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 Your faith is touching, Felix said dryly.  All right, then. How
many laps can you do?
Adrien tilted his head to the side as though thinking about it. A
drop of water slid down his brow, across his cheek.  Half a dozen,
easy.
Felix treaded water, keeping himself in place and his head up.
He gestured to the far end of the pool with his chin.  Swim eight,
then, and maybe I ll be impressed.
Adrien grinned, his face alight with the challenge.  If I swim
eight, do I win something?
 Sure. Felix laughed.  Whatever you want.
Adrien took off without another word, swimming toward the
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far wall with long, powerful strokes. Felix swam over to Cristian s
side, and they both watched him until he reached the other side and
somersaulted to turn around and come back.
 If he kills himself trying to hold his breath through eight
laps& 
Felix laughed.  He s not going to kill himself. He ll just pout
and demand a rematch if he doesn t make it.
Reluctantly, Cristian dragged his attention away from Adrien,
and turned to look at Felix.  What s the point? That comment he
made You re not really threatened by him, are you?
 No, I m not. To Cristian s relief, Felix looked as though he
meant it. He gestured toward Adrien, who was swimming past
them and raising up great splashes of water as he kicked and
swam.  But it gives him something to focus on other than Amber.
He caught Cristian s eye.  That s what you were doing with
putting him to work in the kitchen, isn t it? It worked then.
Cristian smiled and started to relax. Then Felix said,  Speaking
of Amber. God. He laughed and shook his head.  I can t believe
that stunt you pulled with his phone.
Cristian tensed again. He frowned at Felix, trying to make out
from his expression what that meant.  Is that& Should I not
have?
Felix s brows lifted. He looked at Cristian in surprise.  That s
not what I meant at all. Cristy, it was wonderful.
 Oh. Behind him, Adrien swam by again, splashing wildly,
but Cristian didn t spare a thought for him at all because Felix was
slipping through the water, moving closer, looking at him like he
didn t hate him, like maybe whatever he d broken between them
wasn t damaged beyond repair. Cristian reached for him, and Felix
slipped into his arms. He let Cristian draw him in close, and looped
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his arms around Cristian s shoulders to keep him there.
 Felix, Cristian murmured, brushing wet hair off of his cheek.
Felix tipped his head to the side, watched Cristian with humor
bright in his gaze.  Cristy, he parodied in answer.
Cristian had tried to kiss him earlier, and Felix had shied away.
He wanted desperately to kiss him now, but even with the smile
lurking on Felix s expression, he feared being rebuffed again. He
hated when Felix was upset with him, though if he said as much
Felix just would have laughed and said,  Well, that s easy enough
to prevent. Just stop doing stupid shit that pisses me off.
Slowly, Cristian leaned forward. He slid his hands higher on
Felix s back to draw him in close. His heart pounded beneath his
breast. But Felix didn t push him away. He tightened his arms
around Cristian s shoulders and pulled him closer, drew himself up
out of the water a little so that their mouths met, their lips brushed.
Cristian slid a hand up through Felix s hair to cup the back of
his head. Felix parted his lips for him, slid his tongue out to meet
Cristian s. The first loops of the knot that had constricted
Cristian s chest began to loosen. He wrapped his arms around
Felix, too tight, but he couldn t help himself and Felix didn t
complain.
It was easy to cling to one another with the water buoying them
up. Felix s hands slid down his back, up again to spread over his
shoulders. Cristian swept into his mouth and sucked at his tongue.
He caught Felix s lip between his teeth and tugged at it, savoring
his quiet groan.
 I m sorry, he whispered between kisses.  Felix, I m sorry, I
didn t mean it 
 Shh, Felix whispered, and spread a hand on either side of his
face, holding Cristian still so Felix could kiss him, brief,
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maddening nibbles that only made Cristian yearn for more. Felix
didn t leave him any opportunity to speak between them, not even
to apologize.
Cristian tried to work them around to the edge of the pool so he
could pin Felix back against the wall and take it deeper, but the
conspicuous sound of a throat being cleared behind him made them
both break away.
 Nine laps, Adrien said when Felix looked over Cristian s
shoulder.  It would ve been ten if I d dived in.
 Congratulations, Felix said dryly, his arms still looped about
Cristian s shoulders.
Cristian turned so that they could both see him. Adrien swam
toward them, keeping his head above the water.  So what do I get?
You said anything I want.
Felix laughed.  Within reason.
Adrien drifted closer. He glanced at Cristian.  My phone?
Cristian laughed and let go of Felix.  No. You made that deal
with him, not with me. I don t care if you swim a hundred laps, the
phone stays with me.
Adrien put on a wounded expression. After a moment, he
glanced at Felix and said,  Well, I m going to have to hold it in
reserve, then. I haven t decided what I want.
 Do what you like. Felix stretched out, floating on his back
with his arms stretched out beside him.  I m not going anywhere.
He reached out blindly and found Cristian s hand, tugged on it
until Cristian let himself float beside him, rocking gently on the
pool s waves. The moon was bright and full overhead. Cristian
closed his eyes against its glare.
Darkness fell across his vision, blocking out the light. He
opened his eyes and found Adrien looking down at him. There was
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a puzzled furrow between his brow.
 What? Cristian asked him when he didn t speak.
Adrien scooted back like he hadn t expect he d be discovered.
 I was just thinking, he said quickly.  Wondering.
Cristian sat up, sinking back down into the water, and raised a
brow at him.  About what?
 Well&  Adrien gnawed on the edge of his lip.  Where did
you come from?
Beside him, Felix laughed. Cristian scowled and tugged at his
arm, then turned his attention back to Adrien.  I was born. Just like
everybody else.
Adrien gave him a flat look that clearly said, Don t fuck with
me. Cristian sighed and looked up at the dark sky.  My mother was
your nanny when you were a baby. She spent more time with you
than your parents did, and she loved you. He made a frustrated
gesture.  I don t know. I wasn t there. But she always said she
did.
Adrien didn t say anything, he just floated at Cristian s side,
watching him. Waiting for him to continue.
Cristian scrubbed a wet hand over his face.  I don t know how
she got your DNA. It wouldn t have been hard, considering she
was practically raising you. And this was back before Congress [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]