When the brass eventually found out, that would be the breaking point; not this, not here, not right now.“I was hoping we could at least make it longer than seven months.”
Kyle hummed softly, working one warm hand between the weight of the blankets to stroke Jamie’s hip.“You giving up on us that quick?”
Jamie didn’t fight the reflexive tightening of his hands on Kyle’s body.“Never.”
“Good, because neither am I.We’ll figure it out.”
They wouldn’t be a field team forever, Jamie knew.Their bodies could only sustain so much damage, metahuman or not, before needing to step back and let someone younger take over.Jamie knew they had at least five more good years in them, maybe a little more, before they’d have to seriously consider if they wanted to remain a team or get promoted out to different support positions.
If they survived, that is.
Jamie stroked his fingers absently over Kyle’s warm skin, exhaustion pulling at his body, but his mind wasn’t giving in to sleep that easily.
“If we weren’t in the position we’re in, I would’ve introduced you to my family long before now,” Jamie said.
Kyle’s sharp breath blew warmly over Jamie’s chest.“I know.”
“I’m not ashamed of you.I need you to know that.”
“I know, Jamie.The job is important.If you didn’t believe in what we did, I don’t think we’d even be together.You being who you are is why I—I’ve stayed.Why I’m willing to be with you even if we can’t tell people.I wouldn’t have you any other way.”
Jamie closed his eyes against the darkness of the bedroom, pressing a kiss to the top of Kyle’s head.The words were on the tip of his tongue, an echo of what he’d almost told his sister, but Jamie swallowed them back.
“Just keep trusting me,” Jamie asked.
Kyle’s lips brushed a soft kiss over Jamie’s heart.“Always.”
* * *
Kyle eyed the coffee maker with something like desperation as it brewed.At 0450, he had ten minutes before everyone’s alarms would start going off and the fight over the coffeepot would begin.With Jamie still sleeping, Kyle was hoping to wake him up with fresh caffeine instead of a blowjob because they didn’t really have time for that today.
He heard footsteps on the stairs and glanced over his shoulder, freezing when he caught sight of who was making their way to the kitchen.Leah was bundled up in a thick robe, soft-looking sleep pants, and fuzzy slippers.Her hair was a mess, but Kyle knew from years of experience living with sisters that pointing that out to her would be a death wish.
Leah didn’t seem to know it was him at first until she actually made it to the kitchen.Kyle watched as she came to a stop near the kitchen island, blinking rapidly at him.They stared at each other in silence for several seconds before Leah cleared her throat.
“Please tell me that’s coffee and not synthcaf,” she said.
The coffeepot beeped softly, and Kyle nodded.“Coffee.”
Kyle took down another mug to join his and Jamie’s on the counter.He poured coffee into all three and let Leah doctor hers up how she liked it before dumping creamer and sugar into his and Jamie’s.
“That for Jamie?”she asked, nodding at the mug beside his.
“Yeah.Figured I’d grab some for us before the horde descended.”
“So you’re sleeping with my brother.”
Kyle tensed, staring at her with a wariness he usually only reserved for an adversary, and that wasn’t really fair to her.In the cold light of morning, Leah looked small and young and tired, different from the hurt, angry woman he’d glimpsed in the office last night.However much he and Jamie rationalized keeping their relationship a secret, Leah had still been hurt by their actions.Kyle had hated hurting Valentina and Tatyana while growing up, and he knew Jamie felt the same way toward Leah.
Feeling sorry for her still didn’t make this easy.
“I am,” Kyle said slowly.
Leah leaned against the counter, taking a sip of coffee as she stared him down with a frankness that reminded him of Jamie.“I was a little pissed last night.”
“I know you’re probably still angry—”
“I’m not angry with you,” Leah interrupted.“And I already yelled it out with Jamie.I’m not going to do it all over again with you.It’s too early for that sort of fight.”
