by Shea Balik
Both children moaned and groaned, but they were too excited for it to last long. Soon, everything was out in the kitchen and this time Cabot took the supplies out, choosing to do the clear plastic balls. He set out the twelve pack he bought, along with different stamps and inks to decorate the outside.
Then he took out the different fillings for the inside, like sequins, snowflakes, and colorful mini-balls. Maya’s eyes went wide when she saw the pink ink as well as the pink sequins.
“Okay, first, we are going to choose one stamp to use for the outside of the ball.” He picked up a Santa hat stamp and the red ink. “Patrick and I can help you with this, but you press the stamp onto the inkpad then press it onto the ball. You can do this as many times as you want.”
He put a dozen little hats all over the ball, then carefully turned it upside down, so the flat top where the clamp and hook would go was sitting on the table. “It will take a few minutes to dry, but while it does, you can do another ball with a different stamp and color.”
Maya pointed to the sequins. “Where do I put those?”
He wasn’t at all surprised with that question. She’d been eyeing them from the moment he took them out of the bag. “Once the ink is dry, we can put any of these items inside to add to the decoration.”
Both kids reached out for their favorite stamp. Liam took a snowman and Maya had ballet slippers. With Patrick and Cabot helping, they each stamped a ball. While he and Patrick set the balls out to dry, the children were already choosing their next stamps.
He was actually surprised that it was going so well. He’d kind of expected a huge mess that would take them hours to clean up, but after making the plastic ball ornaments, pinecone ornaments dipped in glitter and made popsicle stick trees they painted in all sorts of colors, but it wasn’t as bad as he’d thought.
“I’m hungry,” Liam said as they all sat on the couch cuddled together to look at their handiwork.
“Wow, yeah,” Patrick said as he glanced at his phone. “It’s already six. How about I order a pizza?”
That had the kids cheering as they called out what they wanted for toppings. Patrick turned his head to look at Cabot. “How about you? Would you like to stay for pizza?”
God, but this man was amazing. They were both exhausted, yet he still had that sparkle Cabot loved in his eyes. “That would great.” Then he gave Patrick a wink as he added, “But only if we can have onions, mushrooms and…”
He didn’t even get anything else out when Maya yelled out, “Gross,” and Liam made gagging noises before slapping a hand over Cabot’s mouth to stop him from listing anything else he might not like.
Laughing, Patrick dialed the pizza place. “Mushrooms and onions, it is.”
That only set the kids into yelling, “No way.”
It wasn’t until they heard Patrick request two large pizzas one with pepperoni, which was all Maya would eat, and a meat lover’s which apparently was Liam’s favorite, that they stopped their complaining. Cabot nearly groaned out a protest when Patrick hung up the phone and Liam asked, “What are we going to do until the pizza gets here?”
More? Seriously? Cabot was feeling old, for he couldn’t remember a time when he had their kind of energy. He was sure he did at their age, but that seemed like a lifetime ago.
“What if we made popcorn strings?” Patrick suggested.
Cabot eyed him. “I don’t suppose that’s something we could do here on the couch?” Sure, it could get messy, but the kitchen was still a mess and he didn’t really relish the idea of eating glitter covered popcorn, which eating it was half the fun of making it.
Patrick nodded. “Sure.” He patted Cabot on the knee when Cabot started to get up. “Relax, it’s just microwave popcorn. I’ll bring it out.”
The man was a God. Cabot would have helped, but he had to admit, now that he was sitting on the very comfortable couch, the thought of getting up was exhausting. Not that they could sit there for long. The kitchen needed to be cleaned before the pizza arrived, but he wouldn’t mind a small break.
Watching the lights of the tree reflect off the ornaments they made, Cabot couldn’t help but smile to himself. This was exactly how he imagined his life would be while growing up. At the time, he’d wanted to be in Liam’s shoes, the one who was adopted with two parents who loved him and did silly things like make Christmas ornaments with him.
