Page 124 of Jackrabbit

“Good,” Beau murmured as Colt finished. He took the bowl and handed him the bottle again. “Drink.”

“M’tired.” Colt’s jaw cracked with the force of his yawn, but he took a drink anyway before setting the bottle on the nightstand.

“Alright.” The bowl clinked when Beau set it on the nightstand, too. He picked Toast up and ignored his indignant meow. “Lay down.”

Colt wiggled into the sheets, and Beau released Toast, who crawled over Colt and pressed against his side. He kneaded against Colt's hip and glared at Beau, and Colt chuckled as Beau got under the covers, too.

Sheets swished as Beau reached over and tugged Colt until he was lying with his head on Beau's chest, and Colt melted against him with a relieved sigh.

“Are you alright?” Beau asked. He ran his fingers through Colt's hair.

“So good,” Colt mumbled against Beau’s chest. He tapped his own temple. “Real quiet up here. Think you broke me.”

Beau froze. “Broke you?”

“No, not—” Colt lifted his head and blinked up at Beau with heavy eyes. “Good broken. Head isn't so busy.”

Good broken. Beau had no idea what the hell that meant. But as Colt settled against him again and sighed a relaxed sigh, he figured whatever he had done had worked.

Which had been the point. He'd been watching Colt spiral all week. Obsessing like that time he'd lost his first race. Drowning in his own expectations. Nothing Beau had done had helpedexceptwhen he told Colt exactly what to do and when to do it. He'd tried not to. Didn't like what it said about him that he was that controlling even all these years later.

But when he'd woken up at three in the morning to find Colt gone already, he'd decided enough was enough. Colt responded to control, and Colt responded to sex. Seemed like simple math.

He'd meant to exhaust him until hehadto sleep. Wear him out so thoroughly he wouldn't move for a few hours.

Colt nuzzled against Beau’s chest, sleepy and soft, and Beau listened to his breathing even out as he drifted off. Realized it had worked. Maybe not exactly as he'd intended, but…well. A win was a win.

And Beau couldn’t deny that he'd liked it. That he felt…not quiet, like Colt. But peaceful. Like something he hadn't known was out of place had clicked right, or like a background hum he hadn't noticed had cut off and he could hear the peace now.

He pulled Colt closer and buried his nose in those curls. Closed his own eyes, even though he knew he wouldn't be sleeping, that he was going to be awake for hours listening to Colt breathe.

Chapter 51

Three Days Until Charlotte

Beau found Colt floating in the pool on his back, eyes closed. His swim shorts were indecently short—black with little pink cat heads on them. Toast chittered at Beau as he walked past, lounging on one of Beau’s deck chairs in a patch of fading sun with his harness on, leash attached to the armrest.

When Beau reached down to stroke his back, Toast arched into the touch and purred. Spoiled, spoiled little shit. Colt treated Beau’s cat like a prince, and Toast was eating it up.

“You're gonna be insufferable in a few days, aren't you?” Beau murmured. Toast meowed, and Beau pulled off his shirt. He dropped it on the chair, and Toast climbed onto it and settled with a rumble. “We'll be alright.”

Colt was still floating peacefully when Beau slipped into the water.

Colt yawned. “You're home early.”

“Mhmm.” Beau sank down and pulled Colt’s hips under the surface. Colt flailed and yelped.

“Beau!” Colt's laugh echoed off the water as he twisted and wrapped his legs around Beau’s waist. “Haven't you been telling me to relax, like, for two weeks straight?”

“Mhmm.” Beau nuzzled under Colt’s jaw and inhaled the soft chlorine scent mixed with the smell of his skin. They’d been sleeping in the same bed so long that Colt was starting to smell a little like him. “Know you spent the afternoon in the gym anyway. Joe called.”

“Joe is such a snitch.” Colt put one arm around Beau’s neck and rested the other hand on Beau's chest. “I only got on the treadmill since someone wouldn't let me go to work today. Missed my daily run, you know.”

Compared to a week ago, going to the gym for a run was nothing. Colt wasn't calm. Didn't have it in him to be, all spark and constant movement. But he'd been more settled since Beau had taken him apart and put him back together. Less panicked, more clear-headed. He'd shaved time off his practice runs, was generally resting when Beau told him to.

It was better.

Colt pulled back just far enough to catch Beau’s lips in a kiss. A soft sort of kiss, all open mouths with no tongue. Unhurried. Kissing Beau like they had all the time in the world instead of—