Page 57 of Loving You

Bronx squeezed Monty’s fingers. “I am proud. And scared. And worried I’m fucking it all up. And now mortified that I’m dropping all this on you. I know I sound like a mess.”

“You sound like a father who loves his son and cares whether or not he’s safe and happy. Not everyone has that.”

“No, I know. Dallas and I didn’t. And I know he has me, but Jules was…” Bronx bowed his head, trailing off for a moment. “I should have left him years ago.Years. Back when the doctor told us that he needed to have his eyes removed and he flipped out because he didn’t want some child with a facial…difference.” The way he hesitated, Monty had a feeling that Bronx’s ex used a much more unkind word, and it made Monty want to find the man and clock him square in the mouth. “I shouldn’t have given him the amount of grace or time to get over himself that I did. I will always regret that.”

“When did you fall out of love?” Monty asked. It was a dangerous question. Bronx might still love him, and he had a feeling he’d be honest. He was prepared to be gutted.

“I don’t even know. It’s going to take me a long while and several therapy sessions to work that out. But I think Lucas was around five or six when I noticed how relieved and relaxed I was every time Jules was away for work. And how stressed I was when he was on his way home. I was the go-between for Jules and Luke. Jules spoke to him through me. He never…he never looked at him. He always walked ahead of us on the few public outings he agreed to go on. I was just so caught up in raising Luke that I didn’t notice how detached he’d become. Or how much I didn’t care.”

Monty felt awful for being happy, but he was. He didn’t need to wait for some long, drawn-out mourning period. He didn’t need to wait for Bronx to take his heart back from someone else.

“I was angry when he left because I didn’t want Luke to get hurt. But I couldn’t remember the last time he and I slept in bed together. For me, nothing had changed. And when I realized that Luke had known what a shit dad he was the whole time, I was just mad at myself.”

“He forgives you. I can tell.”

Bronx looked up and laughed very softly. “Yeah. He’s abetter kid than I was. I was such a petty little brat about everything.”

Monty barked a startled laugh. “Yeah?”

“One time, this kid two years older than Dallas was picking on him. He would throw his lunch in the trash or trip him in the hallways at school. At one point, he was tormenting him on the bus every day to the point Dallas had panic attacks about going to school.”

“So you beat him up?”

“Ha,” Bronx said, rolling his eyes. “I was too old for that, and I couldn’t afford to get arrested for beating on some kid. No, I waited until this kid’s graduation, and then I fucked his dad.”

Monty, who had felt brave enough to drink some of his juice, sprayed it all over his legs. “I’m sorry. You what?”

“I’d spotted his dad’s bisexuality years back. He wasn’t that much older than me. His name was Daniel. We had a nice roll in the hay. I made sure to fuck him when I knew that little shit was home. I kissed his dad goodbye and then told him, ‘That was for Dallas, asshole.’ I don’t think my brother ever found out. I’m pretty sure he’d forgotten all about the bullying by then. But I never did.” Bronx bit his lower lip, then looked over at Monty. “No one fucks with the people I love.”

If Monty wasn’t completely and totally, absolutely in love with this man before, he was now.

Chapter Fifteen

BRONX

Bronx wasballs-deep inside Monty’s ass, his muscles spasming around Bronx’s cock like they were trying to milk his come. Monty’s hands gripped the bathroom sink, and Bronx met his gaze in the mirror as his hand snaked down and curled around him, giving him a single stroke.

“Let me come,” Monty begged.

Bronx had been keeping him on edge for the last forty minutes. Through washing all the sand off their bodies, through soaping up their hair, drying off, brushing their teeth. He’d pulled Monty into the kitchen still naked and made a snack while gently pushing a plug in and out of his asshole.

Monty was a shaking mess and had all but sobbed when Bronx finally removed the toy and replaced it with his own cock. He was close to shooting off now, and he was going to take Monty with him, but not just yet.

His hand let go just as Monty began to tremble.

“Please,” Monty sobbed.

Bronx leaned over his shoulder and bit hard against hisneck. “No.” His fingers moved up, pinching and tugging at his nipples. Monty’s body was soft, responsive, needy, hungry. He was also very present—something Bronx was keeping a close eye on.

The day had been perfect. It had been more than perfect. Bronx was ass-over-ankles in love with him. There was no more doubt, no more hesitation. It was a love that he’d never quite felt before. Never with Jules. And not with anyone before him.

He felt safe.

But he wasn’t on steady ground, and he knew that the dinner with Monty’s dad wasn’t the right time to bring it up. He’d do it—and soon. He wanted to erase the uncertainty between them and define what they were—and let Monty know what he wanted and what he was ready for.

He was prepared to take the rejection.

But for now, like the orgasm, he was going to draw it out.

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