Love Him Free (On the Market #1) - E.M. Lindsey Page 0,92

Simon to know that regardless of whether or not the food was good enough to write home about—it was for him. It was all about him.

James didn’t try to say anything else, but he strolled with him to the vegetable section. They pantomimed a couple of things—almost like small talk. He wasn’t sure James would ever really put in the effort of learning his language, but he had to admit—the company was nice. After the night before, Rocco was still reeling a little.

He spent half the night questioning whether or not he really should be there. If Simon had wanted to end things, it’s not like Rocco had any ties to Cherry Creek. But James being there with him felt like some sort of connection, or maybe an olive branch. It felt like other people were making an effort to help him feel at home, and that mattered.

Rocco started to lead the way toward the bakery, but James grabbed his arm and gave his head a firm shake before pulling out his phone again.

‘Levi will MURDER you if you bring Simon store-bought. He’ll make dessert if you want it.’

Rocco couldn’t help but laugh at the realization he was stepping into a family of bakers—one with a shop, for now, and one with a truck. He glanced back at a pile of strawberries in boxes, then signed it. “Strawberry,” he clarified. “And whipped cream?”

James raised a brow, then flushed, and Rocco realized the food kink possibilities. Not something he’d ever been into off-camera, but with Simon, anything was possible. And everything. Not tonight, though. He didn’t want this to be about sex. He wanted this to be a moment where he showed Simon—with more than words—what he meant when he said he was falling for him.

He grabbed two boxes, and a little spray can of the cheap whipped cream, then started toward the checkout. He was eyeing a small bin of single-serve applesauce packets when a person came around the corner, and Rocco’s entire body froze.

Eric’s smile was too familiar, the glint in his eyes a painful reminder of what he’d walked away from. Rocco had wondered since he got to Cherry Creek what he’d do if he came face to face with Eric again—how could he not? But he felt nothing at first. And then, a simmering resentment of so damn many years wasted.

‘I was hoping I’d run into you,’ Eric signed.

Normally, Rocco would have been able to breathe easier with someone as fluent as Eric, but now he just wanted to break his fingers to silence him after what he’d done to Simon. ‘Why? You could have texted instead of creeping around town and lying.’

Eric’s brow raised. ‘Is that what your little boy-toy told you I did?’

Rocco’s entire body was thrumming with furious energy. ‘No. He didn’t tell me anything.’

Eric looked mildly amused until Rocco saw James say something out of the corner of his eye. Eric snapped back, and James laughed.

‘What did he say?’ Rocco demanded.

Eric gave him a mean look. ‘Not your business.’

He was doing it to be cruel, to leave Rocco out, to remind him that he had the power of hearing. Eric had rarely used that against him, but this wasn’t the first time. It was, however, a reminder of why Eric had never been a good person. He had never been a person worthy of Rocco’s love. Rocco had just spent years ignoring that part of his ex.

‘You need to leave,’ Rocco told him.

Eric scoffed. ‘You don’t have the right to demand that.’

Darting a glance at the checkout, Rocco realized they’d gained an audience. Chances were, he was being loud. He rarely bothered to control whether or not he made noise anymore—especially when he was angry, and right then, he was furious.

James tapped him on the shoulder and the look on his face was one of concern.

“Can you pay for me?” he asked. “I’m going to have a word with Eric outside.”

James nodded, and took Rocco’s offered card before fixing Eric with a hard look and pushing toward the line. Rocco didn’t bother to wait and see if Eric followed, he just marched out and around the corner where they could have some semblance of privacy.

‘Look at you,’ Eric signed when Rocco stopped and turned to face him. ‘Voicing for the hearies.’

Rocco took a step closer to him, and the rage on his face finally gave his ex pause. ‘You are hearie. You’re worse than them, because they don’t withhold communication to make themselves