Page 140 of Beautiful When He Breaks

Julian’s cheeks actually color, which would be satisfying if mine weren’t already a nuclear event. “I panicked.”

“You panicked into flirting?”

“I have a limited skill set under pressure.”

Ryan manages to pry Luca’s hand off just far enough to say, “He calls that flirting?” before Luca immediately seals his mouth again.

“Enough,” Luca says, hauling him back another step. “I am begging you to develop survival instincts.”

Ryan licks Luca’s palm, and he jerks his hand away with a disgusted noise. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Ryan spins out of his hold with the triumphant expression of a man who has won a war through biological warfare. “Many things,” he says, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “But I am still the only person in this room brave enough to address the obvious.”

I close my eyes.

I would like Celeste to come back and frame me for another crime. That might somehow be less embarrassing than standing in this kitchen while a room full of athletes, partners, and one baby discuss the fact that I apparently made noises in Julian’s room last night.

Luca glares at Ryan. “History is going to remember you as the reason we can’t have normal mornings.”

Ryan points at him. “First of all, that was homophobic.”

“We’re both bisexual, asshat,” Luca growls.

“Internalized quarterback oppression,” Ryan shoots back.

Sage pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs. “That doesn’t mean anything.”

“It means Luca hates free speech when the speech is fun.”

“It wasn’t fun,” I say, voice still strangled. “It was invasive and horrible.”

Ryan turns toward me with wide, wounded eyes. “Eli, I am happy for you. I’m not judging, I’m celebrating. Love is love, but noise is also noise.”

“Ryan,” Luca warns.

“What?” Ryan asks, flinging a hand toward Julian and me. “Am I wrong? They’ve been eye-fucking over baby bottles for weeks. I think I deserve emotional closure.”

“You deserve a muzzle,” Liam mutters.

Ryan looks offended. “Kinky accusation for a Tuesday morning. Is that why you call Nate ‘Pup’?”

“Shut up,” Luca and Sage say at the same time.

Damon, who has recovered enough to breathe, lifts his hand slightly. “In Ryan’s defense—”

“Babe, no,” Roman says immediately, though he’s smiling.

Damon glances up at him. “I was only going to say it was a little obvious.”

“See?” Ryan says, clearly feeling vindicated. “The artist speaks.”

Roman gives Damon a fondly betrayed look. “You were supposed to be on the side of dignity.”

“I’m an artist and on the side of observation,” Damon says. “And aesthetically speaking, the longing wasn’t subtle.”

I blink at him. “The longing?”

Damon’s face softens, but his eyes glitter with amusement. “Eli. Please.”