Something Like Trust Read online

  I waited a beat. And then another. Finally, I ground out, “Brandon.”

  “Yes, I blacked out for a minute or two,” he responded softly. “And yes, I have a very mild concussion. I was instructed to take it easy, but there are no restrictions on my activities. They rearranged the shooting schedule, and I have a couple of easy days before I finish up filming next week with the bulk of my work.”

  I let all that information sink in, analyzing his voice to figure out if he was lying to me. I didn’t think he was, but again, it was hard to tell without having him in front of me. Which I suddenly realized I wanted very badly. I pushed away that thought and focused on Brandon again.

  “What happened?” I did my best to sound light and curious, and Brandon’s sigh of relief let me know I had succeeded.

  “It was stupid, really,” he responded, and I could hear the amusement in his tone. “We were setting up the shots and getting footage of me before my stunt double took over for the fight and the fall. I just, you know, took the fall early.” He let out a small laugh. “I just got too close to the edge. It all happened so fast.”

  A lecture on the necessity of being careful fought its way up my throat and tried to break free, but my sheer iron will kept it down. Brandon didn’t need that from me. Instead, I asked about the movie itself, and Brandon launched into a description of the plot. It was, apparently, about vampire hunters and voodoo. New Orleans was the perfect backdrop. Brandon’s character was the vampire king. He was the bad guy the other bad guys feared. Sounded like the kind of role he was so good at, and I had no doubt he was doing a fantastic job. I tried to interject the right words at the right time, to let him know I was paying attention. And I was paying incredibly close attention, just not to his actual words.

  When the explanation wound down and he took a deep breath, I waited to make sure he was really finished before I spoke. “Brandon, angel, are you all right?”

  “I told you I was—”

  “Not what I meant,” I interrupted.

  Brandon made a tiny, broken noise that I might have missed had I not been listening so intently. There were a few quick, deep breaths, then Brandon spoke, his voice calm and quiet. “Yeah, sure. I’m just fine. I’m having a great time, yesterday’s head-bump notwithstanding.”

  Huh. So that’s what a lie from his lips sounded like. I was just trying to decide how far and how fast to push him for the truth, when a muffled voice from his end had him groaning.

  “Hey listen, Jared. It was great to talk to you, but I need to go. We should talk again soon, okay?”

  He barely waited for my affirmative response before he was gone. I stared at the phone for a long moment before I tossed it aside. Fuck and damn. I was tempted to call him back, to force the truth from him. He wasn’t all right, and I could guess as to why.

  I had to remind myself that I no longer had a claim to him. While logically I understood that we’d gone our separate ways, my heart and head were still involved with him. I adored Brandon. Desired him. And wanted to keep him safe and happy at all times. But it wasn’t my job, and I had to accept that. We were over and had parted on good terms. I still had a piece of him in my life. I needed to be content with that.

  I wasn’t, but I’d strive to get there.

  In the end, I couldn’t resist sending him a quick text, just to make sure he knew my door was always open. But I wasn’t surprised in the least when I never got a response.

  * * * *

  I was staring into the freezer trying to decide which of Zane’s meals to eat, when the doorbell chimed. I glanced at the clock as I let the freezer door swing shut. It was twenty hundred hours, and I wasn’t expecting anyone. Senses on alert, I walked toward the front door. I opened it and peered through the crack before yanking the door all the way open and staring in disbelief.

  Brandon looked tired. There were dark circles underneath his eyes, and his skin appeared sallow in the porch light. His hair was a complete mess, and I could see the grooves where he’d run his fingers through it often. He was hunched over on himself, making his already small frame even smaller. But still, when he looked up at me, he tried for a smile.

  “You s-said I could c-come.”

  “Yes,” I answered fast, hating that he was stuttering and needing him to know that he was welcome.

  I pulled him inside. He turned toward me, his body instinctively seeking mine, and I didn’t hesitate to wrap him up in my arms. He sagged against me, giving me all his weight, not doubting for a minute that I would hold him up. I took it one step further and actually picked him up. He couldn’t have weighed more than a buck thirty, and he wrapped his arms and legs around me and held on. I hugged him tightly to me, even as I used one hand to drag his large suitcase inside. That done, I closed and locked the door, then headed for the living room.

