Read Online Lost in Flames (Lost Series Book 2) by C.T. Nicholson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: C.T. Nicholson
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haven't been serious. Sophia cheated by getting married first. I'm a firm believer that we should only get married by age. Oldest first. Looks like Mike is finally giving in to the life of eternity with one woman. And well, Jacob is older than me."
"By a few minutes!" Sophia giggled.
"Wow, Nick. You definitely have an interesting idea about marriage. And once again, YOU don't know when to keep your comments to yourself." Jacob grinned inwardly when Mike and Tessa's cheeks turned red. "Tessa, as you can see, you should just ignore my brother."
The doorbell rang and he jumped up to get the pizza. With the order paid for online, he took the five boxes of pizzas and two boxes of cheese bread after handing a twenty as a tip for the kid.
"Thanks, man!" The youth took off toward his car.
Jacob went to shut the door with his boot but Ryan was there to help. "I got it."
His smell bombarded him. Jacob let him take a couple of boxes, their hands grazing. The simple touch had him clenching his teeth, hoping no one, especially Ryan, noticed what the contact did to him.
The others started with the salads Mike had thrown together last minute. While he waited, Jacob grabbed a beer from the fridge and twisted the top off of the bottle. He lifted it to his lips, spilling it when someone bumped him from behind. "Shit."
He noticed Sophia holding her belly. "Sorry. It's bigger than I realize."
"It's okay. I'm going to change shirts though. Be right back." He didn't want to spend the evening smelling like beer and the truth was, it gave him a moment alone after that stressing conversation his brother had started before dinner.
****
Ryan couldn't have gotten a better moment to speak with Jacob alone. As everyone went to sit, he took the opportunity to get away. Luckily, the downstairs bathroom was in the middle of remodeling, so he'd have to go upstairs. "I'll be right back. Had too much tea."
The look Sophia gave him proved how close they were. She knew his every thought, it seemed.
Instead of walking straight down the hall, he turned into Jacob's room. The sight of the man standing shirtless forced him to fight to catch his breath again and to keep his thoughts away from places they shouldn't go. Jacob's well-defined muscles bunched and twisted as he searched for a shirt, then he paused when he sensed his presence. Ryan stepped further into the room. "So you were talking to your girlfriend?"
"Not you, too." Jacob scrubbed his hand over his face, shaking his head.
There was no way to ignore that he hadn't found a shirt. "I know the truth. So does Sophia."
Jacob kept his gaze averted. "I have no idea what you're talking about. We should get back downstairs."
Tired of the theatrics, Ryan shoved Jacob against the wall, grabbed his face, and kissed him—perhaps the most idiotic thing he'd ever done, but the greatest, too.
The hot mouth beneath his didn't respond at first and then Jacob's lips parted to accept the attack. Jacob curled his hands on his shoulders, held tight for a moment, then shoved him away. Ryan's legs went out from beneath him when he hit the bed. If only things had gone in the direction he'd fantasized about when he pictured Jacob pushing him onto the mattress.
But no; good stuff just didn't happen that easily. Jacob just stood there breathing hard. Staring.
"Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again," he bit out.
Rejection hurt. As well as the anger in Jacob's tone and in his glare. As many times as he imagined kissing the man, he never thought he'd see such disgust in his eyes. He ignored the pain. "I'm confronting you because your secret is going to hurt everyone around you if you don't open up. It has already hurt Sophia that you didn't trust her enough to tell her."
"Like you have any room to talk. Why are you still trying to keep yours anyways? Everyone knows." Jacob jerked a shirt from its hanger and put it on before exiting without another word.
After Ryan gathered his composure, he went back downstairs and
"By a few minutes!" Sophia giggled.
"Wow, Nick. You definitely have an interesting idea about marriage. And once again, YOU don't know when to keep your comments to yourself." Jacob grinned inwardly when Mike and Tessa's cheeks turned red. "Tessa, as you can see, you should just ignore my brother."
The doorbell rang and he jumped up to get the pizza. With the order paid for online, he took the five boxes of pizzas and two boxes of cheese bread after handing a twenty as a tip for the kid.
"Thanks, man!" The youth took off toward his car.
Jacob went to shut the door with his boot but Ryan was there to help. "I got it."
His smell bombarded him. Jacob let him take a couple of boxes, their hands grazing. The simple touch had him clenching his teeth, hoping no one, especially Ryan, noticed what the contact did to him.
The others started with the salads Mike had thrown together last minute. While he waited, Jacob grabbed a beer from the fridge and twisted the top off of the bottle. He lifted it to his lips, spilling it when someone bumped him from behind. "Shit."
He noticed Sophia holding her belly. "Sorry. It's bigger than I realize."
"It's okay. I'm going to change shirts though. Be right back." He didn't want to spend the evening smelling like beer and the truth was, it gave him a moment alone after that stressing conversation his brother had started before dinner.
****
Ryan couldn't have gotten a better moment to speak with Jacob alone. As everyone went to sit, he took the opportunity to get away. Luckily, the downstairs bathroom was in the middle of remodeling, so he'd have to go upstairs. "I'll be right back. Had too much tea."
The look Sophia gave him proved how close they were. She knew his every thought, it seemed.
Instead of walking straight down the hall, he turned into Jacob's room. The sight of the man standing shirtless forced him to fight to catch his breath again and to keep his thoughts away from places they shouldn't go. Jacob's well-defined muscles bunched and twisted as he searched for a shirt, then he paused when he sensed his presence. Ryan stepped further into the room. "So you were talking to your girlfriend?"
"Not you, too." Jacob scrubbed his hand over his face, shaking his head.
There was no way to ignore that he hadn't found a shirt. "I know the truth. So does Sophia."
Jacob kept his gaze averted. "I have no idea what you're talking about. We should get back downstairs."
Tired of the theatrics, Ryan shoved Jacob against the wall, grabbed his face, and kissed him—perhaps the most idiotic thing he'd ever done, but the greatest, too.
The hot mouth beneath his didn't respond at first and then Jacob's lips parted to accept the attack. Jacob curled his hands on his shoulders, held tight for a moment, then shoved him away. Ryan's legs went out from beneath him when he hit the bed. If only things had gone in the direction he'd fantasized about when he pictured Jacob pushing him onto the mattress.
But no; good stuff just didn't happen that easily. Jacob just stood there breathing hard. Staring.
"Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again," he bit out.
Rejection hurt. As well as the anger in Jacob's tone and in his glare. As many times as he imagined kissing the man, he never thought he'd see such disgust in his eyes. He ignored the pain. "I'm confronting you because your secret is going to hurt everyone around you if you don't open up. It has already hurt Sophia that you didn't trust her enough to tell her."
"Like you have any room to talk. Why are you still trying to keep yours anyways? Everyone knows." Jacob jerked a shirt from its hanger and put it on before exiting without another word.
After Ryan gathered his composure, he went back downstairs and
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