Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 7

with only a white towel slung low on his hips, his body glistening with water, skin flushed a rosy-golden hue from the warmth of his shower. His hair hung straighter when it was damp and it fell into his eyes, hiding them and at the same time showing off his square jaw and Roman nose. Scott had to bite his own lip, trying not to think about the fact that the man looked like a wet dream as he settled back against him, with Jimmy stepping up behind Scott and wrapping his arms around his waist.
    "I changed my mind." Jimmy told him in a playful, husky rumble.
    "Decided to vote Republican just to piss off your parents?" Scott asked, laughing, "Becoming a nurse instead of a doctor? You've been lying to me all these years and you're really a cat person?"
    Jimmy grinned as he leaned in and laid a soft bite against Scott's neck. The sensation sent a wave of shivers over the surface of Scott's skin, but he suppressed it like he always did. "About your shower. I left you some hot water after all."
    "My hero." Scott drawled, nudging Jimmy with an elbow until the man let him go. He held his hands in front of himself as he walked down the hall, trying to hide the slight tent of his sleep pants.
    ****
    Coming out of his shower, Scott paused in the hall, he could hear Jimmy and Ruby talking from the living room, the two of them laughing about something—probably a joke Jimmy had just made about Scott.
    "Seriously, though, you're gonna give your brother an ulcer over Roger."
    "I only told Ma I was gonna marry him because she still…"
    "Treats you like a baby?" Jimmy asked, Scott biting his lip around a smile as he eavesdropped.
    "Exactly. I mean, Jesus, while I was packing to come out here, she actually stood at the foot of my bed and said, ' you're not really going to wear that, are you ?' Like…I'm not even capable of dressing myself or something."
    "She's your mom, kiddo, it's probably a hard habit to break."
    "I know, but it's fucking annoying."
    Jimmy's laugh drifted through the apartment and Scott was sure the man was pulling Ruby into a hug, "Time to move out on your own, sweetie."
    Ruby's sigh was heavy, "I know. I like the free rent, though."
    "Not really free if you're crazy because of it."
    "There is that."
    Scott was about to turn and go into his bedroom when Jimmy called out, "You don't have to hide in the hall, darling; we're not swapping secrets about you!"
    He thought about pretending he didn't hear, but that was pointless. Coming around the corner with a guilty smile, Scott asked, "So you're not actually engaged?"
    Ruby rolled her eyes, "You think I'm an idiot?"
    "I was starting to wonder." He teased, squeezing himself down onto the couch between Jimmy and his sister, forcing them to move for him. "So Ma's getting on your nerves and, rather than get a job and move out, you decided to make up an engagement to…what? Get on her nerves right back?"
    Pausing for a moment, Ruby laughed, "Basically. I guess it worked."
    "Too well. Ma's probably putting a hit out on Roger as we speak."
    Reaching around Scott's shoulder, Jimmy tugged at the girl's hair, "That's okay, little Ruby is worth life and limb."
    Scott pressed a kiss to her temple, earning a faint blush from his sister and then an elbow to his ribs, "Don't I know it."
    ****
    It rained for most of her visit, Seattle deciding to show its true colors for a few days with angry looking gray clouds and drizzle hovering over emerald green. That didn't stop them from long drives to the peninsula or walks along the waterfront. Ruby flirted with the fish throwers in the market and gave her coins to street performers. She got pulled up on stage when Scott and Jimmy took her to a little burlesque hall and lied, telling the manager it was her birthday. She giggled and blushed and then swore a blue streak at them when she sat back down at their table.
    "That is going on YouTube as we speak." Jimmy told her, laughing himself stupid as he leaned away from her, trying to hit send before she could take his phone from him.
    Smacking his shoulder and ordering a double from the waiter, "Dinner's on you."
    "Don't pout, it's not pretty."
    Scott was laughing so hard watching them, he had tears in his eyes, "You two better knock it off or they're gonna kick us out. We just got our privileges back."
    Ruby stopped trying to get the phone from Jimmy, asking, "Privileges?"
    Nodding as he motioned for another drink himself, Scott laughed, "Jimmy got us banned for a whole year."
    "Why am I not