Page 96

Colin

I t was a weird morning.

Or it wasn’t weird at all, and that was the weird part. Or maybe all three of them were the same amount of weird and it canceled out into normal? Colin wasn’t sure, but it was definitely one of those three options.

He’d fallen back asleep on that couch, after they’d straightened themselves up and wiped any lingering fluids away. A whole few hours of sleep again. He didn’t exactly feel fully rested, but he wasn’t so foggy either.

He wasn’t sure what the twins had done all that time. They hadn’t left the couch, he was pretty sure—he’d woken up split between their laps again—so maybe they’d watched another movie? Or slept what few hours they needed sitting up?

Either way, when he finally got up to make his iced coffee, they followed him silently into the kitchen.

And when he went to drink it in the shade of the backyard, before the day got too hot to tolerate, they followed him out there too, pulling their loungers closer to his and slouching down, idly chatting about neighborhood gossip while he sipped away.

For two guys who seemed to have nothing better to do than dog Colin’s every step, they knew an awful lot about their neighbors. It was weirdly comforting to listen to, to zone out and savor his coffee while the desert birds twitted away in the background.

At some point, he found his legs being hauled up onto Dane’s lap, the vampire not even looking at him as he did so, as if it was a totally reasonable, par-for-the-course thing to do.

At another point, he looked up to find Fox glaring at him and his coffee before stalking away into the house, reappearing with a granola bar he shoved into Colin’s hand.

Colin was pretty sure the thing was expired, but it was edible enough once he’d softened it by dunking it in his drink.

And biting into it had stopped Fox from scowling at him, at least.

It was all harmonious enough until Colin went up to shower and had to literally shut the door in their faces to keep them from following him into the bathroom too.

He was in his bedroom, toeing on his shoes, when they reappeared in the open doorway, his two giant shadows.

“Where are you going?” Fox asked.

Colin straightened, shooting an exasperated look somewhere in the space between their two faces, trying to encompass them both in his irritation. “Where do I go every day for lunch?”

Neither seemed offended by his ire. “Your dad’s,” Dane answered, voice even.

“Bingo.”

When they didn’t move from the doorway, Colin resisted the urge to put his hands on his hips like some exasperated TV spouse. “Can I help you?” he asked pointedly.

They shot each other a look, communicating something he couldn’t catch, and then Dane spoke up. “We’re still not allowed to meet him?”

That stopped Colin short. He hadn’t considered it a matter of them not being allowed to so much as a matter of why the hell would they want to in the first place. “Don’t you guys have something better to do than follow me around like two lost puppies?”

He expected to piss Fox off with that at the very least, but the burly vampire only shrugged. “Not really.”

“Why would you want to follow me around like two lost puppies?”

“We told you last night—we like to be around you.”

Right. Something funny shifted in Colin’s chest. Fox had said it was because Colin looked good and smelled nice and didn’t make too much noise.

The thing was that had never been enough for anybody else before.

People didn’t rush to be near Colin, or fight to stay close.

He was always too prickly or too boring or too in his own head.

He’d gotten enough feedback over the years to know it was true.

He’d once been accused of being a grumpy old man stuck in a young man’s body, and he hadn’t even been able to argue the point.

Then again, Fox and Dane literally were grumpy old men stuck in young men’s bodies, so maybe that was the deal. Like drawn to like.

“You really want to meet my dad?” he asked dubiously.

They just stared him down. Like it was obvious and he was being obtuse as hell or something. Ridiculous.

He grabbed his keys off his bookcase and shoved them in his pocket. “Come along, then.”

He didn’t miss the over-the-top triumphant look they shared, but he decided to ignore it for his own sanity.

It was a short enough walk to his dad’s house, but he was still sweating by the time they got there.

Fucking great. The twins looked no more the worse for wear, in their bro tanks and shorts.

He supposed they’d look just as comfortable in full suits and leather jackets, no matter the weather.

Jay had told him once that vampires weren’t affected by extreme heat or cold, after he’d once absentmindedly come into work on a snowy day wearing only a T-shirt.

Still, the twins covering up in the summer would interfere with them blending in with the human populace, so maybe that was the underlying motive for their summer aesthetic.

Or maybe they just liked showing off their shoulders and biceps.

