Page 23

23

Lincoln

M y mind wanders most of the night, thinking back to the kiss we all shared. I’ve caught Tuck a few times staring off and wondering if he’s thinking the same. Katy went to bed early and I’ve been sitting in uncomfortable silence next to my brother for over an hour.

Tucker is a decade older than me. His mother married my father when I was fourteen. We didn’t have much of a relationship at first because I was an asshole kid who didn’t want to share his time with his father. He was a twenty-four year old college graduate making his way in the world and didn’t want to waste his time playing nice to his stepbrother.

I’d like to say things got better as we got older, but we never had a great foundation for a relationship to develop. We saw even less of each other when he invested in a dive bar and turned it into Midnight Moonshine. He was busy running a business, and I graduated high school and joined the police academy.

I never told Miller about Tucker because he’s extremely family oriented and I always felt less-than having a minimal relationship with Tucker. Despite the type of relationship we may or may not have, he’s always called me his brother, never step.

Fuck . We shared Miller. Shared my boyfriend. I should have some kind of feeling about that, right? Something more than it was incredible, and I want to explore it more.

“I can smell your gears burning, Linc. What’s up?” I must be in a real spiral for him to notice my overthinking.

“Where did you come from?”

He chuckles. “Well, you see. When two people love each other very much, they —”

“Fuck off.” I push his shoulder, and he barely gives from the shove. “How did you weasel your way into Spencer’s arms so easily? Miller and Axel have been throwing themselves at her for years. You swoop in at a moment of crisis and sweep her off her feet.”

“And you?”

Me ?

“What about me?”

“How long did you pine after her, little brother?” Longer than I’d care to admit. How I could want a woman from her voice alone is beyond me.

“I met her the same day you did.”

“That’s not what I asked.” Shit. I thought I could deflect the question. If I admit the truth, I’ll sound like a stalker. “How long?”

“Long enough.” He turns and lifts his leg onto the couch to face me.

“How. Long? I don’t understand why you’re avoiding the question.” I sink into the couch, hoping it will swallow me. Why is this so hard to admit? Is it him? He’s always been so bold and confident. I’ve had to work on it for a long time. It helps that my voice is deep and automatically gives off an air of authority. “Linc.”

Tucker puts a hand on my thigh to grab my attention, and it burns. His touch feels like it’s pure fire. That’s new.

“Unofficially for about three years.”

“Explain.”

I drop my gaze to my lap, trying to look like I’m thinking, but my eyes stare at his hand, which is now heating my entire body. Tucker’s hand flexes and I have to bite my lip to stifle the moan that threatens to bubble out.

“I…” Shit . I shift on the couch to mirror his position, and he moves his hand away. Thank fuck. “I’ve been listening to her on the radio for years. When I was dispatching on light duty, I got to interact with her often while working. I’ve known her for a long time. I recognized her voice immediately in the coffee shop that morning. But then…”

“Then I kissed her first.” I nod. “To answer your question, I didn’t weasel my way anywhere. I saw something I wanted and took it. Did any of you ever shoot your shot?”

“No. At least not that I’m aware of.” Why does that seem like such an easy answer? Just go for what you want.

“Well, that little brother”— he leans over and taps my cheek twice—“is the reason it took you so long to get the girl.”

I grab his wrist, and his eyes flash from my hand to my eyes. I see his jaw twitch and wonder what he’s thinking.

“Are you jealous? You can kiss me too if you want.” The fact that I’m not turned off by that thought should be a red flag, right?

“I…”

He rubs a thumb along my jaw, and my eyes flutter shut. I feel the couch dip, and the air around me heats.

“You need to learn to take what you want, Lincoln.”

His lips are right in front of mine. I feel his breath fanning across me, and the urge to close the distance is strong.

“Miller.” I pull away from his touch. When I open my eyes, he looks…proud?

“You’re a good man, Lincoln. We may have shared your boyfriend, but he never gave permission to share you. He will.”

His statement holds such confidence.

? ? ? ? ?

When my alarm goes off, I stretch and nearly fall off the couch. I’ve gotten used to sleeping in bed with Spencer, but I offered it to Tucker last night and made myself comfortable in the living room.

As I roll myself off the couch, my phone buzzes on the coffee table.

Spencer: How was the evening?

I told her what time I set my alarm for, and she waited an entire sixty seconds before texting me. I bet she’s been on the edge of her seat for hours waiting to send that. She’s nothing if not punctual.