  Even as I sat on the couch, Brandon didn’t let go. He pushed himself even closer, his ass rubbing into my groin and his arms just shy of strangling me. I let him take what he needed, smoothing a hand up and down his back. He moved his arms just far enough so that he could bury his face against my neck, and he sucked in a deep lungful of air.

  “F-f-fuck, I m-missed you,” he whispered against my skin.

  That wasn’t what this was about, at least not entirely, but we could deal with this first. I turned my head and pressed my lips against his temple, more of a lingering caress than an actual kiss. I breathed in the familiar scents of him, of his shampoo and soap, and felt something settle in my gut. There was a rightness to him in my arms, in my life, that couldn’t be denied. I just didn’t know if there was anything we could do about that yet.

  “I missed you too, sweetheart,” I murmured. I lifted my hands so I could cradle his head, then eased him back far enough so I could really look at him. The haggard man I’d seen on the porch was still there, but he was lighter somehow, less weary. I gave Brandon a gentle smile, then kissed him, slow and sweet, until we were both panting for breath.

  When we parted, Brandon fitted his body against mine, molding to me in that easy way he’d always had. I held him to me, enjoying his weight and his heat. I let him relax before I spoke.

  “Brandon, what are you doing here?”

  He went tense and lifted his head, though he kept his gaze averted. “You s-said I w-was welcome.”

  “You are,” I said firmly. “Always. You know that. You also know that’s not what I was asking.”

  He nodded but still couldn’t look me in the eye. I wasn’t going to make him. At least, not yet. He took another deep breath, then another, and snuggled in a little closer.

  “Yeah, the people on this shoot? Fuckers. Basically all of them. Selfish and demanding. Cast and crew alike. Hardly anyone on set was nice just because they should be. It was…” He exhaled sharply, then finally raised his gaze. I could see the weariness in his eyes. “It made things even harder. The movie is good, and it’s going to be a success when it releases. But that was twenty-three days of my life I can’t get back. And I f-feel like I’m all…raw.”

  I could see that in his face, and knew he was telling me the absolute truth. I moved fast, flipping us over and trapping him below me. He didn’t struggle, and other than a startled gasp, he didn’t react at all. He knew I wouldn’t ever hurt him. That trust, that he would give me that with such little prompting, satisfied something deep and primal within me. He was mine to care for and protect, and he should give me his complete trust always.

  “And you came here instead of going home to your brother because…why?” My voice was little more than a growl.

  His pupils dilated, and he licked his lips. Then he gave a tiny smile. “Wanted you to make it better. Sir.”

  I mashed my lips down on his, devouring, and he just opened and let me take. It was exactly what we both needed. Brandon parted his thighs so I could fit between, and I settled my weight completely against him. Even as I did, he relaxed further, knowing I had him, that I would give him what he needed.

  I inte
nded to do just that.

  I knew we needed to talk. Especially since we’d just parted ways three weeks ago. But all that could wait. It was more important that we reconnect, and that Brandon feel grounded. We’d deal with the rest later.

  Chapter 9

  Ultimately, the conversation lasted a minute and a half. When I asked Brandon how long he was staying, he said he had nothing lined up and had no intention of even thinking about signing onto a new project until after Christmas. For about eight seconds, I thought about pushing the issue and getting some kind of firm commitment and answer out of him. But in the end I decided it was good enough that he was here, with me.

  We fell easily into a pattern. Brandon adapted effortlessly to my schedule. When I was home and awake, so was he. If I had to work, he occupied his time catching up on all the books he’d wanted to read but hadn’t had the time. Sometimes I came home from work to find him so deeply engrossed in a novel he didn’t even hear me come in.

