“Oh my god, Kelly. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” She strangled on the words as a sob escaped. “I’m really okay—I swear I’m okay. I just...sometimes I just miss him so much.”
“Oh, Kelly. Oh, no.” Lydia quickly rounded the table and wrapped her arms around her, hugging her tightly. “That was so insensitive of me. I wasn’t thinking...I’m so sorry. Please don’t cry.”
“It’s okay. Really.” She buried her face against Lydia’s shoulder and allowed her heartache to rear its ugly head once more. Sometimes it just couldn’t be helped. “God, I miss him.”
“I know you do, sweetie. Oh, I feel so awful.” Lydia’s hand moved up and down her back comfortingly. “I cannot even begin to imagine what it feels like, Kelly, but you’re so brave. You’re so strong.”
Bravery and courage paled in comparison to the aching of her heart; nothing could be done about that. Waking up every morning and looking into the eyes of her children, seeing so much of her husband in them was often excruciating. But she was grateful to have them—to have those little pieces of him.
“Please don’t cry anymore.” Lydia sniffled. “You’re going to make me cry and it took almost an hour to get my eyeliner right.”
Laughing weakly, she pulled away and wiped at her eyes. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m the one who should be sorry, and I am. I’m so very sorry.”
“It’s okay, really.” Sucking in a calming breath, she forced a smile and peered up at her friend. “I don’t want to dampen our lunch together. We get so few these days. Besides, you won’t be able to have as many with me when Callum’s little one comes to stay with you. What’s his name again? Byron?”
“Mm, yes. Byron.” Lydia returned to her seat and sank down, eyes dimming with worry. “I don’t know how I feel about it, Kel; I’ll be honest. I’m terrified.”
“That’s completely normal. Try not to worry so much.” She smiled. “I’m sure you’re going to love him and he’ll love you, too. When do you get to meet him?”
“We’re supposed to have a picnic with him sometime next week. His mom said she’d call me to arrange it, which is weird. Why does she want to talk to me?”
“Um, maybe because you’re Callum’s wife and she wants to make this as easy for you as possible?” She shrugged. “It’s just an idea. At least she’s trying to be polite about it.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Lydia rested her chin against her fist and groaned. “Ugh. What if he totally hates me? What if Callum can’t have a relationship with him because of me?”
“That’s a stupid thought to have. You are a lovely person, Lydia. I don’t understand how the kid couldn’t adore you like we do.” She took a sip from her glass. “It’s not because you’re worried about...”—she looked her up and down, nibbling her lip—“well, you know...?”
“About the fact I was born with different body parts?” Lydia scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous. That’s so stupid. That’s...”—she bowed her head—“...exactly the problem.”
“Oh, Lyds. No.” It was her turn to get up and comfort her friend. Resting her chin against the top of Lydia’s head, she sighed heavily. “You are the most wonderful, beautiful, caring person on this planet. Byron is so young; he doesn’t know how the world works yet. He hasn’t been jaded and you can work that to your advantage, Lydia. Spending time with him will give him a chance to get to know how amazing you are.”
“I know, but what happens when he finds out the truth? When his mother finds out the truth? What if she takes him away from Callum?”
“If she’s any kind of decent person, she won’t. But don’t rush into telling the kid anything until he’s old enough to understand. Just give him a chance to get to know you. When you’re ready to tell him the truth, it won’t matter to him. He’ll love you so much and it won’t even matter.”
“You think so?” Lydia mumbled, resting her hands against Kelly’s arm as it wrapped around her shoulders.
“I know so. Just you wait and see.”
—————
Devin
Wiping the sweat from his brow, he glanced up from the board he’d just finished hammering into place and watched Nick take a drink of water.
His eyes were glued to his luscious lips, wrapped around the mouth of that bottle, and his pants instantly became tighter.
Christ, he’s hot.
Things had gotten...complicated since their heart-to-heart talk, which led to the hottest make-out session of his life—not that he could remember any others before then—and the most amazing blowjob he’d probably ever experience.
