Page 49 of Absinthe Dreams
That has me spinning to face him.
"Are you kidding me?" I glare at him. "It's not like we were fucking in your kitchen, Wyatt. We were in bed! And it's not like we knew you were going to barge in without knocking. You aren't even supposed to be home for another two days!"
"Shit got handled before we touched down," he mutters vaguely. "We never even left the base over there."
"Oh." Guilt pricks at me. He was just overseas, probably preparing to do something that will give me nightmares for life if I think about it too hard. "Um, I guess that's good?"
"Yeah." He jerks his chin in a nod, his gaze flicking to Tom. "Hey, Tom."
Tom yips at him and then runs in a circle before scurrying up the front steps and through his doggie door. Two seconds later, he appears in the window, watching us from his post.
"Is he giving Thanos a hard time again?" my brother asks.
"No, just Trystan."
Of course, that makes him smile.
I roll my eyes at him. "You don't have to look so smug about it."
"Forgive me for being scarred by what the fuck I walked in on. It serves him right if Tom kicks his ass. At least one of us should get that pleasure."
I swallow hard, nudging a tuft of dying grass with my foot. "Do you hate him?"
"Christ," Wyatt growls, stomping toward me to pull me into his arms. "You really think I could hate him for loving you?"
"I don't know. Maybe."
My brother sighs, shaking his head. "I was pissed that I walked in on that shit. I'm pissed that he's taken so fucking long to finally admit how he feels about you. I'm pissed that you're sleeping together and haven't told a goddamn soul. And maybe I'm a little pissed at myself for not seeing it coming. But I don't hate him, Clo."
"I was afraid you would," I whisper. "It's why we never told you." I swallow again. "I didn't want you or Dad to hate him."
"I don't hate him. I just wish I'd found out a different way."
"We fought it for a long time because of you guys."
"Jesus," Wyatt groans. "Don't tell me that. I already feel like an asshole."
"That's because you are."
He narrows his eyes at me, which makes me smile.
"Does Dad know?"
"He suspects."
Wyatt eyes me sideways, his expression tight. "If you two don't tell him, I will."
"That's not your place."
"Maybe not, but he deserves to know before you turn up pregnant. Trystan should have manned up and told him a longfucking time ago. If he wants to be with you, he doesn't get to hide you like you're some dirty secret."
"Don't do that. Don't blame him like he did something wrong, Wyatt." I frown at him as we turn toward the park, walking slowly. "He thought I hated him."
"Why the fuck did he think that?"
"Maybe because I acted like it?" I stare at my brother like he's grown a second head. "In case you haven't noticed, we've barely even spoken to each other in years."
"Why the fuck not?"
