Chapter 10

TEN

Owen

I run my fingers through my hair, trying to fix it enough so it doesn't look like I've been curled up in a ball on the floor for the last four hours. I told Oliver I could handle being alone while he was on his honeymoon, and I fucking failed. I hate myself for it. It would have been fine had mother not pulled her shit. But it's not fucking fair for Oliver to have to run back and take care of me. I can't expect him to do that for the rest of his life.

"Owen?" Oliver calls.

I step out of my room, smoothing a hand over my silk shirt, putting on my mask for Oliver. "I'm here."

He steps into me, looking me over like this is a goddamn inspection. "Did Colin give you your meds?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

Oliver narrows his eyes. "You didn't sound fine."

"Well, I am now." I lift my chin, squaring off to my twin.

"Fine. Where is Colin? I need to have a word with him."

"I don't know." I push past him to go make myself a coffee. While I'm there, I make two, finishing them off before I follow the yelling.

Oliver and Colin stand head-to-head in the living room.

"I'll be irate if I want to be irate coming home to you squatting."

"I'm not squatting. I'm married to your brother."

"I didn't give you permission to move into my apartment," Oliver says through his teeth.

"I didn't know I needed permission!" Colin turns toward me as I enter the room. "Isn't this place both of yours?"

I shake my head. "No. Oliver bought it."

"We need to find our own place," Colin says like it's the simplest thing in the world.

I look between them, panic rising up my throat again. "Sure. I guess that makes sense since we are married."

Oliver whips his head towards me. "What?"

"If you're going to give my husband a hard time about moving in, I guess it's time." I stroll over to Colin, offering him the mug. "I made you a latte with two sugars."

"You know how I like my lattes?" Colin blinks.

"Of course I do." Does everyone think I'm totally oblivious?

"What the fuck happened in the last couple of weeks?" Oliver demands.

"Hmm?" I ask sipping my espresso.

"You were—he was—" Oliver sneers. "What is going on?" He turns to Isaac who is slowly inching away like he could escape the entire confrontation. "This feels like we walked into Stepford Wives , right?"

"You're scaring him!" I push Oliver out of the way and go to Isaac. "Parents fought a lot?"

He nods.

"I bet you're overstimulated too. Why don't you go have a bath in Oliver's tub. Turn the lights out. Come back into reality slowly."

Isaac grabs onto the idea like a lifesaver and leaves in a hurry.

"You'd think after dealing with me for years you'd know how to take care of Isaac," I scoff and take another sip of my coffee.

Oliver growls but says nothing to me, instead he turns back on Colin. "What did you do to him?"

Colin shrugs and lifts his hands, palms up. "Just what you told me to."

Oliver clearly doesn't like the answer. "I can't believe I had to return early for this."

"Three days early isn't really a hardship, and blame it on your mother. She picked the day."

"I'll blame it on you for marrying my brother and starting Mother on her shit again," Oliver snaps.

"Your entire life is a vacation. You don't need a longer one."

"I needed it to stay away from you." Oliver loosens his tie. "How am I to fuck my husband under these conditions?"

"What conditions?"

"Privacy!" Oliver looks exasperated, and I muffle a laugh into my mug.

"Fucking liar. You love to fuck in public."

"As much as that may be true, I'd still prefer not to have to deal with my entire family so soon after my own wedding." Oliver storms out.

"I guess we are going to need to find our own place to live," I say pragmatically.

Colin frowns. "Is that really what you want?"

"It's time. I don't want to be stepping on their toes, and you seem to vex my brother in a way no one else can."

"It's a special talent." As if just remembering his coffee, Colin brings it to his lips. "This is really good."

"Thank you. I think you earned it."

"Like the kiss?" Colin asks coyly.

"I guess." I'm not giving him more than an inch. I could already see he'd abuse it. But I don't mind. The banter amuses me.

He steps closer. "How was it?"

I go over the interaction to fully process it. "It was fine."

"Only fine?" he asks. "That doesn't sound like sticky."

"It wasn't sticky." I roll my eyes, knowing the information will continue his behavior.

"Can I have another?" There is a purr to his voice.

"Yes…if—" I draw it out, locking eyes with him.

"If?" he asks breathlessly.

I take a couple of steps back. "On your knees."

Colin lifts a brow. "Is this pony play?"

"Hardly." I take a few more steps.

"I won't judge you if it is."

"It's not. I want you to crawl." I don't know where the idea came from, but the idea of Colin crawling to me stirs something inside me. I'm half hard thinking about it. Like I can create my own porn right in front of me.

Colin's mouth drops open, but he quickly sets aside his drink and slowly lowers to his knees. His full lower lip sticks out and plants his hands on the floor. He arches his back, perfect round ass in the air, and I wish a little that I did this behind him so I could get the full view. Next time. He keeps his eyes locked to mine while he crawls to me.

A primal part of me clicks awake and thoughts of hundreds of ways I could play with Colin like this unlock. Suddenly I'm breathless.

"Up."

Colin looks through his eyelashes, lifting a hand. I take it, and he uses it to get up, coming face-to-face with me, our chests almost touching. He puts his other hand on my chest. "How was that?"

"Full marks," I tease softly. He beams, and I like it so much I go on. "Your ass—it makes me want to watch from behind next time."

A question flickers over his features, but he smiles wider. "What do you like about it?"

"I told you I like porn. Straight porn has men in it. I can admire the human figure."

Colin sucks his lower lip into his mouth. "So you're admiring my figure?"

"It's to be admired. You have a nicer ass than I've ever seen on any man—or woman, for that matter."

Colin positively glows. "So you're an ass man?"

"I guess you could say that."

"Now that I know, I'm going to use it against you," Colin says in barely a whisper.

"I'd expect no less." I feel light with the laughter.

"Do I get my kiss now?"

"You just had one. So greedy." I place a hand on the side of his neck, rubbing my thumb over his jugular because it feels right.

He purrs, eyes falling closed. "I'm a greedy whore."

My hand tightens at the word. "Better only be my whore while you're my husband."

His eyes snap open, and a smirk captures his mouth. "I guess we'll see how the benefits are."

I growl but reward him with his kiss. This time it's more than a brush of lips. His part, and I don't stop him as his tongue dips between mine. He tastes like the coffee I made him, and his cherry ChapStick. It's pleasant.

His body presses flush to mine, and I draw in a sharp breath from his mouth. He grins against my lips, sliding his hand around to my lower back to press us even tighter together.

All the blood in my body rushes toward my cock. Thoughts of his ass presented fill my mind. My hand tightens just a bit more, but I'm careful to only press my fingers into the side, while my thumb wraps around to grip under his jaw, keeping him at bay.

"If you keep holding me like that, I'm going to come," he says into my mouth.

"I'm not even touching your cock."

In response, he rocks it against me, the stimulation against mine, otherworldly.

"Fuck."

"Bet I could make you come like this too—" He deepens the kiss, and I'm at a loss for words.

I massage my thumb over his artery, eliciting moans from Colin. He gets more aggressive with his hips, but I finally break us apart, knowing he's encouraged by my hardness and not wanting to send the wrong message.

He grumbles, but our foreheads rest together, and I loosen my grip on his neck. He tries to kiss me again, but I stop him.

"We have to go."

"Noooo. I forgot we have cake tasting," Colin whines.