Haru It wasn’t long before I found myself, along with Aiden, immersed in the hot spring after we had washed ourselves clean in the shower with the essentials provided. The water temperature was perfect, easing my aching muscles and joints from the days of traveling. I sighed as I relaxed back against the side of the rocky pool on the opposite side of Aiden. “Feeling better?” Aiden asked. I nodded. “Mm-hmm. Much better.” I was just enjoying the peace and quiet, when suddenly, noises came from the sliding door of the suite. “Whoa! Awesome.” It was Isaac, and he sounded, as usual, excited. “Bro, Haru, you guys are already in? Why didn’t you call me?” “Isaac, you’re so noisy.” I heard Noah’s voice next. I turned to see Isaac, stark naked, rushing into the pool. “Jesus! It’s cold out here.” Then a splash, followed by a satisfied sigh. “Ahh… It feels so good in here.” Noah, also naked and with a tiny cloth covering his front, came into the pool as well. A few moments later, Mason,
AidenIt was wonderful having Haru in his arms, and Aiden slept soundly throughout the night, so much so that when he woke, he felt damn refreshed. Of course, Haru was still deep in his slumber, which he found cute. Because he couldn’t help himself, he tightened his arms around the boy and snuggled his nose against the boy’s soft dark hair, inhaling the sweet spring scent that never ceased to please and calm him. Then he closed his eyes again, not to go back to sleep, but to simply savor the moment.It was half an hour later when he felt Haru move in his arms. He could feel Haru’s gaze on him. He wondered if the boy thought he was asleep. Suddenly, he felt Haru’s hand stroking his face, which was followed by a gentle kiss on the lips.Holy shit, but that was sweet, which made Aiden’s heart melt. He opened his eyes then, a bright smile on his face. “Morning,” he said seductively. “Was that a morning kiss?”He noted Haru’s cheeks turning red. “Yes,” the boy said.“Not good enough. Do it
HaruLunch with Uncle Jin and everyone was fun and the food was delicious, but I must admit that deep down, I felt like shit. The reason? That woman named Patricia Steel.Wearing that kimono and with her face perfectly made up and her long hair done, she was beautiful, which made me feel uncomfortable, more so when she was flirting with Aiden in that subtle way of hers. I knew this feeling well. I was afraid and I felt insecure, especially where Aiden was concerned.Fact was, I hadn’t yet figured out how she knew Aiden, how she knew us brothers. I had put off asking Aiden, or any of the others for that matter. Deep down, I was afraid of what I’d find. What if she was more than just a friend to Aiden? What if they had some sort of deep, more intimate past together? If so, did Aiden still have any lingering feelings toward her? I mean she was freakin’ beautiful, after all. Hot, even, and comparing me to her…She was a woman, and I was a man, so…Shit! This was getting on my nerves, and
HaruHuh? His words caught me off guard. I didn’t know that Noah found me cute, or the fact that he had paid me any particular attention.What the hell was this new development?Noah took a deep sigh. “Fuck! That was stupid of me. Sorry, forget about what I just said.” He was serious again now. “Why don’t you wash your face? You look like you just got dumped.”I wiped my eyes. “Do I look that horrible?”Noah said, “Not horrible. Just…” He grumbled something unpleasant under his breath. He pulled me up from the bed and nudged me toward the attached bathroom. “Let’s just clean your face and make you look more presentable.”He watched me as I splashed water on my face. When I felt better and refreshed a few moments later, Noah said, “You look at least presentable now.”We were just heading out of the bedroom when we saw Aiden, and behind him was Patricia.Aiden looked surprised at seeing me coming out of a bedroom with Noah. He asked, “What were you guys doing in there?”I said, “I was j
Haru“You okay, Haru?” It was Mason who was asking me that question. Damn, but I guess every one of my brothers noticed me feeling down.I smiled at him since I didn’t want him to worry about me. “Yeah, I’m fine.”He nodded. “That’s good.” He signaled for me to come to him. I did, wondering what he wanted.He asked, “Are you cold?”“Just a little,” I said. “Is it going to snow again?”Mason placed his box, which contained his kimonos, on top of mine in my arms and then turned me around. With my back to him, he wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on the top of my head.“It’s cold,” he said. “Let’s stay like this for a little bit, until Higa-san brings around the car.”“Is that where he is?” I asked. “Bringing around the car?”“Mm-hmm.”We both were quiet for moment, and then I asked, “Were you worried about me?”“Mm-hmm,” he responded.“Thanks,” I said and then chuckled. “I’m being spoiled, aren’t I?”Mason said, “You know, sometimes I wonder why you chose Aiden. Why you fel
AidenAiden felt guilt rising in the pit of his stomach the more he thought about Isaac’s words. To be frank, he hadn’t been neglecting Haru. It was more like he didn’t have the chance to be with the boy today simply because Patricia seemed to know when to intercept his approach. She appeared desperate in wanting to talk to him, which had been why he had allowed her to be with him because he knew he would have all the time in the world with Haru. As for Patricia, she could say whatever she wanted to say and be done with it. Except she hadn’t said anything of substance yet. She had just been talking about old times, reminding him of their past relationship.Noah’s voice came his way, drawing Aiden’s attention away from his thoughts of Haru and Patricia. “What?”“I said, can we talk?” The brother nodded toward the sliding door. “Outside.”Aiden didn’t know what Noah wanted to talk about that they needed to do it outside, away from the others. He nodded nonetheless and the two left.Maso
HaruI was still seething and my face flushing hot from embarrassment when Mason sat down on the futon beside me.“You okay?” he asked.I nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine,” I said as I lifted the back of my hand to my lips.Mason caught my wrist. “What are you doing?”“Cleaning away the lipstick,” I said.He looked troubled for a moment. He said, “You’ll…dirty the expensive kimono.”Shit! He was right. I might accidentally rub my lips against the kimono and stupid Isaac would be pissed with me.“Tissue,” I said, looking around the room for signs of one. But of course, there was none.I scrambled up, but Mason caught me again and asked, “Where are you going?”“To the bathroom to clean my face and take off this kimono,” I said.“Before that, can we talk?” he asked.I guessed he wanted to calm me down, which was so Mason, the peacemaker of the family.I obediently sat. “Okay.”He chuckled. “That’s our Haru.” He ruffled my hair, his hand warm on my head.“So you’re upset with Isaac?”I nodded. “I
AidenThe moment Aiden was roused from sleep, everything that had happened yesterday came rushing back, throwing him off-balance so damn early in the morning.Shit, but his head was starting to ache. A first in a long time; that was for sure.Noah was in love with Haru. That revelation still hadn’t fully sunk in yet.When had it started? Why had Noah been hiding it for so long?Then he thought how stupid his questions were. Hadn’t he himself been hiding his forbidden feelings for Haru for over two years?He frowned. Had Noah been in love with Haru longer than that, way before Aiden himself? He must admit Noah was damn good at hiding it. Even the nosy Tina hadn’t figured it out even though she had spent quite a bit of time with them.Aiden sat and shifted his gaze to the middle futon, which belonged to Noah. Obviously, it hadn’t been touched.Noah didn’t come to bed? And it was morning now. Was he still in the living room?Moving quietly so as not to disturb Connor, who was still aslee