The Broken Triangle (38 page)
“I assume I didn’t hurt you.” Patrick sounded relaxed and happy.
“I promised I’d tell you if you did. No. It was fine.”
Patrick lifted an eyebrow. “Fine? That’s not exactly the word I had in mind.”
Trying to mix tact with honesty, Vin said slowly, “It was great to try it and like it. To erase the bad memories. Not that they were awful; it just hurt like hell, and that’s no fun. You were amazing, the way you took care of me. Love you for that. I do. You made it work, and I honestly don’t think anyone but you could’ve gotten me to try it. But if I had a choice…”
“I’d have been the one on my hands and knees, ass up?”
Vin gave him an apologetic look. “Yeah.”
Patrick sighed and snuggled in close, stroking Vin’s chest. “Lucky for you my ass looks incredible from that angle.”
Tightening his arms around Patrick and dropping a kiss on his head, Vin asked, “You don’t mind?”
“Not being able to convert you to the joys of bottoming? My pride took a hit, but topping doesn’t do it for me as much as being fucked, so I’d have to be nuts to complain that I’m going to be getting just what I want every time.”
Even with that assurance and the knowledge that Patrick was sincere, Vin was conscious of regret that he couldn’t tell Patrick it’d been wonderful. Patrick had tried so hard. That was what mattered to him the most—knowing Patrick had done everything possible to make it good for him. “I’m crazy about you, you know that?”
“I do, but I wouldn’t mind hearing it half a million more times,” Patrick said. “Speaking of crazy…”
“My family loves you,” Vin repeated obediently. He’d had to reassure Patrick of this fact so many times over the past few days that he might as well record his voice saying it and play it in a constant loop.
“It’s one thing for them to like me when I’m just your friend,” Patrick said. “But it’s a totally different animal when I’m your boyfriend. Are you sure they understand?”
“You’ve heard my end of at least three phone calls with my mom.” Vin smoothed Patrick’s hair with gentle fingers. “You’d know if she was freaking out. She’s not. We’re going to brunch on Sunday, and you’ll be able to see for yourself.”
“It’s not that I don’t believe you, you know.” Patrick sighed and hugged Vin. He didn’t need to explain. His family had disowned him, so it made perfect sense to Vin that he was worried about Vin’s family doing the same.
“We’ve been together a month now. If they’d had a problem, they’d have been over here on day one. And you know they’ve been asking for you to come and see them for ages. It’s just never worked out.”
Shortly after Christmas, his mom had gotten sick with a chest infection, followed by Dave breaking his ankle on an icy sidewalk. Covering his shifts had meant that every time Vin had the opportunity to see his parents, Patrick was working and vice versa. Vin had his fingers crossed for the brunch, though. Ben had promised them both the evening shift, rearranging his day off to make it work.
“Never worked out because we’re cursed. Fated. Doomed.”
“I love you, and you make me happy. That kind of buys you a million gold stars where my family’s concerned.”
“They liked Riley.” Patrick’s lip stuck out in an exaggerated pout, but the quaver in his voice wasn’t put on. “I remember you telling me how much they liked him.”
Vin shrugged. “They did. He was polite, he cuddled the baby, he ate loads of my mom’s food. Nothing for them
not
to like. But my oldest sister didn’t get married to her first boyfriend. She dated this one guy for two years. He was part of the family. Then one day, poof, he was history, and we were saying ‘Hi, Jeff’ not ‘Hi, Mark’ to the new one. That’s life.”
Patrick sucked in an indignant breath, pushing away from Vin to kneel beside him on the bed, his hair tousled, eyes flashing. “If you think telling me boyfriends come and go like…like… I can’t think of anything, but you know what I mean—”
“Skinny jeans? The seasons? Buses?”
“Not helping! None of it!”
“That’s okay, because it’s not what I’m saying.” Vin reached out and took Patrick’s hand, turning it so it was palm up. “I’m talking about my family, not about us. They liked Riley because I liked him.”
“Stop talking about Riley and how much you liked him,” Patrick said, pouting.
“And they love you because I love you.” He decided it was time to trot out a little tidbit he’d been saving. “Do you know what my mom said when I told her?”
Patrick went still, looking at him. “What?” he asked in a small voice.
“She asked what took me so long,” Vin said. “And she didn’t mean it like
what was wrong with you that you didn’t see it
. She meant
why did it take you so many years to find the right guy
. Which means she knew Riley wasn’t the right one for me.”
