Page 27 of Just Our Secret

I rolled my eyes at his dramatics and settled in against him. Connor wasn’t going to kill him. I hoped. But I knew it would be a really hard conversation. So I was glad he’d agreed to stay. I loved the idea of stealing this whole night of sweetness with him before things got more complicated.

FOURTEEN

WADE

I approached Andi’s apartment, palms sweaty and breathing unevenly. Connor had left our place an hour ago, and I’d claimed to be right behind him. Then I practiced my speech for another forty minutes.

I didn’t typically get nervous like this. As a man, and especially after training as a firefighter, I could genuinely keep my cool in shitty situations. But this was different. It was a mess of my own making, yet not one I wanted to unmake.

But I sure as hell hadn’t brought it up while it was just me and Connor today at our place. He’d been busy, all except our afternoon Madden time, and I couldn’t bring it up then. I’d promised Andi I’d do it at her place where she could hear what we both said and would know how he reacted.

So here I was, knocking on the door like I was about to interview for the position of Worst Best Friend Ever.Cool.

“Damn, you’re slow. You get lost on the way here?” Connor looked me over like he expected to see a visible sign for why I’d run so late.

“Sorry. Decided to get a quick assignment done so I don’t have to do it later.” Lies. Terrible, bald-faced lies.

“Cool. Well, Liam and Andi are putting the garlic bread in, I think, and then I’m on the hook to help set up a track for his cars.” He padded into the living room and commenced the setup, apparently more eager than he let on to craft an excellent track.

The cars were damn fun. I felt the same way. And this would be the perfect chance to bring it up without Liam in the mix. “Nice. So, I thought I should give you a heads-up about—”

“Uncle Wade! You’re here! Are you going to help build the best racetrack ever?” Liam galloped into the room, dove into my arms for a hug, and caused the usual heart-explosion that having him even care I walked in the room gave me. Then he flopped down next to Connor and got right to work.

“Heck yeah I am,” I said, and scooted off the couch to take my place on the setup team.

A lightly cleared throat made me look up to see Andi giving me that wide-eyedwhat are you waiting for?look. Damn, the woman was fine even when she was impatient. In fact, that expression sent me straight back to last night when she pushed me onto my back and sank down onto my cock, too eager to go easy and—fuck, did I not need to be thinking about that right now.

I had to get my crap together. Time to do this thing, but now I’d have to be even more subtle and careful since Liam was sitting here. Just because we wanted Connor to know didn’t mean it was my place to tell Liam. That, I hoped, would come with time.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.Why hadn’t I just blurted it out while the Broncos were stomping on the Raiders this afternoon? While Connor was riding the high of victory?

To say I hadn’t been looking forward to tonight would be an understatement to rule them all. After last night together and me rolling out at five thirty to make sure Liam didn’t see me, Andi and I had set this little ambush for Connor via text.

I’d made sure to lose in our Sunday afternoon round of Madden. She’d made his favorite meal. Liam had brought his A game of cuteness and didn’t even know we were banking on that as part of the charm of the day.

Tonight, we’d tell Connor. We’d get it out in the open and be honest, and it would feel great. Just fucking great. Or so I’d been telling myself all afternoon.

Not as great as being with Andi had felt last night, but I was confident nothing would rival our first time together. Shit, just thinking about it threatened to get me ready again—until I remembered why I’d been stressed out all day. I could think about Andi’s lips and hands andeverythinglater.

As long as Connor didn’t murder me first.

And yeah, part of me wondered if maybe this all would’ve gone down easier if I hadn’t slept with Andi before doing this, because he’d know. The second he really looked me in the eye after I said what I’d carefully prepared to say, he’d know. And then, he’d murder me.

Or worse, he’d stay silent and move out of our apartment before I got back from my shift tomorrow.

Don’t think like that, idiot.

Andi had given me enough pep-talking this afternoon (by way of messages fromLegs) that I shouldn’t feel this nervous, but I did. Even after my forty minutes of practice, testing different words and phrases, watching my facial expression to make sure I didn’t look smug or too happy or anything but sincere.

I shook out my hands and cranked my neck to one side, then the other.

“Your neck bothering you?” Connor asked as he glanced up from his place next to Liam.

“Uh, me? My neck? Nope. Just slept weird last night or something.” I swallowed and turned away from him to suck in a breath before I said something insane like, “Your sister’s bed is a hundred percent more comfortable than mine, so no, I didn’t sleep weird. I slept fucking great.”Get your shit together, man!

“You should try a different pillow,” Connor suggested.

“Good thought.” I focused on the track, sliding pieces together for a loop-de-loop, grateful for the excuse not to look at him. “So, I wanted to talk to you.”