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“I’m getting my laptop,” Marcus answered.
“No! You said you’re taking the day off. You leave this room, and I’ll tackle you.”
“I’ve been working with you all morning.” He quirked a brow.
“That’s different. It’s not your job. If you walk out of this room, Marcus Alston, I’ll jump on your back and stay there all day.”
He crossed his arms. “I don’t think you realize people don’t talk to me like that.”
“Yes. So you’ve told me before, but I do.” I pointed to a chair. He walked over and sat in a different one, smirking. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. Still, I loved this version of Marcus.
We talked while I pulled out all the ingredients and started whipping up my mama’s recipe. He didn’t speak as much as me, but he didn’t work and he didn’t walk away either.
The food was perfect, both the waffles and the chicken a golden brown I had to admire for a moment because I was proud of it. I handed him a plate and nodded toward the door. “Outside?”
Marcus shrugged but went with me.
The sound of the ocean danced along the air as we sat outside, eating our food. “Fuck…good, right?” I asked around a bite.
“I can’t complain. Who knew you had it in you?”
“I’m ignoring that. Cooking was always how we brought the family together, whether it was cookouts or all of us piling around the table to eat. When we were having a bad day, my mama would take us out to ice cream, even if we couldn’t really afford it. Both my folks would sacrifice what they needed for us. Kinda how you do with your friends.”
He frowned as he finished chewing. “I don’t do that.”
“There you go being a liar again.” I smiled. “When I was a kid, I woke my folks up with breakfast in bed every birthday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and shit like that. Food is amazing for bringing people together.”
“Why is this the first time you’ve cooked since you’ve been here?”
I shrugged. “It’s your house. You always grill when your friends are here. I didn’t want to intrude.”
“You live here, Kai. You’re not intruding.”
I trembled, his words washing over me. “It’s hot when you say my name.”
“Be good.”
“You’re always telling me that.”
“You never listen,” he countered.
“Because you don’t really want me to.” I scooped another sweet bite into my mouth, and Marcus turned his attention back to his food too.
We sat there together after we finished eating. The afternoon passed faster than it felt like it should. He told me more about his work, the houses he was showing, and how much real estate he had—sometimes renting, sometimes selling, but they were all revenue streams for him.
“You should be proud of yourself, Marcus. I love seeing anyone succeed, but it’s extra special when it’s people who look like me.”
“I started out with more than a lot of people.”
“That doesn’t diminish what you’ve accomplished. You worked for it the same way as your parents worked for it…the same Jalen did with his electrician program or Faith did in nursing school.” I felt really fucking behind right then, but I reminded myself that I would be moving to Atlanta soon, getting my own place and managing what would be a very popular gay bar. That was something. When he didn’t respond, I said, “Let’s go swimming.”
“You were serious about that?”
“You live on the beach, Marcus! We’re taking advantage!” I pushed to my feet, took his hand, and pulled him up.
We went inside to change. Marcus had a cabinet for towels outside, so we grabbed some before making our way to the gate that led to the sand.
There were people down the beach in the distance, but no one close. We laid our towels out, and then I took his hand again. “We’re just going to run and dive in.”
“Are we suddenly twelve?”
“No. We’re fun. On the count of three. One…”
“This is dumb.”
“Two…”
“I swear you’re like a younger version of Corbin.”
“Three!” I said, and he didn’t hold back. Marcus ran with me, water splashing up our legs until we were deep enough to dive in. It was cold as shit, and the second I broke the surface, I was shivering.
“Wow, you big baby,” he said, clearly able to tell. I was about to tell him to fuck off, but then he grabbed me and pulled me into his arms, and oh, it was very, very nice there.
Chapter Fifteen
Marcus
I didn’t know how Kai was able to get me to do half the things he did. I just…did them. Yeah, I argued and pretended I wasn’t going to, but I always gave in and likely knew from the start I would.
“Mmm, this is nice, baby,” he said as I squeezed him tight. He was trembling, his body getting used to the water. While yes, he was sexy as fuck and I wanted to touch him, I had ulterior motives too. As he nuzzled in, getting comfortable, the waves pushing us along, I dunked him, keeping ahold and pulling him up again. “You asshole! That was cheating! I was distracted by your body!”
