Page 18 of Home on the Road

Though he would love to agree, he did not want Harry to have to face the bitch alone. And besides, if he did not face her, the guilt that had been haunting him since leaving five days earlier would remain with him until he did.

“No,” Ziggy sighed, “I’ll talk to her. But you can be with me, just in case I need someone to evict her from the house.”

He felt Harry brush a kiss on his temple as he squeezed him tighter before releasing him. “I’ll always have your back, Z-man. Should we go down fully dressed, or only wearing boxers so she can think the worst?”

While Ziggy would love to offend her, he also did not want her to be drooling over Harry’s body, which he knew she would. She had done it enough times with other well-built men in the past, even before his father had died. No way did he want her looking athisman like he was a steak dinner.

“Dressed,” he finally said as he crawled to the edge of the bed and climbed down. “But I need a shower before I putanything on.”

“I think I’ll join you,” Harry said, smacking Ziggy’s ass as they entered the bathroom. “But no funny business in the shower. I don’t want to blush in front of your stepmother because you took advantage of me.”

Ziggy jumped with a squeak and then giggled. “Yeah, sure. You stick with that story. I’m sure everyone will believe that I take advantage of you.”

Thirty minutes later, Ziggy paused at the top of the staircase that led straight into the kitchen. Terry’s voice drifted up the stairway, and sent a shiver of disgust down his spine.

Turning to Harry who stood just behind him, he whispered, “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For whatever insults and degrading comments she’ll spew. Please, just remember that I love you.”

Harry smiled at him, loosening the knot of nerves that had been tying themselves in his belly. “I love you, too, Z-man. Now let’s go and deal with her. Afterwards, we can go into town for breakfast.”

****

Harry had seen Ziggy’s stepmother from a distance at the truck stop, but from what he could tell, she had never worked, either in the diner or the gas station slash convenience store. He did not know how she kept the place open if she was not pulling shifts, but that was none of his business.

His business was keeping Ziggy safe and away from her. And if that meant he had to pick her up and carry her out of the house, he would. Anything to protect the man who loved him.

Halfway down the stairs, Ziggy paused again, looking over his shoulder. “If it’s okay, I’ll do the talking. You just stand beside me and look tough. Okay?”

Though he would prefer to stand between Ziggy and hisstepmonster, Harry nodded and said in a low voice, “As long as she keeps her hands to herself. If she touches you, all bets are off.”

“I can agree with that.”

Harry gave his man a smile that he responded to with a shaky one of his own. Then Ziggy turned and continued down the rest of the stairs with Harry following a step behind. Once they reached the kitchen door, Harry watched as Ziggy stopped and took a deep breath. He raised his head and straightened his shoulders before he took two steps into the room.

Harry followed, then moved behind Ziggy to the coffeemaker where two mugs waited on the counter.

“She’s on the porch,” Sam said from where he stood at the stove, cooking what smelled like bacon. “I gave her a cup of coffee, but refused to allow her inside.”

“Probably for the best,” Harry said as he stirred two teaspoons of sugar and a healthy dollop of milk into Ziggy’s coffee.

Leaving his black, he carried both mugs across the kitchen. “Shall we?” he asked as he handed over the prepared mug to his man.

Ziggy took a sip and gave a small moan of appreciation before he said, “If we have to.”

“Waffles and bacon when you’re finished with her,” Sam said as an enticement to hurry through the next few minutes.

Harry looked at Ziggy and gave him what he hoped was an encouraging smile. “You can do this. I’ll be right behind you the whole time. And if she tries anything we can call the cops and have her arrested.”

Ziggy took a deep breath and nodded. “I can do this.”

Without any further hesitation, he headed to the closed door to the back porch. Harry followed, determined to keep his man safe. He had been raised to never hit a woman, but if thisbitch did anything to harm his man, he would not hesitate to slap her down.

Chapter Twelve

No matter how much he breathed or tightened his muscles, nothing prepared him for seeing Terry again. Stepping out onto the porch, he straightened his back even further, determined to send his stepmonster on her way. He had cookies to bake and the first of what he hoped would be many three-week road trips to prepare for.

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