“You are ever so kind.” I tried bowing to him, but that wasn’t my brightest idea. Half the remaining tequila spilled as I tipped over. “Cripes!”
“Party foul,” he snickered, helping me stand back up.
We made it to the disemboweled library with only breaking one picture frame that hung on the hallway wall. Not too shabby, if I do say so myself.
We stood in silence, staring into the room that appeared to be carpeted in shards of wood, glass, and porcelain. Hmm.
“Boots. I need to put on my boots.” I dropped my bags and dug through my duffle. I pulled them out and used Brent to steady myself. We were as balanced as riding a wave on a surfboard. We only broke the table where he had dropped his keys earlier. Plus, it didn’t take too long. Maybe fifteen minutes or so.
Once I had my poo-kickers on, I entered the room, arms loaded with all my crap. The doors shut behind me. I wobbled to a half turn and saw Brent with his head against the closed door while fumbling with the lock. I don’t think it latched by the way he cursed at it.
My eyes narrowed. “What do you think you’re doin’?”
“I’m not lettin’ you sleep alone with Cole in the apartment.” He staggered away from the door.
I stared into his eyes. They were set and determined, even as he wavered on his feet. Humph.
“Whatever,” I mumbled. I didn’t want to fight anymore.
We stumbled through the mess until we hit the largest couch in the library. I dropped my stuff at my feet and collapsed on the sofa cushions.Yeah, victory!
Brent blinked down at me, his feet shuffling in the ruins. I sighed. “Well, come on.” I lifted my arms wide. He grinned. Tilting to the left, he fell on top of me, groaning.
“I’ve missed you, darlin’,” he exhaled into my hair.
“I’ve missed you, too.” I ran my fingers through his curls, twirling them absently.
We lay quietly, both lost in our own thoughts.
Time passed peacefully. Neither of us needed to speak. The blessed benefits of knowing, and loving, someone for so long.
After a long spell, he propped himself up, cupping my cheek. His eyes danced back and forth between mine. “I want…” his voice trailed off. “You’re too drunk.” He seesawed over me. “Hell, I’m too drunk.”
I knew what he wanted. It was evident from the bulge in his pants that was snug against my thigh. Amazing, but even drunk, the man had always been able to get it up. I shut my eyes, debating. It took all of a second.
“How many have there been, Brent?” I asked.
He didn’t pretend to misunderstand. “Four. Three out of the country and the lady you saw tonight. I didn’t lie before. None of them were serious. I found solace with them. That’s all.”
“Four since we last saw one another? Our four since we graduated?” I wanted to be sure. I knew he had slept with otherwomen while he was in the Army. We hadn’t promised one another we would wait for each other then.
“Four since graduation,” he spoke honestly, even if slurred. “I didn’t know if…” He sighed and kissed my forehead. “It was such a long wait.”
Yes. It had been. Five years was a horrible amount of time to ask someone to put their love life on hold.
But…I had. All except for tonight.
If the circumstances had been different, and I hadn’t been stuck in Hell for the past nine years, would I have had the fortitude to postpone happiness?
That thought stopped me.
Look at what I had done with Cole the second night I had been in a big city. My eyes shut.
It was possible I was being unreasonable.
“And you?” he probed, stress lines bracketing his familiar mouth.
“Only Cole,” I whispered. “I thought you had moved on, like Ally did.”
