Page 23 of Phoenix

Tor grinned and tipped his chin toward Patrick. “He’s alright.”

“Yeah, he is.”

Patrick was one of the few people he actually liked in California, which was why he’d agreed to move in with him when his other roommate left after they’d signed the lease.

“The boyfriend was a questionable choice, though,” Tor said. He rubbed his thumb back and forth across Jule’s palm while he continued holding the frozen edamame against his knuckles.

“Brad’s nice,” Jule said.

“Exactly.”

“You’re the one who told me to be normal!” He shoved at Tor’s shoulder with his uninjured hand. Tor didn’t move so much as an inch.

“Normal, yes. Lobotomized, no. There’s a difference.”

“I guess I can’t see the distinction. Anything but violent and unhinged looks like it’s swimming in the same murky pool.”

“Stop, you’re describing the perfect man. It’s turning me on,” Tor said.

“Now who’s flirting?” He gripped the back of Tor’s neck and pulled him in for a kiss. “Your jaw’s really okay?” he murmured as he skated his lips across Tor’s sharp jawline.

“Promise. It takes more than a couple of punches to take me down.”

“I’ve never seen anything take you down.” Jule skimmed his mouth over Tor’s.

“You’ve seen me go down for years, Julie.” Tor’s voice was sandpaper rough.

“Well, I can see the PDA thing’s not true. So not cousins, but what exactly? Is he your ex?”

Jule looked over to Patrick. He had forgotten he was in the room.

“No,” he and Tor said at the same time. Ex implied a relationship that ended. That would never happen with them, no matter how long Tor stayed away.

He turned back to Tor and kissed him again. “Like I said, he’s family.” He brushed his hand over Tor’s head. His hair was on the long side, like it’d been when they were sixteen. He remembered tugging on it when Tor was bent over his lap, taking him deep.

“That is not how I touch my family,” Patrick said.

“If you’re really lucky, then one day you will.”

“That’s sweet.” Tor brushed their lips together.

“I can be sweet.” Jule kept his mouth against Tor’s as he spoke.

“I know.” One hand on the edamame, Tor slipped the other under his shirt. “Mmm.” He deepened the kiss.

“Ehm.” Patrick cleared his throat. “I think I’ll stay with Eric tonight. Give you guys some privacy.”

Moving apart from Tor was torture so he didn’t do it, but he did pull away from his mouth and turn his head toward Patrick. Tor nipped his earlobe. “We’ll go to my room. I know Eric’s roommate doesn’t like it when he has sleepovers.”

“He can deal for one night.” Patrick walked to the door. “These walls aren’t that thick, and I have a feeling I’ll sleep better there, even with his roommate whining.” He walked out with a wave.

“The walls aren’t thick, but something else is.” Jule’s hand was still on Tor’s lap, so he moved it across his erection.

“That’s horrible,” Tor said, chuckling against Jule’s mouth.

“A little corny, but accurate.” Jule flipped his hand over and gripped Tor through his jeans.

“A lot horny, but accurate.”