“No one sent me,” Zach said, searching Tristan’s face for a clue. His voice softened. “What is it, brat?”
Something in Tristan’s expression shattered. The next thing he knew, he had Tristan’s face in the crook of his neck and Tristan’s arms around him, hugging him like a lifeline. Zach would have been less startled if he had seen an elephant in his backyard. He stood still, all his senses assaulted by Tristan’s proximity. “Tristan—”
“Shut up,” Tristan whispered. “Shut up, shut up, shut up.”
“Okay,” Zach said, his hands twitching by his sides. Finally, he gave in to his desire and wrapped his arms around Tristan, pulling him closer.
A peculiar small noise tore out of Tristan’s throat. “I hate you,” he said into his neck. “Tighter.”
Christ. What was wrong with him?
Zach tightened his embrace, closing his eyes. How could someone so prickly feel so good in his arms? Gritting his teeth in annoyance—with himself more than with Tristan—he buried his face in Tristan’s hair. He inhaled greedily, trying to make sense of his conflicting emotions. Protectiveness. Disgust with how easily Tristan got under his skin and made him want to do whatever Tristan wanted. Possessiveness. And want. So much want. He wanted to taste the boy, to touch him, to get inside of him. To own him.
Tristan suddenly muttered, sounding embarrassed, “If you mention this to anyone—”
“What did I tell you about unnecessary threats?” Zach pressed his nose behind Tristan’s ear and inhaled deeply. Tristan’s scent was doing things to him, all of them uncomfortable for various reasons. “You don’t have to threaten me. I know: you’re mean, heartless and tough.”
“I am,” Tristan said defensively, though he showed no inclination to remove himself from Zach’s arms. “Don’t make fun of me.” He peeked over Zach’s shoulder. “Nick is looking at us. Let go of me before he gets any ideas.”
Zach tried to, but his body didn’t obey any signals from his brain. It felt like his arms weighed a ton; they refused to move. The image of his brother touching Tristan earlier flashed through his mind, and his gut shriveled into a hard, icy ball. His arms tightened.
“Zach?” Tristan said.
Zach turned his head and threw over his shoulder, “Go inside.”
“Glad to see I’m not the only one you order around,” Tristan said with a smile in his voice.
“Is he gone?” Zach asked, sliding his hands down to rest on Tristan’s lower back, just above the curve of his ass. It felt like the most natural thing in the world. His hands fit perfectly there. Tristan fit perfectly in his arms.
“Uh huh,” Tristan said, practically melting into him. “Zach?”
“Mmm?”
“You’re still in an open relationship, right?”
Zach sucked a breath in. “Yes.”
A long silence followed.
Tristan extracted himself from Zach’s arms and stepped back. His cheekbones were a little flushed, but other than that he looked like his normal self again. He no longer seemed so agitated. Zach still wanted to know what had upset him.
Tristan rubbed a hand behind his neck. “Then, come over tonight. Just tonight. If you want.” He bit his lip and averted his eyes, already looking like he regretted saying that. “All right, bye.” He strode to his car briskly and got in. The engine roared and he was off.
Zach stood still after the car was long gone.
Come over tonight. Just tonight. If you want.
The words resonated through his body, sending waves of almost painful need through him. The temptation was beyond anything he had ever experienced.
Shaking his head, Zach headed back inside.
When he entered the house, Zach came to a halt as four pairs of eyes looked at him.
“So, what was that about?” Ryan asked. “That wasn’t how I imagined him.”
“It’s none of our business,” James said.
“Actually, I disagree,” Ryan said. “He bolted out when we came, so I sort of take it personally.”
“James is right,” Zach said. “It’s none of your business, Ryan.”
“But it’s yours?” Nick cut in.
Was that jealousy in Nick’s voice? Fuck, what a mess.
Zach loved his brother—all of his brothers—but this was something he had to nip in the bud.
“Not yours,” Zach said, staring Nick down, which was no longer as easy as it used to be now that they were almost the same height. Nick was no longer the kid who had worshiped him and followed him around like a puppy—he was a man—and Zach didn’t delude himself into thinking that right now Nick saw him as his eldest brother. Nick stepped closer.
“Whoa, what the hell?” Ryan said, jumping between them. “What’s going on?”
“Zach, a word,” Donna said suddenly.
Zach looked away from Nick only after Nick dropped his gaze.
“Zach,” Donna said again.
Reluctantly, he followed her into the kitchen and closed the door.
She crossed her arms over her chest and regarded him calmly for a moment before saying, “You lied.”
He frowned. “What?”
“You said it was just lust and that you could control it. When he got upset, you didn’t behave like a man in lust, Zach. You behaved like a concerned boyfriend.”