As if it wasn’t hard enough to try and act like I hadn’t just spanked another man for the first time, River had met all my brothers that evening. Sure, this had been my idea. I had been the one who’d opened the can of worms. But my intention when I’d first come up with this idea had been that River was only going to be escorting me to Blue’s wedding...not the rehearsal dinner.

But I had to play it by ear like all the times in the courtroom when something hadn’t gone as planned.

I had too many glasses of champagne to count. On such a cold evening, I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else than in a cozy pub with my bros and the people they loved. River looked like he was getting along with Blue, which I thought was kind of cute. But I hated the fact that River and I had been together the whole day. All I wanted was a moment to process what had happened with him earlier today.

At the same time, I couldn’t stop looking at River. It was so unlike me, to be watching someone like that. Usually, I’d be having conversations with other people. But I was scared that River might tell someone about what we had done. And the closer he got to Blue, the more worried I got that it’d slip out. Blue wouldn’t judge me. Hell, no one at that restaurant that evening would judge me. But that didn’t stop me from worrying. My self-image was the most important thing to me. It was something I wanted complete control over. How other people saw me and how successful they thought I was were really important to me. And I couldn’t let some guy ruin it.

As the end of the meal neared, the vibe of the dinner was growing more relaxed. People moved freely around the restaurant. Some were near the bar, some were outside smoking.

“Can I talk to you?” I whispered in River’s ear when there was no one around us.

I pulled River aside to sit at one of the tables near the back of the restaurant. It was quieter there, and no one could really see us unless they were going into the kitchen or the bathroom.

“What do you want?” River said.

His tone was a bit more assertive than I was used to.

“I want to ask you if you’ve told anyone about us,” I said.

“No. Not everything is about you, Gray,” River said.

He seemed a bit more courageous after drinking, and seeing that side of him kind of made me respect him more.

I laughed. “I didn’t say everything is about me. I just want to know if you’ve told Blue or anyone about what we’d done earlier.”

“No,” River said, sounding annoyed. “Is that all you want to talk to me about?”

He was short with me. I understood why. I’d practically ignored him all day, and for some reason, I thought that I could play that game of cat and mouse to make him want me more. Because I knew in my heart I loved that kind of attention. But River was smarter than that. He knew the game I was playing.

“Just wanted to see if you’re having a good time. That’s all.”

River looked at me with his bright blue eyes I got lost in them for a second before having to look away so that he couldn’t read what I was thinking.

“I’m having a great time,” River said quietly, looking down at his champagne glass. “These people here are the nicest people I’ve met in a while.”

Hearing him say that warmed my heart because everyone I knew in this room was special to me too.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself,” I said. “Can I buy you a shot?”

River laughed. “It’s an open bar tonight. You don’t have to buy me a shot. We can just do one.”

“Right,” I said.

I was so used to buying everything that I’d forgotten that some things were free.

I went up to the bar and ordered two shots of gin, a spirit I’d learned to love when I was in Asia.

I brought them back to the table and handed one to River. Our hands touched for a second, and I was reminded of how delicate they were and how amazing they’d felt when they’d been on my cock. How was I horny again after I’d just came hours before?

In the corner of my eye, I noticed Blue looking at me from across the restaurant. I shot him a glance, and he returned a wink at me, then pointed to me and River and blew me a kiss. I rolled my eyes and gave him the middle finger.

“What?” River asked, who didn’t see Blue but saw what I’d just done.

“Nothing. Blue is just being an idiot,” I said.

We clinked our shot glasses, and we downed the gin. The shot warmed my body and made me feel less tense. When I looked over at River, his eyes looked sad. I wanted to ask him why, but I knew he was sad because of me. Sure, not everything was about me. But I had a gut feeling that in that instance, it was.

Then I did something I never thought I’d do in public. I sat in the chair next to River and reached around his shoulder to pull him close to me, letting him lean his head on my shoulder. I never apologized for anything, and I wasn’t going to start then. But that was my way of telling River I was sorry for what I did earlier. For being cold and distant to him that whole day. I knew I was only hiring him to be an escort, but he was human and had emotions too, and I couldn’t forget that.

We resumed the party. Some people had left already, so it was more intimate than before. It was getting late, almost four in the morning. Even some of the kitchen staff had left. But Giorgio, the restaurant owner, had stayed behind and was drinking with us. There was a good energy in the restaurant, and the night was still young.

