Page 119 of Time to Shine

Casey rubbed his face against Landon’s chest. “We should just tell everyone right now.”

“You’re drunk.”

“Only a little. Hey, you should let me suck your dick.”

“Shh!” Landon darted over to the bedroom door and closed it. “Casey, seriously. Get it together.”

Casey pouted at him. He hoped it was sexy. “I’m really good at it.”

“I’m sure you are,” Landon whispered. “But not right now.”

“Oh yeah. You’re making soup.”

Landon stared blankly at him. Then his lips twitched, and then he laughed. Casey laughed too, though he wasn’t sure why. He liked it when Landon laughed. It never felt mean.

“Casey,” Landon said softly as he stepped toward him, “I like you so much.”

Casey beamed. This was great news. “Aw, I like you so much too!” No, that wasn’t right. “Actually, I think I—”

“I gotta get back down there,” Landon interrupted. There was a definite note of panic in his voice. “So, yeah. Why don’t you rest for a bit? I don’t want you to be sick on Christmas Eve. Drink some water.” He put his hand on the doorknob.

“Okay,” Casey said, feeling like he’d done something wrong.

“I’ll come up to check on you soon. I’ll tell everyone you wanted a quick nap.”

“I’m not sleepy.”

“I know. Just try to rest, okay? For me?”

Casey nodded. “For you.” Then, very seriously, he said, “You won’t make me miss dinner, right?”

“Of course not.”

“Okay good. I want some of those biscuits.”

Landon smiled. “They’re the best. And, um, for the record. When we get home, I wouldn’t mind finding out how good you are at...that thing you mentioned.”

It took Casey a moment. Right. The dick sucking. “You got it, buddy. Anytime.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

Landon closed the bedroom door behind him and jogged down the stairs. Maybe he’d been too bossy about insisting Casey stay upstairs for a bit—everyone was drinking, after all—but Casey was a lightweight and Landon really didn’t want him to be sick for Christmas. And, more urgently, he didn’t want him to blurt out their secret to everyone, and that seemed like a definite possibility. Landon really didn’t want to come out to his parents via his drunk possible boyfriend. If Casey couldn’t be contained, Landon would have to have an emergency talk with them.

Everyone downstairs was as they were before: his parents in the kitchen, the Hicks family lounging in the living room. It would have looked rude, except Dougie and Michelle had insisted this would be the only meal they wouldn’t prepare themselves, and Landon appreciated having a bit of alone time with his parents.

He nodded at the Hickses, hoping his expression said, Your son is fine and I was not just negotiating future blowjobs with him, then headed to the kitchen.

“Everything okay?” Mom asked.

“Yep. Casey is just having a bit of a rest.”

She kept her eyes on the potatoes she was chopping, but she smiled. “Too hard too fast, was it?”

Landon fumbled the scallop he’d picked up. “What?”

“He’s not a big guy. Probably doesn’t take much for him to get drunk.”

“Oh. Yeah, he’s a bit tipsy. And he’s still tired from the back-to-back games, so he’s going to have a nap.”

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