“Fuck. Do that again and you’re gonna take me with you.”
“Yeah I am.” Moving faster now, Shane captured his mouth for a kiss that was so all-consuming, Brandt almost levitated, back bowing, but Shane was right there, holding him down, grounding him even as Brandt’s body readied for flight.
“Shane. Fuck. Shane,” he mumbled between kisses that were increasingly artless.
“Yeah. Come on. Come on.” Eyes closed, Shane sounded like he was praying. And Brandt had already been right there, but the pleading did it, hearing Shane so close to coming apart.
“Yes.” The climax rolled through him, more diffuse than usual, like the pleasure was reaching new places, like summer rain in the canyons flooding hidden cracks and crevices. His cock pulsed and his head buzzed. Holding Shane even tighter, he reveled in his harsh grunt as he too stiffened, face first tense then slack, transformed. So beautiful that it was humbling and all he could do was cling.
“Damn.” Shane’s chuckle sounded dazed.
“Oh fuck.” Brandt had to laugh as his breath returned to normal. “I haven’t come in my pants in a decade.”
“Thank God for that washer of yours.” Groaning, Shane sat up, taking all that warm weight with him and Brandt had to resist the urge to yank him back down.
“Yep. And the shower.” Immediately, he had the vision of Shane wet and soapy. He liked it, wanted to know what Shane looked like naked, wanted to explore and touch and taste. He might as well have not come for all the eagerness his body still had. “Think I could talk you into joining me?”
Shane made a pained face. “Brandt...”
“If that’s your ‘we need to talk’ voice, I’m gonna need that beer you promised me.” Brandt went ahead and sat up himself. Playtime over.
“It’s in the kitchen, but I need to clean up first.” Shane’s blush would be adorable if the man weren’t so freaking confounding.
“Good idea. Me too. See you in a few.” He quickly washed up and changed pants in the master bath. The cleanup process could have been way more fun if Shane had been on board with the shower plan. Damn. Brandt needed more, even now. Shane might want to pretend this hadn’t happened, but Brandt sure as fuck wasn’t forgetting a single moment. And if he had his way, there would be lots more moments in store.
“Here. Opened one for you.” Now in flannel pants and a T-shirt, Shane greeted him as he returned to the kitchen. The bottle of local brew was damp with condensation as Shane handed it over. “Hope this one’s good. I told the woman working the counter at the brewery to find me something on the darker side.”
“Somehow I’m not surprised that even your beer is brooding.” Brandt shook his head before taking a sip. It was darker than his usual, rich in assertive hops, but not bad. Kind of like Shane himself, a shift from light and easy and forgettable towards unique and memorable.
“You saying I’m moody?” Frowning, Shane shrugged. “I mean, I’ll own it, but I don’t think that liking to think things through makes me a total drag.”
He sounded like a guy who’d had that trait thrown in his face before, and Brandt could almost hear Shelby making that accusation.
“Nah. It’s smart. You’d be good in the field.” He studied Shane closer. He wasn’t an adrenaline junkie like Brandt, but he had the steadiness that would make a good first responder. “You’d make a good spotter—the guys in the air who direct their crews. Even tempered, cautious attitudes save lives.”
“Yeah. That’s me.” Leaning against the counter, Shane gave a small smile before taking another sip of beer. “I like to look before leaping.”
“But you’ve gotta admit, that leaping a few minutes ago was sure as fuck fun. We should do that again.”
“No, we shouldn’t.” Shane pursed his mouth, eyes going sharp and pained. “That was...what did you say last time? A lapse. A big one, but still a lapse. And that one’s on me. But we can’t make a habit of it.”
“Sure we can.” Brandt plopped down at the nearby table.
Even as his expression stayed reluctant, Shane took a seat opposite him. “I’ve got a stack of reasons saying we can’t.”
“Okay, let’s hear them.” Brandt leaned forward as Shane recoiled backward.
“What?”
“You’ve got reasons. Maybe I’ve got answers.” Stretching, Brandt kept his tone casual, trying to keep his intense want for a repeat at bay. “Because the way I see it, there’s more reasons in favor than not. But let’s see what’s got that brain of yours in a tangle.”
“We should focus on the baby.”
“She’s asleep,” Brandt countered, playing with the label on his beer. “I’m not suggesting we let her yodel while we get our freak on. But we’re adults, and if we want to make the most of naptime, we can. Next?”
“I’m Shelby’s brother.” Shane nodded sharply like that was his trump card.
“I’m aware. And?”
“I don’t like... I’m a crappy consolation prize, you know? And I’m not sure I like coming in second to start with.”
Head tilting, Brandt had to blink at that. “You think I’d rather be with Shelby?”
“I’d say the proof of that is asleep in the other room.” Shane regarded him coolly before taking a swallow of his drink.
“And I’d say you can stow your jealousy.” Brandt kept his voice even. Nothing was going to be served by him getting worked up. “No offense, man, but anyone who’d leave their kid with their ill-prepared younger brother isn’t someone I’m interested in shacking up with. Sure, she’s cute and fun, but that doesn’t mean she wins out over other options.”
“But—”
“Look. I’m not sure your ego needs the win, but that hookup with Shelby? It was before I met you the next day.” Even now, he could still feel the thrum under his skin, how alive he’d felt simply talking with Shane. “After we jumped together, I couldn’t get you out of my head for a while. But you were both leaving town, so it didn’t much matter.”
“You thought about me?” Shane’s mouth quirked like he was thinking about smiling and trying to hold it back.
“Fuck yeah.” Brandt went all in on trying to earn that smile. And he won a soft, shy grin for his honesty, Shane’s dark lashes fluttering against his pink cheeks.
“Me too,” Shane whispered.
“See? Another reason down. What else do you got?” He leaned back in his chair, letting the warmth in his chest spread to other body parts.