Page 32 of Cocky Bastard

“I can’t believe it,” he said, his words punctuated with more kisses. “How did you remember? Why?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “I just did. You’re… special.”

He leant back, looking at me with a soft mouth and a surprised expression. “What do you mean?”

I smiled awkwardly, feeling less than confident for the first time in my life. I knew how I felt, but what if Kanan didn’t feel the same? Although from the look on his face, I didn’t think that was the case. Especially since his semi was digging into my hip.

“You’re special, Kanan. You always have been. You frustrate the fuck out of me sometimes but I’ve never met anyone who challenges me the way you do, who teases me and gets under my skin. You’re the only man I’ve ever met who’ll tell me I’m being a dick and then kiss me until I can’t fucking breathe. God, Kanan, there’s a reason I’ve been obsessed with you for ten years. Why the fuck do you think we’re still doing this? There’s something here. I don’t know what, but I want to find out. Because you make my life exciting, and without you… I’d just be some bastard with a great ass.”

Kane let out a breathless laugh, eyes shining like he was about to cry. I reached up and gently brushed his cheek. “Don’t cry, sweetheart.”

“I’m not crying,” he said. “Fuck, I… you are the most fucking frustrating man I’ve ever met, Austin Carter. You’re arrogant, smug, and so fucking cocky, but you’re also the one man I can be myself around. You always seem to know what I need, even when I don’t. And it feels like every time I start to think I’m drowning, you’re there to pull me out with a wink and that infuriating smile. I never wanted to admit it, but you’re thereason I made it through those last few years in Underground Dreaming. I was so sick of being a poster boy and I hated all the hours on the road… but then you’d pop up and tease me and suddenly I’d remember how to breathe again. Even if it was just so I could tell you that you were being a dick.”

“You know me, kitten,” I said, kissing him again as my mouth curled into that teasing smile he loved. “Always happy to be your bastard in shining armour.”

“My bastard. I like that.” He kissed me and slowly rolled us over so he was lying on top of me, his body falling gently between my thighs. “What does that make me?”

I grinned at him and brushed a stray lock of hair out of his face. “Hmm, I don’t know… my kitten? My brat? My pickle-hating monster?”

He laughed and squirmed as I skimmed one hand up his side, brushing over the ticklish spot under his ribs. “You’re such a prick.”

“I know.” I let my eyes roam over him, drinking in every detail of his beautiful face. I still couldn’t believe he was choosing me. “How about my darling then? My beautiful, sexy, perfect-as-fuck darling.”

He smirked as he leant down to kiss me. “I’m not sure if that’s sweet, sickening, or sarcastic.”

“Definitely the first,” I said. “With a little bit of the other two when I need them.”

“I’ll take that.” His lips brushed against mine and he sighed. “What are we doing, Austin? What is this?”

“Do you need it all spelled out?”

“Maybe? I’m just not sure it feels real.”

“It’s real,” I said. “It’s you and me, together. That’s the important part. The rest of it we can figure out tomorrow. Or the day after. There’s no rush. But whatever this is, I want it with you, Kanan.”

“I love it when you do that,” he said quietly. “Use my real name. Nobody else ever does.”

“Then that’s what you are to me,” I said. “Kanan. The rest of the world can have Jude Kane. I want Kanan Pendleberry.”

“He’s yours,” Kanan said, his lips meeting mine again as he melted into my body.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Kane

Wakingup in Austin’s arms andknowinghe was mine made the whole world feel like it was painted gold. It felt like I could finally breathe for the first time in ten years, even if I hadn’t realised I was holding my breath.

I knew there were still things we needed to work out, that saying we were together didn’t mean anything if we didn’t act on it. And there were random details that still needed ironing out too, including things I knew I hadn’t even thought of.

But none of that mattered right now.

Because he was mine and I was his, and it was everything my heart had been longing for since the first time I’d laid eyes on him.

“What’re you thinking about, kitten?” Austin asked, mumbling sleepily into my neck. I’d never realised he was such a cuddler but I didn’t think he’d let go of me all night. Not that I’d let go of him either. We’d slept wrapped up together in a tangle, his muscular arm across my stomach to keep me close while he buried his face in my neck.

“Last night,” I said quietly, shifting slightly so I could press a kiss to the top of his head. “About you… us… all of that.”

“Yeah? You freaking out at all?”

---