Vengeance (The Protectors 5)

The ceremony had been relatively short and sweet. One of my former colleagues, Hawke, and his lover, Tate, had acted as best men and their five-year-old son had held the rings. There’d been a moment of hushed amusement as little Matty Travers had struggled to dig the rings out of his pocket and when he’d gotten flustered, it had been Ronan who’d bent down and whispered something to the little boy that had had him nodding and smiling. I hadn’t actually met the child, but I knew he was still in the midst of his treatment for leukemia. I also knew that Ronan and Seth had played a primary role in helping to care for the little boy and that they’d likely planned their wedding to coincide with one of the weeks Matty got to leave the hospital between rounds of chemotherapy.

Matty had proudly handed over the rings and received hugs from both Ronan and Seth before going to stand by his fathers who’d stood off to one side of the small, flower-covered arch, hands clutching. I’d tuned out the actual vows and dropped my eyes to my hands as I’d been transported back to a time when I’d been planning for this exact moment in my own life. Before I’d realized that nothing I’d believed to be true actually was. But I hadn’t been able to get lost in my reverie for too long because I’d felt a shiver snake up my spine and had known before I’d even looked up what had caused it. Or rather, who.

He’d glanced my way at least a dozen times throughout the ceremony and with every lingering look, my cock had swelled painfully with need. By the time everyone had stood to applaud the grooms as they’d been announced as being joined together forever in marriage, I’d been desperate to escape and I had been halfway across the yard before I’d even considered how strange it would look.

I should have just gone right to my car instead of hiding out in the bathroom, but even I knew it would be a shitty thing to do. As much as I needed to get out of there, I owed it to Ronan to offer my congratulations.

The chill of the water helped ease some of my raging libido and as I reached for a guest towel to dry my face, I shook my head as I realized what I’d been reduced to.

Because of one young man.

“Ridiculous,” I muttered to no one and then reached for the doorknob. As I yanked the door open, all reasonable thought disappeared as I saw Brennan standing on the opposite side of the door, his back against the wall. I’d chosen a small powder room close to the front door because I’d known there wouldn’t be much foot traffic, since most of the wedding party would be staying outside as caterers prepared to serve a variety of appetizers before the main course.

Brennan didn’t seem surprised to see me, but he was clearly on edge because his hands were pushed deep into his pockets and he immediately straightened and began shifting nervously back and forth. “I…sorry, I…” he stammered and then stopped long enough to try and gather himself. “I left something in there,” he murmured as he motioned to the bathroom. I’d noticed the garment bag hanging on the back of the door, but hadn’t given it much thought.

“I came from work and had to change,” Brennan said softly. He was watching me intently as he spoke and it almost seemed like the words were an afterthought.

And honestly, I didn’t give a shit what he was saying because I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. I couldn’t do anything but stand there, my hand still on the doorknob. I barely noticed Brennan take his hands out of his pockets because I was too focused on him closing the distance between us. I expected him to stop his forward motion as soon as he reached me, but he didn’t. And by the time I realized what he was going to do, I didn’t even try to stop him.

I didn’t want to.

I stood frozen as his hand came up to grab the back of my neck and then he was pulling my head down. There was no tentativeness, no hesitation, as he brushed his mouth over mine. I still had a death grip on the door, but the second his chest touched mine, I released it and snagged my arm around his waist.

I’d known kissing Brennan would be a unique experience, but that didn’t even begin to describe what was happening. It was unlike anything I’d ever felt before.

Because I felt that one kiss everywhere.

Every part of my body came alive with sensation as his firm lips skimmed mine several more times before he gave me a teasing lick just before pulling back. He was still gripping my neck and I was still holding on to him, but he didn’t lean in to claim my mouth again. Instead, he held my eyes with his and I heard him dragging in heavy breaths.