Nick was a good man, and even if he had no recollection of what he liked before his accident, Devin really, genuinely liked him. He wanted to be the good person he knew he could be, because of Nick.
He has faith in me. I don’t want to let him down.
“Enjoying the view?”
Nick’s deep, southern drawl pulled him out of his inner turmoil and Devin’s eyes snapped to his, embarrassed for having been caught gawking.
“I don’t mind, you know.” Nick smiled, placing his water bottle back on the bucket they were using as a makeshift table. “Why do you think I work out so much? I like being looked at. Feel free to do it any time you want.”
“I...I...uh, heh.” Laughing nervously, he rubbed at the back of his neck and turned to grab another board, but his attempt to pretend to be busy was quickly foiled when Nick’s strong hands grabbed his hips and he pulled him to his chest.
“I wasn’t finished talking.” Nick’s hot breath teased against his ear. “What have I told you about being so shy?”
Swallowing hard, he allowed the board to fall from his grasp and he closed his eyes.
“To stop doing it,” he replied quietly, groaning as Nick’s hand inched down his chest.
“Exactly. Shy doesn’t really suit you anymore. And why should it? I’ve seen what you’ve got hiding under here.” He grabbed the bottom of his shirt and pulled it up, his lips tracing up and down the side of his neck.
Fuck, he’s going to kill me.
His pulse quickened and it was all he could do to keep from pouncing Nick. The man sure knew how to get him going.
Even if he hadn’t considered being with a man in the past, the hands currently slipping into his pants were more than welcome.
“Mm, you’re hard again.” Nick chuckled.
“Well...wouldn’t you be?” His heartbeat thundered in his ears. A soft gasp escaped him when Nick’s fingers wrapped around his cock, slowly stroking him.
“I’m getting there, baby. Don’t worry.” His teeth captured his earlobe and tugged gently. “Can you feel it?”
He trembled as he felt Nick’s hardness pressing against his ass.
It had been a tantalizing game of cat and mouse since that evening in the kitchen. Nick loved chasing him and he loved to be caught, but it never went further than his cock ending up in Nick’s talented mouth.
Maybe that’s about to change.
His upper teeth sank into his lip, hard, as Nick slid his thumb across the head of his erection, eliciting another groan from him.
“So sexy,” Nick whispered, thrusting against his ass. “I want to bury myself so deep inside you. Do you know how crazy you make me?”
“I...I have an idea.” He barely managed to get the words out before he toppled forward. Reaching out to grasp the side of the surprise they’d been working on for Kelly, he sucked in a quick breath as Nick yanked his pants down. The cool room air licked up his naked backside, causing him to shiver.
“Such a perfect ass.” Nick groaned. “I just want to bite it.”
But instead, Nick’s palm came down, hard, and he cried out from the mixture of pleasure and pain.
“Shame on you for distracting me while we’re trying to work. You know how important this project is to me, don’t you?”
“Y-yes.”
“And you know how important
Kelly is to me?”
Another hard slap to his ass had him painfully hard and leaking like a faucet.
“Yes!”
“Then why are you distracting me?” Nick’s fingers trailed over his stinging cheeks, slipping between them briefly before pulling away.
“Because...I don’t know.” He couldn’t think properly at the moment. He was aching for release, needing to be touched and kissed and loved. Even though he knew Nick would never completely be his—as he’d explained late one night after another mind blowing orgasm—Devin was willing to do whatever it took to keep the small ounce of happiness he’d found with him.
“You need to know something about me before this goes any further, Dev-o.” Nick ran his fingers through his hair, so gently and slowly. “I need you to understand how this needs to work for me.”
Opening one eye lazily, he peered at him and grinned. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Nick shifted on the bed and rested an elbow against the pillow, his warm gaze never leaving Devin’s. “I don’t want you to be confused, and a part of me really hopes you can accept what I’m going to say because I really like you.”
“I really like you, too, Nick.” He carefully sat up on the bed and frowned. “What is it?”
