Moments in Time (27 page)

Relief swept over me so fast, my skin tingled. I stepped forward and put my hand over his heart, feeling it pounding hard beneath my fingers. “I’m sorry for being such a jerk. It was never because I doubted how I feel about you. You’re who I want. You’re what I want. You’re all I want. No question. I love you.”

I’d have said more, but Tanner stopped me with his mouth. Firm, warm lips moved over mine, parting them, tongue seeking tongue. I don’t know if he shoved me or I pulled him, but we banged into the wall. Tanner pressed against me, grinding his hips into mine. My cock thrummed with a mix of desire and need.

A door slammed below us, and I held still. Tanner ran his hand down the side of my face, forcing me to look into his eyes. “We’re not them,” he said.

“Thank God.”

“There’s no trust in their relationship. Do you trust me?” His eyes were as dark as I’d ever seen them.

“Yes.” I meant it. My heart stuttered. “Do you trust me?”

He stared for what seemed like an eternity, and I thought my heart might stop beating. If he said no, I knew it would. His fingers massaged the base of my skull, and he nodded. “I trust you. I need you.”

His mouth slammed into mine, hard and hungry. I kissed him until I ran right out of air, then gulped a breath and kissed him more. Our bodies moved together, stroking, rubbing, straining to be closer. Clothes were tugged, up, down, off, flung in every direction until we were naked and back in each other’s arms.

Tanner’s hand circled as we thrust together in and out of his fist. I’d never needed to come so badly in my life.

I couldn’t focus on kissing anymore. Sliding my mouth off his, I licked a path to his neck, tasting salt. Tears. Sweat. Ocean. It didn’t matter. It all tasted like him. Tanner moaned, and I nipped at the pulse beating fast beneath my tongue.

He groaned and swelled against me, pumping faster.

“
Come.
” The word rasped out of me.

“Yes.” He groaned, bucking against me, slamming his fist up and down around our cocks.

I don’t know who shot first, him or me. I didn’t care. I sank into the feeling of us, together. No Maggie. No Dex. No Wendy. No Jason. No Sean. No Eric.

Just us. Me and Tanner.

I wanted this. Only this.

Now. Always.

Many thanks to Karen Booth, KD Wood, Kira Decker, Amanda Usen, Saritza Hernandez, and Mandy Pennington for their continued support throughout this series—without you, none of this would have happened (and I mean that in a good way).

Special thanks to Sue Adams and the amazing staff at Dreamspinner Press—it’s a pleasure to work with all of you.

I
HADN
’
T particularly been looking forward to the dinky twin beds in the dorms, but I’d at least expected them to be indoors.

“What the fuck?” Tanner stared out one side of the cab while I gaped out of the other. Mattresses and dressers covered the quad as far as I could see. Then I saw the fire truck.

We paid the driver, unloaded our bags from his trunk, and made our way toward the crowd by the main entrance of Downing Hall.

Eric was sitting under a tree with a pile of suitcases alongside him. I knew Tanner had talked to him after Eric saw us holding hands on Fire Island. Eric had said he was cool about us being a couple—he’d agreed to keep it quiet—but my instinct was to avoid him. No such luck.

He stood and yelled over to us. “Can you believe this shit?”

I set my bags next to Eric’s. “Dude, what’s going on?”

Eric rolled his eyes. “Some dipshit on the second floor put a Pop-Tart in the illegal toaster oven in his room, then went to take a shower. It started smoking and set off all the water systems on the second and third floors.”

Fuck. We’re third floor
. “How bad is the damage?”

“All I’m hearing is rumors, but it sounds like it’ll be a few weeks before we can really move in.”

“Shit.” I scrubbed my hand through my hair.

Tanner came over and dropped his duffel alongside mine. “I just talked to the RA. He said we’re going to be temporarily housed in the gym, on cots.”

Eric grumbled. “Perfect. A $45K-a-year shelter.”

“At least there are showers. Did they say how long?”

Tanner took a seat on the grass and started plucking out random leaves and shredding them. “Nope. Could be a week, could be two or more. There’s a long line of parents busting a gut over there yelling at people.”

