I give Milo a sad, but grateful smile.
Even though I didn’t think it would happen, I fell asleep before the movie was over. Ollie took Ares’s usual side of the bed, while Milo tucked himself really close to my other side. It was different having him so near me. He doesn’t put off the same level of heat Ollie does, but it was a close second to Dante.
I slept with Ares’s pillow under my head, and in one of Dante’s black t-shirts, keeping them as close to me as possible.
I woke early before the sun had a chance to rise, but I remained cocooned between them for a long while, just thinking. The phone never rang last night, unless they switched the ringers to vibrate, I would have heard it. So, there’s a good change the guys never called.
Not wanting to wake Milo or Ollie I slip out of bed, and neither of them stir. Grabbing the first pair of jeans my hands touch and snagging a pair of panties from one of my designated drawers, I head to the bathroom for a quick shower.
In my absence, Ollie has scooted closer to Milo. I grin at the picture they make. Ollie’s nose is almost touching Milo’s chest as they lay curled facing each other.
I pick up Ollie’s phone. The time stamp disappears as his home screen pops up to replace it. The phone automatically unlocks once my face is visible to the camera. I haven’t used any of their phones often, there’s not really a reason to when I’m always with one or more of them. Locating the green icon with an empty text bubble is easy, and I click on the square. It opens to a conversation between Dante and Ollie, but the most recent message came from Ollie, and that was around eleven o’clock last night, well after I was sleeping. Dante has yet to respond.
I type out another quick message.
Morning, it’s Laura. Everything okay?
I watch the screen for a few moments, hoping to see the three dots pop up when someone is typing, but the screen dims before anything happens. Hitting the back button, I find the text thread with Ares’s name and click to open that conversation, which is several days old. Still, I type out another message.
Hope everything is going okay. Miss you. Call again when you guys can talk.
I have little hope of him responding since Dante didn’t either, but I keep the phone in my hand anyway, just in case.
“What are you doing?” Milo calls from the bed, his voice raspy with sleep.
Turning in his direction, I wave the phone still clutched in my fingers and whisper, “Just checking to see if the others called.”
“Did they?” Milo runs a palm over his face and blinks a few times, before focusing his attention back on me.
I fold my arms over my stomach and shake my head, “No, I sent them a message, so they’ll know we’re awake now though. It’s still pretty early there, they might not be up yet.”
“Did you already shower, what time did you wake up?” Milo slides so his back is resting against the wall. His golden-brown hair is mussed up on one side and I can see a few lines on his cheek from the pillowcase. He looks so boyish and sweet, his shoulders have a slight slump, and his green t-shirt has stretched out while he was sleeping, effectively hiding his bulk.
“I’ve been up a while, but I fell asleep early. How late did you guys stay up?”
“Not too late actually. I think I fell asleep before Goldie Locks though.”
“I heard that,” Ollie mumbles, without moving.
“I used your phone Ollie,” I confess, setting the device back on the small bedside table.
“I don’t care. Dante call?”
“No, not yet. But I left them text messages.”
Ollie lets out a low moan, and he arches his back in a long, languid stretch. I pretend not to notice the bulge tenting the sheet as he turns over, so I focus on Milo instead. “I have to work again for a few hours, what are you guys going to do?”
“Same as yesterday I guess,” Milo peers at Ollie, “right?”
“Sure, nothing better to do.” I chance a look in Ollie’s direction. He’s settled on his back with his arms folded behind his head. “Let’s do something after though. I don’t feel like coming back here right away. Seems like we never get to do anything anymore.”
I bite the corner of my lip, thinking it’s probably my fault. Up until recently, I worked through the week most nights. Now it seems like every spare minute I’m training with one of the guys, so I don’t accidently lose controls of our shared abilities.
“What are you thinking?” Milo has one brow raised in interest.
“I don’t know, something.” Ollie pauses. “Hey, let’s go to the movies.” He sits up, a smile beginning to form on his lips, but there’s a mischievous quirk I don’t quite understand as he turns slowly to look at Milo.
