Tyler was in the shower. Again. The man showered more than anyone Skylar knew. Of course, he wasn’t going to mention anything because it was none of his business. And honestly, having some space between the two of them was welcome sometimes.
They’d been fighting more recently. He didn’t like it. But it seemed like Tyler was intent on making him mad. And if he was being honest with himself, he didn’t quite believe Tyler hadn’t taken his phone and deleted those messages from Jessie.
Why? Skylar had no damn idea! But messages didn’t just disappear like that. And the fact that his phone was never where he left it before he fell asleep was becoming glaringly obvious. Except last night. He’d left his phone on his nightstand and when he woke up at five in the morning, it had still been there.
Not to mention Tyler had been acting really weird lately. Skylar had chalked it up to him being lonely because he couldn’t see people, but last night had freaked him out. Finding Tyler in his room just staring at him was a bit too much for his brain to handle. And it was getting harder to explain things away.
Which is exactly why Skylar was on Tyler’s computer clicking through files to see if there was anything incriminating. Of course, he didn’t expect to find anything. But he figured it was worth a shot. All of his dirty little secrets were stored on a locked drive on his computer. Not that Tyler wouldn’t be able to hack into it if he truly wanted to since he had been the one to set it up, but it was still there. And he didn’t keep things from his brother. Tyler used to be the same way. But lately, he’d seemed secretive. Skylar hated it.
The sound of the water turning off dragged Skylar’s attention back to the hallway just outside Tyler’s room. Quickly, he closed out of everything he had open. He slammed the laptop closed just as Tyler walked into the room.
His eyes tracked over Tyler’s body, instinctively looking for anything that might have been different since the last time he’d seen Tyler shirtless. If there was something physically changed, Skylar could fix it. He’d make it better and Tyler would be back to his old self.
However, he quickly realized his mistake when his eyes landed between Tyler’s legs, revealing that the other man hadn’t walked in here with a towel on his hips. “Jesus,” he breathed, quickly averting his gaze. “Sorry. I didn’t realize you were walking around naked.”
Amused, Tyler moved to the dresser and grabbed a pair of sweatpants. “I didn’t realize that you were going to be in my room,” Tyler countered, noticing the blush on his brother’s cheeks. Pulling on his sweatpants, Tyler refused to look away from his brother. “Did you need something?”
Now that Tyler was dressed, Skylar could focus on the task at hand again. “No, not really,” he answered with a shrug. “I just thought you wanted to binge watch The Walking Dead again today, so I was coming to find you. I think Rick and Shane are finally going to fight this time.”
Honestly, Tyler could care less about the television show they were watching. He’d chosen it as a joke, but it seemed like Skylar had really gotten into it. “Yeah, we can watch it,” he assured his brother. “But don’t forget that you promised you would help me with my homework today. My professor isn’t going to be happy with me if I don’t complete my assignments. And I can’t fail his class.”
Skylar knew very well how much his brother cared about school. At least that hadn’t changed. “I know,” he assured his brother. “I won’t forget. And then I have to write the email. Can you read over it to make sure it looks good before I send it?”
“I’ll just write it for you,” Tyler offered. “There’s no need for you to have to do homework for a class that isn’t even yours. Especially when you need to focus on so many other things.” He had always been planning on writing the email himself, anyway. The only thing he cared about was getting his hands back on Skylar’s body.
A small frown came to Skylar’s lips when Tyler offered to write the email for him. “Isn’t that cheating?” he asked, using his brother’s own words against him. There had been an assignment in high school that Skylar really hadn’t wanted to do and he’d asked Tyler to just do it for him. It wasn’t like Tyler wasn’t working on the same assignment – he could have just knocked them both out at the same time. But Tyler had been appalled at the idea of cheating for his brother. And now he was the one suggesting it?
Shrugging, Tyler explained, “Not necessarily. It’s just a little email. I’m doing the assignment.” He fished through his closet for something to wear, finally settling on an orange and blue color-block hoodie that zipped in the front. “The professor isn’t going to care if I write the email and send it or if you do. He’ll be none the wiser. Plus, if you fall asleep again, it will be one less thing you have to worry about. It’s fine.”
