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“It’ll sure be nice to have you around,” Sam added. “We can hire you on at the farm if ya want. Of course, things gotta get goin’ more for that.”
“I love you guys, but no. I think I’m too pretty for that kind of work every day.”
“You sayin’ I ain’t pretty?” Sam countered.
“Too pretty for this guy.” Charles pointed to Emerson, who gave him the finger. Everyone laughed again.
Like the night we went to dinner with Raya and Kim, it felt so strange to be a part of something like this, but as everyone continued talking and joking—Charles placing his hand on my nape and brushing his thumb against the sensitive skin there—I realized that like I so often was when it was just the two of us, I was at ease.
“Y’all have done a great job with the house,” Sam told Sutton and Jasper. The sun had disappeared from the sky a long time ago. It was now black with stars as far as the eyes could see.
There were string lights stretching between the trees around us, lanterns with scent that helped keep the bugs away. It wasn’t cold out, of course, but we still had a fire going like Charles and I usually did at home, as the six of us sat around talking. We’d gone in earlier so Sutton and Jasper could show us some of the work they’d started doing inside as well. They were working hard to make this place their own.
“It’s comin’ out good. Been fun to do it too, except Sutt is too damn picky,” Jasper said, earning a round of chuckles.
“Do you know us? I basically do anything you want all the time,” Sutton replied.
“He has a point,” Sam added his two cents.
I wasn’t sure it was possible for most folks to love like Jasper and Sutton did. My nephew would go to the ends of the earth for Jasper. Not that Jasp wasn’t the same, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I saw it more from Sutt. We were a lot alike, Sutt and I. He would have spent his whole life loving Jasper and watching him live his best life if Jasper hadn’t loved him back. And when he was lucky enough to get that love in return, there was nothing he wouldn’t do for Jasp, nothing he wouldn’t give him, and Jasper knew that and felt the same.
I looked at Charles, who gave me a playful wink. I reached over and took his hand, just needing to feel him. There was something about touching him that always made everything better. His words from earlier hit me, him announcing he was moving here, asking where else he would be, because I was there, and for whatever reason, this incredible man loved me.
What am I giving him?
The song playing in the background switched to one I didn’t recognize. It was slower, with a soft guitar melody. The change in Charles was clear, though. His easy smile tugged at his lips in that contagious way that made me do the same.
“I love this song.” And then, as if without a second thought, he stood up, still holding my hand, and pulled me up with him.
“What are we doin’?” I asked.
“You’re gonna dance with me, sweetheart.” He turned to the others. “You guys get your asses up too.” There wasn’t a doubt in my mind the last part was said for me. That he wanted to dance with me, but he wanted to make me more comfortable doing it. Was there a better man in the world than him? I wasn’t sure there was.
Sam was the first one to jump to his feet, which didn’t surprise me at all, followed by Jasper. While all my instincts were telling me not to do this—that it wasn’t my thing, and since when did I dance by a fire to the sounds of music and crickets?—I couldn’t deny there was a small ember burning inside me to do it, one I knew was only sparked by Charles. And when I reminded myself of all those things he did for me, it sparked another and another, each of them burning brighter and making me give him a simple nod.
“Put your arms around my shoulders. I’m leading,” he said, and I did. Charles pulled me close, arms hugging my waist, hands running up and down my back. “Thank you.” He kissed my throat as we moved together. “Paul loved this song. It made me want to be closer to you.”
His words were only for the two of us. I was sure the others were dancing as well, but it was almost like I blanked out everyone around us.
“You don’t gotta thank me for nothin’.” I should be the one thanking him…for everything.
We swayed together, Charles taking us in a small circle, hand sliding under my shirt and dancing along my bare back. He felt so good against me, breath warm on the tender skin of my neck. I let my hands roam him too, twining fingers in his hair, then skating down to his lower back, just savoring Charles and these moments I never would have had if not for him.
