I liked that I’d made him laugh. Since his father’s death he hadn’t been himself. The boys and me tried to do everything we could to keep him happy, but we’d never quite dealt with... this before, especially the other three. They took lives and compartmentalized their emotions. I wasn’t dumb enough that I didn’t recognize I hadn’t faced the deaths they had.Yet.Even though Rowen was the softest of them, I’d seen him hesitate over approaching the topic of Vail’s dad.
“Dandy like a dandelion.” I giggled. Not laughed or chuckled, fuckinggiggledlike a ten-year-old. “A dandelion that doesn’t stand up straight, with a stem that curves a little because I’m not straight. Get it?”
Vail shook his head and removed his hand, laughing harder. Creases formed around his eyes and he looked more his age with them. “You’re so high.”
I frowned. “I don’t have a straight dick, either. It curves to the right, so maybe my dick’s always known I’m not straight. Do you think that’s the case? Is there something scientific about that?” I stared at him seriously because I genuinely wanted to know.
“Um.” He blinked at me. “I’m not sure. Mine curves to the left.”
“You’re a doctor,” I pointed out. It made perfect sense.
“Of history. I have a PhD in history, Fallon.” He dropped onto the bed beside my thigh, flashing me a toothy grin that had my heart taking off in a gallop.
I rubbed my chest. “You’re real pretty. You’re giving me heart palpitations. Do you think I could be dying?” My mouth dropped open. “Could I be having a heart attack?”
“No, you’re not.” Vail pressed a hand to my chest, right over my heart. “You’re fine, Fallon. I’ll keep you safe.”
I smiled, then backtracked to what we were talking about before. “Did the old Irish mob you’re researching have curved dicks like me and you?” I liked sitting in the soft shadows of the room with him. It was quiet and cozy, just the two of us.
“Um. I’m not sure? What kind of dicks they had isn’t part of my research. Hard to get good statistics on that topic.” I couldn’t see his face well now that he was sitting with his back to the light, but I imagined he was grinning again. He sounded amused.
“Hm. Do you think it’s an Irish thing?” I scratched my chin and grimaced when I hit a bruise.Fuck, that hurt.
“It could be.... Maybe?” He cupped my cheek gently, and I leaned into his touch, sighing. I liked this a lot. “Are you in pain?”
“Not as bad as before.” At least I couldn’t feel my ribs throb anymore. The bruises ached, but that was normal. Someone had put my insulin pump back in, and I assumed it was the medical doc. “Want to hear a joke?”
“I feel like we’ve swapped bodies right now and my brain is currently in yours.” Vail chuckled and brushed a whisper of a kiss over my mouth. He tasted nice, like chocolate, and I had a feeling he’d found some in the room somewhere. “Yes, Fallon, tell me a joke.”
“What did one gay Irishman say to the other?” I was laughing before I even got to the punch line. I hadnoidea why, but I was definitely higher than I’d ever been. I couldn’t remember a time I was floating like this.
“What?” Amusement colored his tone.
“Fuck me, I’m Irish.” I cackled and hit the back of my head against the headboard. I groaned but continued, “Get it? It’s like kiss me, I’m Irish, but it’s fuck me.”
Vail laid his palm on my thigh, squeezing gently. “Come on, go back to sleep.”
“Where are the others? Are we alone?” I leaned in closer until his breath tickled my mouth. “Fuck me, I’m Irish.”
His chuckles sent a blanket of warmth through me, but no matter how hot he was I couldn’t quite get it up. My cock didn’t so much as twitch, and I was firmly blaming the painkillers because there was not a damned thing wrong with Vail. He was my perfect doctor.
“No, we’re not fucking. You’re in too much pain. Here, lie down again, and I’ll get onto the bed beside you.”
I did as he said and carefully shuffled until I was lying on my back. He lifted the blankets and slid in to cuddle up against my left side. He hit one of the bruises on my ribs and I hissed, and he apologized profusely, but I just shrugged. Pain was part of the fight life—I was used to it.
“The boys went to a party. At the Kings’,” he said, but it was more a question. “They’re a motorcycle club, right? One of the guys who came in earlier with the doctor was wearing a patch for a gang. Anyway, he invited them to a party at the clubhouse and they agreed to go.”
“Why didn’t you go?” I murmured, comfortable with him at my side. I could get used to this.
He snorted. “Because I wasn’t leaving you alone. Cillian said he could get you some company, but I’m not stupid. I know what sort of hotel this is now, and I know you guys share me, but I... I don’t want to share you with strangers. Am I selfish?”
I smiled. “No. Don’t worry, I have everything I want here.”
“Good.” He smoothed a hand over my bare chest and sighed. “I was so worried about you, Fallon. Why do you do this to yourself?”
“It’s fun. It gets the adrenaline pumping. It’s the one thing I’m good at that my brothers aren’t.” My mood crashed. Family politics were difficult.
“Tell me about them,” he whispered into the quietness of the room. “You don’t talk about them.”
