“You’re still in one piece then?”
“I’ll give you a piece,” I said, voice full of gravel.
“Law!” His words were shocked, his expression something else. Even across the room, I saw the heat in his gaze. He licked his bottom lip, the little minx. He sure as fuck knew what he was doing.
I pointed a finger at him. “Save that for later. You know damn well I can’t do anything about…anything right now.”
Oak made his eyes wide. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not doing anything. It’s you who clearly has the filthy thoughts running through his head.” He cocked a hip and touched his throat. “Dirty, filthy thoughts about what you want to do with me when we’re alone.”
I turned around and walked out the door, just breathing the freezing air, desperately trying to calm down and think unsexy thoughts. Not that I could get anything unsexy to appear in my brain. Because Oak wasright fucking there.
A moment later, I felt his fingers on my back, and when I turned to look at him, his expression was stricken.
“I’m sorry,” he said, voice small. “I didn’t mean to push and—”
“Nope.” I wrapped an arm around him and pulled him in close, loving the way he fit under my chin. “There’s nothing to apologize for and you didn’t push. I just had to come outside and fucking breathe before I attacked you like a heathen.”
“I mean, I’d be okay with that.” Oak snaked fingers under the collar of my shirt to touch my skin. “Attacking could be fun.”
“We’ll definitely play with that. Another time. Amore appropriatetime.” I kissed his nose. “I just wanted to check on you, baby. Grams surprising us wasn’t in your plan, so I want to see where your head is at.”
Oak didn’t speak for several minutes, just kept smoothing his fingertips along my collarbone. I let him work out what he wanted to say. Or process what was going on in his brain. Whatever he needed to do.
“I was worried, you know?” Oak’s voice was quiet, pensive almost. I wasn’t sure if he was actually talking to me, or just, you know, talking. “Not that my grandparents aren’t accepting, because clearly they are. But they also grew up in a differenttime, and, I’m not sure if you’re aware, but there’s a small gap in our ages.”
He glanced up at me through his lashes, and there was a bit of Mulligan Mischief in the blue depths. I gave him a light pinch. “Brat.”
Oak chuckled but after a few seconds, he grew serious again. “And you being divorced and having kids and all. I wasn’t sure if Grams would be against us.”
I nodded, completely understanding. “She’s clearly a little bit worried. Seems to think I’m going to dump my kids on you.”
He scowled, and I probably shouldn’t find it as adorable as I did.
“That’s ridiculous.” His expression smoothed out. “Okay, if I’m honest, the thought crossed my mind. But not, like, wholly formed or anything. Not really. Anyone who spends even five minutes with you and the kiddos knows you’re, like, the most devoted dad on the planet. You’re not gonna pawn them off on anyone.”
“No, I’m not. I’ll gladly take help when it’s needed and when it’s offered. It takes a village and all that. But they have a mom and I would never try to replace her.”
“Of course not.” Oak smiled, then it turned cheeky. “How much are you looking forward to that conversation?”
I chuckled and shook my head. “Cait’s known I was bi since we met. She won’t be shocked about that. Little surprised it’s you, maybe, but….” I shrugged. I couldn’t control what Caitlyn thought about my new relationship. But I would have to tread carefully and take her opinions into account, insofar as they had to do with the kids.
Oak’s brows beetled together. “Yeah. Maybe not.”
“What do you mean?”
He tugged my arm. “It’s freezing out here. Come inside so I can get back to work, and I’ll tell you about it.”
Cait had a break while I was feeding the kids, so she “joined” us for dinner. Harper’s iPad was propped up at one end of the table while they regaled her with stories and ate hotdogs and macaroni and cheese. From a box. Because even though I made a kickass mac and cheese from scratch, they were kids, and their tastebuds hadn’t developed past thinking the box was best. We’d get there eventually.
Once everyone was finished eating, I sent the kids upstairs to brush teeth and change into pajamas. It was early still, but we’d gotten into a routine of watching a movie before bed, the fire going, and snuggled up and comfy under blankets. Eventually the cold weather would pass and that would probably change but we had at least another two solid months, maybe three, before it started to warm up.
“I’m gonna talk to Mom, but I’ll be checking in a few,” I said, shooing them away.
“I’ll make sure Marlie and Tris brush their teeth, Dad,” Harper said, herding her younger siblings to the stairs.
Cait chuckled. “We joke that Harper is a mini-Charlie, but she has a fair amount of you in her too, Law. Always the caretaker.”
I laughed too as I picked up the tablet and carried it through the kitchen and into the laundry room. I shut the door and then turned on the light. Cait raised a brow, then rested her chin in her hand.
