“Well, now I’m getting there.” He chuckled, patting Mitch’s hand. “I’m looking at possibly three events in October and November, but I would go out and come right back. I’d have to drive, so each trip’s going to be four or five days, so I would be here for all the major holidays and to help with the girls andeverything while you get started with the roofing projects you’ve been bidding around.”
Mitch nodded slowly, gaze never leaving his. “That actually sounds really reasonable.”
“Now, if I’m going to stay here and not somewhere else, we’re going to have to figure out how many of the bills I need to pay.”
Mitch rolled his eyes. “Jesus Christ, Cam. You’ve paid for a hell of a lot of shit.”
“Not since you had that influx of money. I mean, I’ve been paying for some groceries and gas, but that’s really it. I want to help with the bills and not have it be out of the kindness of my heart, but because that’s what people do when they’re living together.” His heart was in his throat because Jesus, he wasn’t sure if they were living together or not. They were, but was it a thing? Was it too soon to talk about that?
Mitch just sort of stared at him for a minute, and then his grin dawned, kind of slow and stunned, but at the same time somehow bright and happy. “Okay, that’s… I can live with that.”
Cam thought maybe his soul had been holding its breath, because he found himself a bit lightheaded. “My heart’s just racing, honey.”
Mitch reached out and pressed one palm to his chest. The touch was solid as a rock, and so welcome. “So is mine. We haven’t even really done anything, and we’re moving in together. I mean, you’ve been living here, and that’s not going to change, but are you wanting to eventually move into my room?”
Cam gave that all the consideration it deserved, which was about two seconds. “Fuck yes, if you’re gonna let me. That is one of those things where we do need to have something we’re gonna tell the girls. I don’t wanna have to be sneaking around, but I don’t want them to feel weird either.”
“Listen to us being all adult.” Mitch was gripping his hands as if they were a lifeline. “Then we’ll work toward that — you cancome to my room or vice versa whenever we need to right now, and we’ll let things develop naturally.”
He tried not to deflate because that was kind of disappointing, but at the same time, he totally understood. They had time.
He kept having to tell himself, it wasn’t just about him or just about Mitch. Those three girls deserved every bit of consideration he had.
The best he could do was give Mitch a nod, because his tongue was tangled.
Mitch squeezed his fingers, smiled. “Cool, thanks. I really appreciate how amazing you’re being about everything.”
“I’m not sure I feel amazing.” He shook his head, having a bit of a laugh at himself, not Mitch. “I feel like I’ve been impatient, waiting for you to heal up so I can jump on you.” He was reaching the end of his tether. When it came to talking about his feelings, he’d probably done more today than he had in the last twenty years.
Cam thought maybe Mitch agreed with him and got it, because Mitch tilted his head, staring at Cam’s mouth now, not his eyes. “Can we have another serious discussion as adults later and do something else right now?”
“You mean, like, can I kiss you?” He reached up and ran his thumb over Mitch’s sharp cheekbone. “I think that sounds like a fine idea.”
Mitch nodded, and things got a bit breathless after that because he leaned forward, and so did Mitch, and they met halfway. Their mouths came together, their lips parting, and he swept his tongue over Mitch’s lower lip.
Then they were cooking with gas.
They tilted their heads just right. They came together, and that kiss went deep, hard, and hot as fire.
Mitch reached up and grabbed the back of his head, fingers sinking into Cam’s hair to hold them together. He scooted forward until their legs were touching, until their chests came together the tiniest bit, but it still wasn’t close enough. He worried about hurting Mitch or he’d have the fine son of a bitch sitting on his lap already.
They came up for air, and they gasped, foreheads pressed together, staring into one another’s eyes.
It was stunning because it was as if they’d never been apart, but at the same time, this was way more adult than they’d been able to achieve in high school.
This wasn’t a stolen kiss under the bleachers.
They were two fully grown men kissing in the front room. There was a very good chance they were going to be fully two grown men going to that big master bed and having mutually shared orgasms.
It might not sound exciting. Hell, someone might think it sounded boring is all get-out. But that was because someone wasn’t staring into Mitch’s near-black eyes and seeing…promises.
Cam licked his lips. “You, uh, ready to move into the other room, honey? We can lock up and all first.” They were letting Rosie in these days. He’d been house-trained by someone, but he still liked to be outside most of the daylight hours.
“Sounds good.” Mitch rose, stretching. “Bed will be more comfy, huh?”
“Easier on the back, for sure.” Hand in hand they moved around the house, locking doors and checking windows.
The younger girls’ lights were off, but there was a little light leaking out from under Bekka’s door.
