Page 174 of Enemy Within

“Mom, Mom, Mom.” He sank down beside her, pulling his mom into his arms. Her gray hair tickled his chin as he held her. “It’s all right. This answers a question I needed to know.”

“This is all connected, right? She was leaving because—”

“She was agoodperson, Mom. She wanted to do what was right. And she paid the price for it.”

“God, I’m so sorry to give it to you now. When you’re happy with Ethan. I don’t want to mess up what you and Ethan have—”

“You aren’t. Leslie is gone, and nothing will ever change that. Yes, I loved her, but that love belongs in the past. Even if she did come back—and she wasn’t a clone when she did—” He tried to smile, but Mary just groaned and closed her eyes. “Even if she did walk in the door right now, by some miracle, my heart would still belong to Ethan. I told you: he’s the love of my life. For the rest of my life.”

Mary nodded, breathing slowly as her tears subsided. She rested her head against the cabinets, wiping away her tears and thin black lines of mascara running down her cheeks. “God, I’m a mess. I wanted to look good for your husband.”

“You look great, Mom. You always do.”

She snorted, wiping at her eyes. For a moment, she seemed to gather herself, pull herself together.

And then, the sobs started again. “Jack, what if—”

He stopped her, pulling her into a hug. “No, Mom, don’t. Don’t say it. Don’t ask. Not now. Just, please. Don’t.”

She nodded and then tried to pull herself together again. Her sobs turned to sniffles, and then deep breaths. Finally, she spoke. “I, uh. I didn’t know what to get you two… you know, for supplies. Do you use condoms?”

“Mom.”

“I bought a couple different kinds of lube and a few boxes of condoms, just in case. They’re up in your room.”

“Mom!”

“What? I’m trying to help.” She smiled helplessly, shrugging. “You’re my son. I just want you to be happy, no matter what.”

ANDREW AND ETHAN SPENT the whole afternoon together, running around the ranch and working on Andrew’s old truck. Ethan, sling-free, was elbows-deep in an oily engine when Jack found him again. A smear of oil had transferred from his arm to his forehead, and Jack wanted to lick it off.

“Dad, Mom asked for you inside.” Andrew disappeared through the back porch door as Jack sauntered toward Ethan. Ethan wiped his hands and grinned, watching Jack’s prowl.

He pushed Ethan against the truck’s bumper and trailed his hands down Ethan’s sweaty t-shirt. “Hey sexy,” he purred. “I think there’s a problem with my engine.”

“Oh yeah?” Ethan wrapped his arms around Jack’s waist and squeezed his ass.

“It’s all revved up, and I need your help getting somewhere to go.”

Ethan laughed. “You are shameless. Absolutely shameless.”

“Mom wants us to get ready for dinner. I’m supposed to tell you to go take a shower.” Jack winked.

“And, by ‘tell me’, you mean you’re going to watch, right? Verify this shower takes place?”

Jack felt Ethan’s cock harden against him, an answering hardness to his own. “Watch? I’m going to join in.”

They slipped upstairs, dashing past the kitchen, trying to hide their erections as Mary and Andrew hovered over the stove. Jack ripped his pullover off on the stairs and started in on his jeans as Ethan pulled his t-shirt over his head. Ethan pushed him against his bedroom door, kissing him deeply, pressing his body against Jack’s, owning him.

Jack moaned. “God, I want you. Take me, Ethan. Make me yours.”

“You are mine. And I’m yours.” Ethan steered them into Jack’s bedroom, sparing half a glance for the old football posters and high school textbooks still on his bookshelf.

In the bathroom, Ethan dropped to his knees and sucked Jack deep as the water warmed.

Another day, Jack might have jumped into Ethan’s arms, asked him to hold him up as he wrapped his legs around Ethan’s waist and bounced on his cock. But Ethan’s ribs were still bruised, and though he’d completed his bone-growth treatments and taken off the sling and the bandages around his chest, he was still sore. Instead of jumping him, he guided Ethan into the shower and pressed him against the wall under the spray, kissing him breathless as he slid their bodies together.

Hard cocks slicked together, then thighs and wet bodies. Ethan’s hands trailed down Jack’s sides, and Jack’s hands over Ethan’s chest. Ethan spun him around, backing Jack into the wall, and kissed his way down Jack’s chest, all the way to his cock. He swallowed Jack again as his hands rose on Jack’s thighs, soapy fingers sliding over his ass.