Page 76 of A Little More Forgiveness

Lifting himself to his knees, Leo leaned over the couch and grabbed on to Mitch’s T-shirt, bunching the fabric up in his fist and pulling him in, then kissed him tenderly. “I love you too,” he announced clearly and kissed Mitch again.

Mitch hauled him up and into his huge arms, their strength tenderly wrapping around Leo as he took over the kiss. His teeth biting Leo’s lower lip made him groan, and his tongue delving inside Leo’s mouth took what he needed.

The scene had me hard as a rock in seconds.

Ripping his mouth away from Leo and breathing heavily, Mitch stared deeply into his eyes. “I know after the way I treated you I probably don’t deserve to say these words, but I do love you, Leo,” he said gruffly and kissed him roughly again.

Apart from their low moans there were no other sounds and when they loosened their grip on each other, their breathing evening out, the room had gone deadly quiet. I stared at Mitch, and he stared at me. The lie to say I loved him was on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed it down. I was so close, so, so close but not quite there yet, and I refused to say those words just for the sake of it. The tenuous bonds continued to wrap themselves around my heart, and Mitch would soon breach the last of my defenses, but any declaration now would be much too soon for both of us.

We were still fighting, vying for dominance, working out where we belonged. Being so open, looking into Leo’s soul and believing in him was easy, but Mitch continued hiding himself from me, continued to hold an important piece back. We both were. The trust, the openness, and honesty would come but not quite yet.

“Soon,” I whispered, my gaze fixed on his. His eyes softened at my words, and his nod of acknowledgment, of understanding, was a welcome relief.

The sadness in Leo’s eyes when we didn’t immediately say the same three little words we’d said to him hurt my heart, and I’m sure he feared we’d never say them. That now he’d gotten what he wanted, his world would fall apart right in front of him.

Tugging on Leo’s hand, I waited for him to sit next to me. I cupped his cheek. “We’re all good, me and him.” I ran my thumb along the line of his jaw a couple times. “It’ll just take a bit more time for us, is all.” I gave a cheeky grin. “I mean, let’s face it, he’s nowhere near as easy to love as you are. He’s so damn grouchy all the time.”

“Hey,” Mitch instantly grumbled behind me.

I rolled my eyes at Leo. “See. And that’s another thing making you so perfect. You see us too. You see who we are so clearly, it’s awe-inspiring. You see our faults, our failings, but more amazingly, you see what’s in our hearts.” I shrugged. “I’m not like you. I’m too cynical, too jaded to give in so easily.”

“You have with me,” he replied, and I smirked.

“But you’re such an open book with your feelings and emotions, you’re easy to let inside.

“Him and I.” I gestured between me and Mitch. “We’re still finding our way, but we’ll get there, okay? I promise we’ll get there.”

Mitch laid his large hands on my shoulders and squeezed. “And did I say he’s so grouchy?” His fingers dug in harder, making me wince, but the quick follow-up rub along my shoulders took the sting away.

“Dinner’s nearly ready,” Mitch said, his voice thick and heavy. Placing my hand over his, I gave him a few taps before he slipped away.

“He does love you already, you know” Leo revealed after he’d gone. “I see the way he stares at you when he thinks you’re not looking.

“Does he?” I tried to ask the question as if I didn’t care about the answer, but I was fishing, and we both knew it.

He smirked and bumped shoulders with me. “You know he does.”

The smile on my face must have lit up the room.

Chapter Thirty

Mitch

I found all the heavy emotion in the air hard to cope with after so many years of none at all, so I appreciated the time apart to process my feelings.

I’d told Leo I loved him and admitting how I felt should have driven me to my knees. Telling him meant I’d moved on, and the idea terrified me to think about, but I couldn’t deny my feelings for him, especially after how much it hurt when I’d thought he’d betrayed me. The pain spearing my chest had been so severe I suspected I might be having a coronary, which should have been a sign right there. It took hearing Gabe and Leo declaring their love for each other for me to realize the reason why he’d hurt me so badly. I loved Leo too.

And saying the words had felt so right, like a key turning in a lock. My heart opened wide, and having Leo reside there felt incredible. Telling him I loved him had also cracked open the door to the most guarded room in my heart, the one I’d been determined to keep locked and chained shut, denying me entry.

The pain of losing Katie.

I’d never faced her death head-on, never needed to. But if I expected to have any type of relationship with Leo and, hopefully, Gabe, I needed to open the door wide and let all the hurt and pain come flooding out. I only hoped I didn’t drown when it did.

“Christmas tree.”

Huh.

I twisted around to find Gabe behind me. I’d been so lost in my head I hadn’t heard him approach. He’d switched clothes into sweatpants and a T-shirt when he’d returned from the lake, turning into a mini version of me.

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