Page 50 of Loving You

Bronx immediately felt irritation race up his spine. “We can talk about that later.”

Lucas’s mouth turned down in a frown, but luckily, he wasn’t one to make a scene in front of guests. “So. Does anyone else think it’s ironic that your new sex friend is the guy that’s going to help me fly a plane?”

Fuck. He spoke too soon. Monty choked on his swallow of water as Lucas smirked across the table at them both.

Bronx groaned and rubbed a hand down his face. “First of all, you have manners. Use them. Second of all, that’s the definition of coincidence. Not irony. I don’t know what that school was teaching you.”

“How to wipe my ass and not leave shit stains on my underwear,” Lucas said mildly.

Monty looked at Bronx with wide eyes, and Bronx sighed. “Great. Well, hopefully, this new school will catch you up since you mastered the art of wiping yourself. Anyway, I’m grateful that my new friend is the guy helping you fly. It makes me feel a lot better.”

“Were you worried I’d be up a hundred miles in the air with some dirty perv?”

Monty cleared his throat. “Not to be pedantic, but a hundred miles is nearly halfway to the space station. My little plane would fall to pieces. And luckily for you, there are no dirty pervs allowed on my plane.”

Lucas’s grin widened. “Yeah. I do like you. Where do we get to fly to?”

“Anywhere. But to preserve your father’s sanity, maybe we stay close to home this first time,” Monty offered.

Bronx shot him a grateful smile as Lucas groaned and sat back, crossing his arms. “What’s the furthest you go?”

“Normally? I go to spend time at my grandfather’s grave. He’s the only person in my family I was close to. It’s not a very long flight. Maybe if your dad feels comfortable, you and Kylen can pilot me there.”

“Maybe Dad would like to come. I haven’t really dated, but I heard it’s customary to introduce your new totally-normal-not-sex-friends to the family you like.”

“And that’s enough of this. Lukie, why don’t you hop in the shower so I can start the dishwasher.”

“I hate you,” Luke said, standing up. He started around the table and immediately tripped over Monty’s leg, which was stuck out just a little too far. He didn’t hit the ground. Monty caught him midway and hauled him to his feet. “Wow. Spider-Man reflexes.”

“More like I don’t want to kill my totally normal friend’s son in his own kitchen.” He was smiling, but his voice was trembling.

Luke set his arm on Monty’s shoulder and squeezed. “Please don’t freak out. I trip on a lot of things. Like, alot. Half of the time, it’s my own shoes because I know better, but I still leave them in the middle of my bedroom floor when I’m tired. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Monty nodded, then realized his mistake before Bronx could point it out. “Right. Thank you. I am trying very hard not to screw up though.”

“I noticed,” Luke said with an even wider grin. “Look, there are some serious pros to your ‘totally normal friend,’”he exaggerated his voice and used air quotes, “having a blind son. Like you can make out, and as long as you don’t make disgusting noises, I’ll never know.”

“Thanks for that,” Bronx said flatly. “Please go shower.”

Luke scoffed, but he obeyed, taking a careful step away from Monty before heading down the hall. When the bathroom door shut, Bronx let out a sigh and flopped over on Monty’s shoulder. “He just learned how to do air quotes. Sometimes I forget that people learn gestures from seeing them. Adele’s son taught him how to use them.”

Monty laughed softly. “I was such a loner in high school and college, so I missed a lot of those things too. I like him though. He’s a great kid.”

“He really is. The more I socialize, the more I realize how lucky I am. I could have gotten some teenage angst monster.”

“I think those are the product of parents who are…what’s the phrase for it? Unplugged?”

Yeah, it was. Like his own had been. Like a lot of their friends’ parents had been. Bronx had gone through a nightmare phase, and he’d been terrified that his own son was going to be his karma. But the worst thing Lucas wanted to do was fly a plane. He could live with that.

“So. At the risk of sounding like a massive asshole?—”

“You need to drive me home?” Monty offered.

Bronx’s ears got hot. “I’m sorry. I have a really early morning tomorrow, and as much as I want you to stay, you’re distracting.”

Monty laughed and stole a quick kiss, making Bronx’s toes curl. “I have a lot of paperwork to deal with and a busted A/C in my office. I should go. But I can take a car so you don’t have to drive me.”

Bronx stared at him, offended. “And deprive me ofbeing able to make out with you like a horny hormonal teenager in your driveway?”

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