“Movies…” Milo tilts his head, looking back at Ollie, and they seem to share a silent conversation. I shuffle my feet, feeling slightly left out.
“We can get popcorn and tons of snacks, it’ll be good. We can relax, and not in this huge, flat bed.” Ollie smacks his hand on Ares’s bed. “We’ll go into Monroe, to the theater with the heated reclining seats.” Ollie makes his brows jump with the suggestion.
I’ve only been to the movies a few times, it’s no fun going by yourself, and Mom didn’t enjoy leaving the camper very much over the past few years. I saw a play once, for a field trip with a bunch of classmates at an old movie theater, and it was probably one of the fanciest places I’ve ever been. Gilded chandeliers and sconces hung from the walls and ceiling, and I enjoyed being there more than I liked the play. I don’t think we’re talking about the same kind of theater though, the one I went to had small, hard seats that folded up when you weren’t sitting down. A heated recliner sounds even better.
“What’s playing, anything good?” Milo asks, throwing the covers off and revealing his bare legs. I catch a glimpse of his maroon boxer briefs, which are riding high on his thigh, before casting my eyes to the floor. His baggy shirt was doing a good job hiding his defined muscles, but with one glimpse of his powerful thighs, I remember that strength is actually his ability. Even though his body is honed and cut, the muscles hard and detailed, I know it’s only a hint of his true power. Just like you can’t see Dante’s lion by looking at him, or Ollie’s ability to wield fire, Milo could be gifted with strength, even if he was as thin and meek. Instead, he’s perfected his body with rigorous workouts, and all the sports he plays.
“I can look, but does it really matter? I just want to get out of this house for a few hours.”
“I don’t care either, but we at least need to know the movie times.” Milo twists his torso, using his left hand to grab his right shoulder as he stretches. His shirt is gathered up at the waist, exposing his tight, round butt. I jerk my eyes away, but I notice Ollie watching me with a smirk on his lips, and he wiggles his eyebrows at me. Knowing I got caught staring, I wrinkle up my nose and purse my lips. I’m embarrassed, but it would be way worse if Milo caught me staring at Ollie, at least Ollie always makes everything a joke.
“Why are your cheeks so pink, Muenster?” Ollie teases, and Milo turns so he can get a look at me after his question.
I press a hand against my flushed cheek, and glare at Ollie. “I don’t know,” I grumble through my clenched teeth. Ollie rolls his lips in to keep from laughing.
“Oh, are you feeling okay? You look a little hot, fever?” Milo walks over, placing the back of his hand on my cheek, then forehead. I dart my eyes to Ollie, who is holding a fist against his mouth, his eyes dancing with mirth.
“I’m okay Milo.” I take his hand from my head and give him what I hope is a convincing smile.
“If you’re sure?” He doesn’t sound convinced, so I nod up at him. Dropping a gentle peck to my lips, he breathes, “Okay.”
I tip my chin up, chasing his kiss with one of my own. When he pulls back his eyes search mine. “I’m going to jump in the shower, wait for me before you guys get breakfast?” He glances over his shoulder at Ollie. Thankfully, Ollie has regained his composure and agrees.
I watch Milo close the bathroom door and round on Ollie with my hands on my hips, except I don’t know what to say. It’s not like he did anything wrong, but I still want to call him out on teasing me.
“Something to say?” he quips, his lips pursed as he dares me to challenge him. I narrow my eyes on him, and that’s all the warning he gets before I run at him with every intention of tickling him until he cries for mercy.
“Whoa!” he exclaims as his eyes go wide. He lifts his hands in surrender, but it’s too late. He has no clue what I’m planning, so it’s easy to get my hands on his sides. He’s only wearing a pair of low-slung flannel pants, and his bare chest is on full display, an easy mark for my searching fingers as I dig into his sides.
He bends over with a jolt, tucking his arms tightly to his abdomen, and a few bursts of laughter fall from his lips before he decides to fightback. Easily flipping our positions, he pushes me against the wall near the bed and his hands tickle over my waist, then move up near my armpits. I squeal, already knowing I’ve lost the element of surprise and the battle, now that he’s turned the tables on me.
