As soon as the door to Landon’s room clicked shut, Ty’s mom spoke in a hushed voice. “Honey, I know you’re angry with Kurt, but he’s under so much pressure with the drought. It’s been a tough couple of years for him. And now with Jess heading to school...”
Ty wasn’t spoiling for a fight with his mom, but he couldn’t let it go. “If we’d talked to a guest the way Kurt talked to Landon—hell, the way Dad talked to him—we’d have been grounded and given extra chores for life. Not to mention the business end of Dad’s belt. Whatever happened to manners? I knew they’d pretty much disappeared in the city, but I figured you still had them out here.”
“Don’t smart-mouth your mother,” his dad snapped.
“No, he’s right.” She was wringing her hands. “I just wanted to explain.”
Ty took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Maybe you can talk to him. Make him understand he’s being selfish.”
“I tried. Your dad and I both tried. It didn’t help. He just got angrier. That’s why he left.”
Ty wondered if his dad had really tried. Somehow, he just couldn’t see it, not after his comment about Landon’s hair. “Happy Easter,” Ty muttered. “I’m gonna pack.”
“Wait.” His mom leaned forward and touched his arm. “You haven’t said if you’re dating anyone.”
“I’m always dating someone.”
“But anyone special?”
Great. Lie or tell the truth? What the hell. Truth. “Yeah, there’s someone special.”
His mom’s face lit up. “Tell me about her.”
“Not enough time. We need to get on the road. If we’re still together next time I see you, I’ll give you the details.” Not that he doubted that he and Landon would still be together. He was just putting off the inevitable.
“You could call,” she chided.
Yeah, he could do that, but phone conversations with his family were always stilted. Hell, he was more comfortable talking to Landon on the phone. And that was saying something, because Landon hated the phone, more so than face-to-face. “I’ll give you a call when I get home tonight if it’s not too late.” Looked like he’d be doing the speed limit and inspecting every gas-station restroom between here and Austin.
“If it’s late, send me an email. That way I’ll see it first thing in the morning, and I won’t worry.”
He couldn’t get over how connected his mom was. She even had a Facebook account. She hadn’t friended him, but that didn’t mean she backed off on the third degree when he was home.
After packing and tossing their bags in the back of the extended cab, Ty hugged his mom and shook his dad’s hand. Landon thanked his parents for having him, shook hands with Dad and tried to shake Mom’s. But she wasn’t having any of that and wrapped him in a hug as warm as she’d given Ty. Landon mimicked the Tin Man as he stiffly bent his arms to reciprocate. Ah well, he’d have to get used to it. Mom was a hugger. Or maybe not, since they’d probably disown Ty when they found out.
They climbed into the cab of the truck, and Ty started the engine. “I’m tempted to kiss you right here and now and get it over with.”
Landon’s eyes widened before he shook his head very slightly. “Huh-uh. If you’re gonna tell ’em, tell ’em. But don’t shove their noses in it.”
“I know.” Ty was torn. He wanted to be done with it. But even after this disastrous weekend, he wasn’t ready to lose his family.
Give them time.
They’ll come around
.
Let them get used to seeing the two of you together.
But that would be difficult, given he only saw his parents a couple of times a year. And if he showed up more often than that, especially with Landon in tow, it was bound to raise their suspicions.
“So what’s it gonna be?” Landon asked.
Ty put the truck in gear. His mom waved in the rearview mirror. His dad stood unsmiling next to her.
Chapter Sixteen
The following weekend was Landon’s family. Even though Landon knew Nikki and Meredith approved, and even though he and Ty wouldn’t have to hide anything, he wasn’t looking forward to it. Another weekend of being social held no appeal for him. What he really wanted was to hang out alone with Ty.
Hailey would be there, too. So it wasn’t just his family, although in a way she was family, since she was Nikki’s sister-in-law. He didn’t know what that made her to him, but he liked Hailey. She was different from his sisters. Tall and willowy, while his sisters were short and petite. Hailey wasn’t as suffocating as Nikki and Meredith either. Jake had gotten the overprotective gene in that family.
There were two upsides to the visit. First, it was only one day, and when the day was done, he and Ty would go back to Ty’s downtown apartment, alone. And second, they were getting the family-meeting-the-boyfriend obligation over with. Not that Landon’s family was meeting Ty for the first time. Just that they were meeting him as part of a couple for the first time, which sounded ridiculous. Damn, this relationship business was complicated and a little silly. Okay, a lot silly.
