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He leaned back over me to kiss me sweetly, and I brought my hand up to cup the back of his head. After a few moments of enjoying each other’s lips and tongues, Bennett pulled back and smiled down at me.
“How’s your poor little virgin hole?” he asked.
I took stock of how I was feeling back there and winced. “Not so virgin anymore. I think you might need to kiss it and make it better later.”
Bennett let out a laugh. “Gladly. Now c’mon,” he said, climbing off the bed and reaching out for me. “Quick shower, then coffee.”
When we were finally settled with coffee and half-empty plates of scrambled eggs at the kitchen table, I took a sip of my coffee before asking, “Are the kids with Gary today for the ropes course?”
“Yeah. Aiden and Jake went to watch. Along with Kimberly and Larry, the other chaperones from the foundation. Why?”
“Just making sure they’re in good hands. I was hoping to take you with me to meet Aunt Lolly.” I set the mug down and reached for his hand. “But first, let’s talk about Lucky. I know you’re worried about him.”
Bennett’s eyes found mine, and I felt my heart squeeze. “C’mere, baby,” I said softly, pulling him off his chair and over to the sofa in the main room. I sat down and pulled him into my lap. I wrapped my arms around him and held tight. “I want you to know without a shadow of a doubt that I’m with you. We’ll figure this out together. You’re not alone.”
His body trembled as I held him. “What if they’ve hurt him? What if I have to take him home to them, Xander? I can’t do it. I won’t.” He looked up at me with defiance.
I brushed a kiss onto his forehead. “We’ll talk to him tonight to find out exactly what’s going on, and you won’t have to take him home to them if there’s even a hint of abuse.”
Bennett snuggled back into my chest, and I knew his mind was going a million different directions.
“Benny, did you ever think about taking in Lucky yourself?” I asked as an idea began to take shape in my mind.
His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Well, yeah. I mean, I daydreamed about it, but I’m a single guy who works sixty hours a week. That’s hardly a good situation for a kid to come home to. Not to mention the fact I’m gay, and my parents would never accept it. I just assumed it wasn’t even something I could seriously consider.”
“What if you weren’t single?” My question caused him to turn his head to look at me.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I don’t plan on losing you again, which means I’m going back to New York with you, whether you like it or not,” I said with a smile. “You won’t be alone anymore. The two of us can take care of Lucky together.”
Bennett sat up quickly, nearly toppling off my lap with the momentum. I reached out to keep him from going too far from me.
“You… wait, what? You want us to foster Lucky together? Like a real family?” His eyes had gone wide, as if he was too afraid to hope for what I was suggesting.
“No, baby,” I said. Bennett’s smile began to fade, so I continued quickly. “I didn’t mean foster him. I meant we can try to adopt him. If he wants us, that is. We’d have to ask him—”
Bennett launched himself at me with a yelp before squeezing his arms tightly around my neck. I automatically brought my arms around his back to hold him tight. My heart was racing from seeing him so excited, and I wondered how many other times in our lives I’d be lucky enough to see that raw joy on his face.
“Xander, are you serious right now?” He breathed against my ear. “It’s okay if you aren’t, but I don’t want to get my hopes up if you—”
“Yes, Benny. Of course I’m serious. Lucky is a great kid, and he deserves a great dad like you.”
Bennett pulled back to look at me, eyes shining with unshed tears. “Like both of us.”
My chest tightened. “Think so? I wouldn’t be a terrible parent?”
“Of course not. You and I learned from the best, after all. Didn’t we?” His eyes were locked on mine, and I knew he meant my dad— the man who’d taken us to see our favorite bands in concert, who’d taken us to Yankees games, who’d taught us how to fish and how to light a campfire. The man who’d loved both of us unconditionally and had taught us the value of hard work and dedication to family. The man who’d let us be together without a shred of judgement. If Bennett and I were able to become good fathers, it would be because my dad had shown us by example. I felt my throat close up.
