Chapter 15
Adrian
I couldn’t help but feel like I’d fallen down the rabbit hole as I glanced over at Owen in the driver’s seat. He still wouldn't tell me where we were going, but he was grinning like a kid in a candy store — not that I was going to complain. Everything had changed so quickly, but I wouldn’t change a single minute of it. I was going to hang on tight for as long as it lasted.
I wasn’t naive enough to believe it would last forever. It couldn’t. But I wasn’t going to waste time worrying over what might happen. Just the fact that I’d woken up wrapped in his arms and he didn’t regret what we’d done was more than I’d expected.
I was going to hold on to this new Owen for as long as he let me — the new Owen who was still giving me that little smirk that said he was entirely too pleased with himself. “So are you going to tell me now?”
Owen shook his head and reached over to rest his hand on my knee, casually, like it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. “Nope. You only have a few more minutes though.”
That should have at least given me a clue, but a few minutes covered a lot of area when you lived near the interstate. “Give me a hint?”
He squeezed my leg and laughed. “You should just be grateful that I didn’t blindfold you.”
Oh.
Owen gave a low chuckle that sent shivers down my spine and his hand started wandering up my thigh. “You liked that idea. You look so fucking vanilla, but I bet you have all kinds of dirty fantasies running through that smart brain of yours.”
Not until I’d started researching everything online, and not until he’d started looking at me like he finally really saw me.
“I…” Was I supposed to tell him?
He had that wicked, teasing look that said he wasn’t going to leave it alone. In the past, that expression had made me cringe inside. I’d been afraid of what he was going to say or do. But now, it sent a flood of anticipation rolling through me.
His laughter was rough and filled with something I couldn’t quite understand, but his hand eased up higher on my leg until he was almost touching my cock. It shoved any worries completely out of my head.
“You’re safe right now, Adri, but I’m not going to go so easy on you later.” Owen’s fingers closed the final gap so they brushed up against the head of my dick. “I don’t think you want me to go too easy on you, do you, Pup?”
A low moan escaped and all I could think of was how good it would feel if he would just move his fingers, if he would just do something. Anything. One finger started circling the tip, making it hard to breathe.
“Do you?” The finger pressed down just hard enough to make my head fall back. “Pup?”
It was clearly a question, but I couldn’t remember what it was, not with him touching me like that. “What?”
His laughter echoed through the car, but he eased up enough to let me think. I didn’t know what he’d found so funny. “Do you want me to take it easy on you, Pup?”
I could feel the heat creeping up my face, but I told myself I wasn’t going to hide anything from him. Not while he was mine. The words wouldn’t come, but I closed my eyes and shook my head.
“Fuck, Adri…” His voice was rough and heated, but there was something else in it. Those little threads of emotion that made curling up with him last night so incredible. When his lips touched mine, my eyes jerked open.
“Owen, you’re gonna—”
We were parked.
At Walmart!
Owen gave me a look of smug satisfaction that only he could manage, and it started to sink in that he really had brought me to Walmart. He’d hyped up a trip to the store like it was something hot instead of mundane.
It still gave me butterflies, even though I was a little annoyed he’d acted like this was a huge thing. Hadn’t I been promised a surprise or something suspenseful? That didn’t mean groceries.
I thought he was just screwing with me, but he opened the door of the car instead of backing out and taking us somewhere else. “Well? You gonna sit in the car, or are you gonna come in and play house with me?”
“You have got to be kidding me.” I slouched back in the seat, trying to hide how cute he was. He did not need to be encouraged. Playing house? It was almost like he thought of us as a real couple.
“What? I said it was something we needed,” Owen said as he leaned down, peering through his open door at me where I still sat. “C’mon. I’m fucking hungry, and the world is our oyster. Or something.”
“I’m not buying oysters at Walmart.” I might be stuck grocery shopping instead of getting coffee and being lazy, but I was not buying seafood. Yuck.
