“Oh. I thought your family was rooted here?”
“So did I.” I see the hurt in his eyes, but Chase rubs his beard, trying to hide it. “It is what it is. I’m happy for my aunt, and honestly, it’s not my place to make this decision. I’ll just keep working, doing what I do, and things will be fine.”
I’m not so convinced that things will be fine for me, but I push that thought aside. Chase is hurt, and he picked me fucking wildflowers today, and of all the ways I’m failing at life right now, acting insensitive to him is not going to be one of them.
I stand up and kiss his cheek. “You love that house and your aunt. It sucks that your family is going to sell it and that she’s going to move.”
“Yeah.” He sighs, and the stovetop beeps right as the aroma of garlic and tomato sauce fills the air.
Chase turns back to the stove. Night is falling outside, and I can hear the noises of the mountains, birds and frogs and god knows what else calling out.
My heart hurts for Chase, and I’m still dangling over a pit of despair. But as he grates some cheese into the bowl of pasta for me, I realize I already feel better too. Maybe it’s the catharsis of revealing the truth, or maybe it’s the fact that trying to cheer Chase up suddenly feels just as important as trying to cheer myself up.
For whatever reason, simply being here with him makes everything easier.
He turns and offers me a half-smile. “You ready to eat?”
“Yes, but we can’t waste too much time.”
“Oh?”
I walk over to him, biting my bottom lip. “I have to thank you for the flowers,” I say, then kiss him on the lips. “And then I have to thank you for the spaghetti,” I add, kissing him again as I drag my hand over his bulge, teasing him with my fingertips. “And then I have to thank you for being so good to me in general,” I whisper.
Chase’s breath catches, and I feel his cock hardening against my hand. “You don’t owe me anything. Just glad I could make your day better.”
“I know.” I nuzzle my cheek into his neck, finding the comfort of his beard and his musky scent. “That’s why, as soon as I finish this spaghetti, I’m going to give you a blowjob you’ll never forget.”
