Page 64 of My Brother's Best Men
Clearly I’m headed for an early life crisis or something…
I look at Matthew, and suddenly those nerves fall away. He looks almost innocent, sweet with his furrowed eyebrows, his lips glimmering with the remnants of me.
“You were amazing,” I tell him, because it’s true. “I’ve never been able to come that fast before.”
He smiles, beaming with pride. “Really? You’re not just saying that to make me feel better?”
I shake my head as I take two steps toward him. “No.” I reach up and settle my hand on his neck. “Ten out of ten. Totally recommend.”
He smirks. “Good to know I can satisfy you.” He leans down and gently kisses me. It’s not a rushed kiss of heat and desire, but one that speaks volumes. He kisses me slowly, underneath the moonlight, and I can taste myself on him.
“We really should head back,” he says softly.
I nod as he settles his hand on my back once more, gently guiding me. I hear a rustle in the trees and momentarily I panic, but when I look at the tree line, I don’t see anything. Maybe I’m just imagining things because the truth of what I’ve done…what we’ve done…hangs in the air between us.
We walk back to the hotel side by side. His warmth and body make me feel at ease, and I realize howeasyit is to just…be. With him. It’s like nothing has changed but everything has changed. Maybe…
Maybe this could be a thing?
Maybe when I get the courage to tell my parents the truth, about Keaton and me, after this wedding…
Matthew stops just on the edge of the hotel property, the light falling on us. The beach is full of small campfires, but there aren’t a ton of people out.
I catch him staring.
“I want to kiss you, but if you’re worried someone might see us, I understand.”
My heart falls at his words and I grasp his chin, pulling him toward me. “Oh, Matthew…”
I kiss him gently. He settles into me with equal ease, but I break away almost instantly. A quick, chaste kiss.
I hear a familiar grunt of anger and turn to see Benny. On the edge of the horizon, staring at us both. I notice how he’s holding his crotch, and the fire in his gaze, and then I see the leaves in his hair. Leaves from the trees that surrounded the beach where Matthew and I just…
And all at once, I realize I wasn’t imagining things.
Benny was there.
He was watching us.
How much did he see?
“I…I’ll see you tomorrow, Matthew,” I say as I head off toward Benny who just turns around and gives me his back. “Oh no you don’t, Benjamin Anderson…” I mutter to myself as I take off, but he’s too fast. I move through the crowd on the deck listening to the band, trying to keep my eye on him, but I lose him when I run smack into something hard.
Or rather, someone.
“Hey, you okay?” Elijah asks, and I look over his shoulder, but Benny is gone. Like a ghost, nowhere to be seen.
Fucking hell.
I’ll have to wait until I make it up to the room…
“Yeah, just…thought I saw Benny.”
Elijah nods. “I know things have been…awkward at best between us.” His dark brown eyes are clouded with sadness, and all at once history comes flooding back to me.
“Elijah…”
“Can I…can I buy you a drink? Maybe we can… talk?”