“Okay… okay,” I pant, “I give up.”
Ollie snorts. “So?” He continues to tickle me, moving one hand under my chin and the other to my side at the side time.
“Pl… ease… I’m… going. To pee.” That earns me a dark chuckle.
“That was sneaky, I’m almost proud of you, but I play to win Muenster.”
I can barely breathe through my laughter, I’m not even making real sounds anymore, just a bunch of air escaping from my lungs and squeals as I twist and turn.
“Gonna… pee,” I threaten, which might actually happen if he doesn’t stop soon.
Ollie lets out a long sigh and slows his fingers, but he doesn’t back away from me. His left hand goes to the wall above my head while the other stays on my hip, his finger flexing, but it’s not to tickle me. No, this time it’s as if he can’t help himself. Ollie brushes his body against mine, and I pant, still short of breath, but breathless from his touch as well.
He angles his head down so his forehead touches mine. “I like playing with you,” he murmurs, licking over his lips in an invitation.
“You were teasing me,” I defend, as I explain why I was attacking him with tickles.
“I want you to know it’s okay. You can look at us.” Ollie wraps his fingers over mine and brings them up to his chest. Pressing my hand against his neck, he trails my fingers down, passing over his nipple as he does so. His head leans back and he closes his eyes on a long blink, and when they open again his lids are drooped low. “Touch us,” he breathes and leans in for a warm, wet kiss.
Heat builds between us the moment our lips touch. Ollie tilts his head to the left, his nose brushing across mine as he deepens the kiss, and his tongue slides in long, languid strokes against mine. Leaning up on my toes I wrap my hand around his neck, my fingernails digging into his skin. He leans his weight against me, trapping me with the wall behind me, and the hard line of his body in front. We take turns pushing into each other’s mouths. Ollie kisses like he’s trying to consume me, deep and needy. Abruptly his lips pull from mine, but his body is still pressing me to the wall. Opening my eyes I peer up at him, his chest is rising and falling quickly, and I see a tick at the corner of his jaw as his eyes squeeze shut.
“What’s wrong?” I caress my palm over his cheek.
Ollie’s eyes are slow to open, “I want…” He pauses, his tongue darts over his lips and his eyes fall to my mouth. “I want so much, but the bond. I’m having a hard time not forming the bond,” he confesses, and his teeth snap together as he lets out a grunt of frustration.
Looking into his eyes I whisper, “Go ahead.” If I thought he was leaning against me before, I was wrong, because now he truly shoves my body against the wall with his. My mouth pops open as the breath from my lungs is stolen.
“Are you sure?” he grumbles, not even waiting for an answer before he seals his lips to mine. Both of his hands go to my hips and he lifts, my feet leave the floor, but I don’t even care. I wrap my legs around his waist, and my arms over his shoulders. Ollie groans out a long sigh, then he bites my top lip, the sting almost enough to make me pull back, but he pushes his tongue into my mouth and soothes the ache.
The kiss isn’t sweet or gentle. I jolt as our teeth hit a few times, clashing as our tongues battle. Ollie’s hands are hot as he cradles my bottom, holding me against the wall. The heat that’s always present between us begins to build until I’m afraid it’s going to scorch our skin.
I twist my face away, needing air, so Ollie moves his attention to my neck, slaying me with open-mouthed kisses as his tongue sears my flesh. I let my head fall back as waves of heat crash into me, settling somewhere inside.
The fire coils around me until I feel like screaming from the pressure and fever running through my veins. Ollie’s hand sneaks its way between our bodies, I can feel the hardness of his erection under me, but his hand goes right to my center. He leans his torso back and looks down between our bodies. He has a gleam in his eyes as he watches his hand move up and down. The heavy fabric of my jeans dulls the sensation, but Ollie turns so his palm is cupping me, and leaning close to my ear, he rasps, “Let go Laura, I wanna watch you burn for me.”
Bending his knuckles, I feel Ollie’s fingernails scraping over the material of my pants, sending a vibration through my core. My lower muscles tighten, again and again as he rakes his nails over the seam of my jeans until my head is tossing and turning against the wall, and I can’t think beyond the promise of pleasure he’s pushing me toward.
