Finn Again (The Finn Factor Book 5)

by R. G. Alexander

  Owen frowned. “I’m never difficult.”

  “Are you kidding me?” Jeremy pushed through Owen’s barricade and headed for his dresser, letting his towel fall so he could step into his black briefs. Owen couldn’t help but admire his song-worthy semi before he covered it up. “You changed the wedding date—twice. You kept changing your mind about locations and decorations and food. If Jen’s professor hadn’t offered us the use of his…what do you call a house that big?”

  “A shopping mall?” Owen muttered, though he secretly wanted to house swap for that media wall alone. “I still don’t know how he lived by himself for so long. No single person needs that much space. Our whole family could live there. Tanaka has money too, you don’t see him flaunting it.” Or having a threesome with the littlest Finn.

  Jeremy rolled his eyes. “That may look like one loft, Owen, but you know Ken owns the entire building he and Brady are living in. He just has elevators instead of a grand staircase. And don’t start. You love that house. Getting married there was your call and you can’t change your mind again or I might get violent.”

  Owen couldn’t argue with that. “It’s a great house and I’m not changing my mind. Everything’s settled, I promise. It all worked out in the end.”

  “Not before you almost gave your mother an anxiety disorder and me a permanent migraine. But this is where I’m drawing the line. From now on we’re going traditional. Or, as traditional as we can be. That means no sleeping together or seeing each other before the wedding, bachelor parties and reception dances and every damn thing people do to celebrate the biggest day of their lives.” Jeremy paused, his lips quirking. “In deference to you, Declan has already attached the game system to his magical television wall—which will only come on after you’ve danced with me and taken a few wedding pictures for your mother’s sake.”

  “And then we fuck each other’s brains out?”

  “Yes, Mr. Romance. And then—till we’re parted by death—we fuck each other’s brains out.”

  “You know the way to my heart.” Owen reached for the waistband of Jeremy’s briefs, letting his towel drop as he pulled him closer. “I’m sorry I’ve been off.” Jeremy raised his eyebrow. “Fine. I’ve been batshit crazy, okay? To be fair, since the proposal everyone’s been a little insane about our wedding. Mom kept trying to make it what she thought it should be, reporters started showing up at my construction sites talking about the effect our engagement was having on Stephen’s poll numbers, and you were always so busy. I was…well, I’m—”

  “Spoiled rotten? Used to getting your way and having all the attention? A domineering pain in the ass?”

  “Exactly.” Owen’s lips twitched. “I’m only planning on doing this once, you know. Is it wrong that I wanted to get it right?”

  Jeremy wrapped his arms around him and pressed their foreheads together. “As long as you show up, it’s going to be right.”

  “I’m the one who proposed, of course I’m showing up. And the only reason I’m letting you out of my sight is because Tasha is pregnant. If she weren’t still working full time on her twin project, I’d be afraid she’d slip something in your drink and drive you to Canada to have one last ménage with her and some skinny screamer who doesn’t deserve you.”

  Jeremy snorted. “She’d never do that, Owen. And not just because she’s married to Stephen and too pregnant to see her feet. She loves you and she’s the only one who’s always known how I felt about you. Next to your mother, no one is happier about our wedding than she is. Though she is pissed about that wheelchair.”

  Owen caressed the broad shoulders in front of him. Stephen mentioned something about Natasha’s head exploding when he told her the only way she could be Jeremy’s best woman was on wheels.

  He’d offered to postpone everything until the babies were born, but his confident, politically savvy older brother had paled and begged him not to mention it again. She would, according to him, make him suffer in ways Owen couldn’t imagine if the wedding date was changed because of her. He didn’t ask for details. But knowing Tasha, he could imagine. “How is she really? You went with them to the checkup yesterday, but you didn’t go into detail.”

  “You didn’t give me a lot of time for talking when I got home,” Jeremy said with a small smirk. “But yeah, I went. I guess Rory decided to come before his shift because he was there too. She’s experiencing intense mood swings, but the doctor said that’s perfectly normal. He told us she’s almost eight months, but the twins are growing fast now, which is good. They’re not going to wait any longer than they have to for the C-section. It could be as soon as two weeks.” Jeremy’s worried expression had Owen holding him tighter instinctively.

