“Water’s fine,” he replied, side-eying Darius, who was checking his phone.
“One water, one hot cocoa, and one whiskey,” Leah confirmed with a nod. “I’ll be right back.”
Jayden handed over his jacket to Gray and took off his shoes. Then he darted for the seating area by the fire and slid across the floor on his socks.
It gave Gray a quick minute alone with Darius.
“You’re not feeling well,” he said quietly.
Darius pocketed his phone and ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah. I don’t know. She wasn’t lying—I like this place, but it also brings back memories of bad times. I didn’t expect them to affect me.” He cleared his throat and hung up his leather jacket. “By the way, your mother misses you. Maybe you can check in with her soon.”
“She texted you?”
He nodded. “She’s worried.” He tilted his head at Gray. “Is that where you get it from?”
Gray smiled carefully. “Probably. I worry about you too, you know.”
“Ditto.” Darius smirked ruefully. “Come on. Let’s get that drink over with. I’m exhausted.”
Gray followed him toward the seating area. “You failed to mention that this friend of yours is an ex-girlfriend.”
Darius winced. “To be honest, I wasn’t thinking about it. It was a long time ago.”
That may be… “She’s very pretty.”
There was no response. Darius seemed completely stuck in his head, and Gray lost his composure. He stopped Darius in the middle of the open space by grabbing his arm and palming his cheek.
Darius’s eyes flashed with warning.
Gray didn’t heed it. “Talk to me, Dare. If you don’t wanna stay here, we’ll go. Right now.”
Under his touch, Darius’s scruffy jaw tensed, and he closed his eyes. Then he covered Gray’s hand with his own and turned his head, pressing his lips to Gray’s palm.
Gray let out a shaky breath. His heart started pounding. The power Darius had over him was terrifying.
“I’m spiraling.” Darius swallowed hard and faced him again. And when he opened his eyes and Gray saw they were glassy, it was a shot to his heart. “It started when the boys went home from Florida—one by one. I don’t know how they’re coping. I’ve lost control. And—and then there’s you.” He exhaled a short laugh and scrubbed his hands over his face. In the action, Gray let his hand fall. “I have a compulsive need to be near you.”
That was all it took to surrender. He didn’t care about the whys, only that he missed Darius so fucking much, and if he wanted to get back to what they’d been in Florida, so be it. Gray wouldn’t be able to resist any longer.
“I’m here,” he said under his breath. “Okay? I’ve just been trying to protect myself. I don’t wanna be the guy who loses his mind over a straight man—again.”
Darius looked at him strangely. “Is that what you think? You think I’d—”
“Oh shit, I’m sorry.” That was Leah’s goddamn voice.
Gray wanted to scream at her. Instead, he slid his gaze to her and hoped he didn’t look too pissed.
She was the picture of a deer caught in the headlights. She definitely knew she’d stumbled upon a private moment.
Darius coughed into his fist before taking a step back. But he didn’t hide anything. He cupped Gray’s elbow, then slid his hand to Gray’s back. “We’ll continue this later.”
Gray nodded dumbly.
“You got that whiskey for me, hon?” Darius turned to Leah.
“Uh, yeah.” Leah frowned to herself and carried her tray with drinks to the fireplace. “I won’t keep you guys. I understand you must be tired.”
Sure. That too.Eight“Jayden, wait. Your pajamas.” Gray dug them out from Jayden’s backpack and handed them over. “We’ll see if we can get some laundry done tomorrow.”
He nodded and snatched up the PJs before ducking into the bathroom with his toothbrush and toothpaste.
“Let me know when you’re ready,” Gray reminded.
“I know!” Jayden hollered back behind the closed door. “You always wanna check my teeth. It’s weird, man!”
Gray grinned and pinched his lips together. Then he sought out Darius behind him, dropping his bag on the other bed.
“How’re you feeling?”
Darius blew out a breath and hung his jacket over the back of a chair. The cabin was small and divided into four parts, where privacy was only given in the half bath. The sleeping nook was next to the bathroom, leaving the front for the kitchenette in one corner and a table with four chairs in the other.
There was half a loft above them too, though Gray suspected it wouldn’t be used.
“Tired,” Darius admitted. “I forgot how chatty Connor was.”
She actually hadn’t been. She’d asked about their travels and shared a couple anecdotes about Darius and Ryan. But then, Darius considered it an interrogation if someone asked how he was doing.
Gray could tell that Darius didn’t really know what to do. He stood there at the foot of his bed and stared at his duffel. Knowing Jayden would be done soon, Gray threw caution to the wind. His stomach churned with unease and nerves and wants and—fuck it all. He closed the distance between them, slipped a hand to the back of Darius’s neck, and reached up and covered his mouth with his own.