and Logan let it go. The big dog trotted over, tail wagging. Elijah crouched and gave Echo a pat before picking up the leash.
“Hey.” Elijah grinned and yanked him into a one-armed hug. Hugging Elijah was like hugging a bear. While they were the same height, his baby brother had gotten the bulk in the family.
“Can’t…breathe,” he said jokingly.
Elijah’s booming laughter rang out and his brother smacked him on the shoulder. The pain was instant and piercing.
“Oww, fuck!”
“Oh shit! Sorry, bro.” Elijah steadied him. “I completely forgot!”
Logan sucked in a few quick breaths, trying to work through the piercing throb. His language drew a scathing look from a woman with two children.
“Sorry,” he muttered to her before heading for the doors.
Elijah plucked his overnight bag up into his large hand and followed.
Fifteen minutes later, fresh out of the shower, he put his stuff away in Elijah and Justin’s spare bedroom. Echo was reacquainting himself with Justin and Elijah’s young dog and older cat. Logan wasn’t worried, they’d all shared this space many times.
Tucker came barreling into the room and jumped on the bed. He gave the one-year old Golden Retriever a scratch beneath one ear. Echo trotted through the door and sat on his haunches.
“You two be nice to Monty,” Logan ordered both dogs. While Justin’s big orange cat didn’t mind the dogs, he usually disappeared into the master bedroom when there were visitors.
“Want some food?” Elijah rumbled from the doorway.
“Nah.” He turned, shrugging on a clean shirt. “I’ve got a date.”
“How come I don’t know about that?”
“Because it’s on a need to know basis,” said a teasing voice behind Elijah.
Because of Elijah’s size, he couldn’t see who was behind the man, but he knew that voice.
“Honey, you’re home!” Elijah said and tried to snatch up Justin.
The slim blond laughed and darted around his much larger husband and gave Logan a hug instead.
“Careful, he’s wounded,” Elijah said, and with an exaggerated sigh, he dropped his arms.
Logan returned Justin’s gentle hug.
“What?” Justin gazed up at him, worry in his eyes.
“I’m good,” he assured his brother-in-law.
“He got shot doing a job.”
Logan sent his big mouthed brother a frown.
“Oh no! Perhaps you should cancel tonight and rest.”
“No fucking way,” he growled.
Justin giggled and danced away to hug his husband.
He snorted at the teasing little brat and watched as Elijah tenderly folded Justin to his heart. His brother dipped his head down to brush a kiss against Justin’s lips. Justin’s fingers thrust into Elijah’s hair. The move was so romantic, it made his heart hurt.
He wanted a man to kiss him like that, and not just any man. He wanted Macy to kiss him like that.
Macy was all he thought about and damn it, not even a bullet was going to keep him from his date. It had taken him months to get the elusive, snarky beauty to say yes. He wasn’t going to blow it now by not showing up.
Tucker leaped from the bed and joined the couple, all wiggles that Justin was home.
“See ya.” He snatched up the keys to his brother’s SUV and gave the pair a wave.
“Be a good boy,” he said as Echo followed him from the room. “You can see Macy tomorrow.” He scratched Echo behind one ear and left, locking the door.
August in Washington was beautiful. The clean, crisp air with a faint hint of the ocean swept through the sleepy little beach town. It was the month before the trees really started turning, but every so often in the sea of green, a burst of orange and red showed through.
He stopped at a flower shop along the way and selected something simple. A few small, purple petals that he had no clue what they were and some white stuff the lady assured him made it look great. He had to agree.
Reaching Macy’s apartment, he lifted the flowers and approached the door. His palms were sweating and his stomach was flipping in all kinds of crazy ways. Fuck, he hoped he wasn’t going to pass out. It must have been from the bullet wound and not from the sight of the gorgeous blue-eyed man who’d just opened the door.
Macy was a vision.
The first thing that caught his full and complete attention was a pair of cornflower blue eyes outlined with dark eyeliner. The look gave Macy a mysterious air. Colored pink lips pursed and there was a tiny tilt to the man’s chin. Slim hands perched on equally slender hips and one hip was cocked with attitude.