Forget about Gareth. He can survive. I, on the other hand, need to recharge by strangling my lotus flower.
I stay a safe distance behind him as he walks by the small stores in the town center. He’s dressed in dark pants and a light-green shirt, and his eyes are covered with elegant sunglasses. I can’t wait to unwrap him later.
He stops by a pastry shop and I grin when he buys a box of macarons.
Bran then proceeds to walk in the direction of the penthouse. Despite having a car, he doesn’t usually drive it and prefers to use his legs whenever possible. It’s about a half hour walk from town, but I’m not complaining. I love watching him from afar and seeing how he stops and plays with dogs or checks in on the elderly people he does volunteer work for.
He’s such a golden boy. At least, on the outside. I’m actually proud that I’m the only one who knows how much of a control freak he is.
Instead of going down the main street, Bran takes a secondary route and I follow, frowning. Does he have someone to visit around here?
He stops near an alley and turns around so suddenly, I don’t have time to hide.
Bran removes his sunglasses and hangs them on the opening of his shirt. He gives me a once-over, his gaze lingering on where my biceps meet my T-shirt, and I can’t help flexing them. I really, really love it when he checks me out.
That way, I can take some comfort in knowing he wants me. Not to the point of my utter obsession with him, but I do often catch him looking at me lately.
The other day, he was tidying up the bathroom while I was soaking in the Jacuzzi, but then I caught him ogling me as his shorts tented. He didn’t agree to join me in the bathtub, so what did I do? The most logical thing, of course. I bent him over the counter and fucked him as he brought the house down with his moans and groans.
He’s so loud, I love it.
I love that he lets go when around me.
Now, he releases a long breath. “You need to quit the habit of stalking me.”
“I thought I was being subtle.”
“Subtle? I could sense your eyes digging a hole in the back of my head.”
“More accurately, your ass, baby.”
“You’re not even going to offer an excuse?”
I shrug. “Do I need to? I’m a simple man. I missed you, so I came to see you.”
“We were together this morning.”
“I need a dose of you at all times.”
A pink hue covers his cheeks and he clears his throat. “Don’t you have school?”
“As I said, not important. You can’t expect me to picture you walking around the house while I’m not there.” I grab the heaviest-looking bags. “I’ll carry these. Go first.”
“We can walk together. This area is usually deserted this time of day.”
“Really?” I grin, gluing myself to his side.
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to—”
“Of course I want to.”
He steps away, keeping a short distance between us, but I don’t focus on that and choose to watch his small smile and the way his face radiates under the rare sun. His eyes shine a bright-blue color and some of his hair looks lighter.
Christ.
How can a man be so fucking beautiful? The urge to kidnap him and keep him all to myself beats like a need beneath my skin. I’ve given up thinking this is only a phase that will go away or that there will be a day when I’ll see Bran and not have this queasy feeling in my chest.
I’m so screwed.
Bran clears his throat. “Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“That. Whatever that is.”
“Don’t think I can, baby. I have no self-control when it comes to you.”
He swallows and I can’t help watching the up and down of his Adam’s apple. Fuck. I flex my hand around the bag to stop myself from hauling him over and kissing the fuck out of his full lips.
“Does that mean you have self-control when it comes to everything else?” he asks, and his slightly husky voice does nothing to disperse Kolya’s attempt to rise to life.
“Yeah.”
“So all the rumors about your penchant for violence are incorrect?”
“They are correct. I love beating things and people up, but I have enough agency to stop. Can’t do that with you. It’s impossible.”
“Hmm. So I’m more important than violence?”
“Fuck yeah.”
He smiles a little. “Good.”
“You like torturing me?”
“It’s only fair.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.”
We spend the rest of the way in comfortable silence, and I find myself reveling in every moment I spend in public with him. I never liked silence, and wasn’t really given the choice considering how loud my brain is. Even with Bran, I often filled up any silence with gibberish. Admittedly, I talk too much. He doesn’t.
My Bran is one of those people who don’t talk unless he has something meaningful to say and I grew accustomed to his brand of comforting silence. It’s not tension-filled or brimming with unsaid words. It’s peaceful, relaxing, and fulfilling in its own right.
It’s his way of soaking up the moment, as he told me once, and I’m strangely picking up the habit.
I’d love to thread my fingers through his, but that’s not an option right now. One day, I’ll be able to hold his hand on the street.
One day.
When we’re inside the penthouse, I hurry to put the bags on the kitchen table so I can devour him. If I just drop them at the entrance, he’ll start nagging.
The sound of something hitting the floor reaches me first, then a strong grip lands on my bicep.
I whirl around, but I don’t have time to focus when Bran fists a hand in my hair and captures my lips in a violent kiss. His tongue invades my mouth and he feasts on me. I’m stunned for a second, but then I wrap my arms around his back and claim what’s fucking mine.
My hand falls to his ass and I nudge him up. He doesn’t complain as he hops on and wraps his legs around my waist.
God-fucking-damn-it. I love it when he lets me carry him. I’ve been doing it religiously since I first did it last week.
Bran kisses me for what seems like hours, his fingers stroking my hair, his breaths and his entire fucking being fusing with mine.
He pulls away and smiles against my mouth, then wipes something at the corner of my lips.
“Fuck, baby.” I pant. “What was that for?”
“I’ve wanted to do that since I saw you.” He strokes my cheek. “Let me down. I’ll wash up and prepare dinner.”
“No way in fuck am I letting you go after that. Buckle up, baby. Kolya would like to say hi.”
I walk him to the bedroom as his laugh echoes in the air.
One day, and I mean very, very soon, Bran won’t be content with only kissing me behind closed doors.
He’ll be proud about being with me just like I’m over the moon about being with him.
What the…?
I pause when I feel a weight on my shoulder and comforting warmth snuggled up to my side.
The last thing I remember is sitting on the floor with my back against the wall while waiting for Bran. He said he was running late because he was meeting up with his brother and sister, and you can bet that I grumbled and threw a fit about having to share him with anyone. So what if they’re his siblings?