Zach flopped his head back against the headrest, exposing his barely-there Adam’s apple—one of many spots on his body Cael had fantasized about licking. Heat shot to his groin. Christ, now was not the time.
“Thank fuck, no. Don’t ever let me drink that much again.”
“Hey. I warned you.”
“Yeah, well next time, fucking remind me of the explosive mining operation that will take place in my skull at the ungodly hour of dawn if I don’t listen.”
Cael grinned, genuinely this time. “Alright, well, come on. We’ve got work to do.”
He hopped out of the truck, and Zach did the same, following him up the narrow sidewalk flanked by carefully tended rock gardens to the screened front door. Cael opened the screen and knocked as he inserted his key and unlocked the door, letting them both in. The moment Cael stepped in, the scent of freshly baked banana bread hit him.
Gramms came around the corner as Zach closed the door behind him. “Oh, there’s my boys.” She beamed as they approached, her long, graying red hair pulled into a loose pony tied at her nape. Her hip-hugging, flared-leg jeans and flowy, ivory peasant top covered her thin, petite frame, completing the retro style of her younger days that she’d always loved.
Cael shrugged out of his fleece jacket and hung it on the wooden coat tree still topped with some of his late grandfather’s baseball caps.
“Something sure does smell good,” he said, squeezing her in a gentle hug.
Gramms let him go and stepped toward Zach after he hung his coat. Cael sucked in a quiet breath. Damn, Zach looked good in his plain black T-shirt and slim fitting jeans.
Geez, what the hell is wrong with me today?
Cael usually did a much better job of controlling his other thoughts about Zach. The ones that wanted him to ignore his brain and grab the man, pin him to the wall, and kiss him as if he owned him.
“Well, I know how much Zach loves my banana bread,” she said, giving Zach a hug as well. Gramms released him and stepped back a little. “How are you, sweetie?” she asked him.
“I’m good,” Zach said, glancing at Cael, a small smile teasing his lips.
Her eyebrows shot up. “Anything new lately?”
Zach’s smile morphed into something less happy as he scrunched his face a little and shook his head.
Gramms looked over her shoulder at Cael. “You still haven’t told him, have you?”
“Um…”
“Told me what?”
Zach and Cael answered simultaneously. Cael laughed a little, trying his best to cover the sudden panic rising inside as Zach’s eyes darted to him. Shit. He was usually able to improvise at a split-second’s notice, but he was completely out of sorts today.
Gramms was the only one he’d ever actually flat-out told about his feelings for Zach, and she’d only ever mentioned or asked him about it when they’d been alone. She’d even nudged Cael in the past to tell him, but had always respected his decision not to. So, what gave?
“Oh,” Gramms said, lifting her dry, cracked hand to her lips in a blatantly unsuccessful attempt to cover the smile splitting her wrinkled face. Her eyes danced with mischief, crinkling at the corners. “Did I say something I wasn’t supposed to?” she added, then disappeared around the corner.
Cael looked at Zach. His forehead and brows crinkled, Zach stared at him as if he’d just betrayed him or something.
“What the fuck, man?” he mouthed the words, then raised his voice. “Are you keeping something from me?”
Yep. Betrayal. Anger. Pain. All there in his voice.
“It’s not what you think, Zach.”
“Then what is it?”
Zach’s phone rang, saving Cael from having to answer. Still glaring at Cael, Zach’s lips pressed into a thin line. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell, then dropped his gaze to the screen.
“It’s Mom,” he practically growled, swiping his thumb across the glass and putting the phone to his ear as he turned his back to Cael and sauntered into the living room that hadn’t seen a décor update since the early eighties. “Hey, Mom.”
Cael inhaled sharply, having no clue what to tell him, so he took the opportunity to confront Gramms about her little, devious ploy that just buried him in God-only-knew how much trouble. He found her in the kitchen, hunched over the oven as she pulled out the Bundt pan containing freshly baked banana bread.