I didn’t want to cause problems. I just wanted to be with Tanner. We’d spent our last week of summer break at his mom’s, and it had been great—sleeping late, going out to shows, eating takeout on the roof—but it had once again been a chaste week. I still wasn’t comfortable with us doing anything with his mom right down the hall. She’d been so kind to us, I didn’t want to do anything to offend her. But I was horny as fuck and looking forward to getting Tanner all to myself behind the closed door of our dorm room, not sleeping on a cot next to him in a room with fifty other displaced students.

“We’re supposed to check in over there.” Tanner pointed to two makeshift tables that were propped by the far side of our building. “They’re giving out the passes for the gym and some sort of credit from food services for our inconvenience.”

“Guess we better go check that out.”

“I’m gonna wait for Tim to get here,” Eric said. “He was stuck in traffic, and his phone died, so he doesn’t even know. You think you two could save us cots?”

I looked Eric in the eye, searching for any sign of disapproval or fear, but I saw neither. It either didn’t matter to him, or he was going to pretend it hadn’t happened. Either way, maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as I thought.

“Sure. We’ll try to get a good spot.”

“Thanks. See you there in a bit.”

I joined Tanner in line at the tables. He shifted his duffel from arm to arm, and I stared at the muscles of his back as they flexed and rippled under the thin fabric of his T-shirt.
Goddamn he’s gorgeous.
I already missed seeing him walking around barefoot and shirtless in his board shorts. Thinking about that made me want to get him anywhere we could take off our clothes and spend some quality alone time getting reacquainted. As we were handed our gym pass and a set of industrial blankets, I realized naked time was going to be a long way off.

“Want to go check this out?” Tanner asked.

“Might as well.”

The gym was as loud and dreary as I expected. With the extra-high ceilings, any sound echoed all around. Everyone was complaining. Parents who’d stuck around were bitching loudly to staff, who were apologizing and looking more stressed by the minute. What a mess. And what an ass to have burned food and caused such havoc. Lots of people had illegal appliances, but usually that made them more careful not to get caught with them.

We picked out four beds in the far corner of the room, thinking maybe that would be quieter with fewer people walking by. Once our stuff was set, we headed to the cafeteria. By the time we got there, Tim had arrived and Eric was filling him in.

“This is bullshit,” Tim said. “My parents pay good money so I can have a room, not a spot in a homeless shelter.”

“Hopefully it’ll only be for a week,” I said.

Tim shoved a huge bite of macaroni and cheese into his mouth. “What are you two doing in the gym anyway? I assumed you’d crash at Wendy’s. I’ve seen her apartment. There’s plenty of room, even if she and Tanner are getting busy.”

Tanner poked through the fries on his plate, plucked out a thin crunchy one, and popped it into his mouth. “Yeah, that’s not an option.”

“You and the Wendster have a fight?” Tim’s eyebrow popped high.

“Something like that. She’s trying to work on things with her boyfriend right now, and that involves not talking to me.”

“Summer lovers cramping your style, eh?”

“Just giving them space.” He looked sad, which made me want to reach over to him. Knowing I shouldn’t touch him was making me crazy.

“You know the guy, right? Is he a douche or what?”

Tanner shook his head, and I could tell he was done with the conversation. “My opinion’s not relevant here. She’s the one who wants to be with him. It’s her call.”

Tim nodded, looking satisfied with the answer. “Sucks she wouldn’t even give you a piece of her floor. Even that would be better than those fucking cots.” Tim waved his fork at me. “You’ve got family nearby. Can’t you just live at home until this is settled?”

“Not exactly.” My stomach twisted as I tried to think of how to explain this without really telling him anything. “My mom and I don’t exactly get along, and my brother’s got some marital problems, so I don’t want to get in the way.”

“Maybe you could go stay at the convent with your other brother.”

I laughed. “They don’t keep priests in a convent. You’re thinking of nuns. And I’m not about to move to a rectory. No thanks.”

“Rectory. Sounds dirty.” Tim laughed and shoved another huge mouthful of food into his face. “Guess you’re doomed, then. I’m gonna ask some of my buddies if I can crash at the frat house. I bet they’ll let me. I helped a bunch of them pass statistics last quarter.”

“Good idea,” Eric said. He’d remained quiet the whole time we were chatting, and I got the distinct feeling he wanted Tim to stop talking to me as soon as possible.

