them with a pop. “You didn’t hear this from me, but they’re sort of . . .” Leaning close, he whispered, “Married.”
Dakota sat back. “No shit?”
“You can’t say anything.”
He snorted. “Give me some credit.”
“I know, I know. But I had to say it.”
Tay might’ve looked tired, but was also happy, a far cry from this morning’s exhaustion and last night’s pensiveness. Dakota nodded at the tablet on the table. “What are you working on?”
“Oh.” Sliding it closer, Tay said, “I’m redoing the very first page of my comic.”
“What’s wrong with the way you had it?”
“My style’s changed since I started it in high school. Or . . . hmm. Not changed exactly, but evolved, and I want the early stuff to match the new stuff. So I’m updating the first book.” He paused, then, “Once I finish updating the first book, I’m going to start posting it to Instagram.”
“Yeah?” Man, Tay kept surprising him at every turn. This guy who wouldn’t talk to Dakota about his art not that long ago was gearing himself up to share it with the world? He reached out to lay a hand on Tay’s neck, barely stopping himself in time. “I’m proud of you.”
A blush brightening his cheeks, Tay glanced away. “You inspired me to do it.”
“Me? I didn’t do anything.”
Tay’s eyes were serious when they met his. “You don’t think I know how easy it would’ve been for you to break things off with me when you realized I could be traded and have to leave at any moment? If you can push past your fear, then I can too and share my stupid art with others.”
A breath whooshed out of him at Tay’s words. Why weren’t they having this conversation someplace private where Dakota could kiss him like he desperately wanted to? “Tay.” He threaded their fingers together under the table. “First, your art isn’t stupid. It’s beautiful. And second, it wouldn’t have been easy, I promise you.”
Tay’s eyes were shiny in the overhead lights, their wheat color turning darker, almost gold. They dipped to Dakota’s mouth and lingered. The pad of Tay’s thumb traced figures on the back of Dakota’s hand, shooting tingles up his arm and into the base of his throat. He swallowed against the urge to kiss Tay right here and then drag him home to his empty house.
It’d been much too long since they’d been together.
Wait. Hadn’t Tay mentioned last night before bed that he could move back into his condo now? Was it nearby? Would Tay be up for a mid-day romp? Dakota was totally willing to reschedule his afternoon meeting for a booty call. Hell, he was willing to play hooky for some action that didn’t involve his own hand in the shower.
Having a sex life with a child was hard.
Speaking of hard, Tay’s cock plumped under their hands in his lap, and his smile turned so suggestive, Dakota almost threw caution to the wind and kissed him.
“Hey, kid.”
Two women Dakota’s age with Tay’s hair and eyes sat on the bench seat across from them. Tay let go of his hand with a wink and turned to them, introducing them to Dakota. Tay had the same features and skin tone as his sisters, but whereas Tay was muscled from years of hard training, his sisters were smaller boned although almost as tall as him.
Dakota braced himself to sit through lunch with the two women who’d severely affected Tay’s ability to open up, prepared to come to Tay’s defense if he had to.
“It’s nice to meet you, Dakota,” Anna said, removing her earmuffs. Leaving them and her coat on the bench seat next to her, she raked her pixie cut back into place.
“Yeah, I didn’t actually think you were real,” Stella said, a teasing lilt to her voice. She tossed the end of her long ponytail behind her shoulder.
Tay stiffened. “You thought I made him up?”
The server interrupted to grab their drink orders. As Tay ordered, Anna and Stella shared a loaded glance that spoke of regret. Dakota tucked that into his pocket for later, his protective instincts reducing to a quiet simmer.
Anna nodded at Tay’s tablet after the server left. “What are you working on?”
“It’s nothing.” Tay flipped the cover and tucked the tablet into the backpack at his feet.
Expectant gaze shuttering, Anna slumped at Tay’s shut down.
“Is it your art?” Stella asked with an encouraging smile, picking up where Anna left off. “Mom said you’re still working on the little comic book you started