He smirked. “But I hear they’re aphrodisiacs… And you totally need help getting all hot and bothered with me around, hmm?” He pitched his voice low, mindful of the fact that we were in public probably. Despite the apparent confidence, I was starting to be able to read him a little better — and I could tell there was something vulnerable, uncertain, like he expected me to get angry.
“You owe me for this.” I gave him a dramatic sigh and climbed out of the car. “Big time. No coffee and Walmart first thing. I think you’re going to have to be the one bribing me later.”
Owen scoffed. “You’ll be thanking me when I fix you the good coffee with fresh creamer and an omelet. I make a damn good omelet. You’ll be begging me for more, big brother.”
I half-expected that to bring both of us down, to remind us that this was wrong — or that society vehemently thought it was wrong — but it didn’t happen. He just seemed to be taking everything in stride, like the fact that we were brothers was nothing. Was that how he really felt? That it wasn’t something he was going to worry over? The question rolled around in my head, but I didn’t ask.
I didn’t want to know if it did matter.
“Begging for more?” I grinned and tried to tease him back the same way he would me. It probably sounded awkward and stupid, but I was going to try. “Maybe for some things, but not food.”
Yeah, stupid.
Owen just smirked and started walking toward the building. “You coming?”
“Evidently not yet.” Ha, that one was better.
Even Owen’s smirk changed to laughter. “I hear that gets you kicked out of Walmart,” he said, deadpan. “But hey, if you’re willing to take one for the team…”
I got the feeling he was only half kidding. Part of me wanted to know if he’d ever done anything like that before, but it felt a bit too much like I’d be encouraging him. Blow jobs in the car and orgasms in Walmart… He’d definitely dated weirder people than I had.
Deciding that switching topics might be a better idea as we got closer to the building, I ignored the wicked images his teasing put in my head. “What were you thinking of getting? We still have a bit left over on that gift card I got. Omelets mean eggs, but what else?”
Groceries were definitely a safer topic.
“Depends on what you like to eat. I hear some of the new dog foods taste like people food…” Owen flashed me a wolfish grin. For a moment, I was almost afraid he was serious. “Lots of cheese…” His smile wavered. “Whatever else you like. Onions, mushrooms, sausage, ham, bacon, spinach…”
“No onions, but lots of sausage.” I honestly didn’t get that it sounded dirty until Owen started snickering. “Not like that! Owen!”
Owen only laughed harder.
Glancing around to make sure no one had heard us, I reached over and shoved him. “You’re terrible.”
“You walked right into that. You ran right into that,” he replied, getting a cart and starting to push it. “Wanna ride on the back of the cart?”
“I’m not five still.” But yes, I did want to ride on the cart. No one ever outgrew that.
“Your point is…?” Owen asked, arching a brow, as though he could hear my thoughts. “Fine, fine. We’ll have other fun later.”
What kind of fun? I was smart enough not to ask that in the middle of Walmart. That answer really would get us kicked out.
Hopefully.
“Come on. I want cinnamon bread. The good kind from the bakery for toast to go with the omelet you owe me.” I put one hand on the cart handle next to his and pushed it toward the bakery, trying not to let anyone see how badly I wanted to be holding his hand instead.
“No, that bread thing mom used to bring home that had the chocolate braided into it. What was that called? That was even better.” He started steering the cart away from my bread.
“Oh, no. I get to pick. It’s my turn, and you owe me.” I ignored the pleading look he sent me. Faker was just trying to get his way. “That’s not going to work. It stopped working a long time ago. You’re not five either.”
“I should hope not,” Owen said with a leer that went straight to my cock. “But damn it. I’ll have to work on my puppy eyes… though I think you’ll always have me beat there.”
I should have been able to think of something funny or witty like he could’ve, but my brain went blank. I blushed. Too many things flooded to the surface. “Ooowen.”
It was like we were both kids again, and I was trying to get him to stop teasing me. Only now I wasn’t sure if I really wanted him to stop or not. I knew he could see right through me, but his leer turned softer. He took pity on me, at least for the time being. “Come on, Adri, groceries and coffee.”
