17
Apollo couldn't look Lachlan in the eyes without blushing like a damn fool. Could he blame the momentary lapse in judgment on being half asleep? Maybe for the handy that Lachlan had given him but not for him purposely going into the bathroom to watch him wank.
Fuck. He couldn't even blame it on his dragon because they had been of one mind when he had followed Lachlan into the bathroom. And he had fuckingbithim.
He couldn't help it. He knew Lachlan would be hot as fuck naked, but his excellent imagination hadn't lived up to it. He was sculpted like a god with a great sized dick that would rearrange his insides and an ass so perky, Apollo wanted to sink his teeth into one of his brown cheeks. Or both of them.
Apollo couldn't believe a man with an ass like that hadn't been topped. He didn't know how anyone could resist it. It was a struggle not to get hard every time he thought about it.
Apollo must have had a dreamy look on his face because as soon as Lachlan had gone out of the apartment to check on security and get some more groceries, Valentine cornered him.
"What's going on with you and Lachie, baby brother," he demanded.
"Nothing? What? It's none of your business," Apollo said, crossing his arms.
Valentine let out a long-suffering sigh. "I knew you had been pining for him for over a year, but it's clear that you've finally acted on it."
Apollo hurried into the kitchen to make another coffee. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Valentine followed him in, refusing to let it go. "Bullshit. Lachie came out of your room this morning, and it looked like his chest had been mauled by a dick-crazy animal."
Apollo's ears burned hot as lava. "I couldn't just leave him to sleep on the couch after he had rushed in to save me the way he did."
"How big and giving your heart is," Valentine said dryly. "A modern Mother Theresa, you are."
"Fuck you," Apollo said with a laugh. "Don't judge me. We didn't even fuck."
"I know you didn't because I'm sure I would have heard it," Valentine replied. "You don't owe him anything for saving you."
"Fuck, Val. It wasn't like that."
Valentine glared at him. "Then tell me what it's like. I know he's your mate, bro. The whole family does. In fact, I thinkeveryoneknows except for Lachie himself."
Apollo put his face in his hands. "I know. I don't know what to do or how to tell him. This morning was just like some heavy petting? That's all. I have problems controlling my dragon when we are in close proximity like this. It wants him."
"And what do you want?"
Apollo didn't remove his hands. "I want him too. It's just... I don't think he's the mating-for-life type. I know I need totell him, but we have bigger things to worry about with these alchemists. I will talk to him about it after they are dealt with."
Valentine snorted, "Well, you've managed to put your feelings off for years. What's another week?"
"I love you, big brother, but sometimes you really are a bitch."
Valentine smirked. "Just telling you how it is. You are both in love with each other. I don't know what the problem is."
"That's because you've never been in love with anyone but yourself."
"True, and I am happiest that way. From where I'm sitting, love looks like too much drama for me," Valentine replied. "Don't forget to call Dad. He needs to speak with you and hear your voice and shit. You know, parent stuff. Maybe he can give you advice about Lachie. As you pointed out, matters of the heart are not my area of expertise."
Understatement of the fucking year. Apollo bit his tongue and headed upstairs to call Cosimo from the landline.
No matter how many years had passed, the upstairs room would always smell like the lily of the valley perfume that his mother had worn. It used to be her and Cosimo's room, but after the boys had grown up, it was turned into a generic guestroom.
At least, that had been the plan. It didn't matter what furniture it had or what pictures hung on the wall. Apollo would still see his mother's dressing table with creams and cosmetics lined along it. He had sat with her more than once when he was little and had learned to put on makeup and do facials and manicures. Lisa had never been a mother to worry about gender roles or any of the nonsense of 'girls' things and 'boys' things.
Apollo suddenly wished he could sit down with her and do manicures while he talked out all his mixed feelings for Lachlan. She always knew he needed something in his hands to fidget with when he was talking.
Apollo went and sat on the bed. Valentine was the neat one of the family, and the bed had been made with perfect precision, which was just unnatural. He was the one who always perfected the house cleaning spells because he couldn't handle the mess. At least he had left everyone's bedroom alone, but it had been a big argument at the time. They all dealt with their mother's death in different ways, and Val had gone straight to OCD neat freak.
