Page 81 of Cohesion

“Does Riley know that Quinn is one of the others?” Kellan asked.

Will’s lips parted in surprise.

“How doyouknow that?” Peyton asked.

Another point to add to the superhero column.Mind reading.Will tried to make his mind blank and rid himself of all thoughts that could be picked up. Of course, that meant suddenly he was thinking about all of the embarrassing things he’d ever done in his life.

“I have eyes,” Kellan said. Make that two points in the superhero column. He got a second one for X-ray vision. “And you two are about as subtle as fireworks going off.”

Peyton tugged Will down into a kiss. “We’re boyfriends, did you hear that?”

“I had heard something to that effect,” Will said, smiling all the way down to his heart. He wasn’t going to get tired of hearing that even if Sebastian wasn’t a fan of the word.

“That means I can kiss you whenever I want.”

“The kind of perks I can get behind.”

Peyton winked at him. He tossed the keys into the air and snatched them. “I need to duck back home and get another change of clothes and then head on base,” he said. “What are you doing?”

“Following you home,” Will said innocently.

“I can ride just fine, Will, I told you,” Peyton said, exasperated.

“I’m not allowed to go home now?” Will asked. “Should I go a different route?” Okay, yes, part of it was that he wanted to see for himself that Peyton’s shoulder was up for it. He knew that Peyton wouldn’t be so reckless, but that didn’t stop him from worrying. Or wanting to assure himself. The other part was that he needed to pick up some clean clothes and put some washing on if they were going to be staying at Sebastian’s for longer. It had been over a week since he’d slept in his own bed. They’d all gravitated toward wherever the rest of them were, which was currently Sebastian’s. Is that what they would do now? Just rotate between houses? None of them had a bed that could comfortably fit them all.

“Why doesn’t he think you can ride?” Kellan asked, frowning.

“Because he’s a worrywart,” Peyton said. “And I haven’t ridden for a while.”

Kellan glanced between them. Those X-ray vision eyes missed nothing. “Do you want to do a lap around the block first?”

“No. Both of you can stop it. You’re acting like I haven’t been riding one of these since I was seventeen.” As if to prove his point, he lifted his leg over the bike and settled on it, one foot planted on the ground.

Heat rushed over Will. He’d forgotten what Peyton looked like straddling his bike. His sexy factor was always high to begin with, but it went through the roof when he was like this. Confident. Happy. Full oflife.And with an engine between his legs. It was even better when he turned it on. Will wanted to climb him like a tree. One of those big oak ones, not aflimsy myrtle tree. Those werenotthe trees to climb unless the intended result was a mouthful of dirt, and broken bones.

Peyton trees were the best kind to climb.

Will’s heat reflected in Peyton’s gaze, and he licked his lips. “You like that?”

“Yeah,” was all Will could think of to say. “Like” seemed an inadequate way to describe just how much Peyton turned him on. On the bike. Off the bike. Standing in an empty room doing nothing.

“I’m going to go see what’s keeping Mum,” Kellan muttered.

Will barely noticed his heavy booted footsteps receding. All his focus was on that sexy smirk and the way that Peyton was looking at him.

He stepped up close, pressing against Peyton’s heat.

An arm slid around Will’s waist, and Peyton tipped his chin up. “You look so hot when you want to fuck me on my bike.”

“So, all the time?” Will asked with a light grin.

“Hope you can put your mouth where your money is,” Peyton murmured.

“Definitely,” Will rasped before taking Peyton’s mouth in a deep kiss. Peyton pushed against everyone else, so determined to show the world that he could stand on his own, that he was strong and deserved the right to stand beside his brothers. Will understood what it was to have family so accomplished, sostrong. That drive and need to be seen as equal. Peyton was the youngest and struggled with that more than Parker ever had.

But for Will? For Will he melted, putting himself in Will’s hands. A gift. A privilege. One that Will had never, and would never, abuse.

He cupped Peyton’s delicate face, drawing out beautiful sounds from deep in Peyton’s chest. He forced himself to pull back when a door opened and closed, signalling they were about to have company. The last thing Will wanted to do wasget caught making out with Peyton by Theresa, like they were teenagers sneaking at a family event.

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