Page 74 of Virgin Skin

I soak up everything he tells me about them as we drive, and I can’t help but wonder what it would have been like to grow up with so much extended family.

Before long, we pull up to a white house in a quiet neighborhood. I smile at the rainbow flag hanging right alongside the American flag on the flagpole jutting out next to the garage door. Hero puts a hand between my shoulders as wehead up to the front door. The gesture is comforting, like he has my back if they don’t like me.

Fuck, I hope they like me.

He doesn’t bother to knock when we reach the door, he just turns the knob and pushes it open. The smell of apples and cinnamon hits me as soon as we step inside. It’s warm and homey, with family photos hung on the walls and friendly chatter coming from the kitchen.

“Is that you, Kaid?” an older woman’s voice calls.

Hero chuckles as he slips off his shoes and lines them up neatly on the rug next to the door. I do the same.

“No, Ma, it’s a burglar in the middle of the day,” he says dryly.

“Well, wouldn’t I feel silly if itwasand I didn’t even ask?”

I snort a laugh and follow him down the hallway, a step behind him so I can duck behind his broad frame if I feel the overwhelming need to hide.

In the kitchen, an older man and two younger women—I’m assuming his dad and two sisters—are sitting causally at the kitchen table playing Scrabble while an older woman I’m guessing is his mom checks something in the oven. Two little boys and a girl are sitting on the floor with crayons and papers scattered around them, and there’s a pie cooling on the counter. It’s all so idyllic that my throat tightens and my eyes burn.

Hero stops just inside the kitchen and clears his throat.

“I brought someone over I want to introduce you all to,” he says.

His sisters and dad look up from their game and his mom spins around, already wearing a bright smile as her eyes seek me out.

“It’s about time,” one of his sisters says, and the other nods in agreement.

Hero frowns. “About time for what?”

“Oh, ignore Valerie, you know she doesn’t mean anything by it. It’s just nice that you’re finally serious enough about someone to bring them home to meet us. You haven’t done that in ten years.”

I sputter a laugh, and he looks horrified.

“No, that’s not…”

In their defense, it’s a lot less of a stretch that I would be his boyfriend than his son he never knew about.

“It’s nice to meet you. How long have you and Kaiden been seeing each other?” His mom nudges him out of the way to greet me.

“Actually…” I dart a look over at him then let out a quick breath and just dive right in. “I’m not Kaiden’s boyfriend, I’m his son.”

Instant silence. Even the kids stop chattering and look over at us. His mom—my grandma—goes from a polite, welcoming smile to startled to confused, all in the blink of an eye.

“I’m sorry?” She looks at her son for clarification.

“Ho-ly shit.” Valerie cackles with delight.

“I’m sorry, did you say hisson?” Hellen stands up from the table with both eyebrows at her hairline.

“I thought you were gay.” His dad sounds so baffled I can’t stop the loud bark of laughter that bursts from my throat.

Hero rolls his eyes good-naturedly and throws an arm around my shoulders.

“I am gay. But when a confused eighteen-year-old boy and a pretty eighteen-year-old girl share a couple of beers and like each other enough, sometimes—”

His mom swats at him playfully to stop him.

“Oh, hush. We don’t need to hear the details.”

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