saved my life. I wouldn’t leave. Denver is filled with memories.”
He nodded, not making me say or talk about any of it. We hadn’t, not since we were kids. I’d told him one night, sugar high on too much soda and gummy bears, laying on his trundle. I’d spilled my guts. How my dad had stopped coming home, and I hadn’t seen my mom since I was born.
Adam had hugged me and told me I was always welcome at his house. This house, they’d taken over when his parents had retired and bought a condo closer to the resort. I shook out of the memory.
“I know it did.” He turned to me. “But that being said, you hurt him and I’ll kill you. You’ll also be banned from the bar for life and I know you don’t want to be in the tourist bars.”
Adam owned and ran the only local bar in town. If you ended up on his banned list, you had to go drink at the tourist bars, which were only good for over-priced drinks and hookups. There was no chill at any of them.
“That’s going to be a bit hard there, Hoss.”
Adam’s gaze narrowed and he stared at me for a minute.
“We better amend that to hurt him emotionally.”
I could see it click in his brain and he gagged. “For fucks sake, I do not want details.”
I brought my beer to my lips, acting cool as a cucumber. “I don’t want you to be banging down my door when he has bruises up his neck for Christmas dinner.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” Aiden’s voice called from around the corner.
Adam met my eyes as he replied to Aiden, “Have you been listening the whole time?”
“I’ve been listening to your convos since I was twelve. Are you surprised?” He came into sight, a deep shade of red.
“Bastard. I should expect no less.” Adam pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m not gonna be able to look either of you in the face. And you know Mom and Dad will notice.”
I was trying not to be smug as fuck but it was impossible. I didn’t think Adam would be annoyed, but I didn’t think he’d freak out like Aiden thought he would. There had always been a lot of hero worship from Aiden to Adam but I knew my friend. I’d get an eye roll later on but I was glad we were cool and I wasn’t banned from the bar.
“Who’s going to explain it to them?” I was having a hard time holding back my laughter.
He looked at Aiden's eyes, honing in on his brother’s neck. “Yep, I’m out. I’m staying at your place, Jensen. You two keep your fucking here.”
“Mom and Dad will be here tomorrow,” Aiden said. “You can’t just leave.”
“The fuck I can’t. You two take tonight. I’ll be back tomorrow,” Adam said.
“What am I going to tell Mom and Dad when they get here before you’re awake,” Aiden asked.
“The truth?” Adam suggested. “Wait, don’t do that until I’m here, and lock the door so you don’t give Dad a heart attack. He should not see his baby all tied up.”
The Adler’s had retired after Adam took over their bar. It was rather charming how much they still enjoyed family time. I’d been joining them since my mom died a few years back. They were family to me.
Aiden narrowed his eyes. “What if they flip? I’m sleeping with your best friend, who is four years older than me.”
“You remember they are twelve years apart, right?”
“That doesn’t matter!” Aiden’s voice got higher as he spoke. He was concerned about this.
“I don’t think they are going to care. They’ll be happy you’re not going to be alone all the way up here for the rest of your life.”
“They won’t care if he stays the night. But he can’t. We barely know each other.”
Adam and I both turned to stare at Aiden.
He crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m a lady.”
“You’ve been letting a stranger fuck you blindfolded in the library for the last six months and now you’re claiming innocence?” Adam asked.
Aiden choked and turned to stare at his brother. “I’m sorry, what was that?”
I pressed my tongue into my cheek. “Well, the cat is out of the bag about the nature of our relationship, Aiden.”
He glared at me.
“So why is him staying here an issue?” Adam asked again.
“Yes, please enlighten me,” I added.
“Living with a man is different than sleeping with a man, anyone would tell you as much.”