particularly upset about it. “Ain’t as easy getting down on my knees as it—” He broke off suddenly, his swarthy complexion going darker at the cheeks.
www.total-e-bound.com
A BIT OF ME
Bailey Bradford
65
Chase tried not to laugh, knowing Max’s mind had tumbled into the gutter right
alongside his. A snicker slipped out regardless, and the blush on Max’s cheeks deepened even as the man grinned.
“Oh now, you know what I mean!”
Chase nodded, then startled them both with a noisy laugh. He slapped a hand over his mouth; he couldn’t remember the last time he’d really laughed like that. He might have been too stunned to make another sound, but Max started laughing, and before Chase knew what was what, the two of them were sprawled on the couch, holding their sides until their laughter faded to snickering.
It felt good to let go like that, too good to worry about anything just now. Chase sighed and leaned his head back, rolling his neck so he could look at Max. Amazing how much younger Max looked when he was really relaxed. Chase realised Max had the same look
about him when Bo was around, which was…well, he’d like to think it was sickeningly sweet and not something he’d ever want, but he’d never been willing to lie to himself. So he acknowledged the strange, warm pull inside him as something along the lines of envy, maybe, but still told himself a relationship wasn’t for him.
Even if he ever did commit to one man, he’d never be the warm fuzzy type of guy like these other men he’d met here. And why, why was he even thinking about it as if it would ever happen? And even worse, when he closed his eyes, there were those eyes again, the sound of that voice, flashes of those hands—
Oh no. No no no no. Not happening! What the fuck is wrong with me?
The couch shifting had Chase opening his eyes. Max stood and rubbed at his belly as
his lips curled up on one side. “Crap. I came in here ‘cause it’s my turn to make lunch.
Supposed to feed Chance and Rory, too, since Bo invited them over—when it was my turn to cook, of course.” Max rolled his eyes, but he didn’t look bent out of shape about it. He tipped his head towards the kitchen. “You wanna help?”
Chase didn’t have a lick of cooking skills. He wasn’t particularly interested in learning any, either, and yet he nodded and began to push up off the couch. “Yeah, I guess I could do that.”
www.total-e-bound.com
A BIT OF ME
Bailey Bradford
66
Later that evening, as he sat in the living room once again working on the bracelet, which looked a hell of a lot better this time around, Chase covertly watched the other couples. The living room was more crowded than usual since Chance and Rory had come
back over after dinner to watch the latest action movie starring Vin Diesel. That right there shot Chase’s concentration to hell at first, because the actor’s voice was entirely too reminiscent of a certain other man’s, but Chase had found a shred of self-control and managed to start putting the bracelet back together.
But slowly, he’d started noticing little things. The way Rory rested his head on Chance’s broad shoulder, for instance. He didn’t seem the least bit self-conscious about it, and he made this…this purring sound when Chance brought his hand up to bury his fingers in Rory’s curly blond hair.
Then he’d sneaked a peek at Max and Bo. Those two were settled on the couch, same as Chance and Rory, except Bo was more like leaning against Max. Their hands were entwined, and Max’s thumb rubbed over the back of Bo’s hand in a slow way that seemed sensuous to Chase. He’d never thought something like that could be a turn on, but ever since his literal run-in with Xavier, Chase had developed a new appreciation for the way a body could be touched. In the past, he’d preferred to get right to it, grab the good parts until everybody came in a sweaty noisy heap.
Now he wondered
www.total-e-bound.com
A BIT OF ME
Bailey Bradford
65
Chase tried not to laugh, knowing Max’s mind had tumbled into the gutter right
alongside his. A snicker slipped out regardless, and the blush on Max’s cheeks deepened even as the man grinned.
“Oh now, you know what I mean!”
Chase nodded, then startled them both with a noisy laugh. He slapped a hand over his mouth; he couldn’t remember the last time he’d really laughed like that. He might have been too stunned to make another sound, but Max started laughing, and before Chase knew what was what, the two of them were sprawled on the couch, holding their sides until their laughter faded to snickering.
It felt good to let go like that, too good to worry about anything just now. Chase sighed and leaned his head back, rolling his neck so he could look at Max. Amazing how much younger Max looked when he was really relaxed. Chase realised Max had the same look
about him when Bo was around, which was…well, he’d like to think it was sickeningly sweet and not something he’d ever want, but he’d never been willing to lie to himself. So he acknowledged the strange, warm pull inside him as something along the lines of envy, maybe, but still told himself a relationship wasn’t for him.
Even if he ever did commit to one man, he’d never be the warm fuzzy type of guy like these other men he’d met here. And why, why was he even thinking about it as if it would ever happen? And even worse, when he closed his eyes, there were those eyes again, the sound of that voice, flashes of those hands—
Oh no. No no no no. Not happening! What the fuck is wrong with me?
The couch shifting had Chase opening his eyes. Max stood and rubbed at his belly as
his lips curled up on one side. “Crap. I came in here ‘cause it’s my turn to make lunch.
Supposed to feed Chance and Rory, too, since Bo invited them over—when it was my turn to cook, of course.” Max rolled his eyes, but he didn’t look bent out of shape about it. He tipped his head towards the kitchen. “You wanna help?”
Chase didn’t have a lick of cooking skills. He wasn’t particularly interested in learning any, either, and yet he nodded and began to push up off the couch. “Yeah, I guess I could do that.”
www.total-e-bound.com
A BIT OF ME
Bailey Bradford
66
Later that evening, as he sat in the living room once again working on the bracelet, which looked a hell of a lot better this time around, Chase covertly watched the other couples. The living room was more crowded than usual since Chance and Rory had come
back over after dinner to watch the latest action movie starring Vin Diesel. That right there shot Chase’s concentration to hell at first, because the actor’s voice was entirely too reminiscent of a certain other man’s, but Chase had found a shred of self-control and managed to start putting the bracelet back together.
But slowly, he’d started noticing little things. The way Rory rested his head on Chance’s broad shoulder, for instance. He didn’t seem the least bit self-conscious about it, and he made this…this purring sound when Chance brought his hand up to bury his fingers in Rory’s curly blond hair.
Then he’d sneaked a peek at Max and Bo. Those two were settled on the couch, same as Chance and Rory, except Bo was more like leaning against Max. Their hands were entwined, and Max’s thumb rubbed over the back of Bo’s hand in a slow way that seemed sensuous to Chase. He’d never thought something like that could be a turn on, but ever since his literal run-in with Xavier, Chase had developed a new appreciation for the way a body could be touched. In the past, he’d preferred to get right to it, grab the good parts until everybody came in a sweaty noisy heap.
Now he wondered
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