floor.
“Love him like no one is watching.”
“I
wish that were possible,” Ethan said, Dare’s advice making his body tense with
dread. Hell, he couldn’t even love Trey freely in front of his own family, much
less the world. “Did you have this conversation with Reagan?”
“She
doesn’t need to be told,” he said, nodding toward the laughing pair as they
added a deep dip to their drunken dance. Trey dropped her on the floor and
instead of helping her up, decided it was more fun to join her. “She does it
naturally.”
“But
she’s not the third wheel in this relationship,” Ethan said.
“And
neither are you.”
Hell,
what did Dare know? Nothing. That’s what.
Seeming
to realize he’d overstayed his welcome, Dare scraped himself out of his chair
and gave Ethan’s shoulder a squeeze. “Your first session is free.” He walked
away chuckling to himself, though Ethan had no idea what he found so humorous.
A
few minutes later Trey dumped a very tipsy Reagan into Dare’s recently vacated
seat. “Did you miss me?” she asked, first leaning against his arm and then
sliding down his body until her head was in his lap. His first instinct was to
stroke her hair and let her rest there for a while, but he went with his second
instinct and helped her sit upright beside him.
“I
think you’ve had a few too many,” Ethan said.
“I’m
just dizzy because Trey . . .” She blinked her eyes and tried to
focus them. “Where did he go?”
“I’m
right behind you.”
Her
head fell back, and she smiled when Trey leaned over her to gaze down into her
flushed face.
“That’s
where I like you best.” She burst into an incontrollable fit of giggles.
“I
think it’s time we head back to our room,” Ethan said. At least there he’d be
able to touch her—and Trey—without everyone staring. Questioning. Judging.
“But
I want to dance with you,” Reagan said, grabbing Ethan’s hand and tugging.
“We
can’t. Not here. You know that,” he said.
Trey
gave him a sad little smile and gazed at him through his black bangs. Ethan’s
heart twisted with longing. Love him like no one’s watching. Dare’s
words echoed in Ethan’s mind. If only it were that simple.
“Did
you have a nice chat with my brother?” Trey asked, flopping into the vacant
seat beside Ethan.
“You’re
lucky to have a brother like him,” Ethan said. One who accepted him exactly as
he was. Ethan knew his six half brothers weren’t so open-minded.
“I
know that better than anyone,” Trey said. “I wish you’d stop sulking in the
corner and have some fun with us.”
Ethan
glanced at Reagan, who was slumped back in her chair with her eyes closed.
She’d definitely had too much to drink.
“Do
you really wish that?” Ethan asked quietly. People would be able to tell that
there was more between the three of them than friendship. Maybe Trey would be
able to deal with the backlash, but Ethan wasn’t sure if he was prepared, and
he knew excessive negativity would completely diminish Reagan’s natural spark.
“More
than anything,” Trey said.
Ethan
turned his head to seek the sincerity in Trey’s eyes—such a remarkable man, how
could Ethan not love him—and inexplicably found his lips against Trey’s. For
the briefest instant Ethan forgot they were in public. He not only accepted
Trey’s kiss, he deepened it. Then reality crashed into Ethan’s skull and he
pulled away, checking to see if anyone had noticed. His gaze met Dare’s, and the
man smiled slightly, offering a nod of approval. As far as Ethan could tell, no
one else had seen him kiss Trey. But how could they miss the adoration on his
face when he looked at the man? Ethan could explain that look away when it was
applied to Reagan; everyone knew they’d once been intimate, even if they didn’t
know they’d become entangled once more. So when he stared at her with love and longing,
outsiders would think he was pining away for her as she pursued Trey.
“Love him like no one is watching.”
“I
wish that were possible,” Ethan said, Dare’s advice making his body tense with
dread. Hell, he couldn’t even love Trey freely in front of his own family, much
less the world. “Did you have this conversation with Reagan?”
“She
doesn’t need to be told,” he said, nodding toward the laughing pair as they
added a deep dip to their drunken dance. Trey dropped her on the floor and
instead of helping her up, decided it was more fun to join her. “She does it
naturally.”
“But
she’s not the third wheel in this relationship,” Ethan said.
“And
neither are you.”
Hell,
what did Dare know? Nothing. That’s what.
Seeming
to realize he’d overstayed his welcome, Dare scraped himself out of his chair
and gave Ethan’s shoulder a squeeze. “Your first session is free.” He walked
away chuckling to himself, though Ethan had no idea what he found so humorous.
A
few minutes later Trey dumped a very tipsy Reagan into Dare’s recently vacated
seat. “Did you miss me?” she asked, first leaning against his arm and then
sliding down his body until her head was in his lap. His first instinct was to
stroke her hair and let her rest there for a while, but he went with his second
instinct and helped her sit upright beside him.
“I
think you’ve had a few too many,” Ethan said.
“I’m
just dizzy because Trey . . .” She blinked her eyes and tried to
focus them. “Where did he go?”
“I’m
right behind you.”
Her
head fell back, and she smiled when Trey leaned over her to gaze down into her
flushed face.
“That’s
where I like you best.” She burst into an incontrollable fit of giggles.
“I
think it’s time we head back to our room,” Ethan said. At least there he’d be
able to touch her—and Trey—without everyone staring. Questioning. Judging.
“But
I want to dance with you,” Reagan said, grabbing Ethan’s hand and tugging.
“We
can’t. Not here. You know that,” he said.
Trey
gave him a sad little smile and gazed at him through his black bangs. Ethan’s
heart twisted with longing. Love him like no one’s watching. Dare’s
words echoed in Ethan’s mind. If only it were that simple.
“Did
you have a nice chat with my brother?” Trey asked, flopping into the vacant
seat beside Ethan.
“You’re
lucky to have a brother like him,” Ethan said. One who accepted him exactly as
he was. Ethan knew his six half brothers weren’t so open-minded.
“I
know that better than anyone,” Trey said. “I wish you’d stop sulking in the
corner and have some fun with us.”
Ethan
glanced at Reagan, who was slumped back in her chair with her eyes closed.
She’d definitely had too much to drink.
“Do
you really wish that?” Ethan asked quietly. People would be able to tell that
there was more between the three of them than friendship. Maybe Trey would be
able to deal with the backlash, but Ethan wasn’t sure if he was prepared, and
he knew excessive negativity would completely diminish Reagan’s natural spark.
“More
than anything,” Trey said.
Ethan
turned his head to seek the sincerity in Trey’s eyes—such a remarkable man, how
could Ethan not love him—and inexplicably found his lips against Trey’s. For
the briefest instant Ethan forgot they were in public. He not only accepted
Trey’s kiss, he deepened it. Then reality crashed into Ethan’s skull and he
pulled away, checking to see if anyone had noticed. His gaze met Dare’s, and the
man smiled slightly, offering a nod of approval. As far as Ethan could tell, no
one else had seen him kiss Trey. But how could they miss the adoration on his
face when he looked at the man? Ethan could explain that look away when it was
applied to Reagan; everyone knew they’d once been intimate, even if they didn’t
know they’d become entangled once more. So when he stared at her with love and longing,
outsiders would think he was pining away for her as she pursued Trey.
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