Hunter and I hadn’t talked to each other the whole night. Since he was one of the grooms, he had a lot of people to talk to. But we finally got a moment to chat at the bar. Hunter and I had a bit of a weird relationship. I’d only met him a handful of times. But maybe it was the fact that we were both really successful and competitive people that made us clash.

“You still working on opening that law firm?” Hunter asked, leaning casually against the bar.

He was looking right at Blue, who was chatting up with someone else across the room. I could see how much he loved Blue from the intensity of his gaze.

“Yeah, I’ve been talking to my connections to see where I can buy office space,” I said. “If I want to do this thing for real, I want to do it right.”

“I didn’t know you were looking for office space. I know many real estate people in the city who can help you. Real estate is kind of a side passion of mine. I had a lot of fun looking for the office that I have now, and I’m constantly investing in new property.”

“I didn’t know you were into that,” I said. “Maybe we can go check out some properties when you’re free.”

Hunter took a sip of his drink and nodded. “Yeah, I’d love that. Will give me a break from my own crazy life too.”

I smiled. “Has it been all that crazy?”

Hunter raised a brow. “You have no idea. The work I’ve put in to plan this wedding to make it perfect for Blue is more than anything I’ve done in the past. He doesn’t even have a clue about half the stuff I’ve done.”

I looked over at Blue, who I always thought looked kind of like a lost puppy. “Blue’s pretty clueless sometimes. But he sure is worth it. He has a heart of gold.”

“Trust me, I know,” Hunter said. “If I had any doubts in my mind, I wouldn’t be marrying him.”

“You’re a good man,” I said.

It felt good to say that to him. I knew he was one hundred percent committed to my brother.

“Speaking of Blue, what’s going on with you and River?” he asked.

I smiled. “Nothing. I’ve just hired him to come to your wedding. Thought it’d be better than going solo and having all my nosey extended family ask me why I’m still single.”

“I see,” Hunter said. His face was stoic, and I couldn’t read him at all.

“What do you mean, I see?” I said.

“Nothing. He seems like a good kid, you know. Just be careful with him.”

“I know. I know,” I said. “It was supposed to be something casual, just bring him to your wedding. But Harry decided it was a good idea to invite him tonight, so here he is.”

“And he’s still here.” Hunter pointed out. “So he must be taking this...job somewhat seriously.”

“Well, I am paying him a lot, so he better take it seriously,” I said.

“It’s kind of funny that Blue and I met when he worked for me too. I guess he still does. But I don’t look at it like that anymore.”

“How do you look at it now?” I said.

“Well, it’s more like a partnership now. He’s really proved himself since he first started as nothing more than a project administrator. But he’s passionate. That’s the one thing that drives me crazy about him. How dedicated and invested he is in everything he does for my company.”

“Yep, that’s Blue. Once he finds something he likes, he gets obsessive over it.”

“He must really like me then.” Hunter grinned.

Talking about Blue made me think of River.

“Have you seen River around, by the way?” I asked, looking around the room.

“I saw him not long ago. I don’t think he left,” Hunter said, helping me look around for him.

I couldn’t see him anywhere, and it made me a bit worried.

“Give me a second. Maybe he’s outside with the smokers,” I said.

“Does he smoke?” Hunter asked.

“Not that I know of.”

I went out the front door, but River wasn’t there. Had he really left without saying goodbye? It’d be uncharacteristic of him to do that.

I decided to go into the bathroom in case he was there. I went to the back of the restaurant, and one of the doors were locked.

I knocked on the door a few times. “Hello? Is anyone in there?”

There was no answer, and I knocked a few more times. “River? You in there? It’s Gray. Open up.”

When there was no response, I shoved my shoulder hard against the door, and it swung open. River was kneeling over the sink with the water running. I went up to him and pulled him on his feet, but he wasn’t able to stand up on his own.

“River,” I called out. “Are you okay?”

He mumbled something I couldn’t really make out.

I held him in my arms, trying to brace him up so that he wouldn’t fall over. He wrapped his arms around my neck and leaned against my chest.

“Maybe that shot we did wasn’t a good idea,” I said quietly, rubbing my hand on his back.

Great, now I had to find a way to get him home.

“You want me to bring you back out to the restaurant so you can sit down?” I asked him.

He didn’t say anything and wasn’t being very responsive.

“I’m going to lift you up, okay?” I said.

