Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
“Thank you…for bringing me with you, for giving me this. Today was fun.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him how I feel, that I’m in love with him. I’m not afraid to tell him because I’m not ready to share my feelings. I just know I need to be careful with his heart. Rushing things for Anthony is the last thing I want to do.
“Thank you for coming with me. I hope you’re with me every time I’m here.”
Anthony doesn’t reply, but he does push back into me even closer.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Anthony
I wake up earlier than usual, my eyes popping open and unable to close again, despite how comfortable and relaxing it is in Kason’s arms. Yesterday meant more to me than he’ll ever know, ever be able to understand.
Young Anthony would have done anything to have a family like Kason’s, to feel like he belonged in a place like this, but it felt like such an impossible dream. Yet, here I am, with the greatest guy in the whole fucking world, spending the weekend with people who seem like the greatest family in the whole fucking world too.
And I feel a part of them. No matter what happens in the future, I will always be thankful to Kason for giving me this.
I don’t want to wake him, so I sneak out of bed. Kason’s the early bird out of the two of us, so if he’s still sleeping, he needs it. His features are at ease, his mouth slightly open, his body so relaxed. He’s beautiful all the time, but especially when he sleeps, his short dark hair mussed and a light dusting of stubble along his jaw, which he usually shaves.
God, I want to keep him, so fucking much, and the more time we spend together, the more I’m thinking it might be possible.
With that thought in my head, I slip out of the room, closing the door softly behind me.
It’s quiet downstairs, and I pause, wondering if I should be lurking around the house without him. Is that weird? What if his parents are down there and I interrupt some morning routine or, I don’t know, they just want some time to themselves?
I’m about to turn around and head back to Kason’s room, when his mom steps out from the kitchen, wearing a robe and holding a steaming cup of coffee.
“Oh, good morning,” she says with a wide grin.
I can’t sneak back upstairs now… “Good morning. Kason is still asleep. I didn’t want to wake him.”
“He must be tired. He’s an early bird like me.”
I grin stupidly, liking that we both recognize that in him. “I have to admit, I’m not typically the one who’s awake first.”
She snickers. “Harvey likes to sleep in too. When Kason was young, he used to work early morning shifts every day, and he hated it. Now he gets to sleep in, mostly because of our son.” May goes back into the kitchen, and I follow her. “He wants to take care of us. We still work, but if he had it his way, we wouldn’t.”
“That’s because he loves you. Kason wants to take care of those he loves—well, I think he would take care of the whole world if he could, but especially the people who mean the most to him.”
May gives me a warm smile. “You see who he is and appreciate him for that. It makes me happy. Not everyone sees how incredible he is, or if they do, they try to take advantage of him, to get what they can out of him. Not you.”
“I would never take advantage of him, and yes, I see him.” I look down, drawing circles on the countertop with my fingertip. I want her to know I appreciate him, how much he means to me, but I’m not sure what words to use to tell her that. “He’s my favorite person.”
“Seeing my son with you, there’s no doubt in my mind you’re his favorite person as well.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“Oh, I do.” May reaches over the counter and squeezes my hand. “You have good energy, a positive aura. You’re exactly what he needs. Do you want some coffee?”
Well…that was a surprise. I can’t decide how to respond, so I just reply to the latter. “Sure.”
She pours me a cup, and I use the sugar and creamer on the counter to doctor it. We walk over to the table together and sit down, a large window in front of us, showing me their snowy lawn and neighbors’ houses in the distance.
“This—bringing someone home—isn’t his normal.” May takes a sip of her coffee.
I get what she’s doing here. She wants to make sure I know that Kason is all in with me, that this is serious for him. “I know. This isn’t my normal either. In fact, it’s the first time I’ve done it, so that’s my excuse if I’m bad at it,” I try to joke, but she doesn’t laugh with me.