Since You've Been Gone

by Elle Kennedy

  Austin’s jaw tightened. “I made it, didn’t I?”

  A strained silence descended over the group, finally broken by Charlotte clearing her throat.

  “Uh, why don’t we go inside and get ready for the party,” Charlotte said to Mari. “It’ll give these boys a chance to talk.”

  Mari nodded and pretended not to notice the death-stare match currently occurring between Austin and Nate. “That sounds like a good idea,” she said hastily.

  Austin didn’t look thrilled about being left alone with his older brother, but Charlotte had already linked her arm through Mari’s and was practically dragging her away.

  Mari had just enough time to glance over her shoulder and shoot him an apologetic look, and then she followed the other woman into the house.

  The moment the two women were out of earshot, Nate turned to Austin with a scowl and said, “No more excuses, little brother—what the fuck is your deal?”

  Goddammit. Austin should have known Nate would cut right to the chase. His brother had never been one for small talk or pleasantries.

  “My deal is, I had a job to finish.” He took a step toward the SUV. “I should grab our bags.” As an afterthought, he glanced at his brother and added, “It’s cool if Mari and I stay here, right?”

  “Yeah, it’s cool,” Nate said grudgingly.

  Nodding in gratitude, Austin opened the back door and grabbed Mari’s duffel and backpack, then deposited both on the grass and moved toward the trunk to get his own bag. The entire time, he felt Nate’s eyes burning a hole in his back, which only increased the tension currently seizing his muscles.

  “I get it, you’re pissed.” He turned to his brother with a frown. “But at least I showed up, didn’t I?”

  Anger colored Nate’s face. “Gee, you’re a real fucking saint, little brother. Doing us all a huge favor by gracing us with your presence.”

  Nate’s body language was stiff, his hands curled into fists, but Austin wasn’t intimated by his older brother’s visible aggression. Nevertheless, he wasn’t in the mood for a fight, which meant biting his tongue and taking Nate’s potshots without engaging.

  “I saw Owen this morning,” Nate went on, “and he’s as disappointed in you as I am. We think you’ve been acting like a total shit lately. Would it have killed you to pick up the phone these past three months? We haven’t seen or spoken to you since the last time you were home.”

  “I spoke to you two weeks ago,” he said tightly.

  “Yeah, for like two minutes. And what about before that?”

  He frowned. “I texted Owen last month.”

  “All you said was I’m alive—talk soon. What the fuck kind of contact is that?”

  Austin clenched his teeth and said nothing.

  “And don’t get me started about this ridiculous rift you’ve got going with Mom. Would it kill you to show the woman a little compassion?”

  The disgust in Nate’s eyes was unmistakable, but it wasn’t the expression that triggered Austin’s fury. No, it was the color of those eyes. Silvery gray, just like Henry Bishop’s. Just like Owen’s and Jake’s.

  But not like his.

  Nope, Nate and the twins had their father’s eyes.

  And Austin had his father’s eyes. His fucking uncle’s eyes.

  “That woman sacrificed everything for us,” Nate continued angrily, oblivious to the volatile storm of emotion brewing in Austin’s gut. “Did I ever tell you that she wanted to leave Dad?”

  Austin narrowed his eyes. “Bullshit.”

  “It’s true, she thought about leaving him, but he threatened to take us away from her if she ever left.” Bitterness hardened Nate’s tone. “I don’t know why that son of a bitch bothered making the threat, seeing as he never paid any attention to us, but you know what a loose cannon he was. Mom told me she couldn’t take the chance that he might actually follow through on the threat, so she stayed with a man who made her miserable—for us.”

  Austin had certainly not expected to hear any of that, but the surprise that jolted through him faded back into anger at Nate’s next words.

  “And instead of appreciating everything she’s done, you’re acting like you don’t give a damn about her. Jake told me that the last time you were here you made her cry.”

  He stiffened. “It’s not like I went out of my way to hurt her, Nate.”

  “Well, you did hurt her.” Nate frowned. “What the hell happened with you two, Austin?”

