Page 82 of My Brother's Best Men
Elijah moves too, to grab his clothes. “I guess we’ll head out,” he says.
“No.” I stop them, looking at both of them. “Stay.”
Benny curls close to me and I feel his breathing even out, though his body’s still shaking. As hard of a front as he puts on, I realize it’s all for show. Things affect him more than he lets on.
I hold him against me. “Please.” I look between Elijah and Benny. “I need you.” I look to Matthew. “All of you.”
Matthew looks at Elijah, then at Benny. “You okay with that, old man?”
Benny holds up a hand and flips Matthew off. “Fuck you, Matty. Just for that, you get the fucking cot.”
Matthew makes an obscene gesture that Benny can’t see and I can’t help but laugh.
Elijah scoots closer to me and then the bed dips as Matthew plops on top of all of us, squashing us. Benny yells, Elijah curses, and Matthew’s bright eyes meet mine.
“Fuck the cot. If we’re having a sleepover, I’m sleeping in the damn bed with you.”
I laugh, shaking my head as he leans in and kisses me.
My cheeks blush as Benny mutters, “Shut the fuck up and go to sleep.”
“Or what?” Matthew presses. “You gonna beat me up too? You couldn’t beat up a toaster right now.”
Elijah settles his arms over me as Benny shifts, throwing the covers off. Matthew winks at me as he gets underneath them, wedged between Elijah and me, giving Benny enough space that I can hold him closely.
And with the warmth surrounding me, Benny’s breathing softening, and Elijah’s hold on me, I let sleep come for me once more.
14
ELIJAH
The knockon the door wakes me.
“Benny, you in there?”
Shit. It’s Sam.
I blink, trying to adjust my eyes to the light.
And then I see the pile I’m stuck in. Benny is sprawled all over the place, and Matthew is wedged between me and Sophie.
“Quiet, I’m trying to sleep,” Benny grumbles as I shake him and Matthew.
“Guys, get up.”
“We gotta head down in twenty,” Sam says. “For the get-ready photos…”
Benny stiffens and opens his eyes. “Fuck,” he says as Matthew stretches out across us. “What’re we yelling about?” he mutters.
Sophie stirs, and then Sam says, “You guys seen Sophie? Rae says she didn’t show up yet either.”
Sophie curses under her breath and we all look at each other.
Benny clears his throat. “Yeah, she’s with me. She’s fine. We’ll be down in about ten minutes. Just getting out of the shower.”
Sophie nods as she extricates herself from our cuddle pile and heads for the bathroom. I fall back, my eyes going to the ceiling.
Waking up with Sophie is…