Nick’s tongue, that damn talented thing, darted out to lick his lips as his eyebrows pinched together.
Uh oh. That didn’t seem good. What was he about to say?
Swallowing his nerves into place, he grabbed for a blanket to cover his naked body and scooted closer to Nick. “What do you need to tell me?”
“I’m not like other people, Devin.” He laced his fingers with his and allowed his thumb to slide over his knuckles. “I operate differently when it comes to stuff like this.”
“Tell me about it.” Devin chuckled. “I mean, I can’t remember anyone else to compare you to, but you seem pretty damn different to me – in a good way, of course.”
“Thanks, baby. I appreciate the compliment. But,”—his fingers tightened around Devin’s—“I need you to know that what I’m looking for, relationship wise, is probably a hell of a lot different than what you’re looking for.”
“Okay.” He blinked, trying to choose his words carefully. “So...you don’t want a relationship or anything? I can live with that. I’m happy with this, whatever ‘this’ is.”
“I’m happy with it, too, but that’s not exactly what I mean.” Nick released his hand and sat up, facing him. His brown eyes sparkled as he searched his face, a small smile playing on his lips. “I would date you in a heart beat, Devin. That’s not an issue here, okay?”
“Then what is?”
Sighing loudly, Nick ran a palm over his head and pursed his lips together in thought, and then he nodded. “I want you, but I want someone else, too.”
“Oh.” He dropped his gaze to the bed.
“Hey now, let me explain.” Two warm hands framed his face and forced him to look up again. Nick gazed at him with fear in his eyes. “Hear me out before you call it quits, huh? Please?”
Was Nick afraid of losing him?
Devin’s heart fluttered at the thought. What if no one had ever been afraid of losing him before?
“I’m not calling it quits. I just...I guess I was sort of hoping I’d be enough.” He rolled his eyes. “I mean, not that I think I’m anything special, but I thought what we had going here was a good thing...”
“It is a good thing. God, Devin, you have no idea how good it is.” He kissed him once, twice. “But, it can be better. It can be so much better for you and me.”
“I’m not following.”
“Okay. Let me try a different approach.”
His eyes followed Nick’s every move as he got up from the bed and moved towards the window. The muscles in his back danced with every step. Pulling the curtain back a few inches, he peered out into the darkness of the night and motioned for Devin to join him. “Come here.”
Even though his legs felt like jelly, he got up anyway and moved to stand beside him. “What are you looking at?”
“You see that light there? Just a few houses down?” His fingertip pressed against the glass and he turned his head to look at him.
“Is that Kelly’s house?”
“Exactly.” Letting the curtain fall back into place, Nick moved his hands to rest against his hips and pulled him in for another breathtaking kiss, suckling at his bottom lip until Devin moaned. “Don’t you think...”—the tip of his tongue forced its way into his mouth, teasing him—“Kelly’s pretty and...”—he nipped his upper lip—“it might be nice to include her?”
“Include her?” He was breathless, dizzy, and ready for round two. “You mean...the three of us...? Together?”
“Mhm.” Nick’s hands slid down to his naked ass and grabbed him possessively, pulling him closer, closer, until their erections could touch. “You, me, and Kelly.”
“That does sound nice, but—”
“But what?” Nick’s eyes slowly opened and he gazed at him curiously, a perfectly shaped eyebrow arching. “I don’t like buts, Devin. Not those kind.”
“Sorry, I just...I don’t think Kelly is attracted to me like that.”
“How do you know for certain?” His fingers caressed his cheek. “Did she say she isn’t?”
“No, but...”—he huffed in frustration—“she remembers the real me, Nick. There’s no possible way she’d give me a second glance after what I’ve done. I’m—”
“Amazing.” He cut him off, leaning in to kiss him again. “Perfect. Sexy.”
He melted against him then, unable to argue as desire took hold and his mind shut down. There was no way he could think of a decent retort when Nick’s mouth was on his like that.
“Just think about it, okay? Think about how great life could be if the three of us got together. You might like it if you give it a shot.” Nick’s husky voice echoed in his mind. “Will you give it a shot? With me?”