  “It’s between me and Mom.” He sighed. “Nothing you have to worry about, okay?”

  “Well, I am worried. Your family is worried. And your family is getting tired of you showing up here, acting like a grumpy asshole, and then skipping town without explanation.”

  “Family?” Austin blurted out. “You really want to talk about family?”

  “Yes, I really do. In fact, family is exactly what we should be talking about. Just tell me what’s going on, damn it. I’m your brother—”

  “Half-brother,” he snapped.

  Nate blinked in confusion. “What?”

  “Half-brother. You, Owen and Jake are my half-brothers, Nate.”

  Silence.

  And then more silence.

  Shock and bewilderment lined Nate’s rugged features, and Austin could see the man’s brain working overtime trying to make sense of the bombshell that had just been dropped.

  And as Nate processed it, Austin just stared at his brother, experiencing a sense of disconnection that he’d never felt before. Christ, he’d always looked up to Nate, idolized him even. Thanks to their eight-year age difference, they hadn’t been particularly close when Austin was younger. As he’d gotten older they’d found some common ground, but he didn’t feel close to Nate at the moment. He hadn’t felt close to anyone in his family since he’d found out the truth.

  “That’s crazy,” Nate finally mumbled. “It can’t possibly be true, Austin.”

  He shot Nate a cool look. “It’s true. Henry Bishop wasn’t my father.”

  “Then who the fuck is?”

  “Why don’t you ask our mother?” His hands were oddly shaky as he picked up his and Mari’s bags and took a step away. “I need to bring Mari her stuff. Feel free to stew on this for a while. You know, sort of like I’ve been doing this last year.”

  Nate’s incredulous voice stopped him. “You can’t just drop a bomb like that and walk away!”

  He straightened his shoulders. Didn’t turn around. “Watch me.”

  Mari was just about to go outside to find Austin when he marched into the house lugging their bags. She peered past his broad shoulders and spotted Nate standing by the SUV with a dumbfounded expression, then narrowed her eyes at Austin.

  “Everything okay?” she asked carefully.

  “Not really.” His expression was completely shuttered. “Did Charlotte say which guest room we’re taking?”

  “Yeah, she said something about the blue room?”

  Austin nodded and headed for the wide oak staircase, leaving Mari to trail after him with growing wariness.

  Charlotte had already given her a quick tour of the house, but again she had to marvel at the rustically beautiful interior. She adored the wood-paneled walls with their creamy trim, the shiny parquet floors, the pretty wrought-iron light fixtures. In the hallway, photos of Nate and Charlotte, as well as Charlotte’s framed album covers, lined the walls, but Mari didn’t have much time to focus on them as she tried to keep up with Austin.

  He strode into the third room to their left, which definitely fit the description of “blue room” with its light-blue walls, sky-blue curtains and blue-and-white-checkered bedspread. But somehow the motif worked, complimenting the gleaming wood floor and oak baseboards in the bedroom.

  Mari closed the door behind them. “Seriously, what happened?”

  A ragged breath left his mouth. “I told him.”

  “Told him wha—ohhh.” Her eyes widened. “You told him about your uncle?”

  “No,
not about Rice specifically. Just that Henry Bishop wasn’t my real father.”

  Mari shook her head in dismay. “Why on earth would you tell him now of all times? And right before your mom’s party?”

  “I didn’t plan on it.” His expression grew pained. “It just slipped out.”

  Austin deposited their bags on the floor near the door, then headed to the queen-sized bed and sank on the edge of it as if he could no longer support his own weight. Breathing hard, he dropped his head in his hands and cursed softly.

  “Fuck. Fuck, I shouldn’t have told him. Especially out of the blue like that.”

  “You know he’s going to have a million questions,” she said gently.

  When Austin lifted his head, the pain in those gorgeous green eyes made her heart clench. “I know.”

  Mari went to sit beside him. She reached for his hand and squeezed it.

  After a beat, he put his arm around her and pulled her close. “Thanks for being here, Mari.” And then he grasped her chin and brushed a soft kiss over her lips.

