Deadly Coincidence (Brantley Walker Off the Books #4) - Nicole Edwards Page 0,19
when he was asleep, coming in the form of nightmares that were becoming more frequent. But he certainly had no desire to ruin Christmas by getting lost in his own head by revisiting those hellish months when he’d all but prayed for death.
“Why don’t we move this party to the living room,” Hugh suggested. “I know there are at least a dozen presents under that tree.”
Presents.
Fun.
Several hours later, everyone went their separate ways, retiring for the evening.
RT and Z had left, going back to their house. Jensyn was staying the night, insisting she wanted to hang with JJ and spend more time with their mother, the girls likely gossiping about the rest of them.
Reese and Brantley had been given the larger of the two guest rooms despite their insistence they didn’t need more than a sleeping bag and a patch of hardwood. When Brantley had told Reese’s mother as much, Reese had laughed at the horror in her expression. Like Cindy Tavoularis would ever let a guest sleep on the floor.
But it’d been when Brantley offered to take the couch that Reese had spoken up, insisting they would be sharing a room. After all, they lived together. It wasn’t like he could pretend he wasn’t in a relationship with the man. And oddly enough, he found he didn’t want to. Not with his family, at least. Once he’d gotten over the initial concern that his brother would pass judgment on him for his recent realization that he wasn’t as straight as he’d originally thought, Reese had been getting a better grip on his new reality.
Not that he was ready to flaunt it to the world.
Well, mentally he was. When he sat back and thought about it, he had no concerns whatsoever with people knowing he was in love with Brantley. However, the same could not be said when push came to shove and he found himself in a position that required him to reveal that detail. He still clammed up, got overly anxious, and couldn’t bring himself to admit it aloud. But with Brantley’s help, he knew one day he would figure it all out.
Like Brantley always told him: it would take time.
Now as he lay in the darkened room beneath a thick, floral-patterned comforter, head resting on pillows that were just a little too soft, his shoulder and thigh brushed Brantley’s, and Reese found he wanted to be closer to the man. Maybe it had something to do with the fact he’d realized Brantley was keeping in touch with his former SEAL team and he hadn’t bothered to share that fact with him. Or maybe he simply wanted to be close because he craved him like he craved that Jack Daniel’s pecan pie his brother had introduced him to.
Whatever the reason, he knew he couldn’t wait until they were back home tomorrow night before he satisfied this urge by indulging in the most exquisite dessert in the house.
Without saying a word, Reese rolled to his side, shifted so that he was pressed against Brantley, and let his hand wander beneath the blanket, sliding over the smooth, hot skin he’d become intimately acquainted with lately.
“Mmm,” Brantley mumbled softly.
Reese pressed his lips to Brantley’s shoulder, smiled. “Shh.”
“I’ll do my best,” he whispered.
Leaning forward, he placed his mouth near Brantley’s ear. “As long as you’re quiet, I’ll continue.”
Brantley’s response was a nod, which made Reese smile more as he shifted, pushing the blankets down, uncovering them both.
He took his time, caressing, massaging Brantley with his hands and his mouth. The only sounds Brantley made were soft gasps, which spurred Reese to continue, pausing only long enough to get rid of the few clothes in the way and retrieve the lubricant from the overnight bag he’d left on the floor by the bed.
When he urged Brantley to roll onto his stomach, the man did so without question, without hesitation. Reese didn’t waste time, didn’t linger on the foreplay; instead, he slicked his cock, then slid deep inside Brantley.
Once he’d filled him completely, Reese laid out over him, covering his back, his hands snaking underneath to curl his fingers over Brantley’s shoulders. It took effort not to make the bedsprings squeak, but he managed, rocking his hips, fucking Brantley with long, deep strokes that had them both panting even as they kept the noise to a minimum.
“You ready to come?” he whispered in Brantley’s ear.
Brantley’s response came as he turned his head, nodded, then found Reese’s mouth with his own.