Why’d it take me so long to figure that out?
It’s moot, I know.
I also called Mike this afternoon and asked him to start putting together what we’d talked about last week. He’ll have that ready later this week, and we can take another long lunch to go in and sign everything.
Arlo walks out, sees me, and approaches. When he opens the passenger door, he sets his stuff in the seat. “Hey, come check this out.”
I get out and lock the car. He leads me back through the dealership to what is obviously a private lot area behind the service building. We head over to an older Toyota four-door car. Doesn’t look like it’s in bad shape, but it probably has some miles on it. “What do you think?”
“I think it’s a car.”
He playfully shoves me. “For Lucas.”
I shrug. “Dude, it’s a car. It has wheels. Does it run? Beyond that, you know I’m useless.” I bought my last two cars here and basically told Arlo what I could afford a month and what color I wanted, and he did the rest and handed me keys.
I’m literallynota gearhead.
“It was traded in yesterday. The shop checked it out for me today. It’s got some normal wear, nearly a hundred thousand miles on it. Needs tires and could use brakes, a tune-up, and a good detailing. But it’s sound. I can buy it for three grand, which is basically what they gave them in trade-in value, because they still owed a little money on it.”
“Is that a good deal?”
“BelowBlue Book.”
“I mean, it’s a car. You know he’d love it even if it was some old rusted POS.” It’s definitely not a rusted POS, though. I would have killed to have a car this nice as my first ride.
“You going to help me teach him how to drive?” I know that tone of Arlo’s. Slightly playful. He’s…fishing.
For something.
When Arlo’s gaze meets mine, I realize this is a truemoment.
We’re officially full-time together now, and this is afamilydecision.
I try out words I never dreamed I’d be saying. “Is it in our budget?” I quietly ask, and his smile fuckingbeams. Like a damned supernova. Those were obviously the right words, words he wanted to hear.
“It is.”
I nervously glance around. “Man, people are going to think you’re about to poison Gotham’s water supply, you keep grinning like that.”
“I can’t help it. You said ‘our budget.’”
I shove my hands into my pockets and study my loafers. “Yeah?”
He nudges my foot with his. “‘Ouuuurrrr buuuudget,’” he softly singsongs.
I know my face is red, and it has nothing to do with the sunny Sarasota day. “Yeah?”
But I’m smiling, too. I can’t help it.
Damnit, this feelsgood.
He chuckles. “Let’s go. I’ll swing through sales and tell them to write me up for it and I’ll do the paperwork tomorrow.” He pokes my shoulder and I look up to find him still grinning. “We should price out auto insurance. Maybe see if it’s cheaper to add you to our policy, instead of you having to pay separately.”
“You’re not wasting any time wrapping me up with you, are you?”
His smile fades, a deep seriousness to his gaze that I also recognize all too well. “I’ve wasted too much time already. If you think I’m going to hesitate now, you’re out of your fricking mind, mister.”
He steps closer, his voice low and full of possessive heat that hardens me in my slacks. “You belong to us, and we belong to you.Thisis the way life is going to be from now on. Get used to it.” Before I can process it, he’s brushed a peck across my lips and is already turning to head into the building, leaving me scrambling to follow.
Fuck, now I’m hard.
I’m also wishing I hadn’t wasted all those years between us because of my fear.
