“I knew it! I knew you two would fall for each other. You make such a great couple.” She hugged Sean tight and whispered, “He’s such a good person and so good-looking.” She hugged Tristan next. “I’m so happy for you both.”
Tristan’s smile was strained as he accepted her hug, his attention fixed on Ray’s face, which transformed from puzzled to concerned.
“You and Sean? A couple?” Ray frowned. “I know I asked you to watch out for him, but—”
A buzzing sounded inside Sean’s head as Ray’s words registered. “Watch out for me? What the hell does that mean?” Guilty-looking as hell, Tristan avoided his eyes and ducked his head but remained silent. “What the fuck, Ray?”
Oblivious to his growing anger, Ray explained, “Tristan is a steady presence, and I figured he would be a good example of how changing career paths works.” His eyes darkened as he whirled to face Tristan. “But that didn’t mean you should go and fucking sleep with my brother-in-law, Tristan. For God’s sake, what the hell were you thinking?”
“So that’s all it was? A pity fuck?” Sean spat out between frozen lips.
“Don’t be stupid,” Tristan snapped, and Sean paled.
“Wow. Everyone has such a high opinion of me. My brother-in-law thinks I’m a pathetic loser who can’t keep a job, and Tristan thinks I’m stupid. Both of you can go to hell.”
Shaking, he turned on his heel and stormed into the house, heading for the front door. At times like this, he wished he could drive so he could get into a car and leave. Instead, he stood in front of the house, trying to get an Uber to take him to the train station.
“Fifteen minutes?” He balled his hand into a fist. “Shit.” Gravel kicked up on the driveway as he paced.
The front door opened behind him, and Tristan said, “Sean. Can you please come back inside and talk to me?”
“Probably not a good idea right now. Just saying.” He kicked the gravel.
“This isn’t as bad as you’re making it seem.”
That reasonable tone made him lose his damn mind. “Not as bad? Really?” His voice rose in the quiet air. “Are you kidding me?You and my brother-in-law are treating me like a child.”
“If you don’t want to be treated like a child, then don’t act like one. Come inside.”
God, he wanted to punch him in that smug, pretty face.
“Sean. Talk to me. Please.”
There was true contrition in Tristan’s voice, and Sean relented. Chin tipped up, he strode past Tristan into the house, but stood in the hall by the front door. “Fine. Explain.”
“I’m not going to deny it and say Ray didn’t ask me to look out for you.” Sean opened his mouth, but Tristan covered it with his hand. “Will youpleaselet me finish?”
Sean focused all his effort into glaring at Tristan, who continued to annoy the shit out of him by remaining calm. But he stayed silent and Tristan removed his hand.
“Ray did that, not because he thinks you’re a fuckup, but because he cares so much about you and knows how hard you’ve had it. He doesn’t want you to struggle. He loves Charlotte, and she loves you to pieces.” He rubbed his face. “Do I think it was the right way to handle it? No. But I’m not Ray.”
“My family needs to give me a chance to prove I can make it without always thinking I need help or a bailout. Losing the apartment like I did would set anyone back, even if they did have a steady job and savings. I appreciate everything they do for me, but I’ve been on my own my whole life. I can make it by myself.”
“But the point of having them is you don’t have to anymore. They love you. You’re their family. Maybe it takes getting used to having someone there to lean on. It was the same for me when I joined the force. Terry and my old sergeant were there for me like no one ever was. They were always in my corner, and yet I still held pieces of myself from them. You’re lucky you’ve got people like Charlotte and Ray in yours.”
“I’m in your corner. Always.”
“I know. And I’m in yours too.” Tristan brushed their lips together. “I want you to know that Ray asked me way before anything happened between us. I didn’t know you like I do now.” Long fingers skimmed over his jaw, and Sean met Tristan’s honest gaze. “Even though I wanted you.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. Remember when I flipped you over in bed?” His green eyes glowed, and a tug of lust curled in Sean’s belly.
“I’ll never forget it. I thought you were going to punch me.”
Tristan snickered. “My first thought was,Goddammit, you mean I have to live with this fucking adorable guy in my face every day?You drove me crazy. And then when I found you in my bed that morning, I knew I was in trouble but figured I’d be leaving soon and could control myself.”
“You’re so good at hiding your emotions.”
