Page 70 of Tender
Cosimo stalked closer and wrapped him in his arms and tilted his chin up to look into his eyes. “I like you that way.”
Miles flushed. “Oh. Um. Thank you. I like when you’re naked too.”
Cosimo laughed softly, then tipped his head down, knocking their foreheads together. “Can we talk?”
Oh fuck. Oh, he fucking knew it. His stomach felt like it was full of snakes. “Sure.”
Cosimo pulled back and shook his head. “Don’t make that face. It’s nothing bad. I’ve just…I promised I would do some thinking about what I want to be to you. And I think I know.” He took a breath. “I don’t want to be your Daddy.That’s never been my thing.I’d be a spectacular failure at it.But I’d like to be your…something.”
Miles felt those words like a second beating heart in his chest.“Even though you still barely know me?” That was his insecurity talking, of course. Cosimo did know him. He was gone a lot, but when he was here, he was attentive. And Miles was already halfway in love with him.
“I have a suspicion that getting to know the rest of you will only make this feeling get worse.” A smile touched his lips.“I don’t like to play games, and I trust my gut. I’m also willing to be as patient as you need me to be while you figure out what you need from me.”
Miles let out a trembling laugh. “Oh, I already know that.”
Cosimo lifted a single brow. “Do you?”
“Just this.” Miles touched his waist carefully, digging his fingers in. “I want you outside of you and Emmett. I don’t need a name for it, you know? Like…I don’t need it to be defined by a role. I liked our date together, and I’d like to do that again.”
Cosimo snorted, then leaned in before stopping himself.“Me too. I’d also like to kiss you right now.”
“My breath is probably disgusting.”
“Is that the only thing stopping you?” he pressed.
Miles shrugged, and Cosimo took that as the permission it was and carefully put his tongue in Miles’s mouth.It was lovely, minty, and warm.Miles lost himself in how different Cosimo’s kisses were to Emmett’s—how the way each man kissed almost defined who they were.
It was demanding and sharp, but tender in subtle, quiet ways.He wanted to have this again, and again, and again.
Cosimo broke off the kiss after a while and heaved a sigh.“Let me cook you breakfast.That’s something I will always be good at.”
Miles wasn’t about to argue with that. He was still pretty shit at cooking, and he loved being spoiled by these men. “I’ll get ready and meet you in the kitchen.”
Cosimo cupped his cheek once more and laid his lips to the corner of Miles’s mouth. “I’ll be waiting.” And then he let go.
Miles was left alone to shower and change, and when he emerged fully dressed and feeling a lot more centered than he had been since he’d been brought to this place, he found Cosimo in the kitchen setting pastries, coffee, and an entire frittata in a pan on the table.
“Seriously, how much do y’all think I eat?” Miles couldn’t help but ask.
Cosimo barked a laugh.“A fraction of what I do, probably.But I’m going to hit the gym after this, so I need my protein.”
Miles sat and pragmatically didn’t make a protein joke about what they’d done the night before.It felt like a dream anyway, sort of foggy and rich, like he’d been walking through storm clouds too close to the earth.
He wondered if it would always be like that, but he knew the answer.It wouldn’t.Sometimes it would be this.Just the two of them, sometimes the three of them.Sometimes on his own.But they’d always be wanted.
Wouldn’t they?
“You have something on your mind,” Cosimo said after sipping his coffee.
Miles sighed.He pushed a piece of the frittata around on his plate.“Are you doing this for him?”
“Because Emmett needs you?”
Miles nodded.“I totally understand if that’s the case—and I get that you do want me.I mean,” he blushed, “you made it obvious.But is thisforhim?”
“Everything for him is for us.Just like everything for me is for us.I don’t expect you to get that right away, but you will in time.”
In time.