When he and Ty walked into Jake and Nikki’s entry hall, they were engulfed in hugs. Nikki’s baby bump was finally visible. Landon could even feel the roundness when she hugged him. Hailey looked great, especially considering everything she’d gone through the last few months. He knew for a fact that introducing Hailey’s ménage to the family had been more complicated than introducing his relationship with Ty. Jake had gone ballistic when he’d learned his sister was sleeping with his two best friends. Landon had witnessed it firsthand. Jake had come around quickly enough. He loved Hailey as much as Landon loved Nikki and Meredith. And then there was the bit about Hailey’s ex trying to kill her. Jake couldn’t help but be grateful to the men who’d stood between his sister and death. There were residual shadows in her eyes, or maybe he was imagining them. She was smiling and seemed relaxed. Jake, on the other hand, avoided his gaze when he shook Landon’s hand. And he skipped the usual one-armed man hug. Nothing left to the imagination there.
They gathered around the breakfast bar in the kitchen. Meredith grabbed a couple of longnecks from the fridge and handed them to Ty and Landon. They talked while Jake prepared steaks for the grill.
During a rare lull in the conversation, Nikki asked, “Does this mean you won’t be going to Albuquerque? Or will your long-distance relationship get longer?”
Hailey’s eyes widened in surprise at the mention of her hometown. “You’re coming to Albuquerque?”
“Yeah. It’s just a short sabbatical. Six months.” He glanced at Ty, who was staring at his beer. Landon felt guilty that he’d be leaving so soon after they’d become a couple. They hadn’t talked about the move since Landon had first mentioned the possibility back in February, the day they’d slept together. It was too late to back out now. Still, they had four months before he left. “Then I’ll be home.”
Hailey began talking about all the things he should see and do while he was in New Mexico. Skiing. Not likely. He didn’t have a burning desire to break his neck. He might be an optimist, but he knew his physical limitations. Hiking, on the other hand, would be fun. His stomach growled as Hailey explained the difference between TexMex and New Mexican food. He was always up for eating.
His brother-in-law wasn’t saying much, which was unusual for him. Jake had an opinion on everything and wasn’t shy about sharing it. But today he seemed uncharacteristically obsessed with cooking. Occasionally he cast anxious hazel-eyed glances at Landon and Ty. Definitely not Landon’s imagination. And Nikki threw looks at her husband ranging from pleading to warning.
When Jake carried the steaks out to the back porch, Nikki shooed Ty and Landon out after him. “You’ll have to keep him company,” she said. “The heat’s too much for me and Jake Junior.”
“Seriously?” Landon asked. “You’re gonna call him Jake Junior? Won’t that be confusing?”
“That’s just what we’re calling him until we settle on a name. Now go...unless you’d like a tour of Jake Junior’s room.”
Not just no
,
but hell
,
no.
That held as much appeal as watching them decorate his condo. He shut the door between them.
Jake slapped the meat on the grill, and then the three men sat in the shade of the porch around a rectangular teak slat table, Jake at the head and Ty and Landon on either side of him. After several stilted attempts at conversation, Ty said, “Spit it out, Jake.”
Jake’s eyes widened. “Huh? What do you mean?”
“Something’s bugging. What is it?”
“Nothing,” Jake said then forced a chuckle that sounded like a death rattle. “You’re imagining things.”
Ty’s frown deepened. “No, I’m not.”
“He’s right,” Landon jumped in. They were gonna settle this. Right here, right now. He wasn’t about to let his family treat Ty the way Ty’s family had treated him. “You’ve been giving us weird looks since we walked in the door. And you’ve hardly said two words.”
For such a big man, Jake had managed to scrunch down to normal size in the chair. His arms were crossed protectively over his chest. He spoke slowly, his typically booming voice hushed. “I don’t want to watch two men kissing and holding hands.” His gaze flicked between them before uneasily settling back on his beer. “It’s too weird.”
“Dude, what makes you think that’s gonna happen?” Ty asked.
“Well, you know, because you’re...I don’t know...because you’re...”
“Because we’re lovers,” Ty said flatly.
Jake paled and glanced at the back door, whether as an avenue of escape or because he was afraid of his wife overhearing, Landon didn’t know. “Yes,” he hissed.
“We’re not into PDA,” Ty said. “Neither one of us has a burning desire for an ass-kicking.”
“Although, a little PDA on our parts would be nice payback for all the times I’ve had to watch you hanging on my sister,” Landon added.
Jake jumped up and began pacing. “That’s different, and you know it.”
