Missing Linc (16 page)

about me all day, every day.”

The look in Mitch”s eyes made him pause. “We already do.”

Linc nodded. It was the same way for him.

Christ, he was so fucking screwed.

*

Mitch closed the hotel room door, his gaze immediately searching for Tomi. He

followed the sound of her voice to the patio, where she stood with her back to him, talking

on the phone.

He leaned against the patio doorway, watching her for several minutes until she finally

became aware of his presence. Smiling, she reached for him, pulling him against her when he

grabbed her hand.

“Okay, we”ll see you tomorrow.” She disconnected the call and turned in his arms.

“Hi.” She leaned forward and kissed him. “That was Linc. He said he”d see us in the morning.

Rosa has a special breakfast planned for us tomorrow.”

He nodded as he placed kisses on Tomi”s forehead, her nose, and her lips. “Did I tell

you I love you today?”

Her smile grew even wider. “Yes, but you can feel free to tell me again as many times

as you”d like.”

“I love you more than you can ever imagine, more than I could ever express.”

She reached up, and her warm, soft hand stroked his face. “I love you too. Tomorrow

can”t arrive soon enough for me.”

“I know you do.” Mitch cupped her face. “I know that your love for me is equally as

strong and true as mine is for you. It”s deeper than anything I”ve ever felt before, and I know

that it will never change, never fade.” He looked into her beautiful eyes and smiled. “The love we have for each other can handle anything, Tomi” — he took a deep breath —

“including being in love with someone else.”

Several emotions flashed across Tomi”s face all at once. She closed her eyes for a

moment and when she opened them again, they reflected the resignation she felt. “I didn”t

mean for it to happen.” Her voice trembled, her eyes turned watery. “I —”

“Shh.” Mitch stopped her, using a finger to wipe away a stray tear rolling down her

cheek. “It”s okay. Neither of us meant to fall for him, but it doesn”t change the fact that we

did.” He pulled her close, and Tomi clung to him as if she never wanted to let him go.

“What are we going to do?” she whispered.

Mitch didn”t respond immediately. Finally, he chuckled sadly. “Unfortunately, I”m

fresh out of answers.” His face grew serious again. “We”ll talk to Linc, but not until after our

wedding.” He brushed her hair away from her face. “Marrying you is my one and only

priority right now. It”s more important to me than anything and anyone.” Mitch leaned

down and kissed her. “Everything else will work itself out.” He tried to assure her, while

silently praying that he was correct.

Linc stood at the edge of his aunt”s large yard, watching the reception party in full

swing. The wedding had been beautiful, but he hadn”t expected anything less. It took place a

couple of hours earlier in a secluded section outdoors on the grounds of Tomi and Mitch”s

hotel.

Tomi was stunning in a long, white, strapless dress made out of silk. The style was

simple, but Tomi made it look incredible. Fresh orchids adorned her normally free-flowing

tresses, which she”d pinned up for the occasion. Mitch was similarly clad in a long-sleeved

shirt and loose-fitting slacks. The white silk material emphasized his newly tanned skin.

As promised, Linc”s relatives showed up in full attendance, taking up every available

seat. Mitch and Tomi made several last minute changes, electing Tracee as the maid of honor

and Linc as the best man. Pedro had the honor of escorting Tomi down the aisle.

They looked picture perfect as they stood in the gazebo facing the setting sun and

overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The ceremony didn”t last long — maybe twenty minutes at

most. By the time it ended, all of the women — and a substantial portion of the men — were

teary-eyed, including Linc. When they exchanged vows, Linc remembered silently saying them as well, wishing

with everything in him that he could put a voice to the love that he felt for them, just as

they”d done with each other. As they kissed, Linc felt it clearly, as if he were kissing them as

well. He smiled and clapped with everyone else when the officiator announced that Mitch

and Tomi were husband and wife. Inside, he was dying, aching to be a permanent part of the

bond they shared, but knowing it wasn”t possible. The handshake he”d given Mitch and the

chaste kiss he placed on Tomi”s cheek didn”t scratch the surface of the emotions that he felt

for them.

