Page 24 of Love in Unexpected Places

“He’s my son.”

“And he’s my boyfriend.”

Matty stared.He waswhat?What was Sullivan talking about?

Maybe Sullivan had hoped that the words would be enough to get Matty’s father to back off.He didn’t know better, but Matty did.His father always had something to say about Matty and his choices, and this wouldn’t be any different.

“I should have known Matty was one of those people,” Matty’s father said with a sneer.

Matty had heard those words often when he was a teenager.His father always had something to say about women, people of color, or anyone on the LGBTQ spectrum.Matty had never told his parents that he was gay, and he hadn’t planned to.He didn’t mind that Sullivan had basically outed him, though.He hadn’t told Sullivan that he was in the closet because he wasn’t.His parents were the only people in his life who hadn’t known, and that was because they weren’t important anymore.

Still, what had Sullivan been thinking, telling Matty’s parents that he was Matty’s boyfriend?He was putting himself in the middle of this without a real reason because he and Mattydefinitelyweren’t together.

“One of those people?”Sullivan asked in a deceptively soft voice.Matty didn’t know him well, but even he could tell that Sullivan was goading his father.He wanted Matty’s father to say something wrong or to do something stupid.

“One of thosegays,” Matty’s father spat out.

Sullivan wrinkled his nose, and when Matty’s father opened his mouth to speak, nothing came out.He looked confused for a moment, then glared at Sullivan.He tried speaking again, but no sound came out.

It was peaceful.Matty’s father could scowl all he wanted, but he wouldn’t be saying anything else.Matty’s mother looked like she wanted to speak in his place, and she’d already experienced what Sullivan would do if she did, and she was smart enough not to want it again.After all, neither of them knew how long the spell would last if Sullivan decided to leave it on them.

Fake dating a mage was great.

Sullivan turned to Matty.“Everything okay?”

There was genuine worry in his expression, as if he cared about Matty.Maybe he did.They’d spoken for the first time this morning, but they’d spent four hours in the car getting to know each other.Matty had also been watching Sullivan every time he came into pack territory, and he hadn’t yet found something he disliked about the man.

He didn’t dislike what had just happened.He wanted to be protected.He wanted someone to take care of him and to tell his parents to fuck off so that he wouldn’t have to.He’d been strong for years, and he still had to be, but at the same time, he also wanted to be able to rely on someone who would fight for him if he couldn’t.

He was still pressed close to Sullivan, so he didn’t have to go far to hook a hand behind Sullivan’s neck.Sullivan made a surprised sound when Matty pulled him closer to press their lips together.His hands landed on Matty’s hips, and he used his hold to drag Matty close.Their bodies pressed together as closely as their lips were, and Matty sighed in pleasure and relief.

It was ridiculous, but this felt like coming home—arealhome, not the house in front of which they were standing.He’d lived here, but it had never been his home.It had just been four walls that protected him from the rain.There had never been any love here.

But it would be so easy to love Sullivan.

Someone made a sound, and Matty leaned back, blinking.Sullivan watched him like he was something to be cherished, which made Matty feel warm all over.He turned to see his mother staring at him, her hand pressed against her mouth as if she’d just seen something scandalous.His father’s face was so red that Matty wondered if it might explode.Was that something Sullivan could do?He was tempted to ask, but he didn’t really care.

He didn’t want his parents to die.They didn’t matter to him anymore, and he couldn’t care less what happened to them.Still, it was fun to see their reactions.

“I’m ready,” Sabrina said as she bounced down the stairs.She blinked at them, her gaze moving from Matty, who was still pressed against Sullivan, to their parents, who were staring and scowling.“Did I miss something?”

“Nothing you need to know about.Anyway, have I introduced Sullivan to you?”

“Yes.”Sabrina looked even more confused.“You said he was a friend.”

“I was wrong about that.He’s my boyfriend.”

Sabrina squealed and quickly hugged Matty.“Really?That’s so cute.”

Matty glanced at Sullivan, half worried the man would have something to say about them suddenly being boyfriends, even though he was the one who’d started it.It was possible he’d only said that to rile up Matty’s parents.Luckily, he was smiling at Matty and Sabrina, looking both amused and fond.If he hadn’t wanted to end up with an instant boyfriend, he shouldn’t have introduced himself to Matty’s parents that way.

“Ready to go?”Sullivan asked gently.

“I took everything I need.”

Sullivan nodded and reached out to grab two of her bags.He hesitated, then leaned down and kissed Matty’s forehead.“I’m taking these to the car.I don’t know if you want to say goodbye, but if they do or say anything they shouldn’t to you or your sister, just scream for me.”

“I’ll be fine,” he promised.

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