“I love you,” Thomas said. “Have a safe trip and call me when you get there.”
“I will.” This was one of the many things he loved about Thomas, that he made him feel safe and secure, that he cared. “Why don’t you cook dinner for Nevvie while I’m gone? A good southern meal.”
He cocked his head at Tyler. “You hate fried okra.”
“Maybe she’ll like it, I won’t be here to eat it. You don’t like blood pudding.”
Thomas made a face. “The name makes me want to barf, sorry.” He propped himself on his elbows. “What’s going on? Is Nevvie okay?”
“I think she’s starting to slip into the next phase of her emotional recovery. Perhaps this weekend you can keep her distracted, take her out for some fun.”
“You won’t mind?”
“Why would I mind?”
“Leaving you out.”
“If I’m not here, how am I being left out?”
Thomas chewed his lip. “I thought about taking her out on the bike, if that’s okay.”
“She might enjoy that.”
“That doesn’t bother you?”
Tyler glanced at the time. “Thomas, I know you’ll keep her safe. She needs to have a relationship not only with us, but with you and I. Just as you and I will have a relationship outside of her. Nothing else can happen until we know she loves and wants us both. Right?”
“I love you, Tyler. She won’t change that.”
Tyler stroked Tom’s stubbly chin. “I know.”
Tyler poured a mug of coffee and toasted a bagel. Nevvie had donned a robe over her T-shirt and boxers, and he poured her a mug, fixing it the way she liked.
She accepted it without meeting his eyes. He waited to let go until she looked at him. “Anything,” he whispered. “You have to trust me.” He let that sink in. “Do you trust me?”
She nodded, but looked unconvinced.
He kissed her forehead. “You must heal, sweetheart. Simply enjoy being a part of our family for now, let that be enough. The future will go where it goes. We will do anything to keep you with us.”
Thomas appeared, yawning and scratching. “Mornin’.” He kissed her cheek. “Sleep okay?”
She mustered a smile. “Good, thanks.”
Tyler ate his bagel. When the driver rang the bell, Nevvie and Thomas walked Tyler to the front door.
He hugged Thomas, kissing him. “I’ll call when I get there. I love you.”
Thomas patted him on the ass. “Love you, too. Safe trip. Come back to me.”
Tyler smiled. “Always, love.” He turned to Nevvie and hugged her. “Can’t break the ritual,” he said, “for luck.” He looked at her. “I’ll call when I get there. I love you.”
She glanced at Thomas. “Love you, too. Safe trip. Come back to me.” Then she patted him on the ass.
He laughed. “Always, love.” He kissed her forehead. “I’ve yet to not return safely from a trip. Why muck about with what works?”
She watched from the front door as Thomas walked Tyler to the car, helped him load his bags then leaned in for one last hug and kiss. She knew better than to read meaning into her exchange with Tyler.
Obviously he didn’t understand what she meant by “anything.” Just because they had a freaky psychic connection didn’t mean he wasn’t still a guy and able to misinterpret what she said. He might say the future goes where it goes, but hell, they were gay. The future was a dead end when it came to romance with her boys. She knew it, even if Tyler tried to be kind.
Thomas returned. “Well, you ready for your first day at Kinsey Consulting?”
“I guess. I hope I don’t disappoint you.”
“I’m sure that won’t be a problem. Can I scramble you some eggs?”
“If I can make you pancakes.”
“Deal. Why don’t you turn on some music?”
The boys loved their tunes, and while each had distinctively different styles they shared several favorites. Nevvie loved the wide variety of their music library, from classical to jazz all the way to modern music like Pink and Black Eyed Peas.
She picked a Jimmy Buffett CD and soon they were dodging each other in the kitchen, laughing and joking while they cooked. She nearly choked when “Why Don’t We Get Drunk?” played.
Thomas waggled his eyebrows at her. “You trying to give me a hint?”
She blushed, laughing, his words too close to her own desires. She shook her head and tried to play it back to him. “Why, would you take me up on it if I did?”
He grinned and leaned close. “You’ll never know if you never try, darlin.” Then he kissed the end of her nose and winked.
Jeezus pleezus! She still had nearly four full days alone with him!
He smiled at her obvious state and dug into his food. “Better eat, sugar. We’ve got to get ready for work. Casual Friday, so wear jeans. We’ll leave around seven-thirty.”
She shoveled food into her mouth before she said something stupid and embarrassing like, “Please bend me over the table right now and fuck my brains out, Tommy, thank you very much.”
He helped clean up the kitchen before they retreated to their separate bathrooms—damn!—for showers. She was ready to go when he emerged from his bedroom carrying a jacket.
“Try this on. See if it fits.”
She took it. It was a little large, but not huge. Heavy and leather, not a normal jacket.
“Bike jacket,” he explained. “It’s Ty’s, but he hardly ever rides.”
“Bike?” It did smell faintly of Tyler.
“Harley. Didn’t you see it?”
She shook her head and followed him to the garage. Along the far wall, on the other side of the Ford, a drop cloth covered a motorcycle. She’d never noticed it before because the truck blocked it from view. The washer and drier were in the laundry alcove, so she never had a reason to walk around the truck. He pulled the cover off, revealing a red Harley.
“It’s a 1200 Sportster.” He looked at her. “Ever ride?”
She shook her head, the idea of having a legitimate reason to wrap her arms around Thomas’ tight mid-section robbing her of speech.
“Not supposed to rain today. Want to take it?”
She nodded.
He glanced at her loafers. “Go grab some sneakers. You can stow your loafers and purse in the saddlebag. We need to buy you some boots if you’re going to be my biker mama.”
She returned his playful smile and raced to get her shoes. When she returned, he’d retrieved his jacket and two helmets and had the bike wheeled into the driveway. He helped her adjust the helmet.
“Why jackets?” The helmet’s full face shield muffled her voice.
He tugged on a pair of gloves. “Protection. Won’t help if a car hits you, obviously, but might help for road rash and small debris.” He pulled on his helmet and she waited while he stowed their things in the saddlebags.
“Once I tell you, throw your right leg over and slide on. Put your feet on the pegs, keep them there, watch your legs on the exhaust. Then wrap your arms around me. Don’t lean with the bike, feel what I do. If we’re turning, look over my shoulder in the direction of the turn. Keep your weight centered. When we’re stopped at a light, keep your feet on the pegs, okay?”
She nodded, unable to speak even if she had any coherent words to say.
He grinned behind his face shield as he mounted the bike and cranked it. It throbbed to life, the engine roaring off the house and echoing through their quiet neighborhood. He kept a spare garage door opener tucked in a gear bag over the gas tank. Once the door slid closed Thomas motioned for her to get on.
Nervously she did, putting her feet on the pegs, her hands tentatively clutching his hips.
He grabbed her hands and pulled them tighter around his waist. “Like that, sugar,” he called over the noise of the engine. She thought he laughed, and she closed her eyes as they rolled out of the drive.