[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

And how the fuck am I supposed to get to know them if all I do is sit here fretting like some& I
don t even know what.
Todd took his hand and squeezed gently. Adam looked at him and some of his nerves
settled. Todd was here with him, beside him on the couch the very same couch he and
Todd had walked in and found Gabe and Mika all but fucking on years ago. Adam cringed
and fought back the urge to jump up and check the cushions.
 Thank you for inviting us over, Adam said to Mika. He did, after all, have some
manners. Occasionally. Adam turned his attention to Zane and Aidan. For some reason
Adam had to suppress a shiver when he looked into Aidan s dark eyes. But Zane s silver
ones weren t much less intimidating.
And why was he intimidated?
Adam perked up, exuberance bubbling up to cover his discomfort.  So! Are you two in
town long? And don t you have a twin? he asked Aidan. He knew the answer, because
Gabe could babble like no one else and he d gone on and on about Aidan and his twin
brother, but if it would get the giant blond guy to talking instead of just& just watching
Adam, that d be great.
Zane s lips twitched and Aidan flat-out grinned and Adam wondered what the hell the
joke was and if it was on him like he suspected it was.
 We plan on being here for a few days, Aidan rumbled,  then we re going to take a
hiking trip since someone hasn t shut up about the Catwalk.
Zane snorted and muttered something about the appropriateness of them being on
something called a Catwalk, but before Adam could ask what he meant Gabe bounded into
the living room.
 Er, Iko kinda got the platter of steaks. Everyone okay with burgers instead?
www.total-e-bound.com
RESILIENCE Bailey Bradford
122
Adam stood up and barely stopped himself from heading out back.  Did you get the
meat away from Iko? Raw meat isn t good for dogs, not in such large quantities.
Gabe rolled his eyes. He pointed a spatula at Adam.  And what the hell did dogs eat
before they were domesticated animals? Tofu? Adam opened his mouth to snark back but
Gabe shook the utensil at him.  I m not a dipshit. Iko got away with one of the steaks but the
rest are all nasty and dirty and gross. I wouldn t want to eat  em, but if you annoy me& 
Adam arched a brow but sat back down.  I was just concerned about Iko, that was all. I
doubt it d hurt you at all to eat the remaining raw meat yourself.
Gabe walked over and ruffled his hair.  Aw, you re sweet. You ve got pathetic
comebacks, though. Good thing Todd isn t with you for your rapier wit. He turned and
pointed the spatula towards Aidan and Zane.  Okay, Zane. You get to help me make
hamburger patties, because Mika can t be a rude host and abandon y all to help me, and,
frankly, I would probably end up shoving this spatula up Double D s ass 
Adam heard Gabe s teeth snap together. What the hell was that about? And Double D?
Did he mean Aidan? He glanced at Todd, who was frowning and looking as confused as
Adam felt.
Gabe spun around and had a fake smile plastered on his face.  The Double D is for
Aidan s moobs. They may be muscles, but he still has big tits.
 Ass, Aidan sniped. Gabe flipped him off and Zane kissed Aidan s cheek.
 I love your Double D s, Zane purred, and promptly yelped when Aidan smacked his
ass.  That s not discouraging me any, just so you know. Zane chuckled as he backed away.
He only turned around once he was out of Aidan s reach, then Zane and Gabe headed off
into the kitchen.
 Men, Aidan said, but he had a sappy grin on his face that surprised Adam for some
reason.
Mika darted a look at Adam and Todd then grunted.  Sorry about the steaks. Iko s been
pushing his boundaries lately.
 Maybe he needs a sibling, Adam suggested. He saw the refusal coming before Mika
even spoke and moved to cut the man off.  Don t even say y all have a kennel full of siblings.
Those rescues aren t treated like Iko and you know it. They can t be, or else y all would never
be able to adopt them out. But maybe you and Gabe should talk about it, see if there isn t one
www.total-e-bound.com
RESILIENCE Bailey Bradford
123
of the rescued dogs that would really fit in with your family. Wouldn t hurt Iko to learn to
share, and he d have a consistent playmate.
Adam leant back, having said his piece. Mika narrowed his eyes and Adam wasn t sure
if he was getting glared at or if Mika was just contemplating what he d said.
 For what it s worth, I think Adam is probably right, Aidan said. Adam turned to look
at him. The guy was just freakin huge, maybe that was why Adam didn t feel comfortable
around him.  I don t know that it d help with the whole steak-stealing thing, though. I mean,
that d be like leaving us near a steak cooked to perfection, when we hadn t had a steak in
years.
 But he d have companionship, Todd added.  Maybe Iko gets lonely. I hated being an
only child, although, I guess, all things considered, it was for the best.
Gabe poked his head through the doorway.  Okay, y all know what? Everyone can
help. Zane is pokey as hell, insisting on adding just the right spices to the hamburger and
stirring it and getting the heat of the grill just right. He glared at Aidan.  If you d have
warned me, I would have dragged your ass in here instead. Now you can come cut up the
tomatoes and onions. Mika, you can handle the lettuce and condiments. Stop snickering.
Gabe came all the way into the room.  What? Are you like, twelve?
 I can t help it, between you flouncing and everything else, I m finding it hard to be my
usual taciturn self. Mika stood up and, yeah, Adam had to admit the man seemed happier
than Adam had ever seen him. Not that Mika was a snarly asshole, but he could be kind of
quiet, solemn even. But he had a great smile when he let go, which happened rarely. Tonight
he was grinning fit to be tied, and Gabe s prickly irritation faded as he fell under the spell of
Mika s smile.
 Maybe we could&  Gabe began. Mika shook his head.
 Nope. Got to get dinner ready. He cocked his head at Adam and Todd.  Y all want to
join us in the kitchen?
Something seemed to have shifted, some tension Adam had either carried alone or that
had existed was now gone. Maybe it was just him getting comfortable around people he
didn t know well was just hard for him but Gabe and Mika s love and affection, and
teasing, had worked like magic. Even Adam s impatience was tempered, which was a trick
he d bet Todd wished he knew how to do.
www.total-e-bound.com
RESILIENCE Bailey Bradford
124
Of course, if he threw Adam down and fucked him senseless, that usually offed his
impatience. And, suddenly, Adam just needed a few minutes alone with Todd, needed to
touch him, kiss him, feel the reassuring strength of the man as Todd held him but he also
wanted to know just how Aidan and Zane thought they might be able to help find Jameson.
Adam leapt up and tugged on Todd s hand. He winked at his sexy sheriff then faced
Gabe and Mika.  Yeah, we ll help, too, because I m thinking no one is going to tell us what is
going on until after we eat.
Gabe nodded.  Pretty much. So, dinner, dessert, then the serious stuff.
Adam wondered why the  serious stuff caused Gabe and Mika to glance at each other
and frown. What did they know that he didn t?
www.total-e-bound.com
RESILIENCE Bailey Bradford
125
Chapter Twenty-Five
If there were any more weird looks passing between Gabe, Mika, Aidan and Zane,
Todd was going to snap. He wasn t sure just what that would entail, but, damn it, Gabe had
been his closest and only friend for years, and to feel so left out of the loop now was
driving Todd batty.
About the only thing keeping Todd from flat-out asking what was going on was Adam.
The man seemed to know just how to touch Todd, what little caresses and soft looks to give
that would calm him down.
Normally Todd wasn t so tightly wound, but everything tonight just felt off. God, he [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

  • zanotowane.pl
  • doc.pisz.pl
  • pdf.pisz.pl
  • alwayshope.keep.pl

    •