And suddenly, right there on his dad’s porch, Colin was hit with the overwhelming sensations he’d been avoiding all morning, remembering how it had felt to be surrounded by those broad bodies on the couch, their hungry mouths all over him, listening to the slick sounds of them pleasuring themselves to the sight of him.

They’re older than your father , Colin tried to reason, to shake himself out of it. It didn’t work.

Fox frowned down at him. “Why’ve we stopped here? Are you changing your mind?” He shook his head at Colin. “You’re not allowed to change your mind. We’re already here.”

Colin cleared his throat, willing his stupid horny thoughts to go away. “I just need a second.”

He simply refused to walk into his father’s house with a burgeoning hard-on.

He stiffened when a large hand landed on the back of his neck, squeezing firmly. He was pretty sure the back of his neck was sweaty, but the hand didn’t move away. Were they trying to soothe him or something?

But it kind of worked. Before he knew it, he was sagging against the strong hold, letting the tension evaporate from his body.

Fox’s voice whispered in his ear, “Be brave, little lamb.”

Colin didn’t get a chance to scowl at him, because the front door was already swinging open, his dad’s voice ringing out before he appeared. “It’s hot as Hades, son, what are you doing on the por—”

His dad paused midsentence, doing a movie-worthy double take.

It was exactly what Colin needed for any lingering hints of arousal to dissipate, but he was still horribly aware he was standing sandwiched between the twins, much closer than politeness dictated, with Fox’s hand on the back of his neck burning like a brand.

His dad blinked at them. Colin blinked back.

And then Dane stepped forward, his hand held out in greeting. “Hi, Mr. Adams. I’m Dane. This is Fox. We’re Colin’s roommates. We’ve heard so much about you.”

Colin was pretty sure he’d never told the twins his last name. It wasn’t like he’d signed an official lease or anything. Had they snagged his wallet to look at his ID?

His dad reached over his walker to shake Dane’s hand, a bemused smile forming on his lips.

“Oh, have you? I know you two, I think. The handsome twins around the block. Betty next door is smitten with the two of you.” He gave Colin a far-too-knowing look before stepping back from the doorway.

“My Colin’s been so cagey about his living situation. Come in, come in.”

They followed him into the kitchen. Dane, who’d transformed into some 1950s Leave It to Beaver schoolboy, pulled out a chair for Colin’s dad, then settled in the chair next to him.

His dad’s eyes were bright with interest. “Tell me how my boy’s doing.”

Oh God. Colin tried to protest—he hadn’t brought the twins here so his dad could grill them on Colin’s mental state—but Dane was already speaking over him. “He’s doing great. His art is fantastic. Have you seen it? And he takes such good care of us.”

“Jesus.” Colin shifted in place, unsure if he wanted to take a seat or run a mile in the opposite direction. “I just clean a little,” he told his dad desperately. “They’re slobs.”

“He’s always been a good caretaker, my Colin.” His dad leaned in toward Dane conspiratorially. “He makes me lunch every day, you know.”

“Oh my God, it’s just sandwiches. Or takeout half the time.”

Fox pulled out his own chair next to Colin’s dad, giving Colin a stern look. “More than you eat with us.”

What on earth was happening?

Colin’s dad chuckled, as if the three of them were the best of friends. “You have to leave easy stuff around the house. Stuff he can pick up without thinking. That’s how to get him.”

“ Dad .”

“What? It’s true. You go off into your own head. It’s part of what makes you great.”

Colin deflated. How could he be pissed at that? He ignored the heat now engulfing his cheeks and shot a glare at the twins. “We’re having cold cuts,” he said stiffly. “Are you two eating?”

“Yes, please,” they answered in unison.

So fucking polite.

He turned with a huff to the fridge, keeping an ear out for their chatter while he made their sandwiches.

He stiffened when his dad asked them what they did for a living, then bit back a laugh when they answered with some bullshit about work-from-home finance.

It was the biggest crock of shit he’d ever heard —he’d never even seen them touch a computer—but his dad seemed to accept it easily enough.

He placed the sandwiches on the table but remained standing, uncertain of which seat to choose. Dane solved it for him, pushing the chair next to him out with his foot. Colin took it, relaxing slightly when Dane set a hand on his knee, squeezing gently as they dug in.

They ate together quietly enough, and when Colin got up to do what little dishes there were, Fox followed him up from the table and pushed him gently away from the sink with a hand on his lower back.