Page 17 of His Lovebug

“What do you think?” He spun and the dress spread and danced with the movement before he stopped to look at me again. “I still need to touch up my makeup.”

The breath left my body and never returned. I was struck speechless, my heart battering my ribs at the mere sight of how beautiful he was. I didn’t want Jackson to see Quin like this. He was mine, and the thought of Jack’s eyes on him made me wild with possessiveness and protectiveness.

I slid off the bed and made it across the room in four large steps before I grabbed him around the waist and dragged him close, searing his mouth with mine in a passionate kiss. He groaned against my intrusive tongue, hands splayed on my pecs to keep us apart.

“Matt.” He whimpered, humping his hips so his cock rubbed mine. “We can’t do this.”

“I want to,” I growled fiercely into the kiss, too desperate for him to break it in order to speak. “Can’t let him see you this way.”

Quin wriggled away from me, breaking contact and causing me to huff as he finally managed to step free. He smoothed down his long dark hair and pointed a finger in my direction. “Hands to yourself, Husband. I’m proving a point. Now I need to go do a touch-up.”

He slipped past me, even though I reached out to grab him, but he batted away my hand before he stalked into the connected bathroom.

I sighed loudly. “You don’t love me.”

Quin laughed, and even though I couldn’t see him, hearing him was enough to make my stomach clench with need. “Because I won’t let you have your way with me while your brother is waiting for us?”

“Exactly.” I crossed my arms and counted down the seconds impatiently until Quin exited the bathroom again. His makeup was light and airy and fit him perfectly, with a soft pink blush and a natural lipstick. I went to step forward, but he held up his palm.

“No, Matt. I won’t have you ruining me.” His mouth curled at the side with a wickedness I wanted to get rid of in a hard kiss.

“Too late,” I teased. “I ruined you the moment I fucked your tight pussy for the first time, Princess.”

He laughed and shook his head. “You are persistent.”

“With you? Always.” I grasped his hand and raised it to my lips, pressing a kiss to the back. “And you look amazing, Baby Girl. I’m so proud to call you my wife, even though it’s not official yet. I want the world to know you belong to me.”

“Quite sure they already do.” He smiled gently and let out a happy little noise from his pretty mouth. “I love you, Matt. I would never betray you. I’m looking forward to the day when I’m Mix Coltrane.”

“I know,” I said truthfully and drew him into my arms, holding on tight. “Jackson....Jack has never been denied anything he wants. He wouldn’t force you, he’s not that type, but he’s vindictive. Manipulative.”

“And if it comes to that, we can handle him.” Quin tilted his head and kissed my chin. “Because I know you’ll always protect me. There’s a man out there with some horrible words tattooedon himself to prove it.” He slapped me on the ass, a nice turn of events that had me chuckling. “Now, let’s go showJackhow committed we are to each other.”

I grinned and snuck a kiss on the tip of his nose. “Yeah, Lovebug, let’s do that.”

8

QUIN

I was glad that it was nice enough for the outside tables at Grounds and Gears to be open because I really didn’t think Matt and Jackson should be hemmed into a single room together with strangers. People passed on the sidewalk, laughing and talking, and the sun was warm on the top of my head. It was a good day to be in the city.

I ran a fingernail over the pattern on the iron tabletop. Despite anything Matt had promised me, when he got within glaring range of his brother, it was game on. It wasn’t that I blamed him. Honestly, I didn’t. But it had become my mission to prove to him that there was nothing in the world that could rip us apart.

It was ridiculous, but I kept finding myself laughing with Jackson, and I suppose that was how he did it—got into bedrooms he didn’t belong in. I sipped my spicy chocolate latte with a hint of cherry rum as Jackson took a deep breath and smiled in Matt’s direction. I shrugged off the jacket I’d been wearing, and the sun warmed my shoulders as I shifted in my chair, crossing my legs, which had his gaze and Matt’s droppingto my lap. My heart raced as Matt slid his hand onto my thigh, a possessive, perfect move that I loved.

I smiled at him and ran the tips of my fingernails over his knuckles.

“So, have you seen the movieCars?” Jackson asked.

Surprised, I nodded. “Yes. Oh wow, it’s been years, though. Isn’t Owen Wilson a main character’s voice in the movie?”

“Yeah!” Jackson pointed at me, then sipped his espresso. Unlike Matt, he was able to handle the demitasse mug without it seeming as if it was in danger of being crushed. His dark eyebrows danced upward. “I was scrolling through things and just decided to watch it one day because I’d never seen it.”

“It’s cute,” I said, shrugging because I wasn’t sure where this was going.

Matt was trying to set Jackson on fire with his mind, the same way he’d been since we’d sat down with our drinks. The pastries we’d bought were long gone, merely crumbs on our plates.

“Well, in the movie, did you notice that the flies were VW Beetles?”

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