Page 31 of High

That perked him up. He sat straighter in his chair. “French toast?”

“With strawberries and blueberries and maple syrup.” I opened a drawer and pulled out a whisk before pointing it at him. “Don’t doubt my skills, hermoso. I might be the jefe, but I can still teach myself how to cook.”

He grinned, showing me his sharp white teeth. “We’ll see. I’ll be rating it out of ten.”

I shook my head and placed my hand over my chest. “I get no appreciation. All the things I do for you.”

Manny slapped his palm on the island counter, his grin widening. “Come on now, I’m hungry. I don’t have all day.”

I laughed. “I should put you over my lap and spank you.”

His cheeks turned a bright red and he ducked his head. My own blood warmed at the thought of what we’d done not so long ago upstairs, how I’d given his asscheeks a smacking that had made them turn rosy just like his face was now. My cock twitched and my belly swooped in excitement. I wanted to do it again.

“You should,” he said quietly, the darks of his eyes expanding.

“Later. Right now, lunch.” I winked at him and turned my back, cracking a couple of eggs into a bowl before adding in the vanilla. I cranked on one of the stove burners before mixing the eggs and vanilla together. I grabbed a cast-iron pan wide enough to fit two pieces of brioche and placed it on the stove. I dipped the bread in the mixture and then dropped it into the pan.

I’d studied the recipe since the Paris trip, the one and only vacation we’d taken alone before Manny was kidnapped by his father. I’d always wanted to make this for him, but I’d never gotten the chance, not until now. It was such a simple recipe that no one could fuck it up, not even me.

“Are you going to tell me what happened outside?” I asked as I flipped the bread. I glanced at him, and he stared right back, raw emotions flickering in his eyes before he dropped his gaze to his hands on the counter. He was picking at his thumbnail, something he did whenever he was nervous.

“It’s stupid.”

“It’s never stupid.” I turned back to switch off the stove and pulled the toast out, placing the pieces on the plate I had on the counter beside me. I grabbed some berries and cut them, scattering them across the toast before I drizzled syrup over it. Happy with how it looked, I turned and placed it in front of Manny. “French toast for you, monsieur.”

Manny laughed when I passed him some cutlery. “It looks delicious.”

I strode around to his side and took the seat beside him. “Okay, while you eat. Tell me why you panicked.”

He sighed. “Papá locked me in my room for nearly five years, Thio. I’m so used to being confined. Being outside, in a wide space, it’s disorienting. There’s too much space, too many people. I… everything feels too much. I freaked out. I didn’t want you to see. It will probably go away, right?”

My chest squeezed, angry at Antonio again, but I was also angry at myself. I should have gone for him sooner, whether Papá hated the idea or not. “I’m sorry, hermoso.” I cupped his cheek and he leaned into me, eyes slipping closed. “I promise you that won’t happen again. You’ll never be locked up like a zoo animal.”

“I know. I told you it was stupid.”

“It’s not stupid. If I could go back, I’d shoot your papá in the head for what he did to you.” My teeth clenched.

“Please don’t hurt him. He’s still my father.” He raised his chin, and I knew what he wanted. I leaned in to claim his mouth, kissing him with a crushing need that had him moaning into me. I broke away too soon, but his stomach grumbled, interrupting us.

“Eat. Let me know how I did.”

Manny chuckled and took the utensils, cutting into the French toast and popping it into his mouth. He groaned and made the most delicious noises I’d ever heard, and then grinned like he knew exactly what he was doing to me. “It’s so good, Thio.”

“Really? Or are you just saying that?” I teased, swiping my thumb over the corner of his mouth where some syrup had gotten stuck. I licked at the pad of my thumb and hummed at the taste. I’d never really liked syrup or anything overly sweet, not like Manny.

“Want a taste?” He held up a piece of toast on his fork to me, but what I really wanted was a taste of him. I settled for the toast, though, taking it into my mouth and chewing. It was definitely sweet, but not bad. “Yum?”

“Yum,” I agreed when I’d swallowed it. “Not as delicious as you.”

Manny’s cheeks turned a bright red and he laughed, the joy on his face real and fucking beautiful, lighting him up like Cinco de Mayo fireworks.

A cleared throat at the doorway made me sigh angrily and I glanced at Rafael, who stood there with his hands clasped in front of him and an apologetic expression on his face.

“This better be good, primo,” I growled, standing and glowering at him.

Rafael tilted his head to the side, signaling me to follow him. I sighed and leaned down to kiss Manny on the cheek. “I’ll be back in a moment, hermoso.”

Manny nodded and didn’t look upset as he took another bite of his French toast. I followed Rafael out of the kitchen and toward my office, and when we got there he closed the door firmly behind us.