressed against the spot where my neck met my shoulder, but they just held there. He didn’t try to kiss me or touch me in a sexual way. I wasn’t sure what to do with my hands so I covered the hand he had pressed against my stomach with one hand and held on with the other to the forearm that was wrapped around my shoulders.
He didn’t speak or move. There wasn’t a sound, but I knew he wasn’t sleeping because his hold on me was too tight.
And then I felt it.
Warm, wet liquid sliding down my neck and over the hollow of my collarbone and disappearing into the fabric of my shirt collar.
There were no sobs to accompany the tears and in some ways I knew that was worse. But I didn’t say anything. I just held on to him until I felt the moisture dry up and Memphis relaxed his hold on me a little bit. And as I lay there in his arms, his breathing evening out as he finally found some peace in the darkness of sleep, an idea began to take shape in my head.
I’d been so focused on giving Brennan what he needed that I hadn’t even considered what Memphis might need. Maybe he didn’t just need Brennan. Maybe his wounds ran so deep that it would take more to heal them. More love, more passion, more everything.
Maybe Brennan and I were the more he needed.
Maybe between us, we would be all Memphis ever needed.
It was a long time before I finally fell asleep because I had a hell of a lot of maybes to think through. But I knew one thing for sure. Come morning, I wasn’t going anywhere.
* * *
I woke up to the sensation of my hair being brushed off my forehead. I knew it was well beyond time to get my hair cut, but Brennan and Memphis seemed to like playing with it so I figured I’d leave it for a while longer. Give them any excuse to touch me.
I expected it to be Memphis who was toying with my hair because I could still feel his big, warm body at my back, but it turned out to be Brennan who was crouching next to the couch. As soon as I opened my eyes, he put his finger to his lips, indicating I should remain quiet. Memphis hadn’t stirred at all so I guessed he was still asleep. Apprehension went through me that Brennan might not be thrilled to see me lying in his lover’s arms, but there was no anger or irritation in his expression as he stared at me and continued to touch me. His fingers made their way down to my lips and he teased first the top one and then the bottom one. Thankfully, he didn’t torment me too much since there was nothing I could do in response without waking Memphis. The second he pulled his hand away, he leaned forward and kissed me softly. I wanted more and opened my mouth invitingly and while he took me up on my offer, his tongue mated with mine for just a few brief seconds before he pulled back.