Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 82829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
And the one thing he always had was my dad and my grandparents. Grandma bought him things he needed sometimes, and their house was always open to him. When Grandpa passed away, Marshall helped Dad through it better than Mom or I could. Marshall shared everything with my father, and now my dad is going to hate him, and I can’t help feeling responsible.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” I ask Sir before we leave his house. Marshall had wanted to talk to them without me, just him and Dad, but I won’t let him. This involves me just as much as it does Sir, and I refuse to take the easy way out. If he’s going to risk his relationship with my parents, the least I can do is be by his side, try to help them understand and show them how good we are together.
Because we are good.
We’re everything.
“Want to? Not especially, but I don’t see that we have a choice. What kind of man am I if I continue to keep this from someone I love? What kind of friend? Brother? Person? I owe it to John to tell him, and all I can do is hope that somehow, eventually, he’ll understand.”
I can’t help but walk over to him and kneel, right there in the middle of his entryway. “You’re such an honorable man. You make me proud to be your boy. I…I wouldn’t risk this for anyone else.” I say that knowing Marshall risks even more. My dad is going to be pissed at me, there’s no denying that. Mom will be sad and confused. But I know my parents. They would never walk away from me, never turn their backs on me. I can only hope it will be the same for Marshall.
His hand moves to my head and tangles through the strands. Leaning in, I rub my cheek against his thigh, not caring that it’s something a dog would do for attention. I want to show him how much affection and respect I have for him, and this is one of the ways I like to show it.
“Thank you. I’m proud to be your Sir too.”
I nod, and he pulls me to my feet, then takes my mouth in a slow, claiming kiss. There’s hunger in it, yes, but it’s also filled with fear and uncertainty. Marshall is always so confident that it’s hard to taste the worry on his tongue.
“Come. We don’t want to be late.”
He takes my hand, the two of us going to his car. Marshall told my dad he needed to talk to him and Mom. I’m sure they’re going to be confused when we show up together.
We’re quiet as we drive over, the air in the vehicle thick and heavy. I can’t stop my finger from tapping against my thigh, and eventually, Marshall reaches over and places his hand on top of mine. “It’ll be okay,” he says, though it’s clear from his voice that he doesn’t believe it.
“I know.” As much as we’ve discussed honesty, I’m pretty sure we’re both lying right now.
The ride takes much less time than it should. Did all the cars just leave the road to make this happen even quicker?
Marshall kills the engine when we pull into the driveway, then looks over at me. “Are you okay?”
“I should be asking you that.”
“These are your parents.”
“They’re your family too,” I counter.
Marshall pauses, then nods and says, “They are.” And then without another word, he gets out of the vehicle.
My stomach twists, my heart beating too fast as I join Marshall at the front of the car, and then we walk to the door together.
“It’ll be okay,” he says again, quietly, when we reach the door. “Are you sure you want this? If not, we walk away right now.”
“I want it. I want you.”
His pupils widen as he takes me in, a hungry stare I feel like a caress against my skin. I feel his need for me, his desire, like it pulses through the air. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before, and it gives me the courage to motion to the door.
Marshall gives me a barely perceptible nod, then knocks on the door. A few moments later, Mom pulls it open, smiling widely at Marshall, before her gaze snags on me. Her brows pull together.
“What happened? What’s wrong?” The concern in her voice is palpable.
“Nothing’s wrong, Mom.” I step forward and pull her into a hug, breathing in the scent of vanilla lotion she always wears. Please accept this… Accept us.
She nods, but I can see the confusion as she looks back and forth between Marshall and me. She steps back to let us in just as Dad comes down the stairs.
“Hey, Marsh. Oh—this is a surprise. Did you two run into each other outside?” he asks, not even considering that Marshall and I could have come together, and why would he? Yes, he’s like family to us, but we’ve never hung out just the two of us. We never would have shown up at my parents’ house together if there wasn’t a specific reason they knew about.