1
Sabrina
Washington is seriously starting to grow on me.
I know that’s mostly due to the fact that Rory, Marlowe, and Kaleb are here … but this place itself is also finding its way under my skin and into my heart.
Maybe it’s because autumn is starting and the way the leaves are changing into brilliant reds and oranges makes it look like the trees are on fire. Or maybe it’s the chilly feeling in the air, that place between hot and cold where it’s still just warm enough to run around outside without a heavy jacket, but also cool enough to snuggle up into Kaleb’s strong arms without the heat of his body becoming overwhelming. Whatever it is, I feel myself being lured to stay here forever.
In fact, if it were up to me, I’d probably never, ever leave.
But it isn’t up to me—a fact that I’m constantly reminded of.
This thing between Rory, Marlowe, Kaleb and myself …
It’s less of a relationship and more of an entanglement.
My thoughts are interrupted as Marlowe flips me over onto my back atop the huge and heaping leaf pile that we’re all laying on. I can’t help but let out a squeal, which only serves to make the other two boys pile on top as fast as their considerably faster legs can carry them.
Sometimes I do truly feel like we’re all a bunch of frolicking dogs, chasing our tails and wrestling with a carefree, yet primal intensity. Despite everything, the awkward unease that lingered around us before is gone.
Now, when we’re together, either all four of us or just two of us at a time; there’s no barrier between us, no trying to restrain from having our bodies touch or our mouths meet.
Well … almost no barriers.
Rory barrels into Marlowe’s side to knock him off of me and climbs into his place instead. Most of the time, the banter between the boys is playful and even when it gets a bit rough, it’s still all in good spirits. Sometimes though, it can get a little heated—more like a rivalry than a brotherhood.
Those moments don’t happen often though, and when they do, I’ve started learning how to calm each one of them down. Maybe it happens more often than I realize, because I may have gotten a little too good at it.
With Kaleb, it’s best to step into the path of conflict before it starts. Literally. One arm wrapped around his neck and fingers twisted in his long hair as I pull his face toward mine … it takes only a minute before he forgets about whatever stupid thing he was going to do and kisses me instead.
One touch, one moment with Kaleb, and all is right again with the world.
For Marlowe, all it takes is softly spoken words and a look on my face that implies I’d be deeply hurt if he acted against his brothers. That alone always makes him back down. He’ll usually come stand by me instead and I’ll kiss the side of his collarbone, just near the scar that he still needs to tell me about, and he’ll forget all about being upset in the first place.
Rory is a bit more difficult.
He’s often conflicted between his allegiance to his younger brothers and his loyalty and desire for me. If a disagreement arises between the three of them, he’ll usually lash out with some sort of overly aggressive and controlling thing that makes Kaleb and Marlowe even more angry.
Not to mention me.