River’s eyes were closed, but he nodded. I put an arm behind his knees so I could lift him up.

I carefully carried him out of the bathroom, making sure not to hit his head on the door frame.

River mumbled something I couldn’t understand.

“What’d you say?” I said, leaning in closer to him.

“I like you,” River said drunkenly.

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that,” I said.

I brought him out to the restaurant, where Harry was the first person who noticed us. He walked up toward me.

“Is he all right?” Harry asked.

“I think so. Just too many drinks, I guess,” I said.

“I’m glad I’m not the one who gets too drunk sometimes,” Harry said.

“I have to bring him home,” I said.

Carter came up to us when he saw what was going on. Then Blue and Hunter came over as well.

“God, can we not make a scene?” I said.

“Well, you’re going to have to get him home,” Blue said. “He’s your date.”

I hated every second of that moment. I wasn’t someone who took care of drunk people. I didn’t usually care nor had the time to do that.

“I don’t even know where he lives,” I confessed.

“Well, guess he’s going back to yours tonight then,” Hunter said with a smirk.

“He’s not coming home with me,” I said. “I don’t even have a guest bed.”

“Well, what are you going to do then?” Blue asked.

I looked down at River, who was still in my arms. Fuck. I couldn’t just leave someone who was in such a vulnerable state. What was I saying?

“I guess I’ll have to bring him home,” I said.

“We’ll help you since we’re coming back with you anyway,” Harry said.

“Don’t you have to get Pollock? Hell, it’s already five in the morning. Where is he anyway?”

“We left him at our babysitter’s,” Carter said. “She knew we would be out late tonight, so she was prepared to have him stay overnight.”

I nodded. “Should we call it a night then?”

Harry shrugged. “I guess the night has to end eventually.”

We’d been at the restaurant for way longer than I’d intended to stay for. But it was nice having all my brothers and their lovers in the same place. And though it was almost five in the morning and I didn’t want to go home, I knew I had to because of River.

All the other guests had already left. Giorgio, the owner, stayed behind so that he could lock up.

We waited for the Uber to arrive, and I carried River into the backseat with me. Harry got in the front, and Carter sat next to me. We said goodbye to Blue and Hunter, who waited for their ride to get them home.

“Thanks for coming, guys,” Blue said. “I don’t know how tonight is going to beat my wedding night. It was so perfect.”

“Oh, trust me, your wedding night is going to be magical,” Hunter said.

Blue reached into the back window of the Uber and squeezed my shoulder. “We’ll see you guys soon. Get home safe.”

The driver drove back toward my place. River was still passed out cold, and he leaned his head against my shoulder. When we arrived at my house, I carried River inside.

My arms ached from having to carry him up the steps of my front porch. I was relieved to finally put him down on my couch.

“You going to leave him here?” Carter asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, it’s not like he’s sleeping in my bed or anything.”

“Do you have any extra blankets or a pillow for him?” Harry asked.

I shook my head. “I just moved in. I don’t have anything. He’ll be okay here, though.”

“We have some extra blankets in one of the boxes in the guesthouse,” Carter said. “We can go get it for him.”

“No, it’s late. You guys better go to bed so that you can pick up Pollock tomorrow morning,” I said.

Carter looked at Harry and shrugged. “Okay, have a good night then, I guess.”

“Have a good night,” I said back to them before they went to the guesthouse through the back door.

I looked at River, who was lying on his side. The couch wasn’t big enough for him to lie straight across, and his head looked uncomfortable on the headrest. I could also feel a draft coming in from somewhere, even though I couldn’t see any windows open.

Fuck, I couldn’t just leave him there. I picked him up off the couch and reluctantly carried him upstairs. At that point, I felt like my arms were about to fall off. I brought him into my bedroom and put him down gently on my mattress, which was on the floor. At least I had a pillow and comforter for him in there.

I couldn’t believe River was going to spend the night in my bed. It wasn’t planned, and I didn’t really have a choice in the matter, so I decided to just go to bed. I stripped out of my shirt and pants and crawled into my bed. River slept peacefully next to me, the warmth coming from his body was something I wasn’t used to. I hadn’t had someone sleep next to me in forever.

After seeing how delicate and vulnerable he was in that moment, I still couldn’t believe that I’d spanked him earlier. I pulled his pants down gently to see if the marks I’d left on his ass had gone away. His ass still looked pink and tender. I hated myself for what I’d done.