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Chapter Twenty-Three
“Gunpowder flowed from my heart, up my throat,
and lingered on my tongue. It tasted like pain
and shame. Each word was shaped like a bullet.”
—Oliver Masters
IT WAS CHRISTMAS morning. The sun wasn’t out yet, but the clock above my door read it was only 5:55 AM. Five minutes I had left before the automatic doors opened. In ten minutes, Ollie would already be completely naked in the shower like he always was at this time. The best thing about his early showering habits was no one else would be in there.
Grabbing my clothes for the day, which was nothing more than a black pair of jeans and one of Ollie’s shirts reading “MAKE LOVE NOT WAR” across the front, I snuck across the hall toward the community bathroom. He would disagree, but I was begi
Once I reached the bathroom, thick steam barreled as ru
Ollie jumped back. “Dammit, Mia …” He laughed and ran his fingers through his hair and down his face with a bright, sleepy smile.
“I wanted to be the first one to wish you a Merry Christmas,” I said, closing the curtain behind me and taking in the amazing sight of him. His head almost reached the shower head as the water fell over his hair, off his lashes, down his lips, then through the lines of his inked, defined skin.
Ollie cupped my face, and even the water couldn’t wash away his grin. “Merry Christmas, Mia,” he said, then he kissed me hard. His mouth was freshly minted, and water from the shower ran across our lips. “I love you …” He kissed me again. “So much … but you asked for it.” Then he wrapped his arms around me and dragged me under the streaming water, thoroughly soaking me. I shrieked as the warm water weighed down my clothes, and my shirt clung to my skin. I giggled as he leaned in and pressed his smiling lips back to mine.
Dolor didn’t do anything special on Christmas morning for breakfast. It was the same wet eggs, and quite frankly, I would happily never eat another egg for as long as I lived.
“Merry Christmas, Zeke,” I said as I pulled out the chair in front of him. Zeke only rolled his head around before taking another bite of his breakfast.
Ollie sat beside me. “Hey, mate. Merry Christmas.”
Zeke smiled.
“Why do you get a smile and I don’t?” I mumbled.
Ollie shoved a fork full of eggs in his mouth. “I’ve known Zeke longer than you.”
“I’ve talked to Zeke more than you.” Though it was always a one-sided conversation.
“Zeke taught me origami.”
“Zeke knows all my secrets.”
Ollie pulled his brows together and swallowed. “Everything?”
I nodded once. “Everything.” I dragged the word out for em.
“Is that so?” Ollie dropped his fork over his tray. “Guess I need to get the boy talking, then.” Ollie waved his hand in front of Zeke to get his attention, then out of nowhere, made rapid movements with his hands. I snapped my head in Zeke’s direction as he signed back, and this went on for a full minute.
A full minute.
Ollie brought his fingers to his eyes as a controlled laugh spilled from his pressed lips. He turned away for a moment before turning back in front of him and lifting his fork to take another bite of eggs with a grin.
My jaw dropped. My eyes went wide. No. “What was that?”
Ollie couldn’t contain his smile as he tried to close his mouth while eating the eggs.
“Ollie!” I hit him in the leg. “He knows sign language?”
“Yup,” he said after swallowing.
“And what did he say?” I wanted to hide under the table. I wanted to run out of here. I wanted to drive my face into the tray full of eggs.
Ollie’s cheeks flushed as he fixed his eyes on Zeke. “The only way you could get through sex with Liam was to imagine it was me.” He pressed his lips together harder. His dimple pierced his cheek.
“Oh, my God.” I exhaled, bringing my hands over my face.
Ollie removed my hands and slid one over his lap. “Can’t say I’m not flattered, love.”
Every confession I’d ever told Zeke raced through my mind. Pointing a finger at him, I said, “We’re not friends anymore.”
Ollie rested my hand over his thigh while he used his to communicate with Zeke again. With more movement from Zeke, more than I had seen since I had arrived, Ollie let out a raspy laugh and fist bumped him before returning to my hand under the table.
“What did he say now?” I asked, impatient. Eager. A Ollie quickly kissed my cheek as he bounced my hand over his knee. “Never trust a bromance, Mia. The bond Zeke and I share is lethal.” Heat rose to my cheeks as Ollie took another bite, the smile never leaving his face. “Hey, you adorable two, Merry Christmas!” Jake said as he took a seat beside Zeke. Zeke moaned, and Ollie quickly swallowed and waved him away. “No, you have to pull up a chair. You can’t sit by him.” “My bad.” Jake held up his hands in defense and turned around to grab a chair. He dragged it to the end of the table. “What are you guys doing today? We’re free all day, no lockdown.” “Let’s get outside,” I suggested. It was a beautiful day, and it had been precisely a week since I’d felt the sun. “Power?” Jake raised a brow. We hadn’t played power since I ran off in the woods, and I never wanted to play another game again. It should be called “powerless” instead. Ollie shook his head. “No. No more bloody games.” “How about football? American football? It’s a tradition in the states to play or watch football on Christmas day. I’m sure there’s a ball here somewhere.” Ollie squeezed my hand in approval as a smile reached his eyes. We stood in the middle of the field, bundled up in hoodies. The brisk winter air blew fiercely as the sun did nothing to warm me. The tip of Ollie’s nose was red as he blew hot air into his palms and rubbed them together before cupping my face. “Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea. You’re freezing.” Correction: he was freezing. “I’m fine. I’m from Pe Ollie raised his brow as his smile slowly grew. “Not that kind of physical activity.” I laughed and pushed him playfully in the shoulder. Ollie caught my wrist and pulled me closer. “Kiss me,” he commanded, “before everyone gets here.” Relaxing against him, I stood on my toes as he dipped his head down to meet my lips. “Mmm … I’m warming up already,” he growled. Breathing him in, I whispered through an exhale, “I love you, Ollie.” He moaned. “Say it again.” I kissed the sensitive spot below his ear because I knew what it did to him. “I love you.” Ollie hummed into my neck, and it was a beautiful sound. “I’ll never tire of hearing you say those words.” And he captured my mouth again. “Found a ball!” Jake said, snapping Ollie and me away from each other instantly. “Seriously? You guys don’t have to hide from me …” “What are you talking about?” I asked casually and shoved my hands into the front pocket of the hoodie. We weren’t drinking. There was no excuse for us to be kissing in Jake’s eyes. In my eyes, there were a thousand reasons why we should, starting with Ollie.