As he grew older, that dream had morphed into finding a man to share his life with, having kids, but the doing things as a family had never changed. He’d watched it on TV and always hoped to one day have exactly that.
He glanced over when he heard Patrick and the kids come back with a giant bowl of popcorn, some string and two needles. Cabot narrowed his eyes at the thought of the sharp objects, but Patrick must have already had this planned, for he put the kids in between them on the couch. He handed one needle to Cabot and kept the other for himself.
Then he gave Cabot a long length of string. Once they had the needle threaded and tied to stop the popcorn from coming off, they had the kids pick out a piece of popcorn from the bowl. The men held the needle, while the kids carefully, under their instruction, put it on. There were several broken pieces and a few frustrated grumbles about the popcorn not staying together, but by the time the doorbell rang, each string was halfway done.
More importantly, they were all laughing as they talked about their favorite part of the day. For Cabot, it started the moment he’d walked into the house and received his first kiss from Patrick and hadn’t stopped yet.
Because this was the one gift he’d wanted all through his childhood and he’d finally gotten it.
CHAPTER 10
“Come on, you two. It’s time for bed.” Patrick wasn’t sure how to ask Cabot to stick around, but in the end, he didn’t have to.
“Cabot, can you come see my room?” Liam asked even as he took Cabot’s hand and led him to the stairs. “Are you going to spend the night so we can get started on the cookies first thing tomorrow?” Liam asked hopefully when they were about halfway up the steps.
Patrick nearly tripped on the next step as he carried an exhausted Maya. Then again, so did Cabot. He hadn’t even realized he’d been holding his breath until he heard Cabot say, “I would love to, Liam, but I have to be at Frosted early tomorrow. This is one of our busiest weekends with all the shopping and people attending the Winter Festival.”
“But the festival doesn’t open until noon tomorrow,” Liam argued.
Patrick had to admit, the kid was too smart for his own good. That was especially true when he was trying to get his way.
“But there’s also those people who are going to church,” Cabot reminded him. “But, I promise, as soon as I can, I’ll come over and we’ll spend the rest of the day making those cookies, okay?”
Liam looked like he wanted to argue more. He must not have been able to think of another reason why Cabot shouldn’t go to work in the morning, for he finally agreed. “You promise that you’ll stay the rest of the day tomorrow?” Liam asked.
“I promise,” Cabot told him.
“Okay.” Liam led Cabot into his room and started to show him around. Patrick, in the meantime, got Maya into the bathroom so she could go potty and brush her teeth. Neither were an easy task as her eyes continued to flutter closed as she fought to stay awake.
“Story,” she mumbled even as he helped her into bed and pulled the covers over her.
“Don’t you think it’s a little late for a story?” he asked her as she blinked rapidly, forcing herself to stay awake.
“Christmas Princess,” she mumbled even as her eyes finally dropped closed for a full minute before opening them again and pointing to the bookcase.
Reaching for her new favorite book, Patrick opened it, sure she would fall asleep before he even finished the first page. Ten words later, her eyes remained closed and her breathing had evened out, indicating she was sound asleep.
Closing the book, he set it back in the bookcase a
nd smiled down at her. Then he got up from the chair he used to read to her. His eyes went to the door to find Cabot watching him.
Damn, if his heart didn’t beat a bit faster. But it was the emotion he saw in those blue eyes that had other parts of his body taking notice. He would love nothing more than to take Cabot back to his room and close the door.
They left Maya’s room before Patrick whispered. “Is Liam asleep?”
Cabot nodded. “He was out before his head ever hit the pillow.” The smile that seemed to always grace Cabot’s expression grew even bigger. “He was really intent on my staying the night.”
“If I’m honest, I’d like that more than he would,” Patrick admitted. “But I also understand if you need to get home.” He almost stopped there, but he wasn’t ready for Cabot to leave so he added, “We’re the same size, you could always wear something of mine to work tomorrow.”
