Closer: Bay City Paranormal Investigation, Book 4

door. “’Night. See y’all in the morning.”
A chorus of “good nights” followed him inside. Sam smiled at the wink Dean shot him. Dean’s constant determination to create chances for Sam and Bo to be alone was sweet, but he was about as subtle as a wrecking ball.
Cecile watched Dean go with a knowing smile on her face. “He had a good idea there. I think I’ll do the same.”
David let out a long-suffering sigh as Cecile stood and tugged on his arm to make him follow. “All right, all right, we’ll go away and leave the lovebirds alone to get their man-thing on. But I’d better get some s—”
“David,” Cecile murmured, taking his hand.
“S…sugar,” David amended. “Daddy better get some sugar for this, little girl.”
The look he got in return was far from sweet, but it made David hum happily and follow Cecile like a welltrained puppy.
“Those two are like a couple of kids,” Andre said, shaking his head as he watched them disappear inside. He sighed. “I miss Amy.”
The confession shocked Sam with its sheer unexpectedness. Andre rarely mentioned Amy Landry, the lover he’d lost to the otherdimensional monster at Oleander House. He’d grieved for her in his quiet, stoic way, but he hadn’t so much as mentioned her name in months. Seeing the sadness in his face right now made Sam’s heart ache for him.
Bo laid a hand on Andre’s shoulder. “You know you can talk to me—to any of us—any time you need to, right? We’re your friends. We’re here for you.”
The corners of Andre’s mouth lifted in a melancholy smile. “I could say the same for you. You and Amy were friends long before I even met her, but you don’t talk about her any more than I do.”
Bo’s fingers tightened in Sam’s grip. “You’re right. I don’t ever mention her anymore. But I miss her too.”
“I guess we both just deal with it better in private, huh?”
“I guess so.”
Silence fell. Sam kept quiet. He still felt some measure of responsibility for Amy’s death, since his psychokinetic abilities had opened the portal which allowed the thing that killed Amy access to the human world. It had been an accident, and Sam knew that. But knowing the truth in his mind didn’t stop the tiny shard of guilt from burrowing deep into his soul.
They sat there until the last of the sunset glow died and the candles had burned low. Beyond the faint circle of candlelight, the sea oats whispered in the breeze and insects sang beneath the pines. Sam drew a deep breath, letting the scent of the ocean dissolve the tension in his shoulders and the back of his neck. He wondered, not for the first time, if he’d ever be free of the guilt of Amy’s death.
Sam had begun to slip into a doze when Bo stirred and pushed his chair away from the table. He stood, pulling Sam up with him. “Andre, I think Sam and I are going to bed now. Will you be okay?”
Andre nodded, the movement barely visible in the gloom. “I’m just going to sit out here for a while, if that’s all right.”
“Of course it is.” Bo glanced at Sam with concern in his eyes. “Okay. Well. Good night, Andre.”
Andre grunted in answer, his face turned toward the sea and his attention already a million miles away. Sam threw a worried glance over his shoulder at Andre as Bo opened the door.
“I hope he’ll be all right,” Sam said once he and Bo were inside. “I mean it always seems like he’s doing okay, but it hasn’t been that long, really. Not quite nine months.”
“He’s still healing. I suppose we all are.” Bo stopped at the foot of the stairs, let go of Sam’s hand and wound both arms around his waist. “I’m glad I have you, Sam. I know I never really shared my grief with you, but you helped me deal with it all the same, just by being there. Just by being in my life.”
Bo’s solemn confession made Sam feel warm all over. He pulled Bo close and kissed his brow. “I’m happy I could help you, even if I didn’t know I was doing it at the time.”
One of Bo’s hands slid into Sam’s hair. His lips brushed Sam’s. “Let’s go to bed now.”
Humming, Sam cupped Bo’s ass in both hands. “Are you tired?”
“Not really.” Bo rocked his hips, pressing his groin against Sam’s. “It was selfish of me to invite the group out here.” He nipped Sam’s bottom lip. “Aren’t you angry?”
“I was, at first, but now…” Sam trailed off when he saw the wicked glitter in Bo’s eyes. Oh fuck. Is he asking for what I think he is?