Page 56 of Aftermath

"No rush," Austin promised. "We have time. And if you're not ready in four months—"

"Why are you backtracking?" Cam's eyes slid to Austin's, and he scowled. "Don’t be an idiot. I don’t like idiots." He said it so matter-of-factly that Austin wanted to smile. "Just 'cause we haven't talked a lot about this doesn’t mean we haven't been heading in this direction for a long time now."

Cam was right. From the first night they'd been intimate, they had been devoted to each other without a single word uttered about it.

"I barely use the second bedroom," Cam said cautiously. "I mean, if Riley likes me…"

"She will love you." Austin's chest expanded. A million thoughts rushed through him, but first and foremost, it was the relief that made him feel damn near giddy. He could never forget when Riley said she had no desire to watch Mom and Dad meet others, but Austin remained hopeful. She was handling the divorce better now, and because Austin and Jade made sure to put Riley first without spoiling her, Austin was confident that she would come around.

"You can't know that." Cam glared and lay back, facing the ceiling. "I'm no good with kids. I don’t know any kids. I don’t have any social skills."

"With Riley, you won't need any," Austin reasoned. "She's easy to please. And not to make her sound like a materialistic brat, but you have a cute dog and a pool; she will love you." Even in late October, it was in the higher eighties, and they didn’t exactly have a pool at their apartment.

"You gonna bring the rat over, too?" Cam had met Nacho once when Austin had taken him for a walk, and while Bourbon thought the little thing was a cool toy, Cam wasn’t impressed. Neither was Austin, but it was what it was. "I'll sit on him, and then Riley will run away screaming." He threw an arm over his face. "Fuck."

Austin couldn’t help it; he laughed. He laughedhard.

18

Aweek later, Cam was under Austin's command. It was a hot Saturday afternoon, and that was good. It meant Riley could use the pool.

Cam figured he needed all the help he could get, 'cause he was a fucking wreck. Which was why Austin was in charge. He handled that shit better than Cam.

Cam liked it, though. He wasn’t being coddled; sometimes Austin pushed Cam, but he didn’t pressure. There was a difference. He knew Cam's limits, and if anything, he made Cam feel stronger and more confident.

To make things easier today, Cam and Austin had invited their parents and Landon and Jules, too, but Cam wasn’t sure that was a good thing. Now he had to impress Austin's folks, too, and Cam just didn’t do that. He didn’t impress people. He didn’t suck up or mince words. Instead he fumbled awkwardly, had a knack for coming off as hostile, and he fidgeted.

The five minutes their families had met at the hospital right after the kidnapping wasn’t enough for this to be a "nice to see you again" kind of scene. This was a "nice to meet you" occasion. Without beeping hospital machines, drugs, IVs, sluggish minds, and distress.

Much to Cam's relief, Jules and Landon were first to arrive.

"You look like you're about to shit your pants, little brother." Landon smirked.

"They're shorts, dickwad. And fuck you." Cam looked down at his board shorts, then looked at Jules. "Shouldn’t you be at a hospital somewhere?" She was about to pop. Her belly was fucking huge, and there were two in there.

"You Nash boys always say the sweetest things," Jules said dryly. "Now, let me in. I need to sit down."

Cam moved out of the way just as Austin joined them in the hallway. "Right. This is Austin. Austin, my brother Landon, and Jules, my sister-in-law."

They were dressed pretty much the same—in board shorts and T-shirts—but Cam was sure Austin looked like a model while Cam came off as a homeless surfer. There was a handsome smile on Austin's face, his hazel eyes crinkling in the corners behind his glasses, a few strands of silver in his light brown hair, and he had a body that made Cam's dick perk up.

"It's nice to finally meet you—officially," Austin said, shaking Jules's hand. Like a suave bastard, he even kissed the top of it, which made Jules blush. She never fucking blushed.

"Oh, you too." Jules giggled like some schoolgirl. Landon and Cam exchanged a look; the older Nash was slightly peeved, and the younger was amused. Austin probably shouldn’t bring out Landon's possessive side. "He's so handsome, Cam."

"Very funny," Landon said gruffly and stepped forward. He shook Austin's hand, too, with unnecessary force, but Austin didn’t seem to notice. The two men had the same build and height; they were even the same age. "So, you're with my little brother now, huh?"

"I am." Austin nodded and motioned for Jules to go to the patio. "And you should put your feet up." Of course, Austin had experience with pregnant women. "Anything you want to drink? Cam has stocked up on decaf iced tea."

"That sounds perfect." Jules was beaming. "Cam, don’t let this one go." That said, she waddled toward the patio.

Landon grunted and followed.

"I'm not sure that was smart." Cam's mouth slanted up in a lazy smile. "Now you don’t have my brother on your side."

Austin didn’t appear threatened. "I have a feeling the way into Landon's good graces is by earning Jules's approval."

Damn. He was probably right. "Well, you have that and more," Cam huffed. "All right, gimme somethin' to do."

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