Page 10 of Perfect Storm
“Spoken like a true older brother.” Riley nudged him on the leg with a foot. “Those almost ready, babe? I’m starving.”
“Yeah, yeah, I got you.” Landry shot Riley a look full of gooey fondness.
Aidan looked away, fingers drumming on the counter. He was beginning to remember why he’d drunk three large glasses of whiskey last night.
Of course, that was the moment Levi decided to show up, wearing another pair of extremely short shorts, neon pink with a bright orange triangle pattern today.
Aidan’s eyes flicked down to his exposed thighs, thick and meaty and kind of gorgeous, actually, now that he was thinking about it. Then he remembered, suddenly, like he’d been electrocuted, that he’dgropedthat thigh last night.
He’d absolutely shamelessly put his hands on it and had even considered, in his drunken desperate stupidity, putting his hands on something else.
Aidan choked out an unsteady breath.
“Yo, dude, you’re awake.”
“God, it’s too early for those,” Aidan complained, gesturing to the shorts, “and definitely too early foryoordude.”
“Come on.” Levi grinned, slapping Aidan on the shoulder. “You know you love it. All of it.” His shameless smile made it clear that he wasn’t going to be pretending that last night hadn’t happened.
Aidan guessed he should be grateful at least that he wasn’t bringing it up in front of their brothers.
“Hey,dude,” Riley teased, “can you grab the fruit from the fridge? We got the pancakes and the bacon.” He hopped off the counter and was about to use the edge of a kitchen towel to pull the pan of bacon out of the oven, but before he could, Landry noticed and made literaltskingnoises.
“Use a fucking oven mitt,” Landry insisted, holding one out.
“God, you’re such a mom,” Levi complained, as Riley took the oven mitt, rolling his eyes the whole time.
“No, I’m a tight end who wants his quarterback to not burn his fingers off two months before training camp starts,” Landry said.
“Sometimes, I’m really not surprised that you and Aidan are friends,” Riley said.
Aidan refilled his coffee mug and then moved to the kitchen table, collapsing into one of the chairs. “Shot right through the heart,” he proclaimed dryly.
“He means it with love,” Landry said, tone brimming with unspoken loyalty.
“Sure, babe,” Riley said impudently, the look in his eyes brimming with just as much fondness as Landry’s had been earlier, making it clear he didn’t mind in the least.
Levi set the big bowl of fruit on the table and took the chair next to Aidan’s, even though there were other spots. Aidan told himself it was just coincidence, but then he swore he felt a foot brush his own before he moved it back.
Waggling his eyebrows at Aidan, Levi grabbed the platter of bacon from Riley and took a handful.
It was by no means the first time they’d all sat together like this, eating a meal. Sometimes Logan was there, and after he’d started dating Dylan, he’d come too. Occasionally even Lyla deigned to grace them with her presence, but they’d all been hanging out together for years.
But this felt like the first time.
It’s just the hangover,Aidan told himself firmly as his fingers trembled around the fork and he gripped it harder, trying to stop the giveaway shake.
But it was hardly the first time he’d been hungover around Landry and his brothers.
“You’re being really quiet,” Riley said, after he’d demolished a whole stack of pancakes and was going back for a second round. He pinned Aidan with his intense light blue stare.
“Dude, he’s practically dying. Cut him some slack,” Levi inserted. His glance over at Aidan was pointed. Like,get your shit together.
Aidan wanted to bury his head in his hands and cry.If I could do it, if I could actually fucking pull that off, I’d have done it already.
Riley’s gaze narrowed. “Maybe.” He didn’t sound particularly convinced.
“Ri,” Aidan said, sighing heavily. “I sorta am.” He didn’t say why. Was perfectly okay with Riley believing that his hangover was the only reason.
