Page 81 of Stepbrothers with Benefits
“Are you?”
It sounded casual, but it was a good reminder that while I was contentedly thinking, Milo might be obsessively thinking...and worrying. I turned my head to smile at him. “Tell me what’s going through your head first, and I’ll tell you what’s going through mine.”
“Ew.”
“Ew?”
“Yeah, ew.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s going to be bad either way.”
“Explain.”
“If I explain what’s going through my head, I’ll sound stupid. Then you’ll follow up with what’s going through your head, which will emphasize how stupid my thoughts were. Ifyougofirst, the same thing will happen, just in a different order. So either way, I feel stupid.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I don’t know what’s more irritating, the thought that youcouldagree that I’m being stupid, or that I know you’re just being noncommittal.”
I smirked. “You’re not only worrying about all the stuff you normally worry about when it comes to...us, but now you’re also freaking out that I hated what just happened and I’m having second thoughts.”
“Sounds even more stupid when you’re the one who says it.”
I snorted, burying my face in his hair and breathing deep. “It sounds stupid to you because you’re not used to feeling insecure. So we’ll start with the immediate worry.”
“What’s that?”
“I do not regret what we just did, and while it was weird at first, it definitely stopped being weird. Pretty sure it’s safe to say that you made me go from top to...uh, what’s the one that’s between top and bottom?”
“Vers, or versatile.”
“That.”
“Yeah?”
I’d started out wanting to give him shit because, Jesus, he should know better than to worry about us like that, but the painfully hopeful tone in his voice under the apparent concern and fear made the desire to tease him wither and die. I made sure he looked at me, feeling my heart squeeze as I was reminded how much he depended on me sometimes, especially in moments like that. We were both out of our depth with one another, but that hadn’t changed how much we relied on each other. He needed me to step up and reassure him.
“Look, what we did was amazing, just like all the other stuff we’ve done. You were great, not just because you took your timemaking sure I was comfortable and ready, which, great job by the way, but because you were just great. You made me feel great, did great, and looked great, and I’m all for bottoming again in the future.”
“Would you...hold it against me if I said I’d prefer you were the one topping most of the time, like... sixty-five, thirty-five split? I like topping, but love it when you top me.”
I laughed. “Yeah, I think I can be okay with that. As great as that felt, it’s a lot of fun watching you bottom.”
“So...you’re really okay?”
“I finally have feeling returning to my legs, if that indicates how I’m feeling now.”
He laughed, and I felt most of the tension leave his body as he snuggled his face against my chest. “I’ll try not to let that go to my head.”
“Fuck that, let it go to your head. Just make sure the next time it happens, you don’t get lazy and put in the same effort.”
“Next time,” he repeated happily. “As if I would do anything like slack when it comes to making sure you feel good.”
“I didn’t figure you would,” I said, knowing it was probably time for me to address the other problems he was undoubtedly thinking about but not giving voice to. “And, uh, do me a favor?”
“As if I would say no,” he snorted.
