Iwantedto kiss him so badly my body turned to molten stone.
“Locke.”
“Don’t say my fuckin’ name like that.”
“Then go to bed. Before I get Orla to drag you there.”
The thought of bringing her into the heated mess this conversation had become only made me hotter, and I almost ran. But Nash deserved better than that. Damn, he deserved the world, or at least to be out on the road without one single extra fuckin’ thing to worry about.
I forced myself to relax and backed up, missing the brain-melting current as it simmered down. “No need for nuclear weapons. I can drag myself upstairs, thanks.”
“Then do it.”
The stairs were behind him. The exit was behind me. Neither of us moved until Rubi banged on the bar door.
“Nashie, let’sgo.Before the Folkster rides out without us.”
Nash didn’t blink.
I did. Rubi’s warning was fair. For all Folk’s chill, he was a get-shit-done kind of dude, and now he was happy living his best life with Daddy Decoy, his true colours were starting to shine. “You’d better go.”
Nash’s frown dug in. He was too nice to be as stubborn as Logan, but I knew a man who wouldn’t be moved when I saw one. Not without compromise.
I closed the distance between us again and made myself forget about every other fucker in the world.
About Rubi still yelling as he retreated across the yard.
About Folk engaging airport-dad mode while he looked at his watch.
About my brother and every gruff warning he’d given me about this exact moment.“It’s gonna happen, Locke, that split second when you can’t fight it anymore. And then what? What happens when the lid comes off and you can’t force it back on?”
Lots of things. Some I knew I’d think about all day in bed if I could make myself stay there. Others I didn’t want to think about at all.
Nash’s bearded jaw called to me. I slid my hand along it and ducked the three inches I had on him, brushing my lips over his cheekbone with the sweetest, lightest kiss. “Go. I’ll get some sleep, I promise.”
I straightened up before he could react and made myself walk away from him.
But goddamn, leaving him hanging was as hard as my fuckin’ dick.
4
ORLA
When I was little, Cam was so annoying, I asked God for a new brother.
He sent me River. Half the size, twice as irritating. Messy in ways I’d never imagined until he became the human tornado he remained to this day.
River jabbed a spatula into the potato tray, flicking hot oil all over himself and up the tiles, noticing neither. “I’m telling you, it’s a curse. Ask Nash if you don’t believe me.”
“I’m not asking Nash anything. And just so you know, in the history of the most unfunny things,youare the most unfunny thing that ever fucking lived.”
I brandished a carving knife in his general direction, willing to draw blood.
River laughed and ducked out of my way, but when he looked at me again, his expression was sober. “It’s not really a joke. But if you think about it, it’s over, right? Everyone’s already nearly died, except Locke and Nash.”
“Not true. Nash got gassed and Locke was a firefighter. I’d willingly betyourlife that he’s come close to losing his more than any of us.”
“Good point.”
