Page 12 of Black Heart

“Why are ye yelling at me? It’s not like I made ye kiss her,” Shayne muttered grumpily.

Tristan shot him a look of pure disbelief. “Didn’t make me kiss her? You shoved me into her!”

“It wasn’t that bad now, was it, lad? I mean she did give ye a go for yer money,” Shayne said defensively.

“She gave me mono,” Tristan said dryly.

Shayne looked thoughtful for a moment before he said, “Well, there is that I suppose. Well then, what about yer almost first time, then?”

“You got me kicked in the balls!” Tristan snapped.

“I did?” Shayne asked in mock horror with his hand pressed against his chest. “How was I supposed to know ye’d yell out some other lad’s name when she touched ye?”

“You yelled out another guy’s name during sex?” the asshole asked in disgust. “Here’s a clue, guy. That does make you gay.”

Tristan glared, just fucking glared.

“Ah, go easy on the lad. At least he’s loyal,” Shayne said, shrugging it off as he focused back on the game.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Tristan demanded.

“Ye still moan that name when ye spend in the shower,” Shayne said, shrugging it off.

Tristan’s mouth dropped open and then abruptly snapped shut. “You spy on me in the shower?”

“Ah, lad, I don’t need to spy on ye. I can hear ye anytime, anywhere. We’re connected. Besides, ye moan the name really fucking loudly,” Shayne said with a heartfelt sigh.

The asshole waved his hands to get their attention. “If you’re thinking about another guy in the shower that makes you gay. Accept it and move on. Now that we have that solved,” he said, clapping his hands together with a satisfied sigh, “let’s focus on me, shall we?”

But Tristan wasn’t done. “I didn’t call out another guy’s name.”

Shayne seemed to think that over for a moment before nodding solemnly with a heavy sigh. “That’s true, lad. Then, I guess yer not gay.”

“Damn straight!”

“Yer just in love with Marty,” Shayne said with a shit-eating grin.

CHAPTER5

“Denny, can you give me a hand with the dishes?” Beth asked as she moved to push her chair away from the table.

Denny pouted pathetically while he made a show of rubbing his flat stomach. “I wish I could, Mom. Really, I do, but after that third helping you shoved down my throat, I’m afraid that I just can’t seem to find the willpower to move.”

“I forced you, huh?” Beth asked, lips twitching with amusement.

“That’s the way I see it,” Denny said in agreement as he leaned back in his chair with a satisfied sigh.

Beth looked at Tom expectantly.

“Sorry, hun, I can’t move either,” Tom said sheepishly.

Marty smiled as she stood up and picked up her plate along with Denny’s. “I’ll help, Beth. We should really give these old timers a break.”

“I knew you loved me,” Denny said with a wink.

“Yeah, that’s it,” Marty said dryly as she helped clear the dishes and brought them to the counter.

Denny ran a hand over his short, curly brown hair, trying to tame the untamable. “So, where’s my little brother and why the hell isn’t he here to see me?”

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