There was a sharp pinch behind my ribs that felt a lot like grief. A feeling of loss for the years and family traditions I was always meant to be part of. Inside jokes and memories I’d never get to experience. That darkness that lurked in the corners flooded in, the specter that the pills could barely keep away. It poisoned my thoughts, tainting them.
Did you think you’d be missed? They got along fine without you. What makes you think you’re good enough to be part of hisfamily, his life? You’re a childhood memory that was better off locked away…
“Will you come next weekend?” Dawson asked, his voice instantly calming me, an antidote to the darkness.
“A chance to see your sexy butt in action? I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Dawson kissed the smirk off my face and the last of my tension bled away.
“Oh my god, you two are so adorable. I can’t even…” Aly simpered, watching us with dreamy eyes.
Dawson’s cheeks stained pink from the attention that swung our way. She was right about that. He was so damn cute. And so damn mine.
“Yeah yeah, whatever,” he grumbled. “What about you guys? You all able to come?”
There were nods and excited agreements from everyone with plans being made about where and what time to meet.
“Hey Theo,” Bash called. “Why don’t you come up to our place and hang out with us since Dawson will be with the team? We can ride over together.”
I agreed and thanked him and Micah around an unexpected lump in my throat. It was a simple question. Nothing special, yet knowing that I was welcome here, even in Dawson’s absence, settled something inside me.
Once he and I made it back downstairs to my apartment, I was deep in my thoughts, filtering through every interaction that night. I didn’t feel a sense of obligation from any of them, like they had to accept me for Dawson’s sake. Every smile, laugh, or question directed my way tonight radiated sincerity. Maybe like Dawson, they’d actually stay when they learned the truth about me.
Strong arms slipped around my waist from behind. “Did you have fun tonight, baby?”
“I love hearing you call me that,” I breathed, sinking into his incredible warmth. Dawson rested his head on my shoulder, his breath coasting across my cheek, smelling like the fruity drink Micah had made him.
“I thought it would be harder,” he mused softly, almost to himself. “Harder to go back to how we used to be. Kissing you, calling you baby, wanting to be with you all the time…it hasn’t been hard at all. It’s been as easy as breathing. Nothing feels different, but everything is.”
I turned and slid my hands down to his wrists, bringing his arms up to drape around my neck. I wrapped mine around his waist, trailing my hands up and down his back.
“Not everything. The important things are still the same. How you like your burgers plain and your coffee iced. How the sun shows the strands of gold in your hair and how you close your eyes when playing a song makes you emotional. How you kiss me and I forget how to breathe, and how you crave being adored and praised during sex because it makes you feel confident and sexy.”
I framed his face, using my thumb to smooth away a tear that silently fell. Dawson stared at me unblinking, his eyes wet and a tremulous smile pulling at his lips.
“And what hasn’t changed is how deeply and endlessly I love you. There is no corner of my soul that you don’t fill. I ran away because I forgot how to trust, but I could never forget how to love you. Even when I was gone, I carried you like a brand on my fucking soul. We could rewrite our story a million times and that will never change.”
Dawson leaned into me and his lips met mine in a sweet kiss. He kissed me languidly, stealing my breath with every move of his lips. No tongue, no lust, just a promise made in a language only we knew.
“I love you so much, Theo,” he whispered into the kiss.
My heart pounded and I worried it would tear through my chest and right into his hands. Where it belonged.
“Go on a date with me.”
“For real?” he grinned widely.
“Yep. I have four years to make up for,” I winked. “How about after your game Saturday night?”
“That should work. It’s an afternoon game, so I should be out by six. What did you have in mind?”
I mimed zipping my mouth shut.
“Fine. Keep your secrets,” Dawson scoffed, but he couldn’t hide the excitement I saw in his eyes. It quickly dimmed when he checked the time on his phone. “It’s later than I thought. I should probably get home. I’ve got practice tomorrow afternoon.”
“Stay,” I blurted, hoping like hell that this wasn’t a push too far. “Stay with me tonight. I’ll wake you up with plenty of time before you have to leave.”
Dawson ducked his head and my chest constricted. Fuck, he wasn’t ready. I’d gone a step too far and now he would?—
“I’d love to,” he replied evenly, head tilting up with a small smile.
