Zach pulled away slightly. “Thank you,” he whispered.
“For what?”
“How ‘bout for fucking everything?”
Cael snorted.
“Seriously, man. I mean it. Every time I’ve needed you, you’ve been there. Even the times I didn’t know I needed you, you were there. I fucking took for granted that you always would be. That I’d never lose you. I’m sorry. I’m sorry it took me so long to figure it out. I just… I seriously don’t know how I would have ever managed without you. And the way it feels when we kiss… fuck, I don’t even know how to explain how epic that feels.”
Cael gave him a wry grin, arching one brow. “Epic, huh?”
“Shut up,” Zach snapped just as Cael captured him in another kiss. He couldn’t stop the stupid grin spreading on his lips nor the swelling of his heart in his chest nor the crazy flutters in his stomach.
Cael released his lips. “Definitely epic,” he whispered.
“Told you.”
“You wanna go to bed now or grab a beer and go blow shit up?”
“Do you really have to ask?”
Cael pecked Zach’s lips, a huge smile on his face. “I’ll grab the beers. You pick the game.”
***
Zach parallel parked along the curb and glanced toward the flat, open grass area of Belmar Park. “Looks like the guys are already here.”
“Probably waiting on me.” Cael leaned across the console and stole a quick kiss.
“Go on then. I’ve got Taylor. We’ll be right over.”
“You sure? They can wait a few more minutes.”
“Nah. I’m sure.” Zach wrapped his hand around Cael’s neck and pulled him in for another kiss, this time lingering a few seconds longer. “Go,” he muttered.
“Okay.”
Beaming, Cael hopped out of the car and jogged toward the group of guys tossing the football around. Zach watched him for a moment as they greeted him, some with a quick fist bump and others with an upward clasp of hands and a shoulder bump.
After pulling Taylor from her car seat and grabbing the diaper bag, Zach locked up the car and carried her toward the make-shift football field. He found a bench in the partial shade of a Wasatch maple where he could sit and watch the guys and dropped the bag on one end.
“How’s this spot, Tay?” he said, setting her on her feet. She stood in her little jeans and Sketchers tennis shoes, staring toward the guys as Zach started digging through the bag for a couple of her toys.
Taylor pointed toward the field, pulling her binky from her mouth. “Cael!”
Zach looked up. “Yes, Uncle Cael’s out there playing football with his friends. Do you want to sit and watch with puppy or play with your truck?” He held up Taylor’s plastic red truck and her soft, pink stuffed puppy, both of which she loved.
Taylor stuck her pacifier back in her mouth and reached for her puppy. Zach handed it to her, and she hugged it tightly with one arm.
“Chuck,” she said around her binky, pushing her hair out of her eyes with a flat palm.
Zach handed the truck to her. Taylor took a few steps away from him and dropped down to her knees in the grass. Holding her puppy to her side, she rolled the truck over the ground, making vroom-vroom noises as she did. Fucking adorable. Zach pulled his phone from his back pocket and crouched in front of her.
“Tay-tay,” he said, and the moment she looked up, smiling behind her binky, he snapped her picture before she went back to playing. He couldn’t wait to show Abbey all the pictures he’d taken.
Zach took a deep, calming breath, inhaling deeply and letting it out slowly. It was hard not to think of Abbey when she existed in so many aspects of his life. Hell, every time he looked at Taylor, he thought of his sister. He couldn’t deny how much it hurt. Having Cael made it all bearable.
He glanced across the field. His eyes locked with Cael’s and instantly, the corners of his mouth pulled up as his heart warmed.
