That only seemed to make Killian scowl even harder.
“It’s good to see you again,” I told him just as spotted Tom Olson.
The scar on his face wasn’t as bad as it had been when the accident had first happened, and it certainly didn’t take away the fact that he had grown into a handsome young man.
“Look at you, little Olson.” I broke into a big smile. “Holy shit, you’re almost as big as your brother.” I threw my arms around him in a tight hug. “Sorry about your face. You’re still better looking than Jax, though. Oh, who’s your friend? Wait, you’re the bass player. Blake? Are you two together?”
“Blake Duncan’s my boyfriend.” Tom wrapped an arm around the blond man’s shoulders.
I held out my hand. “Sweet. Nice to meet you.” I saw the shock and surprise on Tom’s face. “Are you okay?”
He nodded. “I’m good, yeah.” He kissed Blake on the cheek, and I moved away to give them some space.
“Killian, stop.” Matthias’s voice was loud, and when we all turned to look, it seemed like he was trying to keep the singer away from me. He had both hands pressed to Killian’s shoulders.
Killian looked furious. “I don’t trust you,” he grunted at me.
“Well, it’s a good thing you don’t have to worry about that. Dean does. Is it really any of your business?” I didn’t have to takethis from him. I knew that Killian and Dean were best friends, but that didn’t mean we had to be close.
“Dean, don’t do this,” Killian urged. “He’s not good for you. There are plenty of other men out there if you want to try dick.”
“That’s not what it’s about. You weren’t good for Matty either, Kill, but you changed. Beau’s going to do the same for me.” Dean raised his chin. “You can’t tell me what I can and can’t do.”
Killian gritted his teeth. “I want to talk to you. Alone. Without anyone to interfere.”
“Jesus, why are you so fired up about this?” Dean scoffed. “You jerked poor Matty around for years until you finally got your shit together. At least Beau isn’t flaunting women in front of me.” Point to my man.
“This isn’t about Matthias. This is about you. My best friend since we were kids. Please, Dean. Just hear me out,” Killian pleaded.
Dean shook his head. “No, Beau wants to give us a shot. We’re going to try to be a couple.”
“I saw him with someone else!” Killian exclaimed, and the whole room went quiet. “Last night, when I went out to get firewood. I saw him. With a woman. Look, I didn’t want to say anything, because I didn’t know that he wasn’t going to just show up here today. I had no idea you were in love with him. He’s bad for you. You look like shit. You’re thinner than I’ve ever seen you, you’re not sleeping, you—” He stopped when Dean rushed out of the room.
Wait a second. Dean was in love with me?
Helena slapped her brother’s arm. “Nice job, asshole.”
“What? I’m just saying what everyone else won’t. Like I always do.” Killian looked around the room. “Why do you all look like I just said we should join a cult?”
Matthias sighed. “You just told Beau how Dean feels about him.”
“Oh.” Killian grimaced. “Shit.”
I took a step forward. “For what it’s worth, that was my sister, Sam. You’ll meet her at the wedding. She’s friends with Maverick.” Then I went out the door Dean had left through, calling his name. I found Dean sitting outside, his legs wrapped around his legs and face pressed into his knees.
“Leave me alone,” he whispered when I sat down next to him. Dean only hugged his legs tighter. “Please, I’m already embarrassed enough.”
I pushed back the loose hair that had fallen out of his ponytail. “You want to know a secret, Pink baby?” When he didn’t answer, I sighed and stared out into the backyard. “Somewhere between seeing you for the first time, kissing you, and getting to know you, I fell in love with you, too.” Dean turned his head to look at me. “Maybe it was the way you called me Daddy. Or the way you treated my son. Or how you just seemed to slot perfectly into our life, Dean.”
He scrambled up onto my lap. “Say it again.”
“I love you.”
His pupils dilated.
“Fuck, I love you. And it’s scary as hell, because I’m terrified of losing you, but I can’t be without you. Not anymore.”
Dean smiled, leaned forward, and kissed me. A soft sigh escaped his mouth as he opened for me, his fingers combing through my hair, and I got lost in the moment. The feel of Dean’s smaller, muscular frame pressed against mine, the taste of lips, the feel of his tongue tangled with mine, and the warmth of skin. Nothing had felt right with him gone from my life. Now I felt whole again.
