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I roll one eye at her, the one not buried in the pillow. Then I tug her down for a kiss. “First, thatwasstamina and second, you’ve already committed to this particular man. No comparison shopping ever again.”
“Then get up because I’m hungry and who knows what hunks await down in the dining room ready to fetch me muffins?”
She dances away before I have a chance to grab her. So I do get up, but my first stop is to rub my whiskers against her skin with a growl, making her giggle. “There, now the muffin pushers will know you’re taken. Give me five minutes and maybe think about clothes because there’s a limit to how many of them I can fend off at once.”
10
Kerry
The next few days at the lake lodge are pure bliss. We eat, we sleep, we fuck like mad bunnies and Trevor smiles broader and brighter with every hour.
The challenges are waiting on my doorstep the moment we drive up. Mainly in the shape of Carter and Trevor’s parents. Kevin and Joyce always seem slightly disapproving of everything. I haven’t seen them in years. I had zero incentive to visit them without Carter and he was never inclined either, preferring to spend his time relaxing when he was home. I’d forgotten I get to keep them by being with Trevor. I give him a sideways look, but he’s busy cursing under his breath.
“Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?” He at least makes it sound curious rather than accusing.
“The woman who runs the local newspaper rang us up, asking for our comments on the scandal,” his mother sniffs with horror.
“What scandal?” Trevor’s hands have moved to his slim hips.
“You and… and… that woman!” This time his dad interjects, rising to his feet from his seat on the steps. I sure hope they haven’t been sitting there very long. That can’t be comfortable.
“That woman is your daughter-in-law. Past, present, and future,” Trevor drawls slowly.
As loath as I am to have this in my home, I don’t need the neighbors reporting to the local gossip circuit either. “Maybe we should take this inside?” I suggest as mildly as I can manage. It sounds more panicked, but everyone moves aside while I unlock the door.
Trevor pulls me into his embrace just inside the entrance. “I’ll take care of them. None of this is on you, Cupcake.”
I shrug, knowing some of it is because I certainly never told them the truth. Maybe it’s time.
“Look, you two,” I state firmly as I fill the kettle for tea to calm everyone down. “Carter and I were never romantic.”
“Oh, we know that,” his mother responds smugly. “You kept him from finding love and having the children he always wanted.”
“Who told you that?” Trevor asks, clearly shocked.
“Well, it was obvious, dear. We always knew Carter was gay. I don’t know what she did to trap him, but it wasn’t with her body. If she hadn’t, he would have found someone, and either adopted or used a surrogate.” She sniffs again and Trevor growls.
“No more insults to Kerry, even implied. Unless you want to lose your last son, too?”
His mother settles into sullen silence, and I sigh. “I didn’t trap him. He offered to marry me to keep my matchmaking mother off my back once I graduated from college. She had schemes, some of them highly illegal. He wanted a home base, a real bed to come back to and nobody trying to tell him how to run his life.” There might be a tiny extra bite to my voice on the last bit.
Trevor is now standing behind me, holding me close and rubbing my arms gently. I don’t know how these two parents raised such great kids, but it always makes me give them the benefit of the doubt.
“We also revisited that agreement every year. Carter was worried he was holding me back. He never once suggested he wanted to live a different life than the one he had. Trevor deserves the same autonomy, don’t you think?”
His mom sputters and his dad stands, “Now look here—”
But Trevor interjects, “No, Dad. My woman, my choice and hers. Maybe the two of you should head home and give me a call when you’re ready to be happy for us.” Then he pauses with narrowed eyes and whispers in my ear. “Can you fetch the letters I left on the dresser? I’m not leaving you alone with them.”
I roll my eyes with a small smile at his overprotectiveness, but as I head upstairs, I admit I’m glad to be the one with the errand. I knew they didn’t like me. I hadn’t a clue how deep the resentment ran.
Handing the envelopes over to Trevor, he eyes them thoughtfully before passing them to his parents. “Maybe you should read these in private.” And he holds open the back door. His mother looks shocked, but they both depart without another word.
“Trevor, are you sure you want…” I start to ask, feeling the pressure of the last half hour, but he stops me with a kiss.
“Yes. You just need to decide if you’d like to stay in this town or try another on for size.”
“Another man?” I shape my mouth into an O of shock but fall apart with giggles at his exasperated expression.