Although Skylar really didn’t want to write the email, he didn’t want his brother to cheat. “It’s fine,” he assured the other man. “I can manage to write an email to a professor. I’ve written plenty of them for my own classes. You just focus on getting your muscles right.”
Oh, he planned on focusing, alright. “Fine, if that’s what you really want to do,” Tyler answered. “I’m not about to argue with you over an email. The professor is probably not even going to read them anyway. He just seems like the type of guy who does the bare minimum to actually claim that he’s doing his job. He’s not my favorite.”
Now that they had the assignment all sorted out, Skylar felt a little less tense. “Alright, then, let’s go watch some TV,” Skylar smiled, making a beeline for the bedroom door. He still wasn’t one hundred percent convinced that there wasn’t something going on with Tyler, but at least he felt a little better. Maybe he was just being paranoid because of all the stress he was under right now.
After Skylar made a food run, they finally were sitting on the couch watching television. Though Tyler wasn’t really paying attention to the show. He was paying attention to Skylar. His brother’s facial expressions as each new scene played out on the television. The way Skylar’s throat moved as he swallowed the mouthful of french fries he’d shoveled in. Everything about Skylar was perfect – even when he wasn’t trying.
The sound of a phone vibrating cut through Tyler’s moment, anger welling up deep inside him. Even more upsetting, Skylar was paying more attention to the phone than him. Over his brother’s shoulder, he could see that he was texting Adam. It was getting more and more evident that Skylar valued everyone’s attention of Tyler’s these days. “I thought you wanted to watch this,” Tyler snapped, rolling his eyes when his brother didn’t look up from the phone.
Not particularly paying attention all that much to Tyler what Tyler was saying, Skylar answered, “I am watching it.”
“No, you’re playing with your phone,” Tyler argued. “If you’re not going to watch this, then we might as well turn it off. You’re going to get lost and I’m not rewatching parts of episodes because your phone was more important.”
Eyeing his brother suspiciously, Skylar tossed his phone onto the coffee table. “There,” he muttered. “Happy?” When Tyler merely answered yes, Skylar couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “What the hell crawled up your ass and died? Why do you care if I’m on my phone?”
There were plenty of things Tyler could have come up with, but he didn’t want to piss Skylar off too badly. He could already tell that his brother was getting annoyed. So he chose his next words carefully. “Because I don’t get a lot of time with you,” he explained. “And when you’re on your phone, it takes away from our time together.”
Almost instantly, Skylar felt the anger and frustration bleeding out of his body. He’d been only looking at this from his own standpoint – he hadn’t been thinking about Tyler’s feelings. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, running his hand down his face as he sighed. “I didn’t even think of it like that. I’m done with it. I won’t touch it again before bed. Promise.”
Satisfaction settled deep in Tyler’s belly when his brother assured him that he wouldn’t touch the phone again. Good. Now, he had Skylar all to himself – just the way he liked it. “Okay,” he muttered, settling down in his chair a bit deeper as he watched a hoard of zombies tear across the television screen.
This episode was almost over. Skylar had been right – Rick and Shane had come to blows finally. But he didn’t much care about that. All he could focus on was that there were roughly three minutes between now and the moment he would get his hands on Skylar’s perfect body. He could barely contain his excitement.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, the end credits rolled. Tyler forced himself not to seem to eager as he reached for the remote to turn off the television. “Alright, it’s almost eight,” Tyler gently reminded. “Can we get this done before you get too tired and I have to wait another night for this?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Skylar muttered, giving his brother an affectionate eye roll. “Let me pee real quick and then I’ll let you do whatever you want.” He didn’t wait for a response before he was up and heading toward the bathroom.
Whatever he wanted? Well, didn’t take sound intriguing? Tyler tried not to think too much of it, though he couldn’t help the way his body reacted to those words coming from Skylar’s lips. Heat curled low in Tyler’s belly before he immediately shoved the thought away. No. He needed to focus. This was homework. He wasn’t going to screw it up because his imagination got int he way.
Show him how hard it is to scare you – the advice Venus had given him the night before rang in his ears like a mantra. Skylar just needed to see that he wasn’t afraid. He needed to see that Tyler wasn’t scared of the feelings Skylar had for him. Once he realized that, everything else would just fall in place.
