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Authors: Kelli McCracken
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glaring at his friend. “If you ever expose yourself to my wife again, I will kick your ass. You won’t get a warning and I will not show mercy.”
The arrogant smile returned to Layne’s face. “What’s wrong, bro? Don’t you have faith in your soulmate, or are you afraid you don’t stack up to me?”
Dylan descended the steps in haste. He didn’t care about sand or sounds, just controlling the need to punch Layne in the face.
“I know how much my wife loves me. She is more than satisfied physically. Not just because I exceed her expectations. I satisfy her soul. That’s one thing you could never do, even if you had a chance.”
The smile kinking Layne’s mouth fell. It didn’t take long for his brows to fold, or the hardness to reenter his eyes. It was in that brief moment that Dylan gained what he wanted—the satisfaction of getting under Layne’s skin.
“Whatever.”
Layne mumbled the word to himself. He turned around and faced the deck, but Dylan refused to back down. He grabbed his shoulder, pulling it until Layne looked at him.
“Don’t whatever me. You made her uncomfortable tonight. Don’t do it again.”
Layne chuckled under his breath as he nodded his head. His eyes landed on Dylan’s shoulder a second later. “Are we done?”
“We will be, after you finish explaining what happened to your room.”
“I put the fires out, opened the window to filter the smoke, and came out here to clear my head. I may have been here five minutes when I felt something pulling me back inside.” He stole a glance toward the cottage before he released a sigh. “I was returning to get my clothes when I found you both in my room talking about me. It was just as embarrassing for me as it was for her.”
“Yeah, I could tell by your beast comment.”
Layne flung his hands in the air. They slapped against his sides once they fell. “Look, I’ve apologized time and again for my mistakes. I don’t know what else to say, Dylan. This isn’t easy for any of us.”
He looked as though he expected Dylan to say something, which made Dylan press his lips tighter. If his friend wanted forgiveness, tough shit. He wasn’t in the forgiving mood.
When Layne finally turned to walk away, Dylan followed. Guilt ate at part of him for being such a dick, but pride kept him silent. The sooner Layne realized where he factored into this trio, the easier things would be for all of them.
Just as Layne reached the door, he came to a stop. He sputtered something that sounded like a laugh then turned around and glared at Dylan. “You know what? You’re a self-righteous asshole. You give me hell for keeping secrets and stressing Heaven with my behavior. What about your secrets, Dylan? What about your behavior?”
Nothing more was said. A brief exchange of angry eyes ended the conversation. The door closed behind Layne a moment later.
Frustration sparked within Dylan’s soul as he watched him head toward his room. Heaven had to be feeling it too. Unless…
He waited to see if she’d send him a comforting pulse of energy, but nothing ever came. Perfect. The baby was blocking them again, at least on his end. Hopefully Heaven was being blocked, too, which would be a blessing for a change.
Rubbing his shoulder, he released a sigh, cursing himself for stooping to this level. He needed to get over his anger with Layne. More than that, he had to get over it. Anything less would make things worse on Heaven. As if she didn’t have enough to deal with.
Yet each time he tried to forget what happened, he’d see the way Layne looked at her. Knowing they shared a connection proved too much. He didn’t want her connected to anyone but him, regardless of the person’s role in her life. Having his closest friend fill this role…
He dug his fingers into the rail, fighting against the thought of Layne kissing Heaven. Where had it happened? How long did it last? Did he hold her in his arms when he did it?
Layne could deny it all he
The arrogant smile returned to Layne’s face. “What’s wrong, bro? Don’t you have faith in your soulmate, or are you afraid you don’t stack up to me?”
Dylan descended the steps in haste. He didn’t care about sand or sounds, just controlling the need to punch Layne in the face.
“I know how much my wife loves me. She is more than satisfied physically. Not just because I exceed her expectations. I satisfy her soul. That’s one thing you could never do, even if you had a chance.”
The smile kinking Layne’s mouth fell. It didn’t take long for his brows to fold, or the hardness to reenter his eyes. It was in that brief moment that Dylan gained what he wanted—the satisfaction of getting under Layne’s skin.
“Whatever.”
Layne mumbled the word to himself. He turned around and faced the deck, but Dylan refused to back down. He grabbed his shoulder, pulling it until Layne looked at him.
“Don’t whatever me. You made her uncomfortable tonight. Don’t do it again.”
Layne chuckled under his breath as he nodded his head. His eyes landed on Dylan’s shoulder a second later. “Are we done?”
“We will be, after you finish explaining what happened to your room.”
“I put the fires out, opened the window to filter the smoke, and came out here to clear my head. I may have been here five minutes when I felt something pulling me back inside.” He stole a glance toward the cottage before he released a sigh. “I was returning to get my clothes when I found you both in my room talking about me. It was just as embarrassing for me as it was for her.”
“Yeah, I could tell by your beast comment.”
Layne flung his hands in the air. They slapped against his sides once they fell. “Look, I’ve apologized time and again for my mistakes. I don’t know what else to say, Dylan. This isn’t easy for any of us.”
He looked as though he expected Dylan to say something, which made Dylan press his lips tighter. If his friend wanted forgiveness, tough shit. He wasn’t in the forgiving mood.
When Layne finally turned to walk away, Dylan followed. Guilt ate at part of him for being such a dick, but pride kept him silent. The sooner Layne realized where he factored into this trio, the easier things would be for all of them.
Just as Layne reached the door, he came to a stop. He sputtered something that sounded like a laugh then turned around and glared at Dylan. “You know what? You’re a self-righteous asshole. You give me hell for keeping secrets and stressing Heaven with my behavior. What about your secrets, Dylan? What about your behavior?”
Nothing more was said. A brief exchange of angry eyes ended the conversation. The door closed behind Layne a moment later.
Frustration sparked within Dylan’s soul as he watched him head toward his room. Heaven had to be feeling it too. Unless…
He waited to see if she’d send him a comforting pulse of energy, but nothing ever came. Perfect. The baby was blocking them again, at least on his end. Hopefully Heaven was being blocked, too, which would be a blessing for a change.
Rubbing his shoulder, he released a sigh, cursing himself for stooping to this level. He needed to get over his anger with Layne. More than that, he had to get over it. Anything less would make things worse on Heaven. As if she didn’t have enough to deal with.
Yet each time he tried to forget what happened, he’d see the way Layne looked at her. Knowing they shared a connection proved too much. He didn’t want her connected to anyone but him, regardless of the person’s role in her life. Having his closest friend fill this role…
He dug his fingers into the rail, fighting against the thought of Layne kissing Heaven. Where had it happened? How long did it last? Did he hold her in his arms when he did it?
Layne could deny it all he
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