Your Secret Admirer
I stared at the note that was lying on my pillow in Jeremy’s room, bemused. Either Benji had written me an admirer’s note, or Jeremy was having a good laugh right now.
Glancing over my shoulder at where he was stripping down to boxers, it didn’t seem likely he was pranking me. Jeremy appeared to be lost in thought as he got ready for bed.
He looked up and raised an eyebrow. “I’m going to assume it’s not my abs you find so fascinating right now.”
I snorted. “You’re not my type.”
“Not if you like Benji,” he agreed.
The brothers couldn’t look less alike. Jeremy had dark brown hair, a square jaw, and a sturdy body that was in good shape but would probably slip into middle-age pudge eventually. Benji was bright as a wildflower with his red hair and green eyes, his limbs slender and flexible.
“You seem lost in thought. Everything okay?” I asked.
“I should be asking you that,” Jeremy said. “You looked a little rough after talking to your parents.”
I shrugged. “Same shit, different day.”
His lips twitched. “You seemed in pretty good spirits over dinner. I wouldn’t have believed it, but you and Benji … you’re a good match.”
“Yeah?”
Jeremy shook his head. “There’s no accounting for taste, I guess.”
I didn’t know if he was insulting me or Benji. I decided not to ask. I had an invitation for treehouse kisses, and I was going to take it.
Slipping on my shoes, I tucked the note in my pocket. “I’ll be right back.”
He smirked. “Yeah, right. Enjoy your romantic rendezvous. I won’t wait up.”
I flipped him off on the way out of the room, relieved he was taking it so well.
The house was dark, everyone having dispersed to their rooms, but nightlights glowed in the hallway. I slipped down the corridor and out the sliding glass doors. The moon was high in the sky, gently illuminating the backyard.
In the center of a lawn littered with leaves stood a big, sturdy oak with a treehouse built onto it. I could still remember the summer the McKenzies had tackled that project. I’d helped a lot—or maybe just gotten in the way as their dad, Drew, cussed at tools and injured himself at least three times in the process of getting it done.
He wasn’t the most handy guy, which made it all the more amazing he’d gone to so much trouble for his kids.
The treehouse had been my hangout with Jeremy, but Benji had joined us more than a few times. We couldn’t keep him away, and I didn’t really mind, even though Jeremy grumbled.
Benji had been so cute with his freckles and his big smiles. I had no idea he’d grow into such a beautiful man, but I was not surprised he’d turned into a great person.
My person.
Crossing the lawn, I climbed the boards nailed to the tree, grunting as I climbed. It wasn’t as easy as it used to be, mainly because everything was smaller.
Benji watched me squirm inside, biting down on a laugh as I huffed and puffed. “It got small,” I complained.
“Or you got big.”
“Oh, I’m big,” I growled, pinning him to the plywood floor. There was barely room for the two of us, so crushing him under me was practical. And oh, so pleasurable.
Benji had spread out a blanket beneath him, so hopefully this little rendezvous wouldn’t end in splinters.
“I believe I was promised kisses.”
“Were you?” He blinked up at me. “By who?”
“A not-so-secret admirer,” I teased.
“You’ve got me all figured out, huh?”
“Yeah.” I kissed him, smiling so much it was difficult for it to be anything sexy.
Benji’s hands slid under my shirt, caressing muscles with those artist’s fingers. I didn’t know why, but knowing what else those hands could do made his touches even sexier. It was ridiculous, but I was turned on by his talent.
I liked that he’d drawn me before we got together. One day, I hoped he’d ask me to pose and draw me for real. I got fucking hard just thinking about posing nude for him, all that intense artist focus locked onto me as he transferred every detail onto paper or canvas.
So hot.
Benji pushed a hand down the sweats I’d thrown on for bed, his slender fingers wrapping around my cock and I groaned.
When I reached for him, he blocked my hand. “This one’s for you.”
I couldn’t muster much protest as Benji kissed me again, deeply, meeting my tongue with his own. He’d gotten so good at turning me to mush. Somehow, he flipped us, and I found myself beneath him, moaning into his mouth as he pumped me.
“You’re beautiful,” he murmured between kisses. “Inside and out, you’re so beautiful. The best guy I know. The only guy I ever want to be with. You’re everything good in this world, Ace Collins.”
I didn’t even know how much I needed to hear those words, to feel so cherished. My eyes stung, and my breath hitched, and when I came, it felt as if I was pouring out more than cum. I was pouring out all the toxic grief and resentment I’d felt that day.
All that was left was love and gratitude for the amazing person I had by my side.
Benji
Ace went boneless on the floor, his eyes fluttering closed, and I wondered for a second if he might just fall asleep. It was too fucking cold outside for that, even if we were both fully clothed.
A blast of wind came through the open side of the treehouse and I shivered.
Ace wrapped an arm around me, pulling me close. “You’re cold.”
“It’s winter.”
He chuckled.
“And I did tell you I wanted a tropical future.”
There was a smile in his voice. “I’ll give you anything you ask for right now.”
“Even a cruise in the Bahamas?”
“Uh-huh. Jeremy can pay.”
We shook with quiet laughter, and I felt so content I could stay here forever—
Another cold breeze hit. Fuck this shit. I needed to go inside.
“Warmth,” I said. “Bed.”
“But my bed doesn’t have you.”
“You could squeeze into my twin?”
“That sounds dirty.”
I jabbed him in the ribs, and he sat up with a yelp, nearly hitting his head on the ceiling. “Okay, inside. Warmth. I get it.”
He adjusted the waistband of his sweats. My hand was sticky with cum, and he probably didn’t feel squeaky clean, but we were presentable enough to sneak to the bathroom and bed, at least.
He crept down the ladder, then caught me when I half-fell on my ass. Giggling, we made our way across the yard and into the hallway leading to the bathroom and our separate bedrooms.
“Thanks for tonight,” he said quietly. “I didn’t know it, but I needed that.”
I went up on tiptoe to kiss his chin. “Me too.”
Going to bed without Ace just hadn’t seemed appealing. We’d spent a lot of nights apart on campus, but we tried to make time to be alone together. Having him so close and yet so untouchable, especially when he’d had such an emotionally draining day, had been difficult.
But mainly, I wanted to do something for him. Something to show him that he was loved and appreciated. Even though he’d rebounded over Thanksgiving dinner, joining in conversation and joking around with Jeremy like old times, I could tell his smiles weren’t quite as bright as they usually would be.