“Wanted to be alone with me, huh?” Braden nudged him.
“Someone has to keep you out of trouble.”
“Funny man. What do you want to do?”
“Food?” Wes asked.
“Food,” Braden confirmed. They hadn’t eaten this morning because they planned to get food in Denver.
They ate leftover ham from Christmas and some eggs at the kitchen table.
“Jess hasn’t had any more problems since Christmas eve?” Braden asked him before eating a bite of ham.
Wes shook his head. “No. That was killer, though. It rips my heart out to see her like that.”
“She’s going to have her bad days and her good days. She’s a happy little girl. You’re incredible with her. You give her everything you can.”
Those words penetrated any remaining armor Wes had. They meant the world to him. Not just because he loved Jessie so much, but because he was pretty sure he loved Braden, too. “Thanks, man. I...seriously, thanks. You are, too, though. She loves you.”
Braden set his fork down, his eyes searching for something inside Wes. What, he didn’t know, but he hoped Braden found it. “Guess you’re gonna have to keep me around then.”
“Guess so.”
They finished eating, talking about nothing important. Afterward, they rinsed their dishes and then Wes said, “I need to go get cleaned up.”
“You didn’t already do that?”
“I had a kid to get ready, remember?” Wes laughed.
Braden followed him to his room, which was really Braden’s room, and lay on the bed with his hands behind his head.
“Comfortable?” Wes asked as he stripped out of his clothes in the attached bathroom.
“Enjoying the view. I’d get in with you, but I’m not sure I can have sex in the shower with my ankle all screwed up.”
Like he so often did around Braden, Wes smiled as he turned on the water and jumped in. “Who said I’d want to have sex with you in the shower?”
“Me. I even wanted to have sex with myself when I took one this morning. I’m irresistible like that.”
Wes let out a loud laugh, pulled back the shower curtain, and said, “I’ve never known anyone like you.”
“That a good thing, Wesley?”
No hesitation, Wes replied, “It is.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Braden hated to sound cocky but he knew he was a good-looking man, knew he was likable. He never suffered in the date department, was used to getting compliments but hearing them from Wes made him feel invincible. Like he’d never really believed those things were true about himself but now could, because Wes said them. Maybe a little cheesy, but true.
Wes got out of the shower, dried off, then wrapped a towel around his waist.
“Hey. I was looking at your ass. What’d you cover it up for?” Goddamn, the man had a fine ass—firm, round globes that Braden wanted to grab on to.
Wes didn’t reply to him, just playfully shook his head as he started brushing his teeth. Well, if he wouldn’t respond, then Braden would just have to annoy the hell out of him until he did.
Pushing off the bed, he limped over and squeezed behind Wes. He slid his arms under Wes’s, hugging him from behind, his fists clutching Wes’s shoulders. “You smell good.” He inhaled deeply.
“I’m brushing my teeth,” Wes replied around his toothbrush.
“I can see that.”
He didn’t let go as Wes continued to brush, but then pulled back when he spit and then rinsed out his mouth and the toothbrush. As he went to put it back into the cup, Braden reached over and grabbed it, nudged Wes out of the way with his hip, and then put more toothpaste on.
“That’s my toothbrush.”
“Another thing I know.” He winked before he popped it into his mouth and proceeded to brush his teeth.
Wes didn’t stop him. Braden rinsed his mouth, too, put the toothbrush away, and their eyes met in the mirror. It was Wes who stood behind him now. Wes who pressed his lips to the back of Braden’s neck, then his shoulder, let his teeth tease the muscle where the two met.
“I want you,” Wes said against his skin. It made Braden’s body burn, blood rush to his cock.
“What do you want to do to me?” He leaned back into his lover, who kept kissing.
“I want to fuck you.”
“Not sure I heard you, Wesley. You’re going to have to say it again.”
“I.” He bit into Braden’s other shoulder. “Want. To.” His hand roamed down the front of Braden’s body, settling over his erection. “Fuck. You.”
That’s what he wanted to hear. He reached back and pulled Wes’s towel free. “Only if you suck me off first.”