Chase shot me a knowing wink and Xavier gave me a reassuring smile. It felt so good to have the truth of my relationship to Chase out in the open and be able to have lunch with my new family. It felt even better when Gram turned her laser-like focus back on my brothers.
“Chase, when are you going to be giving me a great grandbaby?” Chase opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She turned her eyes on Xavier and I saw him shrink down in his chair a bit. “When are you going to make an honest man out of Ben?” I gave them the same shitty little grin that they gave me while I was being interrogated just a few minutes prior. It was hilarious now that the shoes were on the other feet.
Afterwards, I went back to Jack’s loft where I had my second big surprise of the day. Jack’s mother was standing in his kitchen coaching him while he stirred something delicious smelling in a large pot. “You just need to let it simmer for a few hours and you’ll be ready to go.”
“Hello,” I greeted them softly. They both spun around and two sets of eyes stared at me in momentary surprise.
“Some guard dog you are,” Jack said to Charlie, who had been lying at my feet getting a belly rub.
“Hello, Liam. How are you, sweetheart?” Claire Murphy removed her apron and laid it on the counter before she came over and gave me a tight hug. “I’m so glad you got back early and I got to see you before I had to leave.”
“You’re leaving already?” I didn’t want her to go. This woman was very important to Jack and I wanted to get to know her better.
“I have theatre tickets tonight with my sister. I’m staying with her for a few days and I’d love to get to know you better while I’m in town.” She looked lovingly at Jack before turning back to me. “You’re so important to my boy and I want to know all about the guy who snagged the dragon’s heart.”
“Mom,” Jack complained, but not convincingly. I looked over and saw that he was slightly flushed.
“I’d love that,” I said honestly. “I’d love to cook a meal for you before you return home.”
“It sounds perfect.” Claire kissed me on the cheek and stepped back. “I really must be going.” She gave us both hugs and kisses once more before she left.
“What’s going on?” I asked Jack, sniffing the air. “It smells like marinara sauce.”
“I wanted to cook you a special dinner and knew my mom was coming to the area.” Jack walked up to me and placed his hands on my hips. “My mom might be Irish, but she can cook a mean Italian dish so I enlisted her help. I made spaghetti and meatballs.”
“Thank you so much.” It was a touching gesture that I didn’t expect from him. “Do we have a while before dinner? I ate a pretty big lunch and I wanted to work some of it off.”
“Couple hours,” Jack said casually. “You want me to take you to my weight room and put you through the paces?”
“If you mean bend me over your equipment and fuck me, then yes.”
“I love the way you think, Ace.”
Later, after spaghetti and meatballs, I planned to take Chase’s advice and tell Jack the things that were bothering me. Jack wanted this – us. I could see it in his eyes, feel it in his touch, and taste it in his kisses. I just needed to be patient and tell him when things felt wrong to me.
I ADDED THEspaghetti noodles to the salted boiling water and gave the meatballs and sauce a good stir. I took a look at my mom’s note about toasting the bread with a homemade garlic butter that she helped me prepare. I was just going to buy a frozen loaf and bake it in the oven, but she insisted I make it fresh for Liam.
I smiled to myself as I thought about my beautiful man sleeping peacefully in my bed. I wasn’t sure what was said during his baby shopping and lunch with his brothers and Gram, but he came home randy and ready to fuck. He mentioned something about pirates and plundering and I gave it my best. It seemed like my best was good enough. I certainly had the claw marks on my back as evidence to show how he clawed and scratched me while he came undone beneath me.
Sparky started to stir and I told him to calm his fool ass down. I wanted more than anything to show Liam that he wasn’t just sex to me, and I couldn’t do that if I was all over him all the damn time. I fucked up again when Kristen stopped by to visit me. I introduced Liam as my boyfriend, but I stood there frozen like an idiot statue. I could see and even feel Liam’s confusion and hurt. Did I reach out and hug him or pull him close? No, I did nothing. I was going to lose him if I didn’t get my head out of my ass.
I sliced the loaf of Italian bread in half and spread the garlic butter liberally - as my mom instructed - on both halves and placed on a cookie sheet. I checked my notes for the oven temperature and I noticed it said low broil.What the fuck was a broil?I’d used the oven for frozen shit, but I’d never had to broil anything. I felt an urge to wake Liam up so I wouldn’t fuck up his special dinner.
I was studying the buttons on the fancy oven when my phone rang on the counter. Without thinking or seeing who was calling, I hit the speakerphone button and answered the call.
“Hey Dragon,” Sully said. “How’s it going?”
“Hi Sully,” I replied. “It’s going pretty good, but I’m trying to figure out how to use the broiler option on my oven.” I felt stupid confessing how inept I was in the kitchen. “I see a bake and a self-clean option, but not a broil.”
“Wow, you’re sounding so domestic.” I only heard genuine surprise in Sully’s voice, no judgment or disgust. “Are you making your boy dinner?”
“He’s not my boy, Sully. That sounds kind of icky. He’s a grown man,” I said wryly.
“Okay, fair enough. You’re making your boyfriend dinner?” I laughed at his attempt to get it right and appreciated the lack of awkwardness in his voice. He had accepted what I told him and that was that. “You don’t like boyfriend either?”
“I do, but I’m not sure it works to describe how I feel.” My honest answer surprised me, but it was exactly how I felt. “It sounds kind of juvenile, you know?”
“What then? Lover?” Good ole Sully. He sounded as confused as I felt.Lover?