As everyone followed Tomi and Mitch back into the hotel, he caught Pedro staring at

him knowingly, his cousin”s expression a mixture of disappointment and sympathy. Linc

ignored him and headed to the waiting vehicles parked in front of the hotel.

He”d arranged for Tomi and Mitch to have a separate limo take them to his aunt”s

house. They”d asked him if he wanted to ride with them, but he”d declined, hiding his true

feelings by joking that they should take advantage of their private time before they reached

the reception and wouldn”t have a moment alone for the next several hours.

The truth of the matter was that Linc couldn”t handle being alone with them, too afraid

that he”d ask them for things that he had no right to request.

He felt a hand on his shoulder just moments before he heard Pedro”s voice. “How are

you holding up?” Linc remained silent, certain that the answer to his cousin”s question was

already apparent. Hell, it was obvious that Pedro was right all along about his feelings. If

Linc were being truthful with himself, he”d admit that he hadn”t just fallen for Tomi and

Mitch, he”d jumped in headfirst and heart wide-open.

“You know you have to end it between you and them, right?” Pedro said softly. “I

know it”s not what you want to hear, but you know it”s true. And the longer you wait to do

it, the worse it”ll be for everyone when it finally happens.” He continued to watch Mitch and Tomi, looking more at home with his family than he

did now. As far as he was concerned, they were exactly where they belonged, and if he had

his way, this is where they would always be. Christ, why couldn”t life ever be simple?

“I think” — he paused and cleared his voice — “I”m going to head out a little early. I

need…” Mitch and Tomi, but I can”t have them the way I want, and it”s killing me to know

that they”ll never be mine. “…to get up early tomorrow.”

It was a lie, and they both knew it, but Linc didn”t care. He looked longingly at Mitch

and Tomi once more, before he turned away and walked toward his car.

“I”m here for you, primo, if you need me.” Pedro”s voice followed him. He waved over

his shoulder without turning around.

On the way to his car, Linc passed his employee, Mario, who he”d assigned as Tomi and

Mitch”s limousine driver for the day. “Take them wherever they want to go when they leave

here.” Mario nodded in understanding, and Linc got in his car and drove away.

The ride home was a blur, and before Linc knew it, he was outside his house. He”d told

himself that he was going straight to bed, but he couldn”t seem to shut down his brain, so he

wandered around his house instead, thinking about Tomi and Mitch. It wasn”t until his

doorbell rang that he looked at the clock and realized that more than an hour had passed

since he”d gotten home.

Linc opened the door and found them standing there, looking as gorgeous as ever.

“Hi,” Tomi said softly. “You disappeared on us. You tired of our company already?”

He could live two lifetimes and that still wouldn”t be possible. Linc forced a smile,

looking from her to Mitch. “No, I just figured that you two wanted to be alone tonight.”

“We do want to be alone.” Mitch held his gaze. “With you.”

Linc couldn”t refuse them any more than he could refuse his next breath. He waved at

Mario, who still waited by the limo at the curb, before he stepped to the side and let them in.

*

They undressed Tomi together, carefully removing her wedding dress and laying it to

the side. Mitch was next, and they removed his clothes with equal care before placing them

with Tomi”s dress. When it was his turn, Mitch and Tomi took their time, slowly stripping

off his clothes one piece at a time.

Tonight was different for so many reasons. They all seemed to feel it, yet neither of

them appeared willing to acknowledge it. Their kisses became more gentle, their touches

held more reverence, their bodies joined together with more passion, more emotion than

ever before.

Somehow, Linc found himself in the middle with Tomi beneath him, her legs wrapped

around his hips, and Mitch behind him with his hands on Linc”s ass. Groaning, he sank his

cock deep inside Tomi, and then he pressed back, aching to feel Mitch”s dick inside him. As

he slid smoothly in and out of Tomi”s heat, she moaned for him, the sound filled with

promises of things that there weren”t even words for.