Tyler exhaled slowly and rubbed his palms against his gray sweatpants. One assignment. One massage. Then maybe Skylar would finally realize that there was nothing to be afraid of. Tyler needed him to see that.
It wasn’t long before Skylar was out of the bathroom, his feet padding across the floor, closing the distance between him and his brother. “Alright Professor,” he teased as he flopped back into the cushion, one arm draped over the back of the couch. “What muscles am I sacrificing tonight?”
At his brother’s words, Tyler couldn’t help but laugh. Skylar was always so dramatic. He always knew just what to say to make everything seem like no big deal. “The front this time,” he reiterated. “So…pectoralis major, deltoid, biceps brachii, brachialis…you know, the muscles in the front of your body.”
Without hesitation, Skylar scooted into a more comfortable position, figuring this was going to be a lot like the night before. Only he could probably sit for this one since Tyler didn’t need access to his back. “Perfect,” he chirped. “Before you know it, you’re going to graduate with a degree in torturing your brother.”
Licking his lips, Tyler moved from his position on the couch. His eyes stayed locked on Skylar, almost afraid that if he took his eyes off him for one second, Skylar would disappear. Like this was all a dream. His hand closed around the massage oil, flicking the cap open and dumping some into his palm before rubbing his hands together. “Take off your shirt.”
Again, Skylar wasted no time doing as he was told. He tossed his black T-shirt onto the coffee table and leaned back against the cushions once more. “Can I sit here like this, or do you need me to lay down?”
“No, this is good,” Tyler assured him. He knelt down on the ground then, on his knees in front of Skylar. “Spread your legs for me.” When Skylar did as he was instructed again, Tyler settled himself between Skylar’s legs before he rested both hands on Skylar’s left shoulder. “Anterior deltoid,” he recited automatically, his thumbs working into the muscle. “Primary function is shoulder flexion.”
As soon as Tyler’s hands were on him, Skylar allowed himself to relax. He trusted his brother was going to do impeccable work with the assignment, so he honestly hadn’t been planning on paying too much attention. Still, he had to tease Tyler just a little bit. After all, what are brothers for? “You’re such a nerd,” he poked, smiling at the other man.
It was all so normal – Skylar had called him a nerd so many times in the past. Was that his way of flirting? Of trying to tell Tyler that he wanted him without actually saying the words? “Shut up,” he responded, smiling down at his brother. “You’re really tight here.”
Nodding, Skylar explained, “I would think so. I spend hours every weekday throwing a ball around for a man who is trying to get me into top shape for the scouts.” Leaning his head back, Skylar added, “I’m surprised the muscles haven’t snapped already.”
Tyler hated that the coach was working his brother so hard. After all, it wasn’t like Skylar was planning on going pro. The coach wanted him to – there was no doubt. But Skylar had different plans. He had a more important life planned out for himself. He was going to be a hot shot lawyer.
After giving the other arm the same amount of attention, Tyler allowed his fingers to dip lower, just brushing over the edge of Skylar’s collarbone. “Pectoralis major,” he breathed, his eyes locked on Skylar’s firm pectoral muscles and the dark, tight nipples within his reach.
“And that one does what?” Skylar quizzed, figuring he might as well do something other than sit here and just relax too deeply into this. After all, the goal was not to fall asleep like he had the other night. He needed to stay awake and present so that he could write that paper. After all, he had no intention of allowing Tyler to write it for him.
Although he knew the answer, Tyler was finding it hard to form words. He opened his mouth to say something, but the words wouldn’t come out. It was like they’d evaporated from his mind. He’d known the answer yesterday. He’d known it this morning. But right now, all he could focus on was the warmth of Skylar’s skin beneath his palms.
The silence was deafening. It was like Tyler wasn’t even paying attention to him. And the way he was looking at him made Skylar worry there was something wrong. “Ty?” he asked, trying to sit up a little bit so he could get a better view of his brother’s face.
When Skylar tried to sit up, Tyler pressed down harder, making sure his brother didn’t move. He was nowhere near finished. Skylar definitely wasn’t allowed to leave. Not yet. “What?” he asked, snapping out of his own thoughts.
