“Okay.” Connor sighed dramatically. “But carry at least one to show off for me? I really want to see those biceps at work.”
“You mean these?” Early flexed, pecs tensing.
“Hell, yeah.” That drew Connor right to him, fingers sliding over his chest. “Damn, honey.”
“It’s been good for my dad bod, having physical work to do.”
“I’m not complaining.” Connor kissed one flexed bicep before he relaxed, then sat back down to eat. “I wonder if I’ll tan? That would be cool. I hope so, I don’t want to spend what little is left of the summer bathing in sunscreen.”
Connor would, though. It would take a while for that pale, nine-to-five skin to get used to being out in the sun more often.
“There’s a shade we can pull out if you need to. First, breakfast. Here or out on the deck with the boys?”
“Let’s go watch the boys from the deck while we eat. But no shade, I’m going try to tan, dammit.” Connor scooped up his plate in one hand and his coffee in the other.
Early followed along, laughing as the immediate “Dad! Watch me! Dad! Dad! Lookit!” started.
“I’m watching!” Connor did watch, eyes on the boys as he sipped his coffee, his breakfast forgotten. “Hey, nice dive, Jayden!”
“I can swim all the way across, Dad.” Jaxson pushed off the side and swam.
“You’re a fish, Jax.” Connor was all smiles. “This is amazing.”
“They sleep like the dead, darlin’.”
“Have you registered them for school, or is that my first job on the ranch?” Connor winked at him.
“I thought we ought to do that together. I want the community to get to know you. I went to school with the principal of the elementary the boys will go to, for chrissake.” Early’s grin was sheepish. “In fact, she was the first girl I ever kissed.”
“Oh, I cannotwaitto meet her. How old were you?” Connor finally remembered his French toast and dug in. “We can compare notes.”
“Fourteen. It was spin the bottle at a party. I thought I’d die.” Early chuckled. Man, he’d been so confused, so worried about what he was—or wasn’t—feeling, so friggin’ at sea it wasn’t funny.
“Aww. Man, if I’d been at that party…” Connor chuckled. “I knew exactly what was up by fourteen. I’d have been praying that bottle landed on me.”
“I didn’t know. Ididknow that I didn’t know. I was so damn confused.”
“I’d have straightened you out.” There was a hint of heat in Connor’s words.
“Oh, I don’t know about straight…” he shot back. This was what he’d missed over the last few weeks.
“No, you’re right about that. But you’d have been a lot less confused, I can promise you that. I wonder if she could tell? Women are smart like that.”
“Yeah. She was a good friend. She covered for me a couple of times, then I came out to my folks.” Early remembered how calm they both had been, how he’d been so scared, and Momma and Pop had simply asked if he had someone they needed to meet.
“I know that story. One of many reasons they’re the best in-laws ever.”
“They are. That and Momma makes good French toast.”
Jayden came up to the edge of the pool. “Glad you’re home, Dad. I missed you.”
“I missed you too. I just—you know what?” Shockingly, Connor jumped up, stripped off his T-shirt and PJ bottoms and jumped in the pool in his undies.
“Dad!”
Connor just laughed and chased Jayden across the pool.
Oh. Fucking A.