Lincoln: Katy finished her homework, I slept on the couch and almost fell off, and Tucker almost kissed me. Or I almost kissed him. I’m not sure.

As soon as I hit send, my phone rings.

“I had a feeling I’d get a call, Dream Girl.”

“Explain yourself.” Oh. Not Spencer, and I’m clearly on speakerphone.

“Morning, Fireball. How’s your shift?”

“Explain, Linc.” His voice has an edge of annoyance. I scrub my hand down my face, barely awake for this conversation, but I started it, so I have to finish it.

“Nothing happened. We were discussing Spencer and talking about taking what we wanted. He asked me if I was jealous and told me I could kiss him.”

“But you didn’t?” His annoyed tone now sounds hopeful.

“I didn’t.” If there was any doubt in my mind about whether I had made the right decision, it’s gone now. “ You stopped me, Fireball.”

“Lincoln?”

“Spencer? Where did Miller go?”

“I think you broke him. He’s staring out the window with a weird grin on his face. We’ll be home shortly.”

Chuckling, I say goodbye and start my day.

Katy, Tucker, and I are sitting at the counter eating breakfast when Spencer and Miller come in. Spencer breathes a sigh of relief when she sees us, and my boyfriend charges right for me.

Miller spins me in my chair, grabs my cheeks, and kisses me with more passion and heat than is appropriate for the current occupants.

“I love you.”

He-He loves me?

“Why?”

A sharp elbow hits my side. “That’s a shit response, brother.”

Tucker is right. Why , isn’t usually what you say in return when someone professes their love to you. I can’t help it though. I’m in shock.

“Maybe you missed what I said.” Miller’s hand drifts to my chest, and he lays it over my heart. “I said, I love you, Lincoln Reed.”

“Ugh. I’m going to finish getting ready for school. I think I prefer the making out to this sappy stuff.” Katy’s protesting huff makes us all laugh.

Tucker stands and grabs Spencer’s hand. “Let’s give them a moment, Little Miss.” I hear Spencer’s bedroom door close behind me and exhale a long breath.

“You love me?”

“I. Love. You. Not gonna lie. I’m a little confused about why you’re questioning it, but I also don’t want you to feel pressured to say it in return. I just couldn’t hold it in any longer.”

I reach my arms around his waist and pull him closer. “That was the reason for my why? Why now, randomly in front of everyone, after a night shift? Did something happen?”

His hand roams from my jaw to the back of my neck and into my hair.

“I’m going to pretend I’m not insulted. You think something had to happen for me to tell you how I’ve been feeling for a while? No, Lincoln. I’ve just been too chicken shit to share them.”

“No. I know. I understand. It just came out of nowhere. God, Fireball. I’ve wanted to tell you, but I’ve been too worried I’d scare you off. I know all of this is new to you. Fuck. I love you too.”

Miller smashes our lips together. The kiss starts heated and needy but quickly slows to sensual. The admission between us is almost a tangible feeling on our lips.

“Oh my gooooood. There’s too much sucking face in this house.”

Miller and I pull away and connect our foreheads as we laugh at the teenager complaining.

“Can we pa-lease go to school now, Lincoln?”

“Better get going before she combusts.” Miller kisses my forehead and turns toward Spencer’s door. “Spencer, the coast is clear.”

Tucker exits the room, holding Spencer’s hand. Her hair is wild and unbraided, and I’m beginning to realize it’s something he does to her every chance he gets.

“Alright, Katy. Let’s get going. I’m planning to stop by the store after work. Does anyone need or want anything? Axel, do you need any of your special hair products?” I’m tired of living out of a bag and want to pick up basic toiletries to keep here. It’s been a few weeks, and I don’t see us going anywhere anytime soon.

“No, dickhead. Do you need to pick yourself up some tampons?”

“Would you pick me up some conditioner? I’m running low. I can send you a picture of the specific brand. Katy, do you need any sanitary products? I’m not sure what you brought when you came.”

Katy’s brows crease. She stares at the floor, and I see her fingers twitch as if she’s counting. Probably to figure out when her next cycle is due.

When she looks up, her eyes are shifty, and her features have an edge of panic. I imagine it’s slightly nerve-racking as a teenager to ask a non-related male to buy you pads or tampons.

“Um. I’ll pick something out while we’re at the store.” She hikes her book bag higher on her shoulder and walks to the door. “I’m ready.”