Free Microsoft Word - Corey-Toni_Griffin.doc by Dawn Page B

younger brother's face.
    "Good. Invite him to dinner tonight."
    Corey looked at his watch and noticed the time was getting on to five in the afternoon. They had been running for several hours. "Are you nuts? It's far too late notice to do that."
    "No, it's not. You're just trying to come up with an excuse to get out of this. The man is your mate and would rather be with you than anyone else, no matter how late the notice," Daniel assured him.
    "How in the hell would you know?" Corey asked.
    "'Cause I actually pay attention when other people talk, and if I was lucky enough to find my mate, you can bet your ass that I would hold onto him with both hands and not let go."
    Corey reached over and placed his hand on his brother's arm, offering comfort.

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    "He's out there, Daniel. Have faith. If I can find mine when I wasn't looking or even wanting him, then you will find yours. I know it."
    "You better be right, otherwise I'm going to be pissed." Daniel chuckled lightly but Corey could tell it was slightly forced.
    "I'll call him when we get home." He sighed in resignation. Funny thing was, though, Corey was actually looking forward to seeing his mate again.
    "Good. I'll hang around long enough to make sure you don't back out then I'll make myself scarce."
    Corey didn't know whether to be affronted or
    touched that his brother was doing everything in his power to make sure Corey made things work with Ethan.
    "You don't have to babysit me, you know," Corey tried. "I'm more than capable of making a phone call without supervision."
    His brother just huffed, not saying anything. Corey gave up, knowing Daniel would do what Daniel wanted to do.
    Corey pulled into the driveway of his house five minutes later and stopped the car under the carport.
    They exited and made their way inside in relative silence. Corey took a deep breath to settle his nerves before he pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialled Ethan's

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    number before he lost his nerve. He didn't want his baby brother to know just how nervous he really was.
    "Well, this is a surprise." Ethan's sultry tones came down the line and had an instant effect on Corey's body.
    "A good one, I hope?" Corey asked.
    "Definitely a good surprise. After the disaster of last night, I really wasn't expecting to hear from you again."
    Corey's heart ached a little at the sadness and truth he could hear in Ethan's words. Yes, last night had been a disaster in the way things around them kept happening, but truthfully, Corey'd had a great time, and he believed that was all due to the fact that he was there with Ethan.
    "Last night was perfect," he said, before he could stop himself.
    "You like getting sneezed in the face, do you?"
    Ethan laughed.
    "Well, I can't say it was the most pleasant experience of my life, but it was with you and that's what made it perfect." Corey closed his eyes and collapsed back into the couch beneath him. Who the hell had taken control of his mouth? Yes, Corey might feel those things subconsciously but he never would have thought to actually say them out loud.
    The silence down the line stretched on for long enough that Corey actually had to look at his phone and

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    confirm that he hadn't lost the connection.
    "Ethan?" he asked worriedly.
    "Yeah… I'm here." Corey heard the crack in Ethan's voice and hated that he may have upset his mate.
    "I'm sorry," he apologised hastily.
    "For what? For saying the most wonderful thing anyone has ever said to me before?"
    "Umm… Yeah?" Corey asked unsure now.
    Ethan chuckled and Corey relaxed into the soft cushions of the couch.
    "So… Umm…" God, he really didn't think it would be this hard. A nudge to his knee had him looking up in surprise to find Daniel standing over him, egging him on.
    Corey had completely forgotten all about his brother still being there.
    "Piss off," he told Daniel.
    "Okay, I'm sorry. Bye," Ethan said timidly.
    "What? NO! Ethan, not