Page 13 of Liberating Love

“Dad, we could have helped you load the truck this morning,” Jovany says.

“I know, son. But you all worked this week, plus put in time with me to paint, and now you’re giving up a day off to help me move in here. I didn’t want you to have to get up at the crack of dawn with me.”

What I don’t tell him is that I had been worried what I would find in the storage building. My ex-wife had been the one in charge of deciding what I got to keep since I’d been in jail, and my lawyer had taken care of the transport and storage. There had been no guarantee that I wouldn’t get in there and find something that would hurt the kids or that they just didn’t need to see. I hadn’t been far off since the only baby book I’d found this morning was Jameson’s. I assume she has Jovany’s, and with how well my sons are getting along, that could have been a set-back in their relationship and would have definitely hurt Jameson no matter what.

Holds chimes in, “Gavin and I plan on putting the kitchen together. I have the shelf liner in the car. I bought a nice blue plaid pattern to match the color of the walls in the kitchen.”

“Holds,” I scold. “I told you not to spend money or go out of your way. If I need something, you need to let me know.”

Jameson rolls his eyes. “Dad, don’t even bother. He’s so excited to help you set this place up.”

Jovany smiles fondly at Holds. “Yep, even I know better than to take on Holds. And where are Drix and Gavin?”

“Gav just text me. They’ll be here in a few. They picked up Aiden and then stopped for coffee and muffins at a coffee shop by his house.”

My heartbeat speeds up at the sound of Freckles’s name. “I didn’t realize Aiden was coming.”

“Yeah, of course. I don’t know what was going on with him for those couple of weeks after Thanksgiving, but he’s back to normal now, for the most part anyway.” Holds and Jameson communicate silently with their eyes, but I know what they’re thinking. Aiden did show at Drix’s for Christmas with his famous brownies, and he’d even attended a game night on New Year’s Eve, but he’d been jumpy and self-conscious. I had done my best to stay out of the room when he’d come to Jameson’s, but Holds really likes us all to sit down together for meals, and thankfully, except for that first night he’d eaten at Drix and Gavin’s, I’d been able to make plans so he could enjoy himself. That’s how I had ended up with this place. An old friend, Dwayne from high school, had reached out to have dinner, and I’d jumped on the chance to be out when Aiden had plans with the others, and by the end of the night, Dwayne had offered me one of his rentals.

To cover my anticipation about Aiden being in my house, in my space, I say, “Let’s get that truck unloaded.”

We’ve only made a couple of trips inside when my son’s three friends arrive. Instead of stopping and ogling Aiden like I’m dying to, I greet them as I pass by and thank them for coming to help, then carry the couple of stacked boxes in my arms inside. They’re marked clothes, so I carry them up to my room and when I come back down the stairs, Gavin yells out, “Jovany, get in here. We got coffee, but A said it’s a sin to go into the coffee shop by his house and not try the muffins. He insisted we get a couple of each, and they’re delicious.”

For an instant, my heart warms thinking that Aiden was upset that I didn’t get to try the sweet treat while I was with him, but I brush off that ridiculous notion immediately. Aiden didn’t insist on bringing muffins because he wanted—or maybe he did, if the blush staining his face is any indication. They’ve cut the assorted muffins into several pieces, but I bypass the blueberry, poppyseed, and banana nut for a crumb cake muffin. The springy bit of heaven’s brown sugar and cinnamon topping melts in my mouth. I allow a low moan to slip past my lips, capturing Aiden’s attention. Once his gaze is fixed on me, I dart my tongue out to lick a crumb off of my lip, drawing his attention down to my lip. I smother my snort.Friends. What was I thinking?

He gasps inaudibly and spins toward Holds. “So where do you need me?”

“Why are you asking him? It’s my house,” I say to the back of his head.

There’s snickering which ramps up when Jovany says, “I may not have been around long, but even I know Holds is in charge.”

“Getting you all set up is our new project,” Gavin adds.

Drix claps me on the shoulder. “It’s better to not fight it. Just go with the flow. I promise, it’s easier that way.”

That gets Holds and Gavin started in on their respective boyfriends, but my attention is zeroed in on Aiden as he fidgets between self-consciously breaking off tiny bites of his muffin and sticking them into his mouth and sipping at his coffee. He keeps his expression neutral, but I can see the tremble in his hand each time it lifts to his mouth. The rise and fall of his chest in his tight as sin t-shirt is proof of his labored breathing, and my desire to see him stretched out across my bed multiplies.

Clearing my throat, I speak over the good-natured bickering, “Hey, Hendrix, Gavin, and Aiden, how about a tour?”

The first two agree instantly while Aiden gives a quick nod of his head and shuffles in place. “Come on,” I say directly to him. I give them a quick tour of the downstairs, which really only means showing them the half-bath that’s not visible from the front door. With the open floor plan, you can even see out the big bay window in the kitchen into my small fenced-in patio space from the entrance.

We all troop upstairs, with Aiden following up in the rear. I wait at the door to my room so once Hendrix and Gavin walk all the way in, Aiden is next to me. “One thing I like about this place is how big this master bedroom is,” I say. “I ended up finding a great deal on a king-sized bed. It’s going to be glorious stretching out on it at night. Plenty of space.” I side-eye Aiden who’s eyes widen while he pretends to be unaware of me.

Hendrix says, “That sounds awesome.”

Gavin asks, “Well, when is it all going to be here? Holds and I can get the kitchen done and then move up to your room. You need a nice space to sleep in for your first night.”

“As soon as we decide who’s going, we can get all of the furniture and set up.”

Gavin blurts, “I’ll go. Get the furniture that is. With whoever.”

Before I can think of an excuse to protest, Hendrix says, “Good idea. We can do the pick-ups so the brothers can stay here and help their dad.” He laughs. “But they can unload between trips.”

Gavin strokes his hand over his boyfriend’s bicep. “I don’t know, I think you could handle carrying it all both ways.” With a thankfully less-flirtatious look at Aiden, he says, “And you may not flaunt it like Jameson and Drix, but your body is pretty fabulous, too. All muscly and stuff.”

Fuck yeah, it is. Aiden glances at me, and I don’t hide the heat in my eyes as my gaze travels up and down his body. My cock stiffens thinking about the soft luscious skin under his clothes. My thoughts run away with me as I remember licking from freckle to freckle and between his ab muscles. When Freckles beats a hasty retreat from my room, Drix says to Gav, “You know he’s shy. Be nice.”

An unrepentant Gavin retorts, “Well, I can’t help it his body keeps getting more and more delicious. If he doesn’t want to be noticed, he should stop hitting the gym with you guys.”

---