  The sooner the better, as far as Owen was concerned. “And we will spoil those kids rotten to pay her back for all the trouble she’s gotten us into since high school. I just wish she’d tell us the sex so I could start planning all my Cool Uncle presents.”

  Jeremy nuzzled Owen’s neck, his lips skimming flesh as he responded. “She ordered the doctor not to tell them, and to only give them sonogram pictures that aren’t revealing. He’s obviously more afraid of her than a sitting senator, because he’s not talking. She wants it to be a surprise.”

  He’d lost his train of thought. Lips on his neck and that beard scraping his skin was all it took to distract him. God, he was so easy. Owen leaned back against the doorframe, dragging Jeremy’s hips against his renewed erection. “When do you have to leave again?”

  “As soon as you let me go,” Jeremy mumbled, as distracted now as he was. “Ken and Little Finn are joining us at Tasha’s for the evening. Stephen’s only rule is that she doesn’t lift a finger.”

  Owen frowned. “Tanaka’s going to be there? Why?”

  “Tasha invited him. Partially so I wouldn’t be the only guy, I think, but it’s probably not the only reason. She wants to find out what’s going on with their never-ending investigation. She’s worried about Brady since Jen told her what he had Trick doing.”

  He remembered Trick’s battered face after he’d helped his cousin, and he felt like a prick because he didn’t care as much about that as he did the presence of Tanaka at Jeremy’s slumber party. But he snuffed out the small spark of jealousy fast enough. Kenneth Tanaka was in love with Brady, and he was a friend. An attractive, tattooed friend who was masterful with rope and would be spending time with Jeremy when Owen wasn’t allowed to.

  He moved swiftly. Hands in Jeremy’s hair, tugging until their lips met, he walked him back toward the bed. He lifted his mouth before pushing Jeremy roughly onto the mattress. “You don’t have to be in such a rush. Bend over the bed.”

  Jeremy started to resist but whatever he saw in Owen’s expression made him turn without a word and bend over.

  “Knees on the mattress,” Owen ordered. “Now.”

  He smiled at the sight of Jeremy’s cotton-covered ass in the air, massaging the cheeks with firm hands. Lowering the briefs until they stretched taut around thickly muscled thighs he sighed, his mouth watering. “You’re not going anywhere until I kiss you goodbye.”

  He heard the ragged moan of submission and bent down, lids heavy as he licked his lips.

  “Owen?” A familiar male voice called down the hallway, accompanied by his dog’s excited barks. A little late on triggering the alarm, Badass. “The cool kids have arrived.”

  Noah. Son of a bitch.

  Jeremy swore too and rolled away with impressive speed, yanking his briefs up and reaching for his jeans. His expression was pained as he forced his huge erection safely behind his zipper. “Your family has great timing. Get dressed Owen.”

  A laugh—this time from a different Finn who was a little too close for comfort. “Yeah get dressed Owen,” Rory called loudly from just outside the door. “We don’t need to see the family jewels. Though I wouldn’t mind getting a peek at Porter’s.”

  “This is why we don’t take you anywhere,” Wyatt intoned from somewhere behind
him. “No sense of personal space.”

  “Or decency,” Noah added. “Stop perving on your cousin’s husband.”

  “Like you two know about personal space. Don’t firemen sleep together?” Rory’s voice was fading, but his mischievous tone was pissing Owen off. “Anyway, they aren’t married yet, and I hear he’s hung like a bull. I was just curious.”

  Jeremy and Owen’s eyes met at that and held, remembering. Jeremy smiled before reaching into the dresser and throwing Owen’s favorite sweatpants in his direction. “Come on. Walk me to the door.”

  His fiancé picked up his stuffed gym bag and a winter jacket. Owen knew both of their wedding tuxedos were already pressed and hanging at Declan’s house, and all the other details in Jeremy’s wedding binder were checked off and taken care of. There’d be no reason for him to come back before the big event. “Badass is going to miss you.”

  Jeremy turned and walked backwards down the hallway. “As long as he doesn’t get drunk on beer again or throw up all over the couch because you left takeout containers on the coffee table, he’ll live. He won’t even notice I’m gone.”