Walking through the store with both of our hands on the cart and trying not to look odd, we picked out things and debated over brands and prices. It was so normal but so out of the ordinary for us. We lived together and paid bills together, but I couldn’t remember doing anything this domestic with him. It was so easy to pretend we were like any other couple going through the store.
“But I don’t want the pulp kind.” Now we really did sound like everyone else, except Owen sounded like he was a kid again.
“You got to pick the milk and the cereal. And I lost the cheese too. I get to pick this time.” I was going to have to get a backbone, or else we’d end up with all his favorites.
“Oh no.” Owen shook his head. “You picked out the bread and the sausage for the omelet and those little potatoes when I wanted the bigger ones. It’s my turn.” Owen reached for the pulp-free juice, his pout turning to a grin as he assumed he’d won.
“Hey!” I wasn’t ready to admit defeat yet.
“Harold, they look just like we did when we first got married.” The woman’s voice coming from behind made us both jump.
We quickly turned, seeing an older couple giving us a knowing look. The older guy, Harold, just gave her a look like she should mind her own business. “Mary, leave those boys alone.”
She gave us a sweet smile and reached out to pat Owen’s arm. “It’s so hard when you first start living with someone. But don’t fight over silly things that don’t matter.”
Considering the fact that she wasn’t going all homophobic or something, I think we both were ready to let her say whatever she wanted.
We nodded, and I finally managed to mumble out something passable, “Um, yes, ma’am.”
She gave Owen another pat and started to let her husband drag her away while he muttered about nosy women. I thought we were in the clear, but she turned back just before they started to round the corner. “Besides, aren’t you boys supposed to be drinking pineapple juice instead? That’s what that article on Facebook said last week. And remember, don’t fight about silly things.”
Owen managed — barely — to wait until they were out of earshot to blurt out, “What the fuck?” His suppressed laughter had me shaking my head.
“That’s a very good question.” I glanced over at him. “Was that lady just…” I wasn’t sure how to say it in Walmart.
Owen clearly knew what I meant anyway because he started to snicker. “Oh yeah. She might be right about the pineapple juice, too,” he said. “How ‘bout we compromise and get some of that instead? We can research how true that theory is. Maybe you can work that into your paper, too,” he offered helpfully.
Not.
I gave him a look, but I couldn’t help but smile. “Compromise it is,” I agreed, feeling odd. On one hand, being mistaken as a couple could get awkward if we ran into anyone we knew, but on the other… It felt nice. Besides, as long as we didn’t start making out right there in the refrigerated aisle, we could easily justify it as sibling bickering.
It didn’t matter as much as I might’ve expected it to. It was easy to dismiss the ‘what ifs’ with him right there beside me, grinning like he was genuinely… happy. And there I was, smiling back at him, feeling just as content.
“Anything other than tasty jizz juice?” he asked.
I stared at him, not sure if I should laugh or pretend not to know him.
“…That sounded better in my head,” Owen admitted before I could say anything, running his hand through his hair.
“How could that sound better in your head?”
Owen considered a moment. “Ingredients for tasty nuts?”
“That sounds like we’d actually be eating your balls, man. I’m not eating anything that weird. Eating you out isn’t the same thing. Even I know that.” The images in my head ran from sexy to weird. He was not safe to take to Walmart. “Come on, before you get us kicked out or something.”
Grabbing both kinds of juice and getting the OJ with the pulp before Owen could say anything, I started pushing the cart down the aisle. He followed, grumbling and making snarky comments under his breath. When he said something about me guessing which one of us should drink the pineapple juice first, I just blushed.
Shoving my shoulder against him, I tried to look serious as I whispered to him, “Walmart. We’re in Walmart, not some kind of porn movie.”
“Oh, right. You were the one who was gonna get us kicked out of Walmart, not me. Got things confused for a second.” He gave me a lopsided smile. “I’m sorry, Adri.”
If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was genuinely contrite — and the thought filled me with baffling warmth, maybe even pride. As much as he hid his emotions, I knew he was messing with me. It wouldn’t have seemed like much to anyone else, or they might’ve rolled their eyes and said “duh,” but it was one of the first times I’d been able to tell he was teasing me instead of making a nasty jab.
