Page 45 of The Swap Masquerade

“Well, you’ll have to wait. We need to eat this food while it’s still halfway decent, then you boys can play,” Elliott’s mom teased.

His family had been to our house enough times that they already knew their way around and they took off for the kitchen, his dad and brother joking with each other the whole way. When I turned to Elliott, I found him staring after them, a soft smile on his face. I moved closer, wrapping my arms around his waist. “You okay?”

He leaned his forehead against mine, putting his arms around me too. “I never thought it would happen, you know? I hoped it would, but I never actually thought I’d end up here, with my dad coming over to help me fix up the house that I share with the man of my dreams. Sometimes, it still doesn’t feel real.”

“I know what you mean. I used to watch Curtis and John and I’d wish so badly it could be me, that I could have the kind of love in my life they had. I thought I was wasting my time going to those parties, but I continued to go because I was so damn lonely. Then one night, this gorgeous creature showed up wearing a teal mask and he stole my heart.”

Elliott grinned. “You stole mine too and I don’t ever want it back.”

“Good, because I’m keeping it forever.” We kissed each other and my body started to respond, like it always did. He must have felt it because he pressed his body closer against mine.

“Boys! Come eat!”

I groaned as the mood was effectively killed by the reminder that his mother was right in the next room. Elliott laughed however, and it was still my favorite sound in the world. He took my hand. “Come on, Tyrion. That’ll have to wait until later.”

“Okay, but I’m going to hold you to it,” I warned.

Elliott smiled mischievously. “Trust me, I’ll make it worth the wait.”

I smiled back. I knew he would. He already had.

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