His hair is a bit unkempt after camping for three days, not his usual style in the least. It makes me want to haul him into my shower and then my bed, curling around him while we catch up on much-needed sleep. And then wake him up with my mouth wrapped around his cock, showing him how damn good a blowjob can feel when it’s my lips doing the worshiping.
Fuck, I want to know what the man tastes like. His cock. His cum. Hislips.
I forcibly tear my gaze away from Lawson’s resting pout, the man clearly preoccupied by whatever thoughts are in his head.
What would he think if he knew my own?
This is such a disaster. How did I think I could remain impartial about all this?
How did I think shacking up with my friend of forty-three years wouldn’t be the most monumental thing to happen to me in…well, ever?
Lawson drops Wendy off first at her mom’s. I grab her bag from the back of the truck as Lawson heads to the door. Wendy gives me a fierce hug when I hand her things over.
“All right?” I ask, smoothing down her somewhat messy hair.
She nods against me before letting go. “Yeah. Just… You’re pretty great, Oak.”
“Shit, kid.”
“Language,” Lawson calls.
I huff a laugh, and Wendy rolls her eyes before heading for the door. Laura is there now, her gaze on me before it flicks to her daughter. Lawson exchanges a quick word with his ex before hugging Wendy goodbye.
I get back in the truck as Lawson comes my way. “All good?” I check.
He nods, buckling in and starting the vehicle. “Fine. Let’s get home.”
I eye Lawson before my gaze returns to the front of the house. Laura is still standing there. I raise a hand in greeting, and she shuts the door.
Well, then.
Lawson doesn’t drop me off and leave for home like I expect him to. He hops out of the truck, grabbing his own things before making for my door.
My pulse is erratic as I follow after him.
He heads through the house to the back hall, opening the door to the yard and calling for Bell. My cow tromps inside, her tail swooshing, her nose immediately pressing against Lawson’s bag in search of goodies. He rubs between her fuzzy black ears, the two trailing into the kitchen. When Lawson pulls a box of crackers out of the cupboard, Bell perks up.
“The fuck,” I mutter as Lawson proceeds to give my cow treats like she’s a dog. “What are you doing?”
“She asked nicely,” he answers.
“She did not. She didn’t say a goddamn word. Those are my crackers.”
“You’ve got plenty.”
When the hell did this man decide he would just start…playing house with me and my damn cow? Except…it’s always been like this, hasn’t it? Lawson inserting himself into my life, not that I ever tried to stop him. Claiming my home as his own, claiming my free time, claiming nearly every ounce of my attention and, unintentionally, myaffection.
I knew, I always knew, Lawson and I had fewer boundaries than most. But I never let myself think too hard about it. Because Lawson was—is—my closest friend. He never wanted anything more.
Except now he does. Or at least he wantssomethingfrom me.
Which makes him acting like he’s right at home insidemyhome so much more complicated than it ever was before.
Lawson’s voice pulls me back to my kitchen, the crackers put away now and Bell wandering toward the living room to sniff the bags I dropped there. “Wanna start us something for dinner while I go wash up? I’ll finish cooking so you can do the same.”
I stare at him for a long moment, wondering what’s going through my best friend’s head. Wondering if anything at all has changed for him. Or if, to Lawson, this is all just…rote. “Sure,” I finally manage. “You can, uh, use my soap.”
“Yep.”
