Page 14 of In Daddy's Hands

Thankfully, Ross didn’t flip out. He set his hand on Jupiter’s shoulder. “It’s okay. I know. You’ll always have a place here after you figure this out.”

Jupiter flashed him a grateful smile. “Thank you. You’ve always been amazing.”

Ross squeezed his shoulder and left Jupiter to finish out his shift, which Jupiter somehow did. He smiled and chatted, moving around the building on autopilot. At the end of the night, he said goodbye to his co-workers, trying not to tear up over the thought that it might be for the last time. When he saw Boone waiting, his knees nearly buckled in relief. Jupiter didn’t know what Boone would do, but he felt better knowing he could freely speak to someone who understood.

Jupiter climbed into the passenger seat and immediately fell into Boone’s arms. He accepted Boone’s sweet kiss. Then he didn’t move away.

Boone squeezed him. “What’s wrong, baby? You’re shaking.”

“Your dad came in tonight.”

“Oh.” Boone’s chest expanded as he drew a deep breath. It was like he tried calling his temper under control. “What happened?”

Jupiter pulled away and fished the card and check from his pocket. He passed them Boone’s way. “It seems tonight is my last night. My working isn’t a good look for the family.” He used air quotes as he repeated Beau’s words.

Boone stared down at the check and card. He didn’t immediately speak. When he did, he sounded dead. “I’m sorry. I know you loved it here.”

Loved. Past tense. There was nothing Boone could do. His eyes fell closed. He had suspected as much.

Boone handed the card and check back to Jupiter. “I tried to warn you about him. If you want to walk away from me now, I’ll understand.”

Jupiter stuffed the items back in his apron and squared his shoulders. The few hours left on the clock after Beau left had given him time to think. “You’re right. You warned me. It’s also true that I love this job. But you know what? I love you more. Your dad can keep his money. I can find a work from home job so no one sees me working and I can still afford my house. It’ll be okay. I still have you.”

Boone looked as if he had stopped breathing. “You love me?”

“Of course.” Jupiter thought that should be obvious by now.

Boone took his hand and brought it to his lips. He smiled against Jupiter’s skin as he kissed his hand. “I love you too.”

A wave of happiness overtook Jupiter, washing away the darkness Beau had created. “Good. That’s all I need.”

“Move in with me.”

Jupiter’s mouth opened and closed, but no words came. He felt like a fish out of water, fighting to breathe.

“Please?”

Fuck. There was no resisting that. No way had anyone else heard Boone beg. “Okay. Yeah. I haven’t been home in ages anyhow.”

Boone’s bright smile made everything worthwhile. He hated to ruin the mood. “I forgot. We’ve also been ordered to dinner Saturday night at your parents’ place.”

Boone’s features immediately snapped closed. The wild shift stole the oxygen from the car.

Jupiter started rambling. “I know. He said it was nonnegotiable, and I didn’t know how to respond. But it’s just one night and then maybe we’ll be free for a while. Maybe he’ll never expect to see me again.”

Boone kissed Jupiter’s hand again. “It’s okay. You said you love me. I have to hope you’ll feel the same afterward.”

Fuck. He hurt Jupiter’s chest. Being Beau’s son was killing Boone. He was such a good person, trapped in an ugly life.Jupiter couldn’t fix that, but he could make every other aspect of Boone’s life beautiful. He would. That was a promise.

Boone stared at the bathroom door and chewed the side of his thumbnail. Jupiter would sleep in his bed from now on. He had told Boone he loved him. Boone could survive one Saturday night. Who was he kidding? It wasn’t him surviving he worried about. Jupiter hadn’t seen them in action under his dad’s roof where the world belonged to him. Boone’s eyes fell closed. Jupiter was his. He didn’t want a war. Jupiter was different. He would never fall for his dad’s bullshit. Boone could protect him. Jupiter was right. It was just one night. With Jupiter no longer working, and now living with him, he would be out of his father’s reach. Beau never dared come here. They always only met on neutral ground. This dinner would be the first time in ten years Boone stepped foot in that house. He didn’t know if he could do this.

The bathroom door opened, and Jupiter padded out. He was dressed in two-piece, skintight pajamas with a cow printed on his chest. A smile exploded across Boone’s face. He was so damn in love with Jupiter. The past couldn’t touch him here.

“A cuddly cow. I like it. Does my baby boy need snuggles or a bedtime story?”

Jupiter crawled onto the mattress and kept coming until he straddled Boone. He chewed his bottom lip, looking nervous. “I had a hard night, Daddy. Can I have my pacie?”

“You can have whatever you want.”

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