Caveman (Wild Men 1)

Matt’s smile may have been faint, but it was at the same time deep, full of thoughts and feeling. Full of questions and maybe promises. Or so it felt like.

Adam’s smile is steady. Fixed. A bit flat.

Disconnected from his gaze that’s so hard right now I squirm.

“My sister,” he says, “is in pain. The kind of pain I can’t take away, or else I would. She lost someone dear to her.”

I take a step back, my hand flying to my chest. “Oh God. I’m so sorry.”

“Yeah.” He nods. “So am I.”

The hard look fades for a brief moment from his green eyes. Pain replaces it.

Then he turns away and leaves without another word.

“Go, Tati.” Gigi giggles later on, the window casting moonlight between our beds. “Caught between two tortured men. Torn in two.”

“It’s not funny. And I’m not torn.”

“Oh yeah. Whatever.”

“His sister lost someone. Must be depressed or something. Give him a break.”

“I am. But it’s you I’m teasing, not him. Besides… you’re in love.”

I throw a pillow at her. “I’m so not.”

“Uh-huh. Question is, who are you in love with? Pretty neighbor with the tragic sister or tortured man-bear with a side of asshole?”

“Gigi!” I flop on my back to look up at the ceiling, something I’ve been doing a lot lately. Sleep evades me, thoughts of Matt crowding my mind.

Images, memories of that smile, his voice, his gentleness with his kids… his strong body covering me, his cock moving inside me.

Heat washes over me, pooling in my belly, a deep pulse starting inside me.

Oh God.

“Tati? Why are you blushing?” Suddenly Gigi has jumped out of her bed and climbed into mine. “Don’t tell me… holy crap!” Gigi’s eyes go wide. “You didn’t do it with him, did you?”

With perfect timing, Merc pokes his head through the door right then. “Did what? The ugly deed? And with whom?”

“Merc!”

“That’s my name,” he says easily.

“You’re not supposed to eavesdrop,” Gigi accuses.

“I’m not eavesdropping.” He leans against the doorframe in his Assassin’s Creed PJs and half-closes his eyes. “Have you talked to that Adam guy lately?”

“Yeah. We went for ice cream earlier today. Why?”

He shrugs. “Just wondering.”

“Wondering what, Merc?”

He’s grown so much. I still expect to see the little, gangly, freckled kid he used to be when he enters a room.

Of course his voice often ruins the impression before he even enters. It broke a couple of years ago, and now it’s deep.