  Or at least it started off soft. Before Mari knew it, the kiss took on a life of its own, turning into a tongue-tangling, passion-heavy make-out that left her breathless. When Austin’s hands slid beneath her shirt to cup her breasts, she moaned, allowed herself three seconds of exquisite pleasure, then swatted his hands away.

  “We can’t,” she reminded him. “We have to get ready for the party. Both of us still need to shower and change.”

  He leaned in again and brought his lips to her neck, giving it a light nibble that made her shiver. “You’re right,” he agreed huskily. “We definitely need to shower.”

  Mari yelped as he hauled her to her feet and ushered her toward the ensuite bathroom like a man on a mission. She couldn’t help but laugh as Austin started stripping like his life depended on it, but the laughter turned into a happy sigh once his magnificent body was exposed. God, she loved his chest. So broad and hard and perfectly muscled. Her gaze dipped to the thick erection that rose to his navel, and she promptly found a new object to drool over.

  She was about to ask him how he could possibly be turned on after that confrontation with his brother, but his expression was all the answer she needed. It was desperate. Hungry. Tormented. He was looking for a distraction, an outlet for the frustration and pain he was feeling, and Mari didn’t begrudge him that. She couldn’t even imagine what he was going through. Finding out the man who’d raised him wasn’t really his father, feeling like his identity had been torn away from him.

  She wasn’t sure how she would react if she discovered her parents had kept a secret like that from her—would she shut down the way Austin had? Or would she take it in stride?

  But this wasn’t about her. This was about the man in front of her. He was hurting, and she hated seeing him in such pain.

  Keeping her eyes locked with his, she quickly wiggled out of her jeans, T-shirt and underwear. Austin’s nostrils flared, lust flooding his expression and edging out some of that desperation, just as she’d intended.

  “C’mere,” he said gruffly, holding out his hand.

  Naked, she walked toward him and accepted his hand. He laced his fingers through hers, then led her to the glass shower stall. As he turned on the water and adjusted the temperature, Mari stroked his chest, dragging her palm along the warm, male flesh, enjoying the way his muscles quivered under her touch.

  It wasn’t long before he was kissing her again, while the hot water cascaded over their naked bodies. His big, callused hands traveled down her body and began a slow, torturous exploration that made her whimper. He cupped her breasts, teasing her nipples with his thumbs, squeezing and stroking and kneading until she couldn’t think straight anymore. But she forced herself to focus, to ignore the arousal building between her legs and give Austin what he needed.

  Before he could protest, she pushed his hands away and dropped to her knees.

  Water soaked her hair and slid down her back, droplets clinging to her eyelashes as she peered up at him. “Let me make you feel good.”

  He gave a little moan as she brought her lips to his cock, then shuddered when she engulfed him with her mouth.

  She sucked him all the way down to the root, her pulse speeding up as the pressure between her legs grew even more intense. He was so big and so male and the feel of him filling her mouth was a turn-on she hadn’t expected. Blowjobs had never really excited her before. She’d performed them because her boyfriends enjoyed them, and though she’d felt good knowing she was bringing someone else pleasure, she hadn’t gleaned any physical pleasure from the act. But as she licked the crown of his erection and glided her tongue along the sensitive underside, her core throbbed incessantly and she knew she was experiencing the same pleasure she was bringing Austin.

  “God, Mari…fuck, that’s good…”

  His husky words egged her on. She took him deeper, sucked harder, pumped him with her hand as she teased him with her tongue. She wanted to play with his balls but her sex was so wet and her clit was swollen to the point of pain, so she brought her other hand between her legs in an attempt to alleviate some of the pressure.

  At Austin’s sharp intake of breath, she peeked up and noticed the sensual gleam in his eyes. “Yeah, touch yourself. Make yourself come while you suck me off.”

  The wicked demand made her pussy clench.

  As she furiously rubbed her clit, she loosened her jaw and quickened the tempo, moving her mouth up and down his thick cock. His hands tangled in her hair, but he didn’t force her head closer or take control. She appreciated his restraint, his ability to let her go at her own pace, to trust that she’d get him where he needed to be.

