Page 21 of Pixel Perfect Pack

“I have a degree in performing arts,” he flinches away, preparing for the onslaught of laughter.

“Like, drama? Acting?” I ask, my frown genuine. Whatever I thought he was going to say, that wasn’t it.

“Yup, but I only lasted two years until I realised it wasn’t as much of a skive as I thought it was. Plus side though, it made my parents really fucking mad.”

“Why didn’t you finish?”

He shrugs, and again his knot moves inside me although slightly deflated now. “My sister came over from Korea with her son. He was just wee and I wanted to help out with babysitting while she looked for work. It worked out pretty well, I got a job where I could work remotely and I had my nephew Monday through Thursday.”

“Wow,” I muse, genuinely taken aback by his admission.

“He’s a great kid,” he continues. “It was an easy decision to make. Of course, now I only see him one night a week. My sister got married, she’s a stay-at-home mum now. But I still get him every Friday for a game night. Now that he’s older he’s got a pretty decent attitude on him and we usually spend the whole night eating junk food and arguing with each other. Still, it’s one of the highlights of my week.”

“One of?”

Kito beams, that heart-stopping smile that matches his playful personality perfectly. “Playing with you and the guys, it tops just about everything. And now we’re here… I don’t know how we’ll leave.”

Fourteen

Orion

By the time midnight rolls around, we’re all huddled in Jess’s nest. As soon as Kito’s knot had deflated, she asked us all to cuddle and who were we to say no? There’s enough space, but only just. My feet are hanging off the edge of the mountain of pillows and covers and Kito is, as usual, snoring at Jess’s side.

But Adair lies still beside me, his cool green eyes locked on the ceiling above where the fairy lights I found are wrapped around the beams and twinkling in the dim light.

“Can’t sleep?” I ask, a stupid question in all fairness. Of course, he can’t sleep, I can practically feel the stress rolling off him like waves.

Adair hums low in his throat. “Every time I get close to her I just can’t stop thinking about it.”

“I know, man,” I sigh. “But Jess is different. This situation is different. What happened to you and Katya was a one in a million, you couldn’t have possibly known in advance.”

“I should’ve been more careful,” he replies, a tear slipping from the outside corner of his eye as he speaks. “I just keep going over it in my head, things I could’ve done differently. And with Jess and her medical issues… it just feels like a risk I can’t take. But I know I’d be letting her down and that breaks my fucking heart.”

I roll onto my side to face him, propping my head up on my hand so I can study his angelic face. “Hey,” I nudge him, wiping the tears away with the back of my hand. “You aren’t letting anyone down. If anyone will understand, it’s Jess. She knows you love her.”

Adair stays silent for a second before he nods, just once. “I do love her, Orion. I didn’t think I could love anyone after Katya but Jess… she’s different, you know? She’s so open and warm, there’s a kindness in her that makes me want to be better. Do better. It’s been that way ever since she told that stupid fucking joke and made me laugh. I didn’t think it was possible but her just being her, it healed a part of me I thought was gone forever. So why can’t I give her what she needs now? She did it for me, I should be able to do it for her. Instead, I’m just walking around like a fucking ghost in this house, making food and cleaning up. This should be simple, Orion. The simplest thing in the fucking world.”

My heart fucking shatters all over again. Adair has been through more in his twenties than most people go through in a lifetime. So much loss, so much pain. He’s a good person, kind and thoughtful; he doesn’t deserve the life he’s so far been made to live. I know JJ healed part of him, I was right there to watch it happen. To hear the light come back into his voice and listen to him crack a laugh every once in a while. JJ did that. She did all of it.

“If you let it,” I whisper, feeling Jess stir at my back. She whines, twisting her body up so her legs are crushed to her chest. “If you let it be simple.”

Adair inhales deeply through his nose, his eyes fluttering closed. “She’s perfuming.”

“Our girl needs us,” I reply, the room filling up with lavender and vanilla. “She needs all of us, Adair. Whatever we have to offer.”

I turn over, my hand running up and down Jess’s side. Her eyes flicker and she starts to pant, her arms stretching forward to wrap around me.

“Orion,” she moans, voice croaky from sleep and discomfort.

“I know, princess.” I press my lips to hers, shifting so I’m lying on top of her.

Jess’s legs part around my waist and the heat from her core goes straight to my cock, which stands to attention ready and waiting for her. She draws in a deep breath and presses her hips up against me, trying to find the right friction to get off.

“Pull your panties to the side, sweet girl.”

Icy blue eyes open to meet mine as she does what I ask, tugging her drenched cotton panties to the side.

“Now close your eyes,” I ask, fisting my cock in one hand and settling at her entrance. “Close your eyes and I’m going to fuck you back to sleep.”

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