She laid her head on his chest, the smell of sex heavy in the air.
“Must repeat.”
“Yep,” he brushed his lips against her mouth.
“Do you think...”
She stopped.She wanted to ask him if he thought the vision he shared with her, of having a home together and the dog in the yard, was actually going to happen.Having grown-up with a single mom, she never really thought of living with someone.
She never thought that someone would love her enough to make her part of their life like that.
And she didn’t care.She just got on with what she wanted to do but like Ares, now she wanted a different dream.
“Do I… think what, sweet girl?”
She couldn’t say the words, afraid of being rejected, of bursting this cocoon.
“That we could take a quick shower?”
“This is why I'm keeping you.You have all the good ideas,” the wide grin that spread across his face, made her giggle and as they climbed out of bed, and locked gazes they couldn’t stop laughing.
Wondering about the future and what came next could wait.
21 ARES
“The sex was that good to put such a dopey look on your face?”
Ares turned from trying to figure out the fancy espresso machine and glared at his brother.“I had a fantastic night.You have clothes on.I appreciate it.”
“I was reminded of your overnight guest as soon as I opened my eyes.”His brother strode over and turned something on the machine.“I don’t know how she operates this thing.”Xander kept turning dials and buttons until it got going.
“Makes my favourite coffee, though.”
Ares poured himself a cup of coffee and helped himself to a muffin from the box on the counter, thinking of how Josie looked when he woke up beside her, her black curls spilled on the pillow, she was curled on her side, a small smile on her face.
He was very fucking serious about making sure Josie woke up every day in his bed.
The fact that sweat broke out on his back in trepidation was stupid.But years of looking out for his brother and minding his own steps had its effect on him.
He also wanted Xander’s support and didn’t want to deal with any opposition.
“I’m so serious about her.”Ares took a seat across from Xander.“She’s great, Xander.”
“Do you think the pressure would get to her and she’d blab what she overheard to one of her co-workers?”
The way his brother said it with that steely tone had him curling his fist.
“Her co-workers are people she hired,” Ares bit into the muffin, trampling down his irritation.Josie could be trusted.He’d never do anything to risk Axis Management and Xander should know that.
“We’ve known her almost as long as we’ve known Harper.”
They met Josie when Xander asked Fleur for help in finding resources to help Harper through her trauma.They were some of Josie’s first customers.
“That was also pointed out to me.I like how things are now.”
Ares shuffled back his chair; his gaze swept over their modern but plain kitchen.The living room that looked like Christmas threw up.The touches that made the place feel like less than a mausoleum were due to Logan and Harper.
It’s not what he would have chosen.But for the last decade, he’d been living in this house because it’s what Xander wanted and for longer than that, he’s lived the life that accommodated his brother.That made it easier for Xander to shine.