  “I’m coming,” he said roughly. “Fuck, I’m coming.”

  A second later, his hot seed filled her mouth, and an orgasm shuddered through her body. The taste of him infused her taste buds. She swallowed every drop, rocking into her own hand and riding the sweet waves of pleasure that washed over her.

  When she finally released his cock, they were both breathing in labored pants. Mari took a second to recover before rising to her feet, and when she finally stood, Austin immediately pulled her close, his arms wrapping around her in a tight hug, his head resting on her shoulder.

  “I needed that,” he said hoarsely.

  She planted a kiss between his pecs. “I know you did.”

  “You’re pretty amazing, you know that?”

  Smiling, Mari lifted her head to meet his eyes. She was slightly floored by the tenderness shining in his gaze. “You’re only saying that because I just gave you a BJ in the shower.”

  “Nope, I’m saying it because it’s the truth.” Sincerity rang in his voice, matching the earnest expression on his face.

  She couldn’t explain the rush of warmth that tickled her chest. All she knew was that Austin was looking at her like she was a winning lottery ticket. Like this thing between them was about more than sex.

  The notion brought a shiver of pleasure, but it was accompanied by a tremor of uneasiness. Swallowing, she leaned up on her tiptoes and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

  “Stop getting all sappy on me, Bishop.” Putting on a cheerful face, she reached behind him for the bar of soap on the shower shelf. “Come on, let’s wash each other’s backs. We’ve got a party to attend.”

  Chapter Seven

  Mari was oddly nervous when they reached Austin’s mother’s place forty-five minutes later. The house reminded her of Nate’s, a rustic two-story structure with an enormous porch and pretty green shutters. Her nervousness increased as the murmur of voices drifted from behind the tall wooden gate to the side of the house.

  The half dozen cars parked on the dusty drive told her that the birthday party was in full swing. Nate’s pickup truck was already there since Nate and Charlotte had gone ahead of them, which had been a stalling maneuver on Austin’s part. Mari knew he’d purposely waited for his older brother to leave first so Nate wouldn’t get a chance to demand
answers about Austin’s big reveal.

  “Come on, we should go inside,” Austin said with a sigh.

  Mari nodded. “’Kay.” As they got out of the SUV, she continued to admire Della Bishop’s house. “Why are all the houses in this town so freaking pretty?”

  Austin smiled faintly. “’Cause Owen builds them.”

  “He built this one too?”

  “Yup. After Dad—” His expression darkened “Henry,” he amended. “After Henry died, Mom didn’t want to keep living in the house she’d raised us in. She needed a fresh start, so Owen and his crew immediately got working on the plans for this place.”

  They climbed the porch steps and approached the front door, which was painted a lovely hunter green. Wind chimes hanging from the porch posts jingled in the evening breeze, making Mari smile. It really was the perfect evening for a party. The sun had already set, but the sky still held the orangey hue of the sunset, and the air was warm and sultry.

  Mari breathed in all that fresh mountain air, a sense of serenity fluttering through her. She didn’t understand this strange connection she felt toward Paradise. She’d only been here a few hours, yet she felt so comfortable and relaxed. She felt…at home.

  Austin didn’t ring the doorbell, which reminded her of the fact that this was home. To him, anyway. They walked into a bright and airy front hall, where the only artwork on the off-white walls happened to be Austin’s photographs—she recognized some of the shots from the online portfolio Austin had shown her during their road trip.

  Seeing them again only cemented her opinion that he was unbelievably talented. His style was an odd combination of stark and elegant, and he’d told her he didn’t do any digital touch-ups after the fact, which she appreciated. She loved Photoshop as much as the next person, but she disliked the way some artists relied too heavily on the tool.

  “You’re here!”

  The overjoyed exclamation came from the doorway to their left. Mari turned her head in time to see a petite older woman bounding toward Austin. From sheer joy shining on her face, Mari instantly knew that this was Austin’s mother.