***
We made it through dinner without any problems. No calls from the fire house. No dark stares from across the table. We were all there to celebrate us, and I was still in the midst of processing all of it when we got back to the apartment—just the two of us. Cas was in my arms, carried like he was my big baby, cradling the large box of dough the restaurant had given him.
“What are you gonna do with all that?” I asked, leading him to the kitchen where I maneuvered him into a seated position on the counter. “Are we having pizzas for the rest of our lives?”
He smacked his lips and then leaned in to kiss me. “That doesn’t sound too bad. Does it?”
“With you, nothing could sound bad.”
“Tonight went well,” he said into a yawn.
I yawned back at him. “I’m really glad I got to meet your parents before we took this any further.”
He giggled. “Any further?”
“Well, yeah, I feel—bondedto you. Don’t you feel the same?”
With his signature pout, he nodded. “Yes, Daddy.”
I laid my hand on his shoulder, stroking across his neck until I was cupping his cheek. “That’s exactly what I mean,”I whispered. “My baby, I like having you here. And maybe it’s too soon, but I’d love you to—”
“Oh no,” he let out.
“What?”
“Don’t ask me to move in yet,” he blurted.
Through laughter, I replied. “I wasn’t going to take that leap, but I do want to make this place more accommodating for you—forus.”
He was going red behind the makeup now. “Oh god, I bet you think I’ve made it weird.”
“Don’t you even dare sink into yourself like that.” I continued to stroke his chin with my thumb.
“It’s just the guys were talking about it, and I was nervous about you asking because it’s too soon, and too early for that,” he continued to ramble.
“I promise you, you’ve not made it weird.” I took one hand away from the dough container and kissed the back of his knuckles. “But I do want you to spent time here and have more fun.”
“Speaking of then,” he said, sucking in a big breath. “We’ll need to buya lotof books because the guys are a bit salty that I took a bunch already.”
“Deal, done,” I said, continuing to kiss his hand. “Those beanbag chairs, I think would also be a fun addition, right?” I pulled out the picture he’d drawn of us. “And we absolutely need to pin this baby somewhere.”
He nodded. “Yeah, they would. Oh my god, I wonderedwhere you put that.”
“It’s going on the fridge.” I turned around to the fridge door and he pounced on my back.
“Yes!” he giggled.
“I seem to have grown a shell,” I said, wiggling around. “I hope it doesn’t fall.”
“I’m not gonna.” He continued to snicker in the most adorable way.
I stomped a little. “Let’s have a think about redecorating while we brush our teeth and get ready for bed.”
“I love you,” he said. “Daddy.” He squeezed himself around me before letting go.
“I love you more.”
“Most.”