“You mean if I were a woman, you’d be fine with a little PDA?” Ty asked.
“Yes.”
“So it’s just the man-on-man action that bothers you,” Ty said, his lips twitching, so Landon knew he was enjoying putting Jake on the spot. “You’re not worried about one of us coming on to you?” Ty asked.
Jake’s mouth dropped open in surprise. Obviously that hadn’t occurred to him. And now, thanks to Ty, he had something else to worry about. “You wouldn’t...you’re not...”
“No, we wouldn’t.” Landon bit back a chuckle, but he couldn’t help adding, “You’re not available. Plus, you’re not my type.”
“Mine either,” Ty said wryly.
Jake lifted his gaze to the porch ceiling like he was thanking God for that small blessing.
“But back to the PDA,” Ty said. “Maybe your comfort level would rise with a little exposure.”
If possible, Jake’s face lost more color and he seemed even more uncomfortable.
Landon felt sorry for him. “Shut up, Ty.”
“I’m just sayin’.”
“You’re just giving him a hard time.”
“And you’re not?” Ty grinned, and once again Landon wished they were spending the weekend alone. “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry, dude. I couldn’t resist.”
Landon added, “Come on, Jake. We’ll be good. I promise. It’s like Ty said. We’re not into PDA. Take a load off and drink your beer. It’s getting warm.”
When Jake sat down his expression was contrite. “Look, I’m happy for y’all. Really. I just need to get used to it. I never thought of y’all that way. I mean, let’s face it, you’re not the stereotypical gay couple.” He waved a hand as if trying to erase any objections they might have. “I know, I know. You’re not gay. You’re bi. But this
is
a gay relationship. Give me another week or two. I’ll be fine. This’ll be a piece of cake compared to Hailey’s situation.”
Ty became as serious as Jake. “That sounds fair.”
Landon relaxed, glad that they’d come to some kind of resolution. Unlike Ty’s family, Jake would get past this.
“Can we stop talking about it?” Jake asked. “I hate all this touchy-feely talking crap.”
“Speaking of touchy-feely,” Landon said. “Is Nikki really feeling the heat or did she send us out here to work through this?”
“What do you think?” Jake asked.
Yeah
,
stupid question.
With Nikki pregnant, the day ended early. Ty and Landon were back at Ty’s apartment by eleven, which suited Landon just fine. Especially when Ty flattened him against the wall as soon as the door shut behind them. He didn’t object, didn’t try to wrestle control from him. He’d discovered last weekend when Ty had given him a handjob on the tailgate of the pickup that he liked it when someone he trusted, someone he was comfortable with, someone who wasn’t hesitant or unsure, took charge. He didn’t have to think with Ty. Didn’t have to figure out his next move. Didn’t have to worry about doing it right. He could just relax—as much as was possible with a stiff cock—and feel.
Ty didn’t waste any time. Despite his rough hold on Landon’s shoulders, his lips were light, teasing. The contrast made Landon’s head spin, and he gripped Ty’s hips fighting for balance.
When Landon was past the point of hot and bothered, Ty pulled back, grinning playfully. “That was fun.”
“You’re not stopping,” Landon said. It wasn’t a question.
“I meant spending the day with your sisters.”
“You’re being facetious, right?”
“No, I like you’re family.”
“What about Jake?”
“I even like Jake. I especially enjoyed aggravating him.”
“I could tell. And now you’re aggravating me.” He nudged Ty’s hips, fitting them closer together.
Ty didn’t pretend not to understand. “Just testing to see if you’ll really let me do this.”
“I’ll admit I didn’t think I’d like giving up control. But with you, I do.”
“Glad you approve.” Ty glanced around the room. His gaze landed on the plaid couch. His dimples deepened. “Strip. Place your hands on the back of the sofa and assume the position. You’d better be ready by the time I get back with the condoms and lube.”
Landon didn’t hesitate as the heaviness in his groin grew. He yanked his T-shirt over his head while he strode to the back of the couch. He quickly toed off his tennis shoes, then shucked his jeans and briefs over his hips, hopping on first one foot then the other. Ty’s apartment was carpeted, so the black athletic socks stayed on. He placed his hands on the nubby fabric of the couch, then leaned over, spreading his feet. His cock bobbed and twitched in anticipation. A drop of semen glistened in the slit of the purplish-red tip. Where the hell was Ty? He couldn’t even hear him. If the man didn’t hurry, he’d shoot his load without him. This was still too new. Maybe in a couple of months he’d have more—