Jaxson smiled down at him, savoring how Lan unconsciously leaned closer in excitement, all previous embarrassment forgotten. The sweet scent of honey, cherry blossoms, and lilies intensified with his happiness, wrapping around Jaxson like a physical embrace. “Mm-hmm.”
Colt’s sharp gaze caught the movement, his eyes narrowing as he watched Lan practically melt against Jaxson’s side. “That’s… ambitious. Especially with our budget.”
“Speaking of budgets,” Xander cut in smoothly, sliding closer to Lan’s other side until their thighs were practically touching, “I could pick up extra shifts at the bar. Tips have been good lately.”
“Oh my God, can we come too?” Sofia practically bounced in her seat, her excitement making Henry roll his eyes fondly. “I need to see where our precious Lan began his journey to cuteness.”
“If you want to join this circus,” Jaxson drawled, subtly adjusting his arm to keep Lan firmly beside him and away from Xander’s encroaching presence, “you’re funding your own ticket, Sofia.”
“Savage,” Henry whispered, earning a playful slap from his wife.
Nico’s head snapped up like a puppy hearing the treat bag rustle. “Hold up. Last I checked, our vacation fund was as empty as Colt’s inbox on Valentine’s Day.”
Colt’s cushion found its target with sniper-like precision, hitting Nico square in the face. “At least I don’t spend my savings on virtual girlfriends.”
“Not yet,” Jaxson admitted, watching with amusement as Lan tried to dodge being caught in the crossfire of flying cushions. “Give it another three to four months.”
“So you’re saying…” Nico leaned forward, vibrating with the energy of a kid who’d discovered the cookie jar. “We can actually afford a proper vacation? Like, overseas? With stuff and things?”
“No, we’re flying to China to meditate in empty rooms,” Colt deadpanned, though his eyes never left Lan’s animated face. “Of course with ‘stuff and things.’”
“Yeah!” Nico punched the air, nearly taking out Scott’s eye in his enthusiasm. “I’m saving every penny! Those gaming stores won’t know what hit them!”
“And here I thought you wanted to explore your cultural heritage,” Xander teased, using the moment to shift incrementally closer to Lan, his thigh now definitely pressed against Lan’s.
“Speaking of culture,” Colt cut in abruptly, his voice sharp enough to slice sashimi, “dinner’s ready. Unless everyone prefers cooing over baby Lan?”
Wei caught the edge in Colt’s tone and smirked, watching his brothers dance around each other like awkward wrestlers. This trip was going to beinteresting.
The migration to the dining table resembled a stampede of hungry wolves who’d discovered table manners—barely. For the next few hours, they ate, drank, and traded stories that grew more outrageous with each passing glass of wine. The younger ones eventually drifted back to their video games like moths to a particularly explosive flame, with Bree joining in while Lan watched from what he considered a safe distance.
Jaxson found himself constantly aware of Lan’s location throughout the evening, his gaze tracking the boy’s movements with an intensity that would have been embarrassing if he’d been sober enough to care. His body seemed attuned to Lan’s presence in a way that defied explanation—he could sense exactly where Lan was in the room without looking, could feel when he moved closer or farther away.
He wasn’t the only one. Colt’s eyes followed Lan like a hawk watching its prey, while Xander found excuses to brush against him, to touch his shoulder, to lean in close when speaking.
The possessive beast in Jaxson’s chest growled with each contact, each look.Mine, it insisted with increasing urgency.Mine to protect. Mine to possess.
When Henry and Sofia finally left around eleven, the cleanup crew assembled like a well-oiled machine—if that machine was powered by brotherly bickering and questionable jokes. Jaxson was loading the dishwasher when he heard Bree’s voice from the doorway.
“I’m exhausted,” she announced, appearing in the kitchen doorway like a sneaky matchmaker plotting her next move. “Mind if I crash here tonight, Jaxson?”
Lan frowned, pausing in his task of wrapping leftovers. “Where would you even sleep? My room’s basically a glorified shoebox.”
“Oh, that’s easy.” Bree’s smile could’ve given the Cheshire cat competition. “I’ll take your room, and you can sleep in Jaxson’s.”
The temperature plummeted faster than Nico’s gaming scores during a power outage. Colt’s grip on the dish he was drying turned lethal, the muscles in his forearms standing out like cords. Xander’s trademark easy smile crystallized into something that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a glacier. The air crackled with tension thick enough to cut with a knife.
“Actually,” Xander cut in with forced lightness, setting down his towel with deliberate care, “Lan could take my room. I don’t mind the couch.”
“Your bed’s practically a twin,” Colt interjected, voice sharp enough to slice through steel. “He’d be more comfortable in my room. Memory foam mattress.”
“The one that misses you because you’re always face down on your desk?” Xander’s tone was honey-sweet, his eyes anything but.
Wei leaned against the counter, watching this passive-aggressive tennis match like it was premium entertainment, hisdark eyes dancing with unholy glee. “My, my, so many generous offers. Who knew we had such charitable brothers?”
“Lan can use my room!” Nico chirped from the doorway, blissfully unaware he was walking into a minefield. “Just watch out for the controller cables—they’re like my room’s version of trip wire.”
“And risk him breaking his neck navigating your gaming obstacle course?” Colt’s protective instincts flared like a mama bear spotting a threat. “Absolutely not.”