Chapter 32 Hanlon
Hanlon
The smell of coffee and the sound of my mother’s voice wake me the next morning. Well, that and Stone’s dick trying to burrow into my ass.
“Boooooyyyys, I’ve made breakfast!” she sings happily, rapping her knuckles on the door.
Stone groans behind me.
“Be nice,” I warn. “She’s living her best life knowing we’re getting along.”
“Oh, we’re getting along, alright,” he teases, grinding his erection into my hip. “In fact, I’d like to get along by getting off.”
“How are you this horny? You literally got off—on your sheets, I’d like to add—like…” I turn to look at the clock. “Oh, shit. It’s almost ten.”
“Please don’t make me go out there,” Stone whines as I move out of his reach to slide out of bed.
“Oh, come on, they aren’t that bad.”
Stone cocks a brow at me. “Not to you. You’re the perfect child. The one who can do no wrong.” He stops abruptly, his eyes going wide. “Aw, fuck.”
“What?”
“They’re totally going to think I coerced you into this somehow.”
I hadn’t realized that Stone’s relationship with our parents was so strained. I can’t help but wonder if they know he feels this way.
“I highly doubt that. I was gay before you were. If anything, they’ll think I coerced you,” I tease, bending forward to swipe a shirt off the floor.
“Ow, fuck.” The expletive leaves my lips before I can stop it, and Stone is at my side in an instant, his hands on my torso, trying to figure out where I’m hurt.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’m just sore. Apparently, I’m going to have to loosen my back up before bending over,” I say, annoyed with the fact that I have to move like an eighty-year-old despite only being twenty-two and in the best shape of my life.
“You basically went eight rounds in a cage fight with how tight your muscles were, Han. There’s no shame in how your body feels today,” Stone says, somehow knowing exactly what I need to hear.
“I have a heating pad already plugged in next to the couch. Finish getting dressed; I’ll go turn it on for you. ”
Stone leaves the room in a pair of black sweatpants and a band hoodie.
Great. I’m going to be thinking about how there’s nothing but creamy, flawless skin underneath.
He returns a second later—while I’m still maneuvering into my own sweatpants—and holds out a cup of coffee.
“Thought this might help, too.”
“Thanks. I’m really fine, though. You don’t have to wait on me hand and foot,” I tell him, not wanting him to feel pressured or obligated to take care of me.
His brows pinch together in a look of hurt for the briefest of seconds before he schools his features.
“I don’t feel that way. I just like doing things for you.” Looking down at the floor, he mumbles, “I like making you smile.”
I fist his hoodie and pull him close. “You really made me smile last night,” I whisper the words into his ear, aware that I haven’t yet brushed my teeth. His back is to the open door, and he wraps his arms around my neck, planting a kiss on my cheek.
“I wouldn’t be opposed to doing it ag—”
“Are you boys coming or—” My mom suddenly appears in the doorway, and Stone jumps away from me.
Way to not be obvious.
“Yeah, Mom. Stone was just ripping the tag out of this hoodie because it was driving me crazy. We’re coming.”
Her eyes go from suspicious to loving in a single second, and I wonder what she thought was going on. After hearing more of Stone’s side of things, perhaps she thought he was threatening me instead of kissing me.
I honestly don’t know which one would be better.
“That was quick thinking, but God, I’m not going to survive this week,” Stone laments, his forehead hitting my chest.
“Just stick with me, baby. I’ve got you.” I repeat his words from last night as I cup the back of his head, holding him against me.
It’s nice to know he’s in my corner, and I’m in his.
The four of us pass the day mostly just chatting. I pulled up the weather forecast because, even though it’s technically school and work, I enjoy it so much. I’m not na?ve enough to think I can change the course of what nature has decided it will do, but I love to dance with her.
We’re already seeing the effects of the abundant snowfall we’ve received this season, and since I’ve quickly claimed Ricochet Ridge as my own, I feel a sense of pride and genuine desire to keep her safe.
Eventually, my mom not-so-subtly hints that she wants me to put work away in favor of family time, but that means interacting with Stone and trying to play it cool in front of our parents.
We make it through a few rounds of UNO, but Stone and I get so obsessed with trying to sink each other with Draw 4s and Reverse Draw 4s that our parents quit playing.
“Let’s watch a movie,” my mom suggests, clutching a cup of hot tea to her chest as she looks out the window in Stone’s living room. “It’s just so cold out there, and with Hanny still recovering from yesterday, I’d rather be cozy today.”
James wraps his arms around my mom from behind and kisses her cheek. “What a lovely idea. I’ll make the popcorn. I believe there was some in the groceries we brought, wasn’t there?” he asks, already moving toward the kitchen.
I don’t love that my mom is using me as an excuse for choosing to stay in, but I have to admit, I really don’t have it in me to go out in this crap today.
Stone takes a seat on the large couch and pulls up his one streaming service in an effort to find something to watch—most likely a Bond movie. We’re all fans, and they never disappoint. I make my way to the opposite end of his couch when my mom pats the open spot next to her on the loveseat.
“Han, come sit next to me.”
I can’t stop my eyes from catching Stone’s gaze.
I know it’s ridiculous, but spending two hours in the same room, unable to touch him or look at him, sounds torturous. He must feel the same way because his head whips toward me.
My mom chuckles. “You two can make it one movie without each other. I have to admit, I didn’t expect to see you so attached at the hip, but it makes my heart so happy.”
I cringe.
We’re definitely close now.
Although right this second, we could stand to be closer.
“Yeah, it’s been nice reconnecting,” Stone says, gluing his eyes back to the TV as I begrudgingly settle onto the loveseat next to my mother.
I’m not a huge guy, but I’m not small either, and the loveseat doesn’t have recliners.
Once the movie starts, I make it about twenty minutes before I’m shifting uncomfortably every few minutes.
My back aches from the muscle spasms yesterday, and I have to sit up at an angle to see the movie, which means I can’t relax.
I’m never going to make it two hours like this, but I don’t want to hurt my mom’s feelings.
I shift twice more when Stone’s voice rings out above the action on the screen.
“Hanlon, get over here and take the recliner. You’re annoying the shit out of me by constantly moving.”
“Stone,” James barks immediately. He doesn’t know that Stone just did me the biggest favor and that he’s just being a dick to keep up appearances.
“Dad, it’s fine. He’s right,” I say, immediately coming to Stone’s defense. “Can you hand me the blanket?” I ask Stone as I get settled in next to him, already feeling better.
As I drape the oversized fleece blanket over my legs and pull it up to my chest, I know I’m fucked.
I’m in way too deep. I’m totally playing with fire here.
I can’t even stay away from him in front of our parents.
For one week. I couldn’t even make it two hours.
In the short time I’ve been living with Stone, I’ve grown accustomed to constantly being in his presence.
And I fucking love it.
The sun has set, and the only light in the living room is coming from the glow of the TV and the fireplace. James took my spot on the loveseat after I jumped ship, and a quick glance tells me he and Mom are content, as well as fully engrossed in the movie.
Slowly, so as not to be obvious, I stretch my hand out under the blanket, reaching for Stone. I get my pinky to his thigh and rub lightly. A second later, his hand finds mine, and he laces our fingers together.
Fully satisfied, surrounded by my family, with Stone’s hand in mine, and with the fire’s warmth seeping into my muscles, I fall asleep to the familiar sounds of gunfire along with an Aston Martin revving its engine.