Page 82 of When I'm Gone

Times like this, I really wish I’d gotten my mom’s artistic mind so I could tell him how amazing he is in great detail. He inspires words in me that have never had a place before, ones I don’t even know but I’d search every language on the planet for if it means he knows how special he is. “It’s so beautiful, Easton. We should frame it and put it up in the house somewhere.”

Thin fingers tug on my own as he pulls me towards home. “Ha-ha. Yeah, right.”

He truly has no idea. Everything he touches belongs in a gallery somewhere, and today’s is no exception. A baby dragon hatching, bits of shell stuck to his slimy scales. It’s so realistic, I’m certain if I touch it, the sharp tip of its claw will draw blood.

Easton waves to his brother as he eyes what we accomplished today then looks back to me. “No offense, but that looks like it was hell.”

Finally, someone gets it. “Hell would have been a beachvacation. I’m sure the only reason I’m still on my feet is because my dignity won’t allow me to die here.”

He laughs, but it’s a sympathetic sound that makes my chest tight. “He certainly keeps you busy. Our parents were big believers in that whole idle hands thing, it’s how I got into drawing. Poor Brady had to go to work with Dad a lot.”

Huh. He’s actually never told me that.

I don’t realize I said that out loud until Easton scrunches his nose up and elaborates. “Yeah, I guess I’m lucky I wasn’t the favorite because I would not have done well on a construction site. I’m not sure it was the best environment for Brady either, though. He would barely talk to me when they came home, and you know he’s not good if he’s quiet. The manual labor part of it really seemed to stick for some reason.”

Well, shit. Now I feel like an asshole. I can’t help but remember Brady at eighteen who was hardly capable of sitting still, always dragging me around campus to the point that we were barely in our room long enough to sleep sometimes. It used to drive me crazy, but now I just feel bad because that was all he knew.

“I have an idea,” Easton announces.

There’s a look in his eye, a mix of apprehension, a spark of hope laced with want. It has me endlessly curious, my dick twitching with interest. “An idea, huh? And what would that be?”

He leans close, so close that his lips almost brush mine as he whispers in a silky voice, “Trust me?”

My head bobs up and down. “Easily, baby.”

My Chaos smiles, and it hits me all the way down to my core. “Good, let’s shower.”

I don’t know what his little idea is but I need no arm twisting to get naked and wet with him ever. I’d wake upfrom a coma if he whispered that in my ear. Probably from the dead, too, if I’m being real.

My sore body trudges on, following him through the house and into the bathroom.

He gets the water warming up and as we lose our clothes; I find myself completely lost in a heated, slow kiss. He tastes like fresh summertime, and I’m hopelessly addicted. The way he sighs contently into my mouth, almost like he’s coming home, is permanently seared in my brain. My hands find his hips, both to hold him steady and myself. Easton weaves his arms around my neck, making our bare chests brush. A sharp zing of arousal pulses through me, causing me to groan.

Easton nips at my bottom lip, the little fucking minx, but before I can chase him, his head wrenches back. His eyes dart around, taking in the steam surrounding us. “Shit. I got sidetracked. We’re gonna run out of hot water before I can do what I want with you.”

Well, that particular phrase has my already lust drunk brain jumping up and down with excitement. “Do what you want with me?”

He smirks. “Yes. If we’re going to do that, we have to get in the shower. Come on,” he demands, pulling me into the warm stream with him.

As my muscles begin to loosen and relax, Easton gets straight to work soaping up my hair and spending an absolutely heavenly amount of time massaging the shampoo into my scalp. He takes the same care from my head to my feet and everything in between. By the time he finishes up on himself and we get rinsed off, I’m swaying on my feet. Easton isn’t done though. He dries me first, then quickly himself and instructs me to go lie on the bed, face down.

Doing as I’m told is new, but not an unwelcome change of pace for me. It’s much more natural for me to be the onemaking all the decisions, but it’s nice to be able to switch my brain off with Easton and just enjoy.

When he asked if I trusted him, I meant what I said. Trusting Easton has been as easy as everything else is with him, but it’s strange to think that at the beginning of summer, I didn’t trust guys enough to give them my last name. Any actual information about me was too much for me to give anyone I slept with. But Easton? It’s all his, there was never a question. My home, my life, my heart.

I cross my arms under my cheek after laying down, watching my perfect Chaos fuss around in the bathroom, looking for something. He’s got a towel tied around his waist, real shame that, but it is fun to watch him. He obviously wants this to be perfect, that sentiment alone is enough to have my heart soaring.

“Ah-ha!” Easton spins around to face me, grinning triumphantly, holding a bottle of body oil. That looks like one of the things my sister put in a basket and sent to me when I bought the house. Apparently, she has my back more than both of us knew.

I can’t help but match his grin, it’s too contagious. “Whatcha got there, baby?”

“It’s all a part of the plan,” he says cryptically.

He’s so fucking adorable. My sweet Chaos. He finally comes my way, holding his prized oil and a fresh towel. “Roll over for a sec, love. Let me put this under you.”

I do as instructed, damn near swallowing my tongue when his knees land on either side of my thighs after. “Such a fucking tease,” I grump. Am I supposed to ignore him on top of me like this? He’s way underestimating how much I want him all the damn time.

“Hush.” Being scolded by him might be the cutest thing I’ve ever heard. “This is important to me.” He’s mostlyamused by the sound of his voice, but desperately trying to be serious.

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