It wasn’t all a wonderful realization.
There was the not-so-insignificant fact he was Beckett’s little brother. There was something else, too, that nagged at his sleepy brain, but it eluded his grasp.
He rolled onto his side and stared at the wall. At least they could finally get past the awkwardness of wondering what the other was thinking.
He jammed his pillow over his head.
He’d see what Liam said in the morning. He might be drunk, but he wasn’t so drunk he wouldn’t remember. In Coury’s experience, “I can’t remember what I did,” was a line people used to avoid owning something they wished they hadn’t done.
If Liam used that line, Coury would know he regretted telling him. Coury would respect that. Liam had been through enough this year. He didn’t need Coury putting any pressure on him.
But, damn, that kiss . . . It was the kind you gave to someone you really wanted.
The kind Coury really wanted to get from Liam.
Chapter Eleven
Liam
Liam woke with a mild headache and a mouth that tasted like something died in there, which probably wasn’t far from the truth. Cheap frat beer and not brushing his teeth before bed? The worst.
Why had he thought it was a good idea to drink? He cracked open his eyes. It took him a moment to remember he was in Coury’s room, sleeping in Coury’s bed. Lazily, he rolled his head to his left and froze. Coury was lying on his side, smiling and staring at him.
“Good morning.” His smile disappeared, and he propped up on one arm. “How do you feel?”
Like a total fool.“Like I know better.”
“I’m sorry. Do you need anything?”
Heneededto take back the night before. He’d gotten silly and—oh God, he’d kissed Coury. “No. I’m okay.”
“You sure? You were pretty wasted last night.” Coury flung his sheets back, climbed out of bed, and slung himself on the end of Liam’s mattress. The blankets bent his toes over, pressing against the side of Coury’s ass, only thin material between them.
Coury scrubbed his jaw and looked at Liam, and Liam’s heart jackrabbited.Shit!He was going to get on Liam for the kiss. “Sorry,” he blurted. “How bad was I? Don’t remember most of it.”
Coury’s hand froze over his jaw and the curious light in his eyes faded. He stared at Liam for a few seconds, then smiled unevenly. “You were fine. You were having fun.”
“I know how I am when I’m drunk. Probably made a fool of myself.”
There was no “probably.” He’d told Coury he’d had a crush on him since he was twelve. If he could disappear or teleport himself home, he would.
“Nope, you were fine. Nothing you should regret.”
Had the kiss and confession been a dream? “Really?”
“I swear.” Coury put a hand over his heart. “Well, you might have almost fallen out of bed changing, but no one other than me saw it. Your virtue is safe with me, Lionheart.”
He remembered the roar trying to get up the stairs and almost falling out of bed. “That’s it? Nothing else someone will tell me about later?”
“Nothing you should be embarrassed over.”
“So I did do something.”
Coury totally knew Liam kissed him. Why was he pretending they hadn’t? The same reason Liam was pretending? Was he embarrassed? Not sure how to bring it up? Feeling guilty about Beckett?
Or maybe he couldn’t tell Liam he felt the same way.
Coury patted the blanket atop Liam’s right leg. “Come on. Get up and let’s eat.”
