Page 36 of Ghost of a Chance
Brad reached up and threaded his fingers through the silky strands framing Lionel’s face and felt the tension drain from his body. The throbbing at his temples receded with each inhale of his mate’s scent. “It was, until you kissed me,” he answered when Lionel stopped kissing and helped him out of the truck, then reached for the boxes on the passenger seat.
Keys in his other hand, he used his ass to close the door, encouraging Brad into the house. “Do you want to eat first, then have a bath or—”
“Food, please, I’m starving.” He was. He’d not gotten a chance to eat lunch because he’d not trusted the guys not to start something in his absence.
In the kitchen, the smile that had been absent since he’d stepped into the basement returned thanks to the beer that sat on the counter next to plates and cutlery. “I have told you how special you make me feel when you take care of me like this?” Brad asked, turning to catch Lionel’s blush as he placed down the keys and boxes before fussing with plating the slices of pie to warm.
“Maybe… once or twice.”
Brad chuckled at how flustered Lionel got from the compliment. “You do.” He sat in front of the counter where his beer was and lifted it to take a drink.
The remaining tension disappeared ten minutes later when he tucked into the food, Lionel’s shoulder brushing against him as they sat in companionable silence. Lionel had this ability to know just what Brad needed. Whether it was their mate connection or something more, Brad didn’t know or care, it just was the best thing.
When the donut box was pushed toward Brad, Lionel finally spoke. “Wanna talk ‘bout what happened today?” He stroked a hand down Brad’s arm until he reached his fingers and interlaced their hands, giving it a gentle, encouraging squeeze.
This. God, he loved this, someone to share his day with.
He rested his head on Lionel’s solid shoulder. “One of my guys, Vene, fucked up a wall by plastering it before it was sealed properly. He got into it with Barney, who discovered what Vene had done. It resulted in hours of extra work and the two of them facing off before I intervened, and then I had to babysit them to stop them from fighting.”
Lionel jerked and dislodged Brad’s head. “Fighting? You would have stepped in,” he said aghast when Brad didn’t keep his thoughts to himself.
“It happens very occasionally.” Seeing Lionel’s expression Brad rushed to repeat, “Very occasionally, as in four times since I started working for Dad.”
“I… I… shit.”
Brad slid off his seat and wiggled in between the counter and Lionel so he could climb onto his lap to straddle him. He gave one second’s thought to how dirty he was, then settled on top of Lionel, reaching for Lionel’s cheeks, gently rubbing against the bristles along his jawline. “You don’t have to worry. I swear, it doesn’t happen very often. Usually, my stern ‘don’t-fuck-with-me voice’ does the trick.” He’d developed it over time, and it usually worked a charm.
Lionel’s pinched brow remained. “Let me hear it.”
Brad bit his lower lip at how Lionel’s cock thickened under his bottom. “Take me upstairs and give me a bath,now.”
Lionel shivered, his whole body moving under Brad. The cock, which was semi-hard, went to full mast. “That’s… quite something.” His throat sounded dry, much like he’d swallowed a jar of sand, the way his voice rasped out.
Using it again, Brad growled, “Bath time,now.”
He giggled all the way upstairs as he bounced off Lionel’s body at how fast he moved to obey, carrying Brad.If there was a perk from today’s issue, it was most definitely this.
Chapter Twenty-One
Lionel
Lionel wasn’t nervous about meeting Brad’s parents. Honestly, he wasn’t. He kept telling himself that for most of Saturday morning—silently, of course, because he didn’t want Brad having second thoughts about introducing them.
He had ordered the beers that Brad had suggested. There was a beautiful plant waiting to be taken to the parental home for Brad’s mom. Lionel didn’t know the name of it, but according to the description online, it was apparently very hardy, would growunder all conditions, and was highly suited as a plant that would fit in any garden. So, that had to be a plus point, surely.
It wasn’t like he hadn’t met other parents before. Lionel had been calling Ian’s mom “Mama Kay” since he was in high school. He often got invited to family dinners at Ian’s house and had gone to the beach with them during the summer holiday season more than once. Some of Ian’s siblings were already parents. Maisie was a case in point.
Admittedly, Lionel had steered well clear of Hector’s parents, but everyone did, so that wasn’t unusual. Hector and Morty were about to become parents, and Lionel didn’t see his relationship with them ever changing. A lot of the people he saw as clients or investors also had children, so he’d had a lot of experience dealing with parental people.
He’d just never been in the position of meeting the parents of his significant other. Brad was his first and only significant other. Somehow, just the thought of meeting the people responsible for raising his mate had set a flutter of butterflies in Lionel’s stomach that was still there when Brad suggested he would drive them in his truck.
“I know the way and the best places to park, so it’ll be fine.” Brad’s eyes were twinkling as he took Lionel’s hand and they headed out of the house. “I’ve already put the beer and plant in the back seat. Are you all right? You look a little tense.”
“Are you sure the jeans are a good idea?” Lionel looked down at his legs, worried that the washed-out blue denim was too casual.
“If Dad’s pants don’t have holes in them, I’ll probably faint.” Brad unlocked the truck and opened the passenger door. “My parents don’t stand on ceremony. Besides, your butt looks incredible in those jeans.”
“I think you’re trying to distract me.” Lionel slid into the passenger seat, his heart giving an extra thump at the care Bradshowed closing the door after him before striding around to the driver’s side. Brad was unlike anyone Lionel had dated before—especially in the ways he was so attentive to the little details that made Lionel feel special.
