“No problem, I understand,” Lance replied, as he prepared to get out of his chair. Glancing over at Tanner, he caught his breath as the flames of the firepit cast hues of orange and yellow across his face, making his hazel eyes glow in the amber light. His long legs were extended in front of him, and his arms were crossed behind his head making his biceps bulge. He looked so goddamned sexy, and he was all his.
Lance had an overwhelming urge to kiss Tanner. That was a no go, of course. Not here, not now, since they had yet to do the big gay reveal. Sighing in disappointment, he rose to his feet.
Tanner reached for him, his hand closing around his wrist to halt his progress.
“When we get home, I’m not taking my hands off you until we’ve both come at least a dozen times,” he whispered huskily. Lance felt his dick twitch at the intensity of the sexual hunger in Tanner’s eyes and voice.
“I’m counting down the minutes,” he promised with a smug smile before sauntering off to look for Jeremy.
Jeremy’s room was on the second floor, right past the bathroom, and on the opposite end of the hallway from the master bedroom. When he knocked on the door, he got a grunted response, reminding him of Parker when he was a teenager. He slipped through the door and shut it behind him.
His brother was stretched out on his bed wearing headphones and reading a book, which was certainly an improvement on gaming!
“Hey, stranger!” Lance teased him, dodging piles of clothes and shoes to reach Jeremy’s bed. “Nice buzzcut, dude!” For some reason, Jeremy had decided to shave his hair off for the summer. It was definitely a—look.
“Thanks,” Jeremy replied sheepishly, rubbing the top of his head self-consciously. “I didn’t know you were coming to this thing—”
“How could you? You’ve been hiding in here all night, Mr. Hermit.”
“I went down to get some food but didn’t feel like hanging around.” He shrugged. Lance didn’t push it.
“So, what’s new with you? Besides the buzzcut you’re sporting these days?” Although their conversation felt somewhat stilted, Lance told himself not to worry. They’d never really connected like brothers usually did. After their dad went to prison, Lance became more a father figure than an older brother. So, they’d never been as close as Lance would have wished, not like he was with Parker. But at least they got along, even though they weren’t tight.
“Nothing much. Jeff’s been trying to get me to go fishing.” Parker rolled his eyes like it was the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard.
“You ever been?”
“No.”
“So maybe you’d like it.”
“Did Dad ever take you?”
“No.”
“He didn’t fish? Like at all?”
“He drank like one, but that was about it,” Lance replied. Jeremy frowned and then laid back on the bed with a discouraged sigh.
Lance didn’t know what to do with a moody teenager. He was well aware that Jeremy and Parker still had lots of questions about their father, but Lance and their mother avoided them by quickly changing the subject. The two boys knew the basic facts, of course. They knew he was an alcoholic, and their mom had divorced him, but nothing about his abusive tendencies and escalating violence. Why burden them with all that now?
“Jeff’s a good guy, you know.” Lance studied Jeremy’s expression, trying to figure out how to get him to open up.
“Yeah, I guess. But we have nothing in common.”
“Maybe you should try and include him in things you like to do, or places you want to go,” Lance suggested. Jeremy looked at him as if he’d lost his damned mind. Lance just shrugged. “Dude! It’s just an idea! What have you got to lose? He’s a nice guy. He deserves some time with you, yes?”
“Maybe—” Again with the big, dramatic sigh. It wasn’t much of a concession, but Lance took it as a win.
There was a knock on the door, and they turned to see their mother walk in. She looked very surprised to see them sitting there chatting.
“Oh,” she said, smiling and giggling from having had one too many martinis. “My beautiful boys! I’m so happy to see you together!”
Lance shot Jeremy a quick look of amusement and Jeremy winked back at him, struggling not to laugh.
“You need something, Mom?” Lance asked with a bright smile.
“I just wanted Jeremy to come down for the fireworks.”
