proper beds yet, but we’ve gotten pretty lucky with all the other furniture. Between garage sales, estate sales, and Craigslist, we’ve furnished both our apartment and the office without breaking the bank. “How much do you think the sofa’s worth?” I muse, running my hand across the cushion.
“We’re not selling the sofa.” Leon groans, looking up from the laptop. “Did you figure out how they got the account information in the first place?”
“No, but I’ve spent all day changing the passwords for everything. I’ve added extra layers of security where I can, and I finally fixed the paper shredder we got at that yard sale last week. There haven’t been any new purchases, but that might just be because the account is empty.”
“Well, it won’t be for long,” Leon says, forcing an awkward smile.
“Good, you got Mead’s payment?”
“Well, part of it.”
I look sidelong at Leon, but he immediately looks away.
“He gets paid at the end of the week. He’ll cover the rest then.” Leon runs a hand through his messy hair. “It’s not like we’ve got people lining up to take his place, anyway. I thought this would be better than letting the place stand empty.”
My personal reservations about Candor Mead aside, I can’t exactly fault Leon’s reasoning. “You’re right. I just hope he’s good for it.”
Leon furrows his brow, clearly surprised by my response. “I thought for sure you’d be pissed.”
“Oh, I’m definitely annoyed,” I correct him. “This whole situation never should have happened. The contractor has agreed to keep working because we’ve been on time with everything so far, but that grace only extends till the end of the month. As long as we get the rest of Mead’s payment and the money returned from the bank, we should be able to keep things moving. Otherwise, we’ll be left with a half-finished renovation and no one to do the work.”
“We’ll figure it out. We always do.” Leon sets the laptop aside and turns to face me. “Whatever happens, as long as we’re together, everything will work out.”
My heart tightens as he speaks. That now familiar knot in my stomach returns once more. Our eyes meet, and my cock stirs. I want to tell him all the things that have been going through my head since I came home. I want to explain that my feelings for him have grown deeper than I ever thought possible. Every night, I’m plagued with dreams of him. Every morning, I awake to an aching cock.
I’ve tried to ignore it because I know it’s wrong. I shouldn’t feel this way about my brother. But I can’t stop it either. I’ve kept myself busy and pushed the images away, trying everything I can think of to ignore my growing attraction to him.
Lust dies down if it’s starved. Infatuation dwindles if it’s not pursued. This is neither of those.
But now, I can’t ignore it anymore.
I think I’m in love with Leon. And I don’t mean in the way brothers love each other. I mean really in love with him.
“What do you have against Candor?” Leon asks, shattering my moment of enlightenment and forcing me to return to reality. The reality where we can never be together.
“Nothing.” My response is too short. Too tight lipped.
He rolls his eyes, knowing me too well to let my lie go unchallenged. “Are we really going to do this?”
“Do what? I’m not doing anything?” How can I explain anything to him without sounding completely insane?
“Lucy...”
I cringe and narrow my eyes at him. “You know I hate that name.”
“Then tell me what’s really going on?” Leon slides across the sofa, closing the gap between us as he sits cross-legged, facing me. “I’m your partner, aren’t I? I need to know if something’s up with a tenant.”
“It’s...complicated.” I swallow the lump in my throat and force my gaze anywhere other than at Leon.
“That makes it sound like you were lovers or something.” Leon snorts in amusement. When I don’t respond, he grows still. “You weren’t, were you? I mean...it’s not like I’ve got anything against it, of course. I just never pegged...I mean, I never thought you were the sort of alpha who would be into other alphas.”
All my control is lost and I completely lose my mind. That’s the only way to describe what happens next.
Silence fills the room as my lips meet Leon’s. His lips are every bit as soft and sweet as I’d imagined. My cock stretches to its full height, straining against my pants.
I’m in heaven.
Then, as reason