I smiled and touched his hand, earning a wide-eyed look. “They’ll be fine.”
“You’re not there. They’re used to working in a team of three.” He turned a hard stare on me. Fallon was young and I hated seeing him upset.
“Aspen and Cillian have worked with each other for a long time. I’m more worried about Miami.” I winked when Fallon laughed. “Those two will create chaos there without me to rein them in.”
“They will, won’t they?” Fallon finally began eating again, shoving bacon into his mouth and moaning. Bacon fat gathered around his bottom lip, making the pinkness shinier, but he stuck his tongue out to lick it up. It was hard to rip my gaze away from the movement. What would it be like to get in Fallon’s arse? Have his attention on only me? I’d never wanted to know, but now I was curious. He was beautiful.
Jerking myself out of my thoughts, I closed my eyes and threaded my fingers together, saying a silent prayer. I didn’t do it all the time, but sometimes I liked to say grace when there was quiet. It helped that Cillian wasn’t around to give me shite for it, too. When I was done and had whispered “amen,” I started to eat, ignoring Fallon’s curious stare.
“Can I ask you a question?”
I chuckled. “Ye already did.”
He ignored me. “Why are you religious?” He quickly continued when I shot a frown at him. “You’re in the mob, you kill people. Surely God wouldn’t forgive you for that.”
“God understands. He loves his children, even our mistakes.” It was something I’d come to live with a long time ago, but he didn’t need to know that.
“Mistakes you keep making?” He didn’t say it meanly, but I had to remind myself he was still young. Innocent. He hadn’t lived as a Company man long enough to know the sacrifices we had to make.
“For family,” I said with a smile. “Cillian might be a real knob, but we’re close.”
His shoulders slumped and he nodded, his mouth curling. I knew that expression well because I’d felt it more than once in my life—the disappointment of family. “I know Cillian isn’t your real brother, but I wish I’d grown up with people around who cared like you did.”
“We might not be yer brothers, Fallon, and thank God for that, because it’d be strange with what Cillian and Aspen do to ye.” We both chuckled. “But we will take care of ye.” I reached across to him and stroked my thumb over his sharp cheekbone. He sighed, leaning into my touch, and my stomach clenched with a strange need. I wanted to kiss him, but I didn’t. “Ye’re ours.” My chest squeezed at the doe eyes he gave me. He was a good fighter, one of the best I’d met, but I still thought he was too innocent for this job. I snatched my hand back and stood, suddenly not hungry. “Do ye want more? I can get ye some fruit, too. Ye should be eating good.”
As I started to move toward the kitchen again, he said my name in a small voice. I paused and turned to find him standing directly in front of me, lips folded into his mouth nervously.
“I like being here with you,” he whispered, grinning. “The sex is fucking awesome.”
I snorted. “Aye, it is.”
He shot forward, and before I could comprehend what he was doing his mouth was on mine in a desperate kiss that had my knees weak and my heart racing. He pressed himself against me, his firm body rocking against mine. I had half an urge to push him away and ask what he was doing, but only an insane man would do something like that. Fallon’s mouth ate mine, his arms knotted around my neck as he dragged me closer, and I let him control the kiss. If I said I hadn’t fantasized about more than what we’d done together so far, I’d be lying. I’d pushed it aside because I couldn’t imagine managing more than one relationship.
It was happening now, though.
But before I could get used to the feel of his lips on mine, he broke away, leaving us both breathless and heaving. A sound to the right had my gaze shooting to the hallway, where Vail stood in his gray sweats, sneakers, and long-sleeved top. His cheeks were flushed, but I didn’t know if it was from the running or watching us, and he brushed a hand through his windswept hair.
“Don’t stop on my account.” He fluttered his lashes at me.
I laughed, though it sounded choked. “I still need to go to work.”
“It’s the weekend.” Vail pouted and glanced in Fallon’s direction, but I stepped back.
“I won’t be long.” I licked my lips, the taste of Fallon lingering there and teasing me.
I craved more, but I didn’t dare—one man I could handle; I wasn’t sure about two. Aspen had already claimed Fallon, as well, and while we were in a very poly relationship, I’d never actually considered what it meant to truly be with Fallon.
When I looked at Fallon the cheeky bugger winked.
“Are you scared of me?” He smirked in a way that reminded me too much of Cillian, and I grunted. He had a lot to learn, though, and Cillian could teach him a thing or two.
“Not on yer life, ye pixie.” I mussed his hair, which hung loose around his shoulders, and he swatted at me. “Go help our sweet Vail shower. I got things to do for the boss. I’ll be back in a few hours.” I narrowed my eyes on him before switching my attention to Vail. “Don’t get into any trouble while I’m away, angel.”
Vail saluted me and laughed, bounding off toward the stairs.
Fallon stayed behind for a little longer, though, staring at me. “Did I push too far with the kiss?”
“It was nice,” I admitted with a smile. “Let’s take it a wee bit slower, yeah? I never thought of ye in that way.” His face started to fall, and I quickly continued. “Ye’re gorgeous, Fallon. I can see why Aspen likes ye.” I patted him on the cheek, but it turned into more of a caress when my thumb moved over his creamy skin. “But I’m not Aspen nor Cillian. I like sex, I’m a bloke after all, but I’m a romantic at heart. I like dates and talking and doing all those wee things.”