  He was that way now, sprawled out on the couch with his e-reader in hand. He didn’t notice me staring at him from across the room. He was absently running a finger over his bottom lip, his eyes moving rapidly as they flicked across the screen. He’d complained the week before about how cold he was in the house, so I’d made the concession for him and turned up the heat. As a result, he was wearing a T-shirt with his sweatpants, and his feet were bare. He looked relaxed and happy, and I wanted to eat him up.

  Not in the least because the sweatpants did nothing to hide his burgeoning erection. What exactly was my man reading that turned him on? I cleared my throat.

  Brandon jumped, squeaked, and flailed, but quickly managed to get himself under control. He sat up, spared me a playful glare, then set his e-reader on the coffee table. He took a deep breath, and I watched as a wicked grin spread across his face. Without the pressures of filming weighing on him, I’d seen a much more relaxed and content Brandon. Being here with me certainly agreed with him.

  He settled back on the couch, making a show of it by lifting his arm so his T-shirt rode up and uncovered a swath of skin on his abdomen. His other hand came down to play with the waistband of his sweats, just idly toying with it, as he looked at me from underneath his lashes. He bit his lip. It was all I could do to check the groan. He knew how to get to me, but I couldn’t be distracted.

  Not yet anyway.

  I had to clear my throat again before I could speak, but I had control over myself. “Next week is Thanksgiving,” I said.

  Brandon nodded, sitting up a little and giving me a wary glance. “I, um…” He paused and peeked at me again. “I-if you want, I can go to B and C-Cas’s.”

  I shook my head and stepped closer. “No, that’s not what I meant. If that’s where you want to spend the holiday, then of course you should go. But if you want to spend it here, you’re more than welcome. Zane always puts on a feast. My brother is an exceptional cook.” I couldn’t help the pride in my voice. If he weren’t working toward becoming a veterinarian, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d become a chef. “I just wanted to know your plans.”

  “Oh. Uh. Yeah.” Brandon nodded, but he seemed to let go of some tension. “I’d like to stay if it’s all right.”

  “It is,” I assured him. Then I gave a wry shake of my head, even as I laughed. “Audra and Zane will be happy to hear it. They’ve been pestering me to meet you for a while now.” Because of midterms, they hadn’t made it home since just before Brandon reappeared in my life. And I may have encouraged them to stay at school a little more than I normally would have, just so my time with Brandon hadn’t been interrupted. There was no getting around it now, though.

  “I reckon I’d like to meet your brother and sister.” Brandon grinned, his eyes twinkling and letting me know he was pulling out the accent just to stir my blood. For the most part, Brandon’s Georgia upbringing did little more than to soften some words, and draw out others. But he knew how much it revved my motor to hear him talk without censure. I wasn’t sure if it was the accent itself or the subconscious realization that he felt free to be completely himself around me that turned me on more.

  “Great,” I said, heavy with sarcasm. “Just remember they are crazy and intrusive and irritating beyond all hell.”

  Brandon gave a soft laugh and tilted his head to consider me. “They’re nineteen. Of course they are. But I can tell how much you love them, so don’t go trying to fool me none.”

  “Yeah, well, fratricide is illegal and all that.” I couldn’t help the smile, so I stopped trying. “They’ll be driving in Wednesday as soon as they finish classes. I’m not sure what time they’ll be in, but it might end up being before I get home.”

  Brandon waved away my concern. “We’ll be fine, don’t you worry. As long as they don’t take my picture and plaster it all over social media, it’ll be great.”

  “I’ll kill them,” I ground out.

  He just grinned. “I was kidding.”

  “I wasn’t.”

  For a moment, all he did was blink. And then his features softened, the affection clearly showing through. “Go take your shower. I’ll see about getting dinner on the table.”

  I snagged his arm as he walked by, and his eyebrows shot up in question. “I could use help washing my back.”

  His breathing sped up. “Yes, sir.”

  My grin, I was sure, was feral. And it only grew wickeder as he docilely followed along behind me.