Had he always been teasing, and I’d just never understood that? Were his social skills as bad as mine? Had his good vocabulary and smartass responses hidden things that I hadn’t known to look for? Had he just needed to grow up to be a nicer person?
I wished I knew one way or the other. The Owen I knew now wasn’t the same person I’d known before.
At least, I didn’t think he was. I couldn’t even picture grocery shopping with the old Owen, much less joking with him… let alone everything else we’d done. Being in the same room had been almost impossible before everything had changed. But watching him as we walked through the store, all I wanted to do was hold his hand and lean into him.
It had to be ironic in some way that I hadn’t wanted to have anything to do with the old Owen, but now that I wanted to be closer to him, I couldn’t. At least not in public.
Leaning close to bump into his shoulder again, I smiled. “You can make it up to me later.”
That look of wide-eyed innocence hadn’t faded, even though we both knew he was far from innocent. How long had it been since he had been innocent? How long had I missed out on being the big brother? He hadn’t let me, but I could’ve tried harder…
Owen must’ve noticed the look on my face — which felt far from fair — and he tapped me lightly on the nose with his finger. “Stop that,” he said sternly. “You’re doing the thing. Don’t do the thing. I guess I’ll just have to make you stop thinking when we get home…”
It sent a shiver through me, and it helped to assuage some of the guilt. It had been a long time ago. As distant as I’d been, neither of us had made overtures. Maybe that was something about being a pup, too. No thoughts but joy and pleasure, no thoughts about reality, and maybe…
Just maybe accepting that relaxing was okay.
I could let go of things for more than for a few minutes here and there. “I like it when you help me turn everything off in my head. I… When I was first looking at the stuff online, I really didn’t understand. I thought I did, but it was so confusing. When you…” I looked around to make sure we were relatively alone as we made our way through the deli section and up to the front of the store. Seeing no one was close by, I started again. “When you take control and I’m a pup, it’s like everything I’m worrying about stops and just fades away because you’re handling it and I don’t have to. I hadn’t realized how much I needed that.”
For a moment, he only watched me. Without so much as a glance around, he touched my cheek briefly, not nearly long enough. I wanted to take his hand and hold it against my skin.
“Guess we’re both learning a lot about ourselves lately,” he said.
As vague as that was, I felt another surge of pride. He was starting to trust me. I was an open book. I knew that. I didn’t want to be as easy to read as I was, but in a way, I was glad.
If I hadn’t been, this might not have ever started at all.
“But seeing as how you have no sense of adventure, we have to get home if I’m gonna get you back into that mood,” he added.
I gave him a look. “Do you have to do that?”
Owen blinked at me, and a flicker of uncertainty crossed his features. “I thought you wanted—”
“Not that,” I interrupted him. “Change the subject every time it starts getting too personal.”
“Can we have this conversation later, somewhere that’s not in Walmart?” Owen asked, but there was still that evasiveness. I was afraid if I let it go, he’d keep avoiding the topic.
Walmart wasn’t the place to discuss anything about our… relationship, or whatever we were going to call it, but I didn’t want to keep running from it.
“Promise? I-I want to get to know the real you more, and you said you didn’t want to stop. But when you do that, it feels like you’re running from me. And now I sound like some kind of teenage drama queen.” Sighing, I turned and tried to stop obsessing. He was probably right. This wasn’t the time or place for that talk.
Owen’s teeth slowly dragged along his bottom lip, but he finally nodded.
I was disappointed. The mood had been so good, then thinking too fucking much — because if there was ever a time to curse, that was now — had ruined it.
But Owen leaned in, whispering into my ear, “I love you.”
Everything stopped. It was like some kind of stupid movie moment. The look on his face made it clear it wasn’t just brotherly love he was talking about…
Well, not the kind of brotherly love most people talked about.
“I love you, too.”
There were so many things running through my head, but that one sentence was all that really mattered. In the middle of Walmart, I fell in love.