His slow, easy rhythm faltered when two of Mitch”s lube-coated fingers pushed inside

him, and then he started up again, riding the sensations in his cock and his ass. In one easy

movement, Mitch”s cock replaced his fingers, and he pushed in, spreading Linc wide, the

sensation aching, burning, making him gasp and push deeper into Tomi.

He bit his lip, forcing back the words that threatened to overwhelm him, knowing that

if he let it go, he”d say something he”d regret, something about how he desperately wanted

and needed them, how far he”d fallen in love with them already. No, Linc couldn”t do that.

His body said too much already. He couldn”t help it. Tomi knew just where to kiss; Mitch

knew exactly where to touch him to send him flying.

Mitch”s hand slid between them and found Tomi”s clit, rubbing and teasing until she

was screaming. Her walls tightened around Linc, causing his own muscles to clench around

Mitch”s cock as his bellow of pleasure filled the room. Mitch”s roar matched his, and Linc felt the heat from Mitch”s pleasure shoot deep

inside him. Linc jerked a few more times, rocking back and forth between them, trying to

make it last as long as possible, knowing he”d probably never share this with them again.

Finally, he went still, panting heavily, holding himself up so he didn”t collapse on top of

Tomi.

They settled in next to him, falling asleep long before he did. Linc lay there for hours

with his cousin”s words repeating in his head.

It killed him to admit it, but Pedro was right. However, that was little comfort when

he had no idea what he was going to do without Mitch and Tomi in his life once he”d said

good-bye to them forever.

Linc stood in his home office, staring out of his window, looking at nothing. His mind

was spinning, his heart heavy with the decisions he”d made. He”d been up most of the night

arguing with himself, trying to figure out the best way to end things with them. No matter

how he tried to spin it, no matter how he wanted to position it, the outcome was always the

same: heartache. Finally, just before dawn arrived, Linc settled on the quickest option of all;

the one guaranteed to push Mitch and Tomi away without them making any effort to change

his mind.

He stiffened, sensing more than hearing a presence behind him. When Mitch”s strong

arms wrapped around him, Linc mentally braced himself for what would come next.

“Hey.” Mitch”s warm breath caressed Linc”s neck, his hand cupped Linc”s cock. “Are

you still joining Tomi and me for brunch?” His whispered words were right next to Linc”s

ear. “We, uh…there”s something we need to tell you.”

Tell him now, before he admits too much and you lose the courage to do what you

know has to happen. “It”s over.” His voice sounded foreign to his ears.

“We still have time.” Mitch massaged his balls, the sensation so intense it made Linc”s

eyes roll back. “Brunch doesn”t —” “Not brunch.” Linc pushed his hand away and pulled out of Mitch”s embrace, turning

to face him. “Us.”

Mitch went completely still, his eyes slightly narrowed. “I don”t understand.”

“Don”t you?” Linc chuckled, his brow arched.

“No, I don”t think I do.” Mitch continued to stare at him unblinkingly, those blue eyes

growing stormier with each passing second. “Why don”t you explain it to me?”

“Come on, you can”t be that naive.” Linc”s tone turned mocking. “Listen, the past few

weeks have been a lot of fun, but it”s over now. It”s time to move on.”

Mitch”s throat worked. “I thought —”

“You thought what?” Linc interrupted him. “That this was a relationship?” He laughed

contemptuously. “We were fucking!” Linc practically yelled. “Don”t try to romanticize it,

Mitch. It was good — hell, it was great — but that”s all it ever was. It”s all I ever wanted from

you and Tomi. And if you thought differently, you obviously don”t know me.”

There was a sound in the doorway, and they looked in that direction. Tomi stood there

with tears in her eyes, the look on her face so devastated, it made him want to weep. She

turned and left the room as quietly as she”d appeared.

Mitch turned back to him, his eyes practically black, the muscles working in his jaw,

his hands balled into fists. Linc prepared himself to be hit, knew he deserved at least that.