“Good job, man,” he tells Shai, then wraps an arm around him in a one-armed hug, which Shai returns.
“He’s perfect for you,” Ollie tells me, and yeah, I think he’s right.
“That was really fucking good,” Dean says. “But I’m peopled out. We’re going to bed.”
“Oh, are we?” Tiernan cocks a brow, though we all know that alone in their room with Dean is where he wants to be.
“If you want to fuck me, we are,” Dean says, then withoutanother word, turns for the stairs.
“You know how I like to give him his way,” Tiernan teases.
“You do? I thought the two of you got off on antagonizing each other,” Cillian teases back.
“That too.” Tiernan pumps his brows in this playful way that’s rare for him, then follows Dean upstairs.
“Sometimes I wish we didn’t have to shareeverythingin this family.” Ash turns to Zuri. “Sorry about that.”
“No need to apologize. You guys are kinda incredible.”
“Fuck yes we are.” I stand, tug Ollie to his feet, then go to Shai. “On that note, my pet and I are out too.”
I take Shai’s hand, the man who loves me, the one I’m obsessed with, and lead him to our room.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Shai
“No way I’llbe able to sleep yet,” I tell Rory when we get to the bedroom. “I feel fucking high or something—not the chill kind of high from smoking weed, but like I’m feeling too much to unwind.”
It’s not my style to think shit like this, but tonight was one of the best nights of my life—every night with Rory is, but starting with what we shared in Cillian’s room, telling Rory I love him, all of us hanging out, and then playing with Cillian…
“I’m shaking.” I hold my hand out for him to see. “Is it weird that I feel closer to you after playing with him?” Whatever the fuck this is, whatever draw, bond, love exists between the people in this house, it’s addicting, contagious, like it fills every part of you.
“No,” Rory says, “it’s not weird. It’s the way it’s supposed to be. I felt it too.”
Of course he’d get it. It’s like I feel Rory on a different level. Like something in the universe planned this, created these two fuckups who don’t always make the best decisions and aren’t like everyone else. It mapped out a way for us to meet, for us to be brought together, and somehow, that would make us both better.
“I have something for you,” I tell him. I bought it a week ago but have been nervous to give it to him. I worried it was a dumb gift or that it wasn’t my place, but I want to share it with him, want to find a way to give Rory everything he needs, and I think this is one piece of that.
“If it’s a dildo, I’d rather this instead.” He reaches out and grabs my dick. “Mmm, you know I always want this.”
“Be good, baby. You can have all the dick you want later.”
He pouts but lets go. I go over to one of my bags. Most of my shit has made it into his drawers, but I still have my backpack in the corner. I pull out the box, still trembling but for a different reason now, nervousness battling with the euphoria from moments ago.
Rory takes the box from me but doesn’t speak, doesn’t move, just stares at it.
Did I misjudge the situation? Is this hard for him because of the memories associated with his mom? “You don’t have to do it if you don’t want, or you can do it another time, or…”
“You bought me a model airplane?”
I did, which now feels stupid.
“No. I didn’t.” I try to play it off like this didn’t happen, reach for the box, but Rory doesn’t let me take it from him.
And then…then I swear his blue eyes light up, his smile gets so fucking big, I can’t believe it fits on his face. He looksgiddy, in this excited, almost childlike way I’ve never seen from him before. “Let’s do it right now.” He immediately turns toward the desk. It’s got clothes and other shit on it, but Rory just knocks everything to the floor.
Okay, I guess this was a good idea. I made him happy, which is one of my favorite things.