  “He’ll notice.” I’ll notice. “If Tasha hires a stripper I’m writing her out of the will.”

  His smile was telling. “You think the Senator’s wife—who is currently an invalid propped up on pillows with two buns in one oven—is going to invite a male stripper into her home to give me a lap dance?”

  Owen’s glare was pointed. “Yes.”

  “I’m not saying she wouldn’t.” Jeremy held up his hands, conceding. “But if she did no one told me about it. Maybe she’ll just have Ken do one of his rope demos for us. In this family, that’s practically G-rated.”

  “He’ll answer to me if he does.”

  Jeremy tsked. “So you get to have all the fun, is that what you’re saying? Is this what marriage is going to be like with you? What’s good for the goose isn’t good for the other goose?”

  Noah, already sprawled on the couch with a gaming controller in his hand, snorted loudly, drawing Owen’s gaze. Wyatt was carrying four six-packs to the kitchen and Rory was rolling around on the floor with the dog. He shook his head and turned back to Jeremy. “Please don’t leave me alone with these children, goose. I’ll strip for you right here.”

  “Please don’t.” Rory sat up, wiping his dog-kissed face with a grin. “And stop being such a baby. The four biggest troublemakers of the family are together without adult supervision. It sounds like a party to me.”

  Jeremy hesitated. “You’re in charge, Noah. Don’t make me regret it. If you end up in jail or Owen doesn’t make it to the wedding? You’ll be responsible.”

  Noah didn’t look away from the screen, but his easy nod made his short blond curls bounce. “You got it, Porter. Now go get your freak on with Team Jeremy. I hear the stripper they got for you dresses like a construction worker and he’s packing a socket wrench that rivals your own.”

  “What?” Rory frowned at Noah’s head. “Can I change teams?”

  “Thought you did that years ago.” Wyatt cracked himself up.

  Noah smirked. “Too late. You’re staying with us for the duration. We’re with the groom.”

  “But—”

  “No, Rory.” Noah and Wyatt responded together, making Jeremy laugh.

  Owen let him pull him to the door, away from his cousins. “Relax. I’m sure his socket wrench has nothing on yours,” Jeremy assured him, his expression softening. “But I really do have to go if we’re going to pull this off by Christmas Eve.”

  They came together for a kiss that went from gentle and loving to breathless and erotic in a heartbeat. All Owen could think about was finishing where they left off before they were interrupted. But when the catcalls and helpful hints from his cousins got louder, he lifted his lips with a sigh. “Does this traditional separation allow phone calls?”

  “I’ll call you tonight.” Jeremy lifted the collar of his jacket against the snow and slipped out the door quickly, trying not to let too much cold air inside. “Love you.”

  Owen shivered, still shirtless as the door closed behind him. “Me too.”

  Chapter Two

  “This is bad.” Wyatt’s comment made Owen turn away from the door.

  “What?”

  “I don’t know what the man-love equivalent of pussy-whipped is—”

  “Dick-smacked?” Rory threw out helpfully. “Dong-flogged?”

  “Thanks.” Wyatt smirked. “The favored son of the house of Finn is officially dick-smacked. Staring at the door like you haven’t been living in each other’s back pockets for most of your lives. Like you’re not going to see him day after tomorrow.” He shook his head. “You used to be a player, buddy. A legend. I never saw it coming.”

  “I know,” Rory sighed mournfully. “We were the dynamic duo. Now I’m the only legend left.”

  “Did you say only?” Wyatt sounded offended.

  “Being in a calendar doesn’t make you a legend, Wyatt. Just photogenic.”

  “I can show you legend.”

  “Please don’t take off your shirt again.”

  “Enough you two.” Noah paused the game, grabbed a beer from his brother and turned on the couch to face them. “And don’t be too hard on dick-smacked over there. He didn’t see it coming either. Frankly, I’m not sure he’s ready for Christmas Eve. Our golden boy fears change, and this is about as big as it gets.”

  Owen crossed his arms and shook his head. “I fear change? Me? I can’t believe you’re saying that with a straight face. I damn well paved the way for the rest of you. You can fall in love with a dick-fingered Martian if you want and no one will bat an eye. Don’t mock me. Thank me.”

