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He cocked a brow, and I could tell he knew I had him there, but then he went and added, “That was before Kai.”
“Before you went a million years wanting him and then hooking up with him before talking to him about how you felt.” I sped up slightly on the machine.
“Don’t call me on my own shit,” Marcus grumbled.
“Yes, Daddy M. Can we get back to the subject of me and Spencer now? So…I’m bringing him home with me on Christmas Eve, then going with him to his parents’ the next day. Fucking weird, isn’t it?” I tried to play it off like I wasn’t freaking the hell out inside. My parents were…hard to explain. It was always stressful for me to go there, and bringing home a guy would make it even worse, but then the fact that it was Spencer made me feel better. He made everything better. How was that for confusing?
“Hey,” Marcus said, reaching over and stopping my frantic rowing. I didn’t realize how fast I was pushing it until he intervened. “You good?” Christ, my arms were hurting.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because you’ve nearly burned the damn rowing machine.”
“Can’t help it if I don’t know my own strength.” I winked.
Marcus sighed. “Are you sure it’s a good idea to bring him home? You seem nervous.”
“Yeah. Maybe it’ll help keep the attention off me.”
Marcus cursed. “You know you don’t have to go there, right? And if you do, I can go with you.”
“So you’re not going to spend time with your boyfriend?” The thing was, I knew Marcus would find a way to make it work if he had to, and be what both Kai and I needed without hurting either of us, but why should he have to?
When would I be able to be there for myself?
Predictably, Marcus said, “I’ll figure it out.” He was incredible like that.
“No.” I shook my head. “I’ll be fine with Spencer. I want him there. He makes things…easier.”
Marcus cocked his head slightly, studying me. “You like this guy a lot.”
I did, and that scared the fuck out of me. “I’ve literally only been hanging out with him a few weeks.”
“So? It’s so funny to me that people put a timeline on everything. And who gets to make the decision about what’s an appropriate amount of time to fall for someone? Or hell, for anything. And why do they get to make those rules for other people?”
He had a point. “When did you get so smart?”
“Be serious.”
“I am being serious. You just jumped up like ten knowledge points out of nowhere. I’m impressed.” Marcus rolled his eyes, so I continued, “Yes. Fuck yes. I do. I like the way he talks to me. We literally sat in bed for hours after fucking, just naked and cuddling and talking while he fed me.”
“He fed you?”
“Yeah, it’s ridiculous. He’s like you about that, always trying to feed me. I eat.”
“You do, but neither of us can pretend you don’t have food concerns, kid. I love you too much to bullshit you about that. It’s a big deal, and it scares me.”
I frowned. “Why would it scare you?”
“Because I love you and I want you healthy.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m in excellent shape.”
“What about up here?” He tapped his temple.
“We’re getting off track. Shouldn’t you be happy for me? I’m dating a man who calls me beautiful and makes me feel it. Who feeds me and is going to meet my parents and who loves to cuddle me as much as I love to cuddle him. Plus, he’s great in the sack. Perfect package.”
Marcus seemed to think this over. “Then I’m happy for you. Always. But I want him at the house.”
Yeah, I knew he did, and I couldn’t say I didn’t want Spencer there too, not only because I liked spending time with him, but because then it would be even. I would have someone too. On the other hand, I wanted to settle into this more first. I wanted to get used to this before bringing everyone in. “After the holidays. You can throw me a birthday party at your house. I know how everyone loves celebrating me.”
He chuckled. “Deal.” And then he wrapped a hand around the back of my neck, tugged me close, and kissed my sweaty temple. “Love you.”
“I love you too.”
We cut our workout short since we’d spent so much time talking. Part of it was also because Marcus tried to keep me from exercising too much. He thought I didn’t know that, but I did.
I just got out of the shower at the gym and was standing by my locker with a towel wrapped around my waist when I checked my phone.
CB: Dinner and cuddle session at my place tonight?
I grinned, a big, stupid, goofy grin.