  * * * *

  The text was from Audra, and it hit my phone at eighteen thirty hours. If I’d never been in a warzone, I would have said that split second when it registered was the scariest moment of my life. My siblings were alone in the house with my lover, whom they had never met. Who was famous. Who they had been scrounging for information on since the moment I told them we’d gotten involved. And I was still a half an hour out. By the time I got home, I was certain I was going to have to rescue Brandon from the twins. I was sure he was going to be a wary wreck, the way he got when shooting had run long and he hadn’t been able to escape.

  I pressed a little harder on the accelerator.

  I got home at three minutes past the hour, and I’d barely parked in the driveway beside the twins’ sedan before I was racing into the house. Adrenaline was surging through my veins, my body and senses on high alert. I knew this feeling. My hand even twitched and reached for my sidearm, which I always left locked up at the office. I shook my head, and tried to stand down, but it was impossible to calm myself.

  Until I walked into the house and actually saw the three of them, happy and laughing and getting along like a house on fire. I was able to relax, though not all the way. It would take a while before I could bring myself back from that, and I knew better than to try to force it.

  Audra noticed me first, and just like always, her entire face lit up and she squealed as she rushed for me. “Jare!”

  I hugged her close and squeezed, just how I knew she liked, then dropped a kiss on the top of her head when she pulled back. Zane was there waiting to take her place, and he wrapped me up in his arms and hugged back as good as he got. He was only a couple of inches shorter than I was, though less muscled. Our hug was tight and brief, as was our custom. Then he pulled back with a grin, and clapped me on the shoulder. I smiled at them, happy, as always, to have them home.

  Brandon had stood while I was exchanging hugs with my siblings, and waited just out of reach for us to be done with our greetings. Now that we had, he gave me a smile, his eyes full of mischief.

  “My turn?”

  I grabbed him, dipped him backward, and kissed the fuck out of him. When I pulled back, he was panting hard and grinning crazily, and Audra and Zane were whistling and clapping. I couldn’t stop the smile.

  “Well,” Zane said, his voice full of mirth but breaking the spell. “I have a chicken and cheese casserole keeping warm in the oven. Jared, go shower and change. The rest of us will set the table. Don’t keep us waiting too long, Marine. Good to go?”

&
nbsp; I smacked Zane on the back of the head, and shooed him and Audra toward the kitchen. When Brandon made to follow them, I grabbed his hand. He went still and looked at me, meeting my gaze with a softness in his eyes.

  “So I take it everything is good here?” I asked quietly. The kitchen was a mere fifteen feet away.

  Brandon smiled and his entire face brightened. “Yeah. It’s good. I like them. Audra’s really funny.”

  I nodded, grinning back. There’d been a time when she’d lost her fantastic sense of humor. I couldn’t blame her for it, but I was glad it had resurfaced as she healed. “Yeah, she is.”

  “And Zane is going to let me help him tomorrow.” Brandon lit up with excitement at the prospect. “He says I can’t touch the turkey, but that he’ll put me to work on the sides.”

  Brandon must have made quite an impression on Zane for my brother to offer him a spot in the kitchen. Zane didn’t let anybody in there; it was his domain. It told me all I needed to know. My brother and sister approved of Brandon. And while I didn’t need their approval to pursue the man, to have it meant more to me than I realized.

  “Clock’s ticking, Marine!” Zane shouted, and Audra’s giggle followed. I barely kept from rolling my eyes, but I got moving toward the back of the house. Brandon followed, and even perched on the closed toilet lid as I stripped down and turned on the shower.

  He swallowed hard, his gaze roving all over me. Then he shook his head, and gave a sheepish grin. “What’s with the Marine stuff?” he asked.

  I gave him a pointed look, then stepped into the stall. “I am a Marine.”

  “I know,” he said, raising his voice so I could hear him over the water. “But what’s with your brother pointing it out like that?”

  I had once wondered that myself. It was something that Zane had done since he was a small child. He’d always made reference to my military service, and used to beg for stories when I’d see him on leave. As he’d gotten older, it had become part of his vernacular. These days, he called me “Marine” as often as he used my name. I’d asked him about it only once. Zane couldn’t give me a straight answer, and he shut down for days afterward. I’d never brought it up again. But knowing my brother as I did, I was pretty sure I understood why he did it.