I know my face is turning red at the same time, my eyes are blurring with tears. I didn’t know love could feel like this—so enormous and all-consuming, and at the same time, leaving room to grow. I wonder if there will ever be a day when I don’t love Jeremy more than I did the day before. I doubt it.
A tear escapes from my eye, and Jeremy leans forward and kisses it away.
“I want to make a life with you because Ems, you are my home, and I’ve never really had one of those before you. And I think…”
Jeremy breaks off, looking down at our joined hands and back up to me.
“Having someone to talk to is going to help me give all of that to you. To us. I want us to be the best we can be, and for that to happen, I need to be the best I can be.”
“I’m proud of you, Jeremy. So fucking proud of you.”
“You don’t think it’s ridiculous that I haven’t done this before? I’m thirty-seven years old. I probably should have handled my shit a long time ago. Long before I learned I had a father out there who wanted nothing to do with me and a brother who definitely does.”
I shrug, playing with Jeremy’s fingers. “I don’t think there is such a thing as the right time. The right time is whenever you dothe thing, and you’re doing it now. What about your brother?” I ask carefully. “Do you want to talk about it?”
He nods. “I do. Last night when everyone was at my house, they asked me what was going to happen next, and I didn’t want to talk to them about it yet. Not before I talked to you first.”
I smile at that, so happy to be his person because he is absolutely, undoubtedly mine.
“So, talk to me, Jer. What happens next?”
He shifts a little, giving me a heated look.
“What?”
“Every time you call me Jer, I get a flashback to the hotel shower and, well,” he gestures down at where his erection is tenting his shorts. I snort out a laugh, then lean over so I can speak into his ear, dropping my voice low and running a single finger over his hard cock.
“Tell me everything and I’ll give you a reward. Maybe even a little replay of the shower. Now that I know how much you like ass play, the possibilities are really endless.”
“Fuck.” Jeremy shifts again, reaching down to adjust himself. “Can’t we just go do it now? We can talk later.”
I lean back, giving him a bright smile. “Nope. Be a good boy and tell me what comes next.”
“Gooddamnit, Ems,” he mutters. “You can’t call me that out here.” Jeremy’s cheeks are tinged a little pink, and it delights me. Who would have thought the cocky former athlete who is a god in bed would have a touch of the submissive in him?
“Sorry.”
Not sorry at all.
“Just wanted to see what would happen. It was better than I ever could have imagined. I’m done now. Tell me.”
Jeremy turns to look out onto the trail. The place that was his and mine but has now become ours.
“I want to reach out to Brian. My…brother.” He stumbles a little over the word brother like it feels unfamiliar in his mouth.
“I left the house in a hurry yesterday, and I don’t think I was very nice to him when I did.”
“You were in shock. Your brain wasn’t firing on all cylinders.”
“I know, but even so. He didn’t deserve that. He also found out his dad wasn’t the person he thought he was, and his mom died a few months ago. He seemed lonely too. And angry. I think…” He trails off, lost in thought.
“I think maybe I’d like to try and get to know him. I’ve never had a real family before. Blood family,” he corrects himself, surely thinking of the reaming I’m sure Rachel gave him last night about how this family isn’t any less real because we aren’t blood related. Rachel didn’t tell me what they talked about, but I know her well enough to know that’s how the conversation went. I was counting on it when I called her.
“I think that sounds like a good idea. You can go at your own pace. There’s no rush here. You know everyone will want to get to know him too. If you want that. If he’s yours, he’s ours too.”
“I know,” he says, even though I can still see the hint of uncertainty in his eyes. “There’s something else too.”
“Give it all to me.”
