Page 81 of Mark Us Little Bear
“Have you been with other men?”
“Yes, two. Have you?”
“No.” I avert my gaze away from him, not wanting him to see my nervousness.
“It’s okay, look at me.” He places his hand over Amber’s belly, tapping her lightly and waiting for me to put mine on top. A tiny moan escapes her. I smile as I let my hand slide over their soothing warmth. “Do you want to be with men?” He asks.
“I don’t know about other men but I want to be with you.”
“Smartass,” Bradley smirks, pulling me into that welcoming space he always built around me, brick by brick. “But great answer. I like it better.”
“Are you clean?”
“I am, I checked myself after. It’s also been a long time since I’ve been with them, but it’s like muscle memory right?” He tries to lighten up the conversation and I appreciate that he does. “I haven’t been sexually involved with anyone for two years and I’m horny as hell if you can’t tell.”
I caress his hand to calm my racing heart, “I want to try when we return home.”
“Being intimate you mean?” The sparkle of hope in his eyes makes my heart swell.
My eyes trace the structure of his face, the tiny freckles, and the subtle reactions contorting his features. I fall in love with each fraction of him. And her. “Yeah, I think I’m ready if you are.”
“I’ve been waiting for this moment so trust me, I’m ready.” He doesn’t skip a beat as the words escape him to eliminate any source of doubt.
“I’m ready too.” An adorable sleepy voice drifts between us. “I’m good to go.”
We press our lips to her cheeks and kiss her loudly.
“We’re ready for you too.”
Amber
“Can you love two people at once?” Kat’s eyes glint with anticipation.
We’ve been chatting all morning and she suddenly throws that question at me. I take a deep breath and gaze at the stars covering the ceiling as images flood me continuously.
That irresistible spark in their eyes always holds my attention. They’re intuitive and clever. Their differences are striking but that is what calms my soul. They complement each other, so much that every day they teach me lessons about how friendships and relationships should be. They gripped me and refused to let go. They see my vulnerable parts and hold me tighter. They trust me with their secrets and I trust them.
“Yeah, I think it’s possible.”
About a month ago I was a nobody and now we feel like family. They deserve the world but our time is running out unless I figure out what to do.The first rule of fight club…I kept that secret for two and a half weeks and I feel like shit for doing that.
“Mom was pissed last night, she said some mean things when we got back here but Dad cooled her off.”
I didn’t think otherwise. “Was she mean toward you?”
“No. She just told me to focus on school.” Her voice remains steady and I know she tells me the truth. “Dad already caught us once, you know. He waited for him outside my window and when Ryan got down, Dad crossed his arms and gave him the nod. Ryan nearly choked. But Dad sat him down to talk, and in the end, they worked it out and laughed.”
“So you’re sneaking because of mom.” I slowly smirk to myself but my amusement is transparent in my voice.
“Definitely.” She breaks into laughter. “It’s our little secret.”
Dad did the same thing when I snuck out to meet a guy at the park.“I’ll cover for you but don’t get in trouble.”
“What was she like before?” Kat asks, her chocolate-brown eyes holding that gleam of innocence. Thankfully, Mom never treated her the way she treated me.
I swallow around the lump inside my throat, knowing exactly what she is referring to. “Our parents lost a child when I was five before you were born. I had a little sister for a year but she got too sick and had a few birth complications that our parents tried to keep from me. It took a toll on Mom, and Dad spent more time with me when she needed space.”
I pause to take a breath.