Tanner stayed quiet, and I wondered what was going on inside that beautiful head of his. I bussed my tray, then got another soda and sat down next to him.

Leaning close enough that only he could hear, I murmured, “You all right?”

He smiled and nodded. “Just disappointed I have to go another night without you in my bed.”

His voice was low, but I still glanced around to make sure no one had heard. No one had. Except my dick, who wholeheartedly agreed about us needing a night together. In fact, fuck the night. Right now. In a roomful of people. My dick didn’t have the best judgment or sense of decorum. It was just hyperfocused on Tanner. Rubbing against Tanner. Being stroked by Tanner. Being sucked by Tanner
.

I have to stop listening to my cock before I come right here in my jeans.
That was the last thing I needed.

I managed to get my laptop connected to the cafeteria’s shitty Wi-Fi. Sean had sent an e-mail asking that we meet for breakfast after he dropped the kids at preschool tomorrow. I didn’t have to do anything but finish registering, so I said that was fine. I hoped at least something would get resolved from our talk. I was looking forward to having my brother in my life again.

Tanner clapped me on the back the way any two friends might, but we weren’t any two friends, and the warmth of his hand sank through my T-shirt and warmed me all the way to my bones.

“Everything all right?” he asked.

“Yep. Meeting Sean at the coffee shop for breakfast tomorrow.”

“Good. I hope you guys set things right between you.”

“Me too.”

S
HOWERING IN the gym was never one of my favorite things. Doing it with so many people, all cranky from a bad night’s sleep on wobbly cots, made it all the more unpleasant. Tanner had taken off early for his shift at the bookstore, and I wasn’t ready to deal with more cafeteria food, so I headed to the diner a few minutes ahead of schedule.

A waitress came straight to my table and asked if I wanted a coffee. I ordered two, and she turned over both cups and poured them nearly full. “I’m sorry,” she said, flustered, “did you need room for cream? I’ll dump them out.”

“Don’t worry. They’re fine. My brother should be here any minute. I’m not sure what he’ll order, but can you bring us a grilled cinnamon roll and a toasted pumpkin muffin for now?”

“You got it, handsome.”

She winked at me. She couldn’t have been more than a few years older than me. A part of me wished I’d respond when a girl flirted like that, but I didn’t. Nothing. I mean sure, it was always fun to flirt. Who didn’t like some banter with a side of flattery? But it didn’t turn me on. She seemed extra nice, though. Maybe Sean’s type….

“Sorry I’m late.” Sean slid into the opposite side of the booth. “This mine?”

“Yep. Coffee’s yours. Grilled cinnamon bun and muffin are on their way.”

“Aw, Collie. Just like old times.” He ripped open sugar packets, two at a time, and shook them into his cup, then poured in two of the mini cups of cream.

I couldn’t help but smile. I’d missed this, missed him.

Sean took a few swallows of coffee and sighed, then dumped in some more sugar and another cream. He stared at me as he stirred. “You look good. Did you have fun this summer?”

“Yeah, Fire Island was great. Beautiful place.”

“You make good tips at that restaurant?”

“Excellent.”

“Good.” He bent his head to take a sip from the brimming cup. “And Tanner? You two still together?”

I bristled but tried not to show it. My leg bobbed under the table. “We’re together. We’re doing great. You okay with that?”

Sean looked up from his coffee, eyes serious. “I am. I really am. If you’re happy and this is what you want, that’s good enough for me.”

My throat tightened. “It’s not just what I want. It’s who I am. You’re all right with that? With having a gay brother?”

“You’re my brother. Period. And I missed the shit out of you this summer. I’m just glad you’re back.” He fiddled with the silverware, straightening it on the napkin, and then looked at me. “And I’m hoping you can forgive me.”

I took a deep breath, knowing I wouldn’t be able to squeak out a word if I didn’t settle some of the emotions that were stirring inside me. “I’m glad I’m back too. I missed you. Now tell me, what’s going on with Laura? Are the kids okay?”

His expression darkened, and he stirred his coffee again. “They’re stressed, but I’m doing my best to keep their schedules as normal as possible. Fucking Laura, though. Christ. I don’t know how she walked out on them. I mean, it’s bad enough she cheated on me, but who the fuck walks out on three little kids?”