  “First of all, that sounds like a good idea for a sci-fi porn, but technically? Big brother Brady did the paving,” Rory corrected. “He was a giant gay Marine before it was cool. And then I came out in high school… Jeremy was bisexual pretty much from the get-go, right? Why exactly should we be thanking you again?”

  Owen glowered at his cousin’s facts. “You came out but no one else came in. You’ve never brought anyone home to meet the family.”

  “Sol’s a homophobe and Jeremy was practically adopted by your parents already,” Rory countered. “Doesn’t count. Anyway, Brady did it for me after your proposal. Don’t steal your best man’s thunder. Give my brother his due.”

  Owen rolled his eyes. “Fine, Brady is the paver. He’s also the only one of you who stepped off the path Sol the Elder laid out for his sons.”

  “Also not true,” Wyatt said, pretending to be insulted. “I’m a fireman. He wanted us all to be cops.”

  Solomon and James were police officers, but these three were still first responders. Two cops, two firemen and an EMT. Brady had been a police officer, then a Marine, a politician’s bodyguard and now…well, Owen wasn’t sure what to call him now. He was still fighting criminals by working with Ken, so he hadn’t wandered too far from the master plan.

  Rory stood and wiped the dog hair off his shirt. “He wanted us all to date women, too. To be fruitful with the multiplying and not mar the family name.”

  Noah choked on his beer and chuckled. “Poor old Sol. Nothing ever goes his way.”

  Wyatt grinned. “Well we’re not gay.” He checked with Noah. “We’re not, right? Not that it would matter to me if you decided to hop the fence but…”

  “As far as I know. But now I’m worried you’ve been breathing in too many of those bad fumes again.” Noah shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. Sol blusters about family reputation, but caring about us personally is a little outside of his capabilities.”

  “Oh he cares,” Rory muttered to no one in particular. “Just not in the way you’d want him to.”

  “That intervention did a number on him, didn’t it?” Wyatt whistled as if to convey a bomb dropping. “The look on his face when we told him we knew about his ménage with Ellen and Uncle Shawn? I’ve never seen him like that. I guess he thought he’d g
et to the grave with that secret.”

  “I wish I’d been a fly on the wall.” Owen was damn proud of his cousins for confronting Sol. They’d all needed to get a few things off their chest. “I can’t believe he didn’t pop a blood vessel.”

  “I was on hand for that, just in case,” Rory assured him dryly. “But the old man is resilient, if nothing else.”

  Noah shook his head. “I don’t know if it did any good. He is who he is, and one honest conversation isn’t going to change that. I hope Uncle Shawn isn’t disappointed when he doesn’t show up for the wedding.”

  “I know he’s grateful you tried. Despite it all, Dad still misses his twin. I can’t imagine Stephen and Seamus being angry at each other for that long.”

  “How is Seamus?” Noah asked quietly. “We know Younger’s been spending a lot of time at the pub lately. He says your brother has become obsessed with microbrews? He set up something in that studio behind Finn’s Pub.”

  Owen nodded. “He’s been talking about that since we started construction. He has a lot of plans for the place. I’m just glad he’s focused on something positive. It’s been a hell of a year for him.” Especially the last few months.

  Stephen might be the star of the Finn fold, and Owen the spoiled charmer, but Seamus was the good son. He spent the most time with their parents, taking care of them when they were ill, bringing the kids over every chance he got. He’d worked for their father when Shawn started slowing down and took over the pub from him when it was time to retire. Without fail Seamus always did what needed to be done, and he did it with love in his heart and a smile on his lips.

  Despite bad luck in the romance department and the collection of children he was raising as a single parent, he was the true rock of the family. And that rock had been shaken. In one year he’d discovered Owen was gay and that his twin, Stephen, had been keeping his relationship with Tasha a secret since college. He’d almost lost his youngest son when that ass Burke brought Little Sean’s mother back to sue for a custody she didn’t want. As if that weren’t enough, a few months ago they’d all found out their baby sister was sleeping with her college professor. The confrontation that followed not only showed them they were misinformed—she wasn’t sleeping with one older man, but two—but the hits just kept on coming. Most of them having to do with their mother and her handling of Jen’s romantic tangle.