Why did the thought of Cabot wearing his clothes cause Patrick’s dick to twitch? This was too damn crazy to be real. Maybe in his early twenties when he was too young to care, but he wasn’t that stupid kid anymore. Hell, he was about to adopt two kids.
What was wrong with him? Wanting to hook up - did anyone even say that anymore? – after just meeting someone was insane. Yet, Patrick couldn’t deny that was exactly what he wanted.
That already gorgeous smile Cabot wore turned downright seductive, causing all the blood to rush to his cock and make him lightheaded. “Liam already showed me his room. Why don’t you show me yours?” Cabot frowned as soon as the words left his mouth.
“You know, that didn’t sound as creepy in my head as it ended up being.” Cabot shook his head and chuckled. “Maybe it’s a sign we’re rushing this.”
He wanted to deny what Cabot was saying, but it was hard to do when he’d just been thinking the same thing. “Then why is it I want you so damn badly I’m willing to look past the fact that this is just too soon?”
Not wanting to have this discussion in front of the kids’ bedrooms, even if they were asleep, he took Cabot’s hand and led him back down the stairs. But when he tried to pull Cabot into the living room, Cabot stopped, released his hand and went to the door instead.
Regret was there in his eyes, but also resolve. Something that was helping Patrick to let him go. For now.
“I want to stay,” Cabot started.
When he didn’t finish, Patrick did it for him. “But we are moving too fast.” He said the words but why did they feel so wrong? Which is probably why he ended the statement with, “Right?”
Cabot was shaking his head, yet still saying the words they knew had to be correct. “Yeah. I mean, we only met yesterday.” For the first time, Patrick saw Cabot’s lips twist into a scowl. “Then why does it feel like we belong together?”
Neither of them had an answer.
“Are you still coming over to make cookies?” Patrick worried they were on unstable ground and even the slightest hiccup could push them apart.
Relieved when he saw Cabot already nodding before he finished his question, Patrick almost begged for Cabot to stay despite all the reasons they’d come up with for him to leave. Somehow, he managed to stay silent until Cabot had his coat and boots on and was opening the door.
“Thank you for coming tonight.” That sounded so lame. Patrick wanted to take it back, but since he had no idea what else to say, it didn’t really matter.
Cabot stopped in the door, turned and then surprised Patrick by stepping right up to him and kissing him. It was hard, but way too fast. Almost as if Cabot were trying to stamp Patrick as his, just as they had stamped those ornaments earlier.
He had no need to worry about Patrick going anywhere. There may not be a good explanation as to why he felt the way he did, but Patrick already knew that he belonged to Cabot.
As he watched the man who had made a big impact on his life in such a short period of time walk out his door, Patrick couldn’t help but worry that he was making the biggest mistake of his life by not calling him back.
What if Cabot never returned?
He said he would, but Patrick had learned long ago, life had a way of screwing things up. It had been a lesson that he continued to experience. In the past year, he’d lost the one family member who actually loved him, started the process to adopt two very special children, only to nearly have them taken away when his job demanded he move to another town.
If it hadn’t been for Mrs. Sanchez, he would have had to choose between his job and the kids. Except, by losing his job he might also have lost the kids. Now he found someone special he could actually see himself building a life with, yet…
Yet what?
The door was still open as he watched the red taillights of Cabot’s vehicle drive away from him. That was the yet. His heart had already become attached to Cabot, yet he’d let him walk away.
He’d screwed up. It didn’t matter how long Patrick had known Cabot, he was in love with the man.
The taillights grew dim as he continued to stare out into the snowy night. If Cabot came back tomorrow, Patrick wasn’t about to lose him because he was too scared to admit the truth of his feelings.
For watching him leave had been like receiving the best gift of his life, only to have it ripped away.
CHAPTER 11
“You left?”
As if Cabot already didn’t feel bad enough, Micah was giving him shit for what happened the night before. “He has two kids,” Cabot defended, even if he was starting to think he’d been an idiot for leaving. “How would that have looked?”