“In a heartbeat, but what about Kelly? What if this isn’t something she wants? What if I’m not something she wants?”
“Let me worry about that.” He captured his lips in another hungry kiss as he hoisted him up from the floor and carried him back to bed. “For now, just let me taste you.”
His back hit the mattress and he bounced once, twice, before crying out from the sensation of Nick’s hot, wonderful mouth engulfing him.
“Y-yes...” He groaned, gripping the sheets and holding on for dear life. “Oh, fuck. Yes. Nick...”
The memory faded away and the room was suddenly too hot. If he’d been aching before, he was in pure agony now. Things between him and Nick could definitely get better if Kelly agreed to join them. But, how?
“I think you do know.” Nick pulled him from his thoughts as he grabbed his ass cheeks and parted them.
When the hell had he gotten on his knees? Oh, God.
“Tell me why you’re distracting me, Devin. Be honest.”
“I...I...Oh, sh-shit.” Nick’s teeth raked over the flesh of his ass and he forgot how to speak. What were words?
Trembling and struggling to keep himself upright, he strained to look over his shoulder and whimpered from the sight of Nick on his knees, kissing and biting at his left ass cheek. “I...c-can’t help it. You...you’re so damn...distracting?”
Nick’s quiet chuckle made his heart want to explode.
“You’re not even making sense right now. Do I really get you that tore up?”
Slowly turning to face him, Devin peered down at the magnificent creature known as Nicholas Laveau and nodded slowly. “Yes.”
“That’s great. That’s seriously great.” Nick stood back up and grabbed his hips, pulling him closer. “I’m glad I can be distracting, Dev-o, but this surprise isn’t going to finish itself.” He leaned in and pressed a kiss to his chin. “If Kelly wasn’t due to be home in a matter of minutes, I’d show you what else I could do with my mouth.”
Devin groaned in protest. It was one thing to be spanked in someon
e else’s basement, but to be teased with that mouth and then have it taken away? That had to be some form of cruel and unusual punishment.
“You’re not going to leave me like this, are you?” His voice quivered as he gazed into his eyes.
Nick glanced down between them and grinned before gripping his cock and pulling playfully. “What? Like this?” He rolled his eyes. “I suppose we’ve got just enough time for a quickie. If you want it.”
“I want it.” His mouth went dry. “I want it, Nick. Please.”
“Mm, I love it when you beg,” Nick stated huskily as he sank to his knees again. “Do it again.”
“Please.” He licked his lips and stared down at him. What a beautiful sight it was, really, to see Nick’s fingers wrapped around him.
He’s amazing.
“Please, what?”
“Please suck my dick.”
“All right, but only because you said please.” Nick winked.
And then he swallowed him whole.
—————
Kelly
There was no greater adventure—or nightmare—than going grocery shopping with two very cranky children. Between Justin trying to grab every single box of cookies he came across, and throwing a fit when she said no, and Jamie screaming at the top of her lungs because she was so cranky and in desperate need of a nap, she honestly wasn’t sure how she survived the hour and a half it took to buy everything they would need for the next two weeks.
“Let’s get you two inside and one of you to bed.” She said as calmly as she could, pulling into the driveway.
“Mommy, who does that truck belong to?” Justin asked as he unbuckled his seatbelt.
“My friend Nick.” She hid the smile dying to burst free. Her stomach erupted with nervous butterflies as she got out and hurried to the other side of the car to retrieve Jamie, who had miraculously fallen asleep on the way home.
“You mean that guy who triumphed over the monster in the bathroom?”
“Triumphed? That’s a big word for you, isn’t it?” Grunting with effort as she pulled Jamie into her arms, she turned and tried to fish the keys from her pocket. “Justin, be a darlin’ and unlock the trunk for Mommy?”
“Yep.” He plucked the keys from her hand and ran to the back of the car. “Triumph means you win something; Tula taught me that.”
The Lost Days (Prairie Town Book 3) Page 14
