“Well…I thought…we have a guest, so…like—WELL, when are baked goods a bad idea?!” Foxx defended. Was his timing a bit insane? Maybe. BUT, it was calming him down. Also, who would say no to cookies?!
“Foxx…” Harlow started slowly, his face pinching. “He is going to be here in like ten minutes. You don’t really havetimeto bake cookies.”
“I mean…that’s fine. I’ve already got two trays in, so like, they will be done right as he gets here. Probably before he gets here. And I can just clean this up and put the rest of the dough away for now.” He said all that before blurting, “Are you sure you don’t want me to just stay in my craft room?”
“I want you to stay with me and meet Wes, and…well, you can probably explain what I am to him better than I can. Iamwondering if I can even get diagnosed now…since I’m not human.”
“You were never human…but I mean, I’m sure you still can. And even if you can’t, that’s fine.” Foxx gave him a small smile, his face heating as he said, “Anyway, I like you just as you are.”
Harlow smirked. “That’s good to know…but you are worried if it will last. So, I need to at least try.”
He grimaced. While he was fine with how things had turned out after Alastair sneakily recorded him…this was a downside. “They are just…silly fears. But whatever you want to do, I support you.”
“Silly fears that send you running off in the night? Not to mention, you did say you’d try to talk to him too.”
“Well…it was only one time,” Foxx huffed. “And as for the other part… I…will…” He didn’t want to, but he would. “Anyway…I need to clean this up.”
Harlow shook his head. “Like I said, stay here, meet Wes. As for your cookies… Do what you want, I guess…” The dhampir walked past him and sat down in the first half of his living room.
Foxx eyed him for a moment, before glancing down at the island counter, his eyes flicking from the dirty utensils to the measuring cups, the mixer, and all the ingredients scattered about, not to mention the random bits of trash, before his gaze slipped back to Harlow.
Lips pursing into a pout, he snapped, “You could help me clean up, you know?!”
Harlow stared blankly for a moment, before his brow slowly lifted. “You wantmeto clean upyourmess, brat?”
He sniffed. “Well, it would be the considerate boyfriend thing to do, old man!”
“Cause…that is a word that describes me… Considerate.” Harlow said the last word with clear disgust.
Dropping the ball of dough into the bowl, he crossed his arms as he started to glare.
The man glared back, so Foxx glared harder, narrowing his eyes to slits. After a few minutes of staring, Harlow finally relented. Standing up, the man growled, “Oh, for fuck’s sake!”
Foxx smiled sweetly while the dhampir stomped over to him.
Just as they finished cleaning up, his timer went off at the same time there was a knock at the door.
“Why don’t you have a doorbell?”
Foxx opened his mouth and then closed it, before huffing, “Just go answer the door.” He shooed Harlow away as he went to get the two trays of cookies out of his double oven.
After quickly sprinkling sparkling sugar on top, he was carefully plating a few very warm cookies when Harlow returned with the human.
The dhampir cleared the hallway, but Wes must have caught his foot on the edge of the trim as the man stumbled. The human looked to be about to fall, but managed to catch himself, stopping just short of plowing into Harlow. The dhampir looked back, but didn’t say anything.
Foxx forced a smile on his face. One that became more real as he actually got a good look at Wes. Wes had short blond styled hair that was turning white at the temples, a sculpted square jaw, high cheekbones, light blue eyes with wrinkles at the corner, and barely there smile lines. Without checking, he’d say the man was nearer to Harlow’s age, and looked to be in shape under his navy sweater and black trousers, but not as bulky as the dhampir. Based on how he looked standing next to Harlow, the man was nearly six feet tall. And Foxx had to say…the human was, well…he was hot.
While Foxx did like his bad boys, the fact was…he may have a thing for older men in general… Well, non asshole-ish older-looking men. No…wait, that wasn’t true… As Harlow was definitely an asshole. But like, a particular type of asshole was okay… Did Foxx…possibly have daddy issues…?
Why the bloody hell was he even thinking about this? Who gave a fuck if Wes was hot… The man was here to pick their brains…so that instantly lowered him on the scale of hotness. Also, he had Harlow, so…like…what did he care if the human was sexy?
With a smile that was even more forced, Foxx beamed, “Welcome to our home. I’m Foxx Honeywell,” as he walked over with his plate of sugar cookies and some napkins.
The human smiled. “Wes Ackerman, we spoke, I believe.” The man didn’t hold out his hand, but then…he was holding a plate, so…
“Yes.” Foxx cleared his throat. “Uhh…do you want a cookie?” he asked awkwardly as he held out the plate.
Harlow snorted. “Foxx, later.”
