Page 29 of Abandoned on His Mountain

“By the way,” comes Stevie’s voice, breaking my daydream. “About my brother…”

I freeze with the muddler crushing the mint. Uh oh…

“He’s not as bad as everybody says he is. I swear. He’s a jerk. He’s got a temper. But he’s not nearly…”

Marin clears her voice in surprise. “Does everybody say he’s bad?” she asks, with a worried little lilt.

Shit. Shit.

I grab our drinks and head into the living room. I’ll tell her everything, and soon, but not like this, not right now. I clear my voice and jingle the ice, making some noise to interrupt them. “Damn, you two. Looks like we should have gotten two tiramisus.”

Marin’s big innocent eyes look up at me. She doesn’t look doubtful, but maybe a little surprised. I give her the virgin mojito and glance at my watch. I know what he said to her and I know she’s gonna have questions. It’s time to tell her the truth. No lies. Not between us.

“You better get some rest, brother,” I say to Stevie.

Stevie glares at me. “Since whenyoutell me it’s bedtime?”

Since I fell in love with a temptress.

I give him the side eyes and he gets the message, playing along with a very sudden yawn. “But yeah, you’re right, big brother. You always know best!”

I roll my eyes at him and then wheel him into his room, then into his bathroom I help him get his teeth brushed and take a piss, and all the stuff he can’t do on his own—thanks to me.

I carry him to his bed and tuck him in, making sure he’s got his iPad and his little emergency button in case he needs anything in the night.

“Night, brother,” I tell him, messing his hair then planting a quick kiss on the top of his head, which he both loves and hates since he was a baby.

“Night, dickhead,” he groans, and I switch off the lights. But before I can get very far down the hallway, he calls me back. “Wait, Davis. Come back.”

I turn on a dime and head back to his room. Probably forgot to get him a glass of water. I always forget the damned glass of water. “Yeah.”

By the light in the hallway, I can see he’s smiling. “I’m happy for you, brother.”

Fuck. He and I don’t talk about happiness often because it’s been so hard to come by. I clear the wave of emotion from my throat. “Thanks, man.”

“Yeah. It does me good to see you good.” He gives me a fist bump. And then, “Now get the hell out of here and go back to your girl.”

* * *

When I get back, Marin is all tucked in cozy on the sofa by the fire. Her cheeks are flushed, her eyes are sparkling. Looking at her makes my whole body fuckingyearn.

She pats the cushion beside her as if to tell me to join her. “You’re really good to him.”

Fuck, if only she knew the story, she wouldn’t be so impressed. But standing there by the firelight, looking at her, I know she needs to know the truth. She needs to know what happened.

I sit down beside her and scoop her into my arms so she’s straddling me. Yeah, I’m fucking hard for her, but that’s not the point of this. Not yet. Not now.

I wrap her in my arms and kiss her. Slow, warm, and loving. Making out with her like I’m 16 and kissing a girl for the first time. I let my hands slide down her back, gripping her ass, exploring every curve and valley.

“This is gonna be slow. This is gonna be honest. With kissing, talking, and saying the hard things.”

She nudges her forehead with mine, nodding slowly. “Okay.”

And just like that, with her in my arms, I just… tell her.

Everything.

“It wasn’t easy for us growing up. My Dad… he was an abusive bastard. With me. With my mom. I was too young to protect her before she passed when my brother was born, and I wouldn’t have minded for myself, but Stevie… I just couldn’t let him go through that. I did everything to protect him, to give him the life he deserves, but…” I sigh and she peppers my neck with soft kisses. Comforting me, calming me in a way only she can.

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