“Now you’re thinking like a thief,” Cal said with a grin.
They laughed and bumped each other’s shoulders, smiling when Ben walked into the living room. Unmoving, Ben looked at them, his bedhead sticking up in all directions as his gaze switched between them. Bull sobered and cocked his head, something seemed off in Ben’s eyes, far more than just a need for caffeine.
He straightened as Ben approached, his pulse kicking up a notch at the spark of possessiveness in that steady green gaze aimed at him. Ben stood at his side and grabbed the back of his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. Bull surrendered with a groan, not caring about Cal standing next to him or the way he kept clearing his throat as if he were about to cough up a lung.
Ben pulled away, his pupils dilated as he licked his lips. A moan nearly slipped through Bull’s lips, loving the way Ben always savored the kisses between them. With one last glance over at Cal, Ben turned away and headed into the kitchen toward the coffee pot. Later, when the caffeine hit, Ben would likely apologize. But right now, Bull reveled in the satisfaction of being wanted that much.
“I think he just peed on you.”
“Not sure what you mean.”
“You’re lovin’ that shit.”
Bull held back a grin, watching Ben pull three mugs from the cabinet.
“Bull?”
After a few beats of silence, he tore his gaze away from Ben to look at Cal. “One of his biggest fears is losing you.”
Bull turned his body toward Cal. “Is that a guess?”
Cal shook his head. “He didn’t go into details, but I know something happened this past week that shook him. He’s been avoiding whatever is bothering him by spending more time at the bakery.”
“He was catching up on things, getting ahead on his orders, hoping for your furlough approval.”
“And here I thought you were the bullshitter, not him.”
Bull glanced between Cal and Ben.
“He was giving you space. But that little caveman display of his…” Calvin shook his head. “That’s not him.”
Bull sharply inhaled. Cal was right. Straightening, Bull glanced over at Ben. His head was ducked as he mixed in the sugar, then stirred the coffee in the mug. How had he missed the cues? Bull had been so caught up in his own headspace after the dinner fiasco he hadn’t stopped for a moment to pick up on the change in Ben’s demeanor or the possibility that his father’s words may have lingered in Ben’s mind as well.
Or how Bull’s distance while he dealt with all the post-dinner crap in his head could have been misunderstood as pushing Ben away. Shit.
“Excuse me.” Bull walked around the table and headed toward the kitchen.
The stirring stilled as he neared, almost as if Ben could sense his presence. Bull snaked his arms around Ben’s waist from behind and pulled him close. He slid his hand under the hem of Ben’s shirt and splayed his hand across Ben’s abs, possessively. He ducked his head and pressed kisses along Ben’s neck, nuzzling him.
Ben quickly turned and buried his face at the side of Bull’s neck. With a deep breath, Bull wrapped his arms around the man he loved and cursed himself for being so damn oblivious. Ben inched back, adding space between them.
“I’m sorry,” Ben signed. “I got scared.”
He leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on Ben’s lips. “I’m sorry,” he signed.
Ben shook his head. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I kept my distance this week, burying my nose in work. And that wasn’t fair to you. Seeing my father always messes with my head. But this time was different…you were there for me.” He finished signing, took Ben’s hand, and then pressed it to his pounding heart. Ben’s breath hitched as he stared at his hand on Bull’s chest. He glanced up, the hope screaming from his green eyes.
“That’s what you do to me,” Bull signed. “Only you. Always.”
He ran the back of his fingers along Ben’s jaw and down his neck, telling him he loved him in their private way. Ben threw his arms around Bull’s shoulders and exhaled a shaky breath.
Bull glanced over to his worktable when his laptop chirped with a call. He pulled out of the embrace and grabbed his coffee mug in one hand and held Ben’s hand in the other, gesturing toward the table with a tilt of his head. Ben grabbed the two mugs in his other hand and let Bull lead