With a tap of his finger, right where all the heat I’ve pulled from Ollie has pooled, I bite the inside of my palm and let out a moan as I feel our bond begin to form. Ollie pushes past all my barriers, demanding a place where he can leave a small piece of himself with me. Wave after wave of pleasure consumes me. I can feel part of him lingering inside of me, slotting into the place where the well of Ares and Dante’s powers reside.
A calm settles over me as my legs start to slide over his hips, and my knees buckle as soon as my feet hit the floor. Ollie doesn’t fare much better, but he manages to soften our landing on the floor, and that’s where Milo finds us a few minutes later.
“What the hell, I thought you said you were okay?” He kneels on the floor next to me, his palm sliding over my cheek, Milo snatches his hand away with a hiss and wince. “You’re burning up.” His eyes go to Ollie on the floor next to me. He’s not sleeping, but he’s not fully awake either.
“You bonded,” he accuses, like Ollie and I did something wrong. “In the fifteen minutes I took to shower?”
“Don’t be an asshole Milo,” Ollie grouses, folding his arm over his eyes. I place my palm on the floor, more than ready to sit up. I know from what Ares and Dante said, being near each other after the bonding helped them get their strength back quicker. While I was definitely relaxed and sated, I remained on the floor next to him because he wasn’t ready to get up just yet. By the looks of it, he still isn’t.
Milo offers me his hand, even though he’s glaring at Ollie. With fast, deft movements, he brushes my hair from my face and focuses on my clothes, sweeping away imaginary dirt and grime from the floor.
“I’m fine Milo.” I inspect his face, gauging to see if he’s angry or just surprised.
“You sure?” He looks me over again. I straighten my clothes, beginning to feel uncomfortable with his perusal.
“Leave her alone Milo, she said she was fine.” Ollie heaves himself off the floor, narrowing his eyes on his friend.
Milo’s jaw tightens, but he looks down at the ground. “Okay.”
The awkwardness of the situation amplifies when Ollie looks down at his body and grimaces. “I need to clean up and get dressed.”
I hear Milo’s sharp intake of breath, but when I look at him, his features are schooled. “We’ll wait for you.” Milo runs his tongue over
his teeth, the movement is decidedly predatory. His eyes don’t leave Ollie’s back until the door closes behind him, then Milo turns all his attention to me. I fidget under his gaze. Taking several deep breaths, and in a much more level tone, Milo asks, “Are you hungry?”
The question is so unexpected that I snap my eyes up to his. “Uh… yes?” I say, not sure if it’s the right answer. He seems pretty upset.
“Good, me too.” He bobs his head and shifts on his feet. I thought the rift between us was closing, but it suddenly feels tentative. Like one wrong move from either of us could throw our newly forged understanding out the door.
I lift my head high and shake out the tremor from my hands. I’m not afraid of Milo, I know he would never hurt me physically, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. “Why are you angry?” I hope the direct approach works better than ignoring everything and letting him come around when he’s ready. It’s clear that both of us have misinterpreted the other’s feelings and motivations.
“I…” Milo seems to be at a loss for words. I don’t think he expected me to confront him. He clears his throat and tries again. “I’m not angry.” He pauses. “Well not really angry. It’s just now I’m the only one you haven’t bonded with.”
Milo gives a slight eye roll and rubs both of his hands over his face. “It’s stupid. I know.”
Taking a few steps in his direction, I grab his wrist and pull his hand away from his face. “It’s not stupid Milo. I mean, I don’t want you to be upset, but it’s not stupid.”
His shoulders fall a little while he scrunches up his nose. “I was jealous,” he concedes almost sheepishly.
He’s being honest, and we can work with honesty. Ares told me they don’t get jealous, but I think this is a different kind of jealousy, more like he was being left out. “I guess I thought Ollie and I, would,” Milo shrug and looks away from me, “I don’t know, do it together.” Redness blossoms high on his cheeks.
Infinity Chronicles Book Three Page 7