“Oh, come on.” Micah actually rolled his eyes. “It’s not like they would have seen anything. Plus, it sounded like Liam wanted you to stay.”
“Only because he was hoping I’d make cookies with him this morning.” Frustrated, Cabot punched the dough he was kneading his frustrations out on. It was time for him to clean up for the day and head over to Patrick’s or it would end up getting too late to make those damn cookies.
Today had been busy, not busy enough that he couldn’t have left at least an hour ago, but he’d sent Kobe home instead and started the bread dough that would need to rise over night for tomorrow. In other words, he was stalling. Hence the reason Micah was there.
“You know, I asked you over here to tell me why it is a good reason I stay away from Patrick, not to give me shit for not staying,” he complained.
Micah laughed. Not just a quick, little laugh either, but a big, belly laugh, slapping the counter, making it that much more obnoxious. “You are such a bad liar, my friend,” Micah accused. “How many times do I have to tell you that you can’t lie worth shit? That’s not why you called me here.”
Cabot glared at the one person who was supposed to have his back. “Fine, funny man, then why did I make the mistake of calling you?”
Micah, who had been still leaning over the counter, straightened up, forcing Cabot to tilt his head back to look at him. “Because you want me to convince you why you should go to Patrick’s.”
“But he is trying to start a family. What if I fuck that up for him?” For most of his life, it had seemed like screwing things up was kind of his thing. If it meant staying away so those two kids could find a home, Cabot would find a way.
“Ow!” Cabot rubbed the back of his head after his friend slapped him. “What’d you do that for?” Except, he already knew.
Now it was his turn to receive a glare. “Stop being an idiot,” Micah told him. “You are the kindest, sweetest, happiest man I’ve ever known. You don’t let anyone bring you down or piss you off, even when they deserve to be run over by a truck.”
Cabot had to chuckle at his friend’s saying. It was something he liked to use when he thought someone was being an asshole. But even though he came up with a few colorful phrases, the fact was, Micah was a bigger softy than even Cabot was. He just didn’t go around smiling all the time like Cabot did.
“Now, get your butt out of here. You have a date to make cookies and I’m not about to let y
ou miss it.” To prove that he meant every word, Micah took the dough Cabot had pretty well kneaded to the point of being useless and dumped it in the trash.
Then he pointed to the door and said, “Go.”
Other than quickly washing the flour off his hands, Cabot did exactly that. Micah was right. He had a date. If he was really lucky, it would be with those he would call his family one day.
***
“Cabot, you made it!” Liam flung himself into Cabot’s arms, not even letting him get through the door first in his excitement. “I thought you forgot,” he whispered just loud enough for Cabot to hear.
The slight wobble in Liam’s voice had Cabot feeling like a total ass. To think he’d almost not come, crushing Liam in a way only another foster kid would truly understand.
He felt large hands taking Liam and leading him back into the house. Looking up, Cabot found a smiling Patrick with no recrimination in those pretty caramel eyes. It would have been what he deserved instead of the relief he saw in their depths.
“Come on, Liam. We need to let Cabot in before you both freeze,” Patrick teased. That magical smile was directed at him as Patrick helped him take off his coat. “I’m glad you came. I know, after last night…”
Cabot didn’t let him finish, instead, Liam watching them or not, he surged forward and kissed those lips he’d dreamt about all night long. Who was he kidding? It hadn’t stopped just because he’d woken up. They were nearly all he could think about as he worked.
No wonder. For as many times as he tried to capture the essence of their softness in his imagination, nothing compared to feeling them against his own. He kept it kid appropriate, but he did linger for a few extra beats as he let himself enjoy.
“Ooohhh,” Liam sang out. “Patrick and Cabot sitting in a tree…”
They broke apart laughing, with Patrick saying, “Okay, kiddo, we get the picture. Now let’s get into the kitchen and start making some cookies.”