He felt Tyler adding pressure when he moved, so Skylar relaxed once more. “You stopped talking,” he explained, eyes trying to lock Tyler’s gaze. “Are you okay? Do we need to stop and take a minute?
“No, sorry, I’m fine,” Tyler assured his brother. “Pectoralis major–” He rolled his eyes when Skylar argued that he wanted the layman’s term. “Chest muscle. Its primary functions are shoulder flexion, adduction, and internal rotation of the arm.”
His fingers pressed into the muscles of Skylar’s chest, getting a deep massage. He couldn’t help but notice how Skylar’s nipples hardened under his palms, almost as if inviting him to play with them a little. But, he refrained. He needed to focus on this assignment. Homework first, then he could play.
Moving lower, Tyler felt his body responding once more as his hands brushed over Skylar’s ribs. “Serratus anterior,” Tyler muttered. “Also known as the boxer’s muscle. It helps move and stabilize the shoulder blade.”
Slowly, Tyler allowed his hands to drift lower, fingers pressing into his brother’s obliques. Skylar trusted him completely. He let Tyler touch him. He let Tyler take care of him. He let him get closer. Maybe Skylar had been trying to tell him all along. Maybe Tyler had been the one stupid enough not to see it.
Again, he dragged his hands over his brother’s skin, biting into his bottom lip as Skylar’s muscles jumped and danced beneath his palms. “Rectus abdominis,” he explained, eyes locked on where his fingers had splayed over his brother’s stomach.
Skylar looked down at Tyler’s hands, smirking as he shook his head. “You mean abs?” he asked. He knew Tyler was just doing the assignment, but he needed to at least make this a little bit awkward for him. After all, it wasn’t every day that your brother needed to use you as a test subject for a school project.
He knew that Skylar was jerking his chain, and honestly, it was welcomed. Listening to Skylar’s voice was the only thing keeping Tyler grounded in this moment. If his brother were to sit up there and keep his mouth shut, Tyler was sure he would have drowned in the feeling of Skylar’s abs. “Yeah,” he breathed once more.
Again, he couldn’t help but roll his eyes when Skylar asked why he didn’t just say that. “Because it’s not the specific term,” he explained, ignoring Skylar when he once again called him a nerd. Yes, he was a nerd – and he was proud of it, too. His hands drifted lower, working carefully along Skylar’s sides. “External obliques. They’re used to rotate the trunk.”
A low hum of acknowledgement was all he got in response. For a moment, the room was silent. The room stood still and Tyler could almost feel his fingers twitching to go lower. He was so close – so close – to parts of Skylar that he wasn’t sure he should go for quite yet.
The next muscle on the list was the iliopsoas. He knew exactly where it was. And he also knew exactly how close that was going to put him to Skylar. Honestly, Tyler wasn’t sure if he could keep his hands to himself if he allowed himself this luxury. But Skylar was so willing, so trusting under him that he couldn’t stop this.
“The iliopsoas is next,” Tyler explained, his hand gently sliding down to Skylar’s thigh before moving inward toward his groin. “It’s one of the primary hip flexors. It helps with walking, running, and climbing stairs.” He pressed into the muscle, biting his bottom lip as he reveled in how compliant Skylar was. “It also helps stabilize the pelvis.”
After a few minutes of allowing his fingers to dig into his brother’s iliopsoas – because the muscle was tight – Tyler allowed his hands to fall to the tops of his brother’s knees. He couldn’t believe that Skylar hadn’t pushed him away on that last muscle. It had been…intimate. And Skylar had just let him do it. Skylar could have stopped him. He could have pulled away. He could have told Tyler to move on to another muscle. But he hadn’t.
Slowly, Skylar blinked his eyes open, dipping his head to look down at his brother. “Are we done?” he asked, figuring that since Tyler stopped, he wasn’t going to proceed lower. He pushed himself forward on the couch, ready to get up so he could start his email.
This was it. He needed to show Skylar that he wasn’t afraid of this. That he wanted this, too. More than anything, he wanted this. As soon as Skylar moved, Tyler surged forward, locking their lips.