“Mmm.Mind-blowing sex and food on demand.Imay never leave,” Wes quipped as he munched on prosciutto.
Ryker coughed.“Sorry, crumbs,” he explainedas his cheeks began to flush.
“You okay there, love?”Wes asked, keeping astraight face as he tested the romantic waters.
“Yup.Wait.Love?”Ryker asked with wideeyes.
Wes laughed.“It’s a British term.You know,‘how are you, love?’Why, does it bother you?”Wes asked, curiouslygauging Ryker’s response.
“Not at all.Big boy.”Ryker chuckled.
“Bigno,” Wes replied, shaking hishead.
Ryker’s brows knit together.“Big dick?”
Wes grinned smugly.“That’s more likeit.”
“No way.Your ego does not need any moreinflating.”
“Speaking of inflating.”Wes pointed to hisnow very excited dick tenting the sheets.
“Mmm, big dick it is.Sweetheart,” Rykermurmured, and now it was Wes’s turn to blush.
Shit, why do I like that so much?
Wes made a show by attempting to throw agrape in his mouth, but he missed and it dropped to his chestinstead.
“Your hand-eye coordination is way off,”Ryker quipped.
“It’s perfect.Watch.”This time, the grapesuccessfully landed in his mouth, and he munched away.“You justdistracted me the first time.”Wes grabbed another grape and somecheese.“You left a voicemail when I was on my way here.Yousounded odd.What’s going on?”
“I told you I needed to chat with mysister,” Ryker said, and Wes nodded.“Well, the good news is, she’saccepted a tenured position at Stanford and will be moving back tothe US in August.”
“Good for her.Sounds like an amazingopportunity.Are you happy?”Wes asked.
“Very.Even if she’s on the West Coast, atleast we can visit more often.”He paused.“It was her other newsthat I’m struggling with.She wants to submit her DNA to agenealogy site to see if it might help in locating our father’swhereabouts.”
Wes paused to look over Ryker’s face.“Andyou’re understandably concerned for her, and upset, and alsowondering, why now?”Wes replied, as if he’d read Ryker’s mind.
“Yes, exactly.I’m afraid of what mighthappen.What if she finds him and he’s still alive?Will she wantto see him, have a relationship with him?What if he still has noanswers for her?Or refuses to see her?Or what if he’s dead?Iknow she struggles with why he left, but what good will this doexcept resurrect all the pain?”
Wes leaned in and rubbed his thumb overRyker’s cheek.“I’m sure you struggle with his leaving, too.I knowyou have no recollection of him, but you see the pain in your momand sister, and you want to take that away.”
“I do.And to be honest, I like my life theway it is.I may be angry with my father, but I’ve made peace withhow things turned out.I don’t know that any good will come ofdigging up old history.”
“Dealing with past trauma is never easy, andeveryone has their own way of coping.It took me years of therapyto deal with my parents’ death, and when the man responsible wasbrought to trial years later, unfortunately, it brought it all backup again.But I had a good support system and came out stronger.Maybe not happier, but stronger.”Wes smiled wanly.“Just like youdid after that man attacked you.Eventually, you found your wayout.”
“I guess we’re not all that different,”Ryker said.
“No, we’re not,” Wes offered with a smile,moving closer.“I understand where both you and your sister arecoming from.She needs answers and is determined to get them.Partof you may also want those answers, but you don’t think you’reready yet.”
Ryker sighed.“I don’t think I am, but I maynot have a choice.I’ve always supported her no matter what, andthis should be no different.”
“You’re a good man with a sensitive heart,and your sister is lucky to have you.”Wes smiled as Ryker leanedin to kiss him.
Ryker eventually sat back, and theycontinued to snack and talk.
“Man, I am wiped from traveling, but let metell you, I am so glad I got to visit New Orleans on this tour.Reminds me a bit of New York.It’s fun and romantic and full ofstrange characters.”Wes paused.“I was thinking maybe we could setbook two there.What do you think?”
