“You better believe it. I once found him under the bleachers fucking some twink while only wearing the jacket and–”
“Ronan!” Emory gasped, but Cameron just laughed, nestling up against Emory’s side.
Ronan grinned innocently before going to open the door, revealing Emory’s concerned-looking mother.
“They’re all yours,” Ronan said as he stepped around her.
She stopped Ronan with a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Thank you, Ronan. We’ll see you downstairs in just a moment…if you’d like to stay for the fireworks, that is.”
Ronan turned and winked at Emory and then left.
Emory’s mother walked in and surveyed Cameron’s rumpled clothes and the too-large jacket on his slim shoulders. Shesmiled a far too knowing smile. “Emory’s been trying to get someone to wear that thing for him his whole life. Guess it’s a good thing he found you.”
Cameron clutched the jacket tighter around himself.
“What do you want to do, love?” Emory asked, turning to his fated mate. “Do you want to go home? Stay up here? It looks like the weather has cleared up; I could take you to dinner in town?”
Cameron’s knuckles cracked where he was clinging to the jacket. “But the family meal?—“
“Will be a great time for me to reestablish some order in this family,” his mother growled. “It seems we may have a lot more to discuss than we originally thought, given Jonathon’s return later this week. If you would be so kind as to join us again for after-dinner drinks, I think there should only be a few family members there.”
“Ariel and Corin?” Cameron asked hopefully.
The age lines around his mother’s eyes crinkled as she smiled. “Yes, and perhaps a few others who are quite fond of you and were very worried when you fled upstairs. I think the rest have had quite enough opportunities to impress you, and seeing as how they failed miserably, they will not be invited back. Maybe ever.”
Cameron bit his lip, and Emory pulled him into his arms. “Would you like to go for a drive with me?”
“Are you driving?” Cameron asked. He felt a small rush of excitement emanate from Cameron’s octopus.
“Would you like me to? We can take my father’s Ferrari.”
Cameron grinned a toothy grin that would give Emory’s lion a run for his money.
“As long as that’s okay?” Cameron asked, turning to look at Emory’s mother.
She nodded. “I am so very sorry we were not able to shield you from all of this, my child. You two make a beautiful matedpair. You have my blessing, and everyone else’s blessing who matters. We won’t be taking an official vote tonight, but I do hope you’ll join us later.”
Cameron rushed across the room and hugged Emory’s mother. Emory followed after him, and they exchanged a quick embrace before Emory ushered Cameron down the back stairs to the large, detached garage.
Emory hadn’t known Cameron was a car person. His manic grin rivaled Ronan’s as his fingers brushed and touched every gleaming surface he passed.
“You excited, my love?”
“Of course! I’ve never had a car before, but I’ve always kind of wanted a convertible.”
At Emory’s skeptical look, Cameron laughed. “The way the air feels rushing by sort of reminds my octopus of running underwater.”
Emory shook his head, and his next words–which were surely his protective lion’s–tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them. “Put your arms through the sleeves of the jacket so you don’t get cold in the wind.”
Cameron raised a defiant eyebrow, and Emory ducked his head, but Cameron did as Emory suggested. He then practically skipped over to the passenger door, so Emory assumed he hadn’t overstepped too badly.
Emory’s lion, not easily deterred, added a little swagger to his step as he walked around to the driver’s side and hopped in, not bothering with anything as inconsequential as door handles. Cameron stared at him in shock for a moment before a cocky grin spread across his face, and he vaulted into his seat.
To be honest, it was pretty hot, and Emory leaned across the center console to give him a quick kiss before hitting the button for the garage door. Once it was fully opened, he put the key in the ignition, revved the engine, and they took off for town.
Cameron whooped in delight as they took tight corners with ease, and the air whipped through his tousled hair.
“I love you!” Cameron shouted into the wind.
