Chapter Twenty-Six #2
Guilt swamped him, a feeling he was responsible for those dark circles swimming unpleasantly in his gut.
It was not a feeling he liked, and he was sorry for acting like a jerk.
Jupiter didn’t deserve it. The problem was, jealousy was an ugly emotion that Laken wasn’t used to feeling.
His attraction to Isley messed with his head and his usual calm demeanor.
It was all he had for his explosion at Jupiter.
Laken opened his bedroom door, motioning Jupiter inside, not wanting to have to eat humble pie in front of an audience when Laken wasn’t sure who was home. Of late, there seemed to be fewer occasions when they were all in the house together.
Jupiter came in behind him and went to sit on Laken’s king sized bed. Sitting Buddha style, Jupiter’s eyes narrowed on Laken as they swept over him.
“Told you I didn’t touch your little sugar glider.” There wasn’t any of his usual smug satisfaction, and that worsened the guilt when he sounded wary.
Laken ran a hand through his messy hair. “I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t get why my animal could smell Isley on you. Coming from you,” he corrected, after how Isley explained it. He was still processing that. Isley’s animal wanted him as its mate.
Fuck, he’d never thought he’d want one, never mind expect someone to want him back after knowing his past. It was one of the many reasons he chose never to date.
The occasional hook-up was one thing when fucking and getting off was the aim.
Dating, that came with the sticky ties of truth and openness he’d learned from Popi and Dad.
Gods. His throat felt dry and scratchy at thoughts of what it all meant—dating for real for the first time in his life. He suddenly felt nauseous when reality hit him.
“Coming from me? Fuck’s that supposed to mean?”
Wrinkles appeared around Jupiter’s eyes, but Laken was having his own personal crisis as he crumpled onto the bed next to Jupiter, breathing sharply to stop the saliva pooling in his mouth becoming something else entirely. “What the fuck have I done?”
“What… shit Laken, why do you look like you’re about to puke?” Jupiter edged back, pushing at Laken’s shoulder.
“I’m not,” he groaned, not actually sure if he wasn’t going to do just that.
Jupiter rolled away and jumped off the bed and went into his bathroom muttering, “Why has taking care of you become my job?”
“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” Laken said when Jupiter reappeared with a glass of water and shoved into his shaking hand. “And I never asked you to.”
“Maybe not, but here we are!” Jupiter didn’t look much better than Laken felt. “You’re flipping out, why? I thought we’d cleared up that stupid misunderstanding. And don’t think I’ve forgotten you didn’t answer me about Isley’s smell coming from me.”
“I’m not flipping out,” he managed after draining the glass, doing exactly that.
“Give the fuck over, you’re having a panic attack. Why?” Jupiter snarked. “I thought we’d agreed no more damn secrets.”
“Says the man that’s full of secrets!” Laken snarled back, hating that all these messy feelings he’d avoided all his adult life were deciding now to make an appearance, and equally hating how he was taking it out on Jupiter. “Shit, sorry. I’m messed in the head right now.”
Jupiter’s eyes widened, and he nodded slowly, coming back to sit next to him. “Why?”
The simple ‘why’ and not a load of stupid questions got him replying. “I’ve never dated.”
“I know that dipshit, I have eyes. And?”
Laken glanced sideways and noting the lack of amusement at his obvious predicament, he decided to reply honestly.
“I don’t know how to date. Do the romantic shit—stuff that’s expected.
And I’ve asked Isley out this weekend to do date sh—stuff,” he corrected, because sure as hell if he called it shit in front of Isley he’d upset him, too.
He had caused enough of that over the last week to last a lifetime.
He didn’t think about last night's saga, which no longer felt important.
Dating Isley was enough for him to deal with. To get right.
Jupiter patted his knee, lips forming into a wicked smile that immediately made Laken wary. “Don’t worry, I got you covered.”
The nauseous feeling kicked back in, and Laken shook his head vehemently. “You don’t date Jupiter. You fuck in sex clubs.”
“I know how to date, which is more than you can say with how you’re freaking out. And because you asked so nicely, I’m gonna help.”
“I didn’t ask!” Laken replied, somewhat alarmed by how helpful Jupiter was looking right then.
“The last time you offered to help me, I ended up with broken fingers and was grounded for three weeks.” Laken had never passed up a dare and climbing the big tree out the back had seemed easy when Jupiter was egging him on.
Jupiter was way nimbler than Laken but had—it turned out—lacked the strength to hold on to Laken when he’d lost his footing halfway up the tree.
That was when they’d gotten caught by Popi after he yelled from catching his hand between two branches to stop from falling, breaking three fingers for his efforts.
Jupiter’s laughter was bold and carefree, helping ease some of Laken’s earlier guilt and the tension between them. “I remember. It’s not my fault you weighed more than a damn elephant.”
“Fuck off,” he grumped, giving in a second later to the chuckles. “We nearly gave Popi a heart attack.”
“We did.” He nudged Laken’s shoulder, grinning evilly. “So, want some help?”
Laken was a desperate man, and desperate men did stupid things. So, when he opened his mouth instead of no, he said, “Why the fuck not, what’s the worst that can happen?”