“You think he’ll be okay?” Cain twisted around on his chair, watching the man as he left. “Should we go after him?”
“No, but I’ll leave my business card and make sure Ken gives it to him if he comes in again.”
Cain pursed his lips, watching the now empty doorway. Should he go out after the young man? Shaking his head, he turned back to Archer. He lifted his eyes, and they stared at each other across the table.
“Cain, I know you’re hesitant—”
“Can we not discuss it right now? Let’s talk and have a few beers. Let’s see what happens.”
Archer licked his lips and finished his beer, and suddenly, Cain was fascinated by Archer’s Adam’s apple as he swallowed. He remembered licking and sucking the skin there, watching the skin redden.
“If you keep looking at me like that, we won’t be talking.”
“Shit.” Cain dropped his head. “We need to forget about the vacation.” They had to, because Cain couldn’t keep going back and forth with his thoughts and emotions. He wanted Archer, but was it the right decision?
What if they fell out, the repercussions would affect the whole family, not just him and Archer, but Archer had a point too. He wanted to explore what they’d started on vacation. The man had made him scream, and no woman had ever done that. No woman had made him feel the way Archer had.
It wasn’t just the sex, though that had been fabulous; it was how the silence felt when they were together. Cain hadn’t felt the need to fill it with meaningless conversation. He’d felt comfortable with Archer even if they were simply walking along the beach.
He’d held his hand. Cain never held hands, but for some reason he’d done it with Archer. When he’d realized that he’d done it that first time, he’d almost dropped Archer’s hand, but Archer had squeezed his, and the panic had been swept away by Archer’s kind smile.
Like Archer understood and was supporting him.
Cain sighed and closed his eyes. When Archer’s hand touched his, he opened them and looked into his eyes. Should he take the step he desperately wanted to? Was the risk worth it?
Was the potential fall out if things went south worth the risk of finding out if they could have a future together?
Chapter Fifteen
ARCHER COULD SEE the emotions on Cain’s face as he struggled. The indecision wearing at him. He had the same fears, the same reasons to walk away and try to be just friends, stepbrothers. But he knew they could have something Archer had never experienced.
The connection between them on vacation had been undeniable, and Archer didn’t want to lose the chance to have it again, even if it meant upsetting some. He didn’t care as long as his family was okay, that was all that mattered to him.
The last morning of his vacation he’d lain awake, watching Cain sleep, memorizing his features. A vacation fling that had surprised both of them with how intense it had become. Right from the start, in the bar, he’d had some inkling in the back of his mind that Cain could be the one, but he’d ruthlessly smothered it, because it would lead to nothing.
Two weeks of fun in the sun and then go their separate ways and probably never see each other again. But now, they had a second chance, and Archer was scared to take it, but he wanted to anyway.
He watched Cain, seeing the internal conflict, and reached out to take his hand. He wasn’t alone in this; Archer had the same issues, the same concerns; and they both knew the potential repercussions if their relationship failed.
“Cain.”
Cain shrugged his hand free, and Archer reluctantly let it go. “I’m hungry. Want some chips?”
Archer nodded and watched Cain get up and walk over to the bar. Sighing, he dropped his head in his hands. Cain needed time to sort through what was going on in his head. That was where they differed.
Archer thought then acted. Cain thought and then thought. He liked the differences between them, but right now he wanted to be at home, naked in bed, with Cain draped over his body, touching and kissing him, rekindling their passion.
Archer lifted his head and saw Cain watching him from across the table. He furrowed his brow. He hadn’t realized Cain had returned; he’d been so lost in thought.
Cain smiled. “You seemed deep in thought.” He pointed to the chips. “I bought these.”
Archer glanced at the chips then back at Cain. “I want more, Cain.”
Cain pursed his lips. “I need to think about it.”
Well, that was better than a flat-out no. “How much time?” He knew he was pushing, but fuck it, he wanted Cain.
“An hour.”
Archer scratched his cheek, furrowing his brow. “An hour?”
Cain blushed and looked away. “I’ve ordered food. So I need to eat, and then we can go back to yours.”
Archer sucked in a breath. Did this mean...? “So, that’s a yes?”
“It is. Life is too short and us? We click. I don’t want to miss out on the chance of having something good with you. But—and I mean it—we have rules in place. If this fails between us, the family can’t be affected by it. We have to be open with our feelings and tell the other what works and what doesn’t. I won’t have my family forced to decide who gets invited to what party. It won’t be fair to any of them.”
“They’d chose you obviously.”
“But Dad is married to Lydia and we all get along. If this fails and we break up, it can’t spill out onto their relationship. They don’t need our problems on top of Anton and his issues. Agreed?”
“Agreed.” Archer leaned forward on the table and took Cain’s hand in both of his. “We have to communicate, and I’m really good at that.”
Cain’s blush deepened, and he chuckled. “In bed you are. Out of it?”
“I’ll get there. I want this, Cain, with you. I didn’t want to leave when my vacation was over. I wanted to stay with you. This is our second chance, and I don’t want to waste it.”
Cain smiled and tugged his hand free. Archer slid his under the table and leaned back in his chair. He glanced around the pub and saw a family glaring at them. Smiling, he waved, and they hastily looked away. Bigoted fuckers.
He closed his eyes and remembered snorkeling with Cain, the water crystal clear. It had been hot, as usual, and Cain had only worn shorts, his bare chest teasing Archer. They spent maybe five minutes in the water before finding a secluded spot and doing some exploring of their own.
Cain’s body was Archer’s fantasy come to life, and he’d spent a long time exploring it, tasting the salty water that covered Cain’s skin with his tongue. They’d barely made it back to Archer’s room before Cain was riding them both into a hot sticky mess. For a former straight man, Cain had no issues initiating sex between them or taking the lead when he wanted something.
The shower after had been fun too. Oh yeah, it had been fun, and when Cain had bent Archer over the bed later that night...
“Archer.”
He opened his eyes, and Cain’s lips parted. He no doubt could see what Archer wanted; he wasn’t hiding his desire from him. He made a show of moving his hand down his chest and rearranging his dick, and he saw Cain’s chest move faster.