“Of course we are. I think you like arguing with me.” Braden paused and Wes found himself waiting. Waiting to see what Braden would say next. “How’d you lose your mom?” he asked.

“Car accident. She was driving home after a graveyard shift and fell asleep at the wheel.”

“Shit,” Braden mumbled under his breath.

“It’s okay. It’s been a long time. I mean, I miss her. It was hard in the beginning, especially because how it happened. All she wanted to do was take care of her kids, ya know? But Chelle was there. I was close with my sisters, and we were...well, we were happy.”

“You guys are alike, then, you and Chelle. You all work hard for your family, would do whatever you could to protect them. It’s a good quality to have.”

Those words landed in Wes’s chest. How Braden always knew the right thing to say, he didn’t know. Even when it was the wrong thing...it was often right. He’d never really thought of himself like his sister or his mom before, but maybe he was. “Yeah. Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Wes yawned. “I should get to bed. I had a long day, and Jessie has school in the morning.”

Braden didn’t let him go. “One more question first.”

“Yes sir.”

“Oh, I like that. I want to hear that when I’m fucking you.”

A loud laugh jumped out of Wes’s mouth. “I can promise you those words won’t be coming out of my mouth again.”

Braden sighed. “You’re no fun.”

“Shut up and ask your question. I’m ready for bed. If you wait much longer, I won’t answer.”

Braden’s hand ran through Wes’s hair, over and over. Wes’s eyes fell closed, his body relaxed and loving the feel of Braden touching him.

“What happened to your dad?”

That was an easy one. He didn’t give a shit about that bastard. “He left. Mom was at work, my sisters were gone, and I was home. Asked him to play catch with me but he couldn’t because he had to run to the store. I guess once he started running, he didn’t stop. Never came back.”

Much like Alexander in so many ways.

“That’s shitty. I’m sorry, man.”

Wes shrugged, ignoring the heaviness that set into his limbs. “Don’t be. What’s done is done.” He learned a long time ago nothing would bring his father back.

Braden’s hand kept moving in his hair. “You should paint me a picture sometime, Wesley.”

“Never going to happen, Roth.”

“Asshole.”

“You’re just figuring that out?”

Braden flicked his ear.

“Ouch, damn it.” But he was laughing, too.

“Fine. I’ll let the painting go, but... When are you going to admit you like me?” His voice was low, filled with sleepy playfulness. Wes closed his eyes, feeling the same way.

“That’s another question. You said only one more earlier. I didn’t agree to answer another one.”

“But you will,” Braden said. Damned if he wasn’t right.

“I like you, Braden,” he whispered, still holding his eyes closed. “I don’t know how it happened, but I do.”

“I like you, too.”

Wes used a page out of Braden’s book and said, “I know.”

But Braden didn’t reply. His breathing evened out and his hand quit moving.

Just a few minutes. Wes would give himself a few minutes before he got up and went to bed.

Chapter Nineteen

Pain shot through Braden’s crotch, splintering out through his whole body, which felt like it was being cut in half.

His eyes jerked open, the word fuck on the tip of his tongue, but he managed to hold it back when he saw a mop of blond curls belonging to the little girl who must have jumped onto his and Wes’s laps, her knee hitting the wrong spot.

As if he’d called him, Jock jumped onto his lap next and licked his face.

“Shit!” Wes scrambled to a sitting position. Braden wished like hell he could call Wes on being the one to cuss in front of her, but he was too busy dying; not just from pain, but also Jock’s affection.

“You said a bad word, Uncle Wes!” Jessie screeched as Braden tried to move her from his lap.

Luckily Jessie moved for him, wrapping her arms around Wes’s neck and moving closer to him. A groan/deep breath pulled from Braden’s throat and Jock jumped down.

“How come you and Braden slept on the couch?” she asked.

Wes looked a little panicked, his eyes darting from Braden to Jessie. He’d think it was cute if he was sure he’d ever be able to control his body again.