“That’s because she’s smart,” Patrick said with new loyalty. “I always said she was smart.”
“She’s really smart,” Vin agreed. “Smarter than me. I wasted years waiting for a dream.”
“Who turned out to be a snooze.” Patrick frowned and gave his wrist a light slap. “Okay, that was bitchy, but I could’ve said he was a nightmare and I didn’t, so my karma’s intact, yeah?”
“Dented in one corner.”
“I can live with that.”
“Why don’t you live with me instead?” It popped out before he could stop it, like the question had gotten tired of waiting to be asked.
“I thought I was.” Patrick sounded puzzled, but then understanding dawned. “Oh. You mean for real.”
“We’d both be better off financially. Half my rent is less than yours, plus Ben gives me a deal because I’m here to keep an eye on the building at night. You wouldn’t have to worry about getting home.”
“I’m not going home alone all that often as it is,” Patrick pointed out. He looked worried.
“And it’d save you more than the rent. Electric, heat…we could cook together…”
“We’re doing that now.” Patrick rubbed his lower lip. “You’re trying to save me money? Is that it?”
Oh. Vin realized what was going on here. “No. I’m trying to come up with reasons why you should say yes, but it’s selfish of me. I want you here, all the time. I don’t want you to say you’re going home and mean anywhere but here.”
“Is it too soon? Would you get sick and tired of me in your space? Would Ben and Shane go for it?” Patrick threw up his hands. “God! Listen to me. What is wrong with me that I can’t just say—”
“Yes?” Vin suggested, capturing Patrick’s hands in his and drawing them down to rest on Patrick’s thighs. He could feel Patrick struggle to keep his hands still, but he hung on until Patrick calmed enough for the tension to drain away. He could see the anxiety in Patrick’s eyes, a kid promised a treat he wasn’t sure would arrive. “I’d love to have you here. Ben and Shane wouldn’t mind, and if they did, we’ll move out and find a new place. And it’s not like this is a stately home that’s been in my family for generations. I haven’t lived here that long either, and I’m not the territorial type. If you want to paint the walls or buy a new couch—”
“Are you kidding? I adore that couch.” Patrick turned his hand to clasp Vin’s. “You kissed me on it.”
“I’ve kissed you on just about every piece of furniture we own.”
Patrick beamed at him. “Aww. You said
we
.”
“And I meant it.” Vin squeezed Patrick’s fingers in his. “You haven’t said yes.” He wasn’t worried about Patrick’s answer, not anymore, but he still wanted to hear it out loud.
“Yes! What are you, crazy? I’d love to move in with you.” Patrick kissed him, then frowned. “If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure,” Vin said. “I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t.”
“But are you sure you’re sure?” Patrick’s lips flirted with a smile. He was playing now, in that ridiculously adorable way he had. Vin couldn’t resist the urge to push him over and roll on top of him.
“If you keep asking, I’m going to have to do something to shut you up,” he said, grinning.
Patrick’s answering smile could have lit up half the city. “Yay,” he said softly, and after that they were too busy kissing to talk anymore.
Loose Id Titles by Jane Davitt & Alexa Snow
Accidentally in Love
Bound and Determined
Rock and a Hard Place
Room at the Edge
Room at the Top
The Broken Triangle
The Square Peg
Truthful Change
* * * *
The LAYING A GHOST Series
Laying a Ghost
Giving Up the Ghost
Waking the Dead
Jane Davitt & Alexa Snow
Jane Davitt
Jane Davitt is English, and has been living in Canada with her husband, two children, and two cats, since 1997. Writing and reading are her main occupations but if she ever had any spare time she might spend it gardening, walking, or doing cross stitch.
Jane has been writing since 2005 and wishes she’d started earlier. She is a huge fan of SF, fantasy, erotica, and mystery novels and has a tendency to get addicted to TV shows that get cancelled all too soon.
She owns over 4,000 books, rarely gives any away (but is happy to loan them), and is of the firm opinion that there is no such thing as ‘too many books’.
Alexa Snow
Alexa Snow is an emotional person who appreciates practicality in others. She’s prone to crying at inconvenient times, drinking too much coffee, and staying up too late playing with words (either reading or writing.) A background of schooling she wasn’t all that interested in resulted in a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a vague sense of wasted time. Alexa lives in a tiny, ancient house in New England with her husband, young son, and two little-old-lady cats.
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