“Morning, cowboy.” He smiled, pushed up to get himself a kiss, knowing Bax wouldn’t have touched if it wasn’t safe.
Bax gave him what he wanted, mouth meeting his, letting him taste. There was a hint of coffee, which meant Bax had worked hard on not panicking and running out after him. He thanked Andy as best he could. God knew it had to suck for Bax, but he had to do what he had to do.
“Mmm. Better.” A little of the fear left Andy’s voice, replaced with a husky note that promised wickedness. Yeah.One of Bax’s hands landed on his ass, squeezing, and it was definitely better.
“Mmmhmm.” Fuck, he was happy. Damned happy. He’d done it. Come out and figured shit and yeah. Fucking yeah.
Bax kissed him, so hard it hurt, so hard he could feel every fucking word the man didn’t say. Damn.
He rested his forehead against Bax’s, swayed. “Mornin’.”
“Hey. You hungry?”
That empty belly of Bax’s growled hard, making him chuckle.
“You know it, man. I could eat something Beau Lafitte cooked.”
“Oh, gross. You remember when he tried to feed you that whole basket of mudbugs?”
“Hell, yes. Grinning like a Goddamn evil fool.”
“That was just nasty, Mini. I ain’t that hungry.” Bax grinned against his mouth, kissing him again. “I could have some bacon, though.”
“Mmmhmm. I want some toast and eggs, too.” He was figuring out how to use a fork again without seeming like a fool. Soup was still hard, but eggs he could do.
He tugged out his handkerchief, got them cleaned up a little. “Did you see, man? I got out here, found it by myself.”
In the dark.
“I did. You did good, Jase. Real good.”
One hand stroked the small of his back, Bax staying close, but loose and easy.
He nodded, grinning to beat the band as Bax helped him find the door, Ghost running beside him.
He’d done good.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Bax went to the bathroom as soon as they got back to the main house, leaving Jason with Coke, who was making pancakes in the shapes of all the kids’ names.
He didn’t make no noise, didn’t have the screaming fit he wanted to have. Bax just stood there with his hands clenched into fists and shook. Like a leaf in a fucking blue norther wind. Jason had scared him near to death when he’d started awake at dawn, and Jason was gone.
Taking a deep breath, Bax splashed some water on his face, and then flushed the toilet, just in case. Jason had done good and none of the disasters he’d imagined had come to pass. He needed to cowboy up and go out there and be decent.
He ran right into AJ on the way out of the bathroom, whacking his chin against the tall bastard’s shoulder. That was when he exploded.
“Goddamn it, AJ, would you fucking watch where you’re going?”
“Don’t you snarl at me, asshole. I was watching!” AJ puffed right up like a big old frog.
Missy’s voice cut through both of them growling. “Youwatch your mouths, both of you. There are five little ones in this house listening to you!”
His ears got hot, and Bax felt duly chastised. Not sorry, but chastised. Somewhere he had to have a pack of cigarettes. He’d just go out and smoke.
“Sorry, baby.” AJ rolled his eyes, offered him a grin. “Sorry, man. It was a fucking long night. Janie’s sick with an earache and the baby kept getting woke up. Is it too early for a beer?”
“Yeah.” Shaking his head, Bax clapped AJ on the shoulder. “Coke’s making pancakes.”
