Risking the Shot (Stick Side #4) - Amy Aislin Page 0,81
flurry of warmth. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“But you could.”
“No, I . . .” Tay blinked, seeming to understand where Dakota was coming from. “I . . .” He took a step back. Opened his mouth. Closed it again. His shoulders dipped, and he looked so utterly lost, Dakota wished he hadn’t said anything. “I guess . . . I guess I could. Do you . . .” His gaze trailed past Dakota to the foyer, color draining from his cheeks. “Do you want me to go?”
“No.” Dakota pulled him back in, one arm over his shoulders, the other across his back, holding him in place. “No, never.”
“Are you sure?” Tay whispered from Dakota’s neck.
“I’m sure.”
The future was unpredictable, a blank slate. He was willing to risk it to be with Tay.
He kissed Tay’s temple, his cheek, eventually finding his mouth. Tay hadn’t shaved in a couple of days and his scruff scritched against Dakota’s, the only sound in the silent house. His mouth was warm and lazy. Tay’s kisses were like a drug, and Dakota wanted much more than a simple kiss, much more than Tay’s hands in his hair, much more than his own hands splayed over Tay’s back. He wanted to spread Tay out again, undress him slowly, tease him into a frenzy, and then give him such an orgasm that he passed out afterward.
Gentling the kiss with a final peck to Tay’s wet lips, Dakota said, “Would you really have left if I asked you to?”
Tay kissed the corner of his mouth with a smile. “Yes. But I would’ve tried talking you out of it the entire walk to my car. And then tomorrow I would’ve shown up with scotch as a bribe. All of it.”
Snorting a laugh, Dakota hugged him again. “All the scotch in the world?”
“Mm-hmm. Now, come on.” A kiss landed on Dakota’s cheek. “Sit and tell me what happened.”
Right. Dinner had arrived right after Fiona left, and after that, Tay and Andy had worked on Andy’s 3D castle puzzle, after which Dakota had put Andy to bed. He hadn’t had a chance to tell Tay why Fiona had come.
“Hell no, not the couch.” He pulled Tay toward the stairs. “My back can’t take a second night on there.”
Upstairs, he left his bedroom door open. They lounged against the wooden headboard, Tay next to him, his back leaning against Dakota’s chest, Dakota’s arm around his shoulders.
“How was Andy?” Dakota asked once he’d explained everything. “When he came back outside?”
“Distracted.” Tay loosely grasped Dakota’s wrist. His hair tickled Dakota’s chin. “A little worried. He asked if I thought she’d come to take him home with her. I said probably not since you hadn’t talked to him about it. That seemed to calm him down.” He tilted his head back to peer at Dakota upside down. “Was that okay?”
“That was perfect. I’d never send him to Fiona’s without asking him first. Not that he’d go. Last time he tried to stay the night with her, he called me just after ten to come pick him up.”
“Too young for sleepovers, you think?”
Dakota grunted. “He sleeps at Calder’s just fine.”
“Oh yeah. I forgot about that.” Tay’s thumb slid over the pulse point on his wrist, shooting goosebumps up his spine. “How are you? With Fiona’s move?”
Sighing, Dakota stared at the ceiling. “Nothing’s going to change. We don’t see her at all anyway. Having her across the country won’t make a difference. I don’t get why she doesn’t want to be a mom to Andy, but . . .” He blew out a breath. He’d never understand, but like his therapist had said, there was no use dwelling on it.
“I don’t either,” Tay said, playing with Dakota’s fingers. “He’s a pretty great kid.” There was a smile in his voice when he continued. “I saw him put a puzzle piece in my backpack today.”
A creak in the hallway where Dakota had left the lights on low, then a shadow against the wall.
“Andy?”
A tiny figure appeared in the doorway, squinting against the light, rubbing one eye with a fist. Sleep creases marred one cheek, and he held Helix under his arm.
“Hey, little man.” Tay held out a hand. “Come snuggle. Your dad makes a surprisingly comfy pillow.”
Dakota scooted down, lying flat on his back, as Andy crawled between them both and lay with his head on Dakota’s shoulder. Tay shifted onto his side and snuggled into Andy’s back, the bottom half of his face hidden by Andy’s head.