We all waved back once more, and Hugh drove off.
“She’ll watch us until she can’t see the car anymore,” Atlas explained.
“That’s so sweet,” I said.
“She’s overbearing, but it’s all out of love.”
Hugh glanced in the review mirror before his eyes landed on the road. “Well, that went rather well, I think.”
“It did,” Atlas agreed. “It went really well, but I knew they’d like you.”
“But will they still like us if they learn about our relationship?”
“It’s hard to say. They’re pretty accepting as far as parents go, but they’re also fairly traditional. But I hope so. I want my parents to like you and not care that we’re starting something special here.”
I reached behind me and took his hand in mine. “I think this will grow into something special and unique.”
Atlas beamed at me and played with my fingers. “I hope so. Thanks for saying that.”
“Have you had any word about Ryder?” Hugh asked.
Atlas frowned and nodded. “Yeah, he’s been grieving, apparently. He lost his twin sister. She was killed. Crazy. I can’t even imagine. He’ll be headed back to Nebraska for a while as he recovers. I’m going to miss him.”
“Jesus, that’s got to be hard,” I said.
“Yeah, and he blames himself, which is why he’s even worse off, but he hasn’t explained the story to me, and I didn’t push him. If he wants me to know, he’ll tell me. I just hope he finds some peace. He’s so sweet, you know?”
I brought his hand to my mouth and kissed his knuckles, keeping this newfound jealousy at bay. I wanted to askhowsweet Ryder was and if he’d had any interest in his roommate. Atlas was with us, and it’d be pretty shitty of me to say something while he was worried about his friend.
This was definitely something new. I didn’t even get jealous when Hugh was with someone else; I was only periodically disappointed, but I had different expectations with Atlas. He belonged to us and no one else.
Chapter 22
Hugh
Lindenwassittingonthe chair next to my desk, scrolling through his phone, while we waited for Atlas to bring us the lunch he’d ordered.
“He’s late,” Linden said, not taking his eyes off whatever he was doing on his phone.
“Maybe the restaurant is behind.”
“Or maybe, Atlas is being Atlas and choosing to be late to receive his usual punishment. I’ve never seen anyone wanting to be spanked so much in my life.”
“We’ve created a monster,” I chuckled.
My cousin smiled broadly and shook his head. “Such a princess.”
“He certainly loves the attention.”
“And we’re happy to give it to him.”
“Absolutely.”
I could be taking the time to get some work done. Instead, I stared at Linden for some reason. He had a perfect nose. It was just right, neither too big nor too small. Why hadn’t I paidattention to it before? The better question was, why was I even paying attention to it at all?
Ever since we’d been having this unusual relationship with Atlas, I’d been looking at my cousin differently, and I wasn’t sure I liked it. It confused me because I’d been starting to fantasize about us together with Atlas, like a full-on polyamorous relationship where Linden and I also touched, kissed, and fucked. Was it because Atlas had been prodding us to do so, and I was considering it? Or was it because this was the first time Linden and I had someone under us who was a permanent fixture in our lives, so it was different? Or was it because I now knew what it was like to have his dick rub against mine when we shared Atlas?
It wasn’t the first time I wondered what would happen if we ever did do more than we already were, but I’d always brushed it aside because we were related. And I didn’t fucking bring it up because I didn’t want to freak him out. While Linden was gay, he never once approached me or talked to me about any interest he may have had in me. There had never been any indication. He’d just been along for the ride on my sexual journey. Well, it was our journey, but I was the one who asked him to be a part of it.
