Chapter 26 #2
“Let me help you with those,” Matteo offered, and Dion allowed him to shift the salad bowls into his arms but grabbed the buns before they tumbled.
Dion turned and led the way, and Matteo followed without a backward glance at Kai, who watched them, absolutely baffled about what had just transpired.
He was just about to close the door when Myles turned the corner.
He was wearing jeans and a black button-down, looking a lot more casual than Kai had ever seen him, but the serious expression on his face made him feel like he wasn’t here for the barbecue.
“Hey man, everything okay?” he asked as Myles locked hands with him and slapped him on the back distractedly.
“Yeah, man. Is Nolan around?”
“Yeah, just out by the grill.”
“Great, I need to have a quick chat with him.”
“You staying for a bit?”
“No, I have somewhere I gotta get to, but this couldn’t wait.”
Nolan caught sight of them as soon as they walked outside, distracting him from the conversation he’d been having with Matteo and Dion. Whatever he saw had him frowning and excusing himself.
“Hey baby, can you help Dion get everything set up? I just need to talk to Myles real quick.”
“Yeah, okay,” Kai answered, but Nolan and Myles were already walking quickly back to the house.
Kai watched them, curious and a little worried.
He kept his eye on the door even as they ushered everybody to the table and uncovered the potato salad, garden salad, grilled corn, grilled chicken, burgers and sausages.
The boys piled their plates up high with meat, but Jason made them make room for salad.
They reluctantly agreed to lettuce and cucumbers but drew a firm line against tomatoes and onions.
When Nolan finally did return, Myles wasn’t with him but Chris was.
“Daddy!” Katie squealed, clapping her hands and bouncing on her ass.
“Is that her dad?” Casey asked dubiously. Kai, Jason and Dion all exchanged looks over his head.
“No. It’s just a term of endearment, kind of like ‘sweetheart,’” Dion explained gently. Casey looked at him suspiciously, and Dion nodded encouragingly.
“Weird.” But then he went back to swamping his burger in ketchup, attention fixed on his task.
Chris caught Kai’s gaze, and Kai saw something severe in his eyes, but he was quickly distracted by Nolan wrapping an arm around his waist.
“Everything okay with Myles?” Kai asked.
“Yeah, he just has to go deal with some family stuff, but he’s going to be fine. Come on. Let’s get something to eat.”
Kai carried an edge of nervousness for the rest of the day, highlighted by Chris’ off mood and the strange tension that he and Nolan were trying to hide.
Now that he thought about it, Chris had seemed off the last time Kai had seen him at Nolan’s parents.
He’d been so distracted by the rest of the family that he hadn’t dwelled on it at the time.
“What’s going on with you and Chris?” Kai asked when he finally cornered Nolan in the kitchen a couple hours later as they’d started tidying up. The boys were still outside for a final swim.
Nolan sighed. “What’s going on with Chris and I is nothing for you to worry about.”
“I am worried about it. It’s freaking me out. Did you fight?”
“No. We’re adults. We didn’t fight. We had a disagreement.”
“About what?”
Nolan’s laugh was tired and mildly exasperated. He turned around, flipping the towel he’d been using over his shoulder and tugged Kai between the v of his legs, resting his hands on his hips.
“If I thought there was anything you could do to make this better, I would tell you.”
“Was it about me?” Kai asked quietly, not sure he really wanted to know.
Nolan ran his hands up Kai’s side, lifting his arms until they draped over Nolan’s shoulders. He tugged Kai closer, stroking his back soothingly.
“Yeah, baby, it was about you. And like I said, there’s nothing you can do here. Chris is just feeling a little… protective.”
“Is it because he knows? About things I’ve done? Did you tell him?” Kai dropped his arms and made a feeble attempt to pull away. The idea of Chris knowing about his past made him feel sick to his stomach. Nolan captured his hands, pressing them to his chest.
“I don’t know what he thinks he knows. I didn’t tell him, and I didn’t ask.
What I know is that he doesn’t know you, alright?
Come here.” Nolan pulled him in and wrapped him tight in his arms, and, even though it felt so fucking good, it didn’t quite eliminate all of his anxiety.
Not knowing what Chris knew felt like a ticking time bomb.
Maybe he hadn’t convinced Nolan to dump him yet, but what if he eventually did?
Kai fisted Nolan’s shirt in his hands as panic welled in his chest. Fuck, he could not lose Nolan.
“Please.” But he didn’t even know what he was asking for.
“Please what, baby? Look at me.” Nolan pulled away from him so that he could see his face, but Kai couldn’t bring himself to look up. “Please what?”
“I don’t know,” he whispered, pathetically confused by the tumult of fears chasing around his brain.
“You do know. Come on now. Use your words.”
“I can’t lose you,” Kai blurted. Nolan sighed again, but the smile on his face was amused. He rested his forehead lightly against Kai’s.
“What did I tell you on Tuesday when we were talking about Liam? And if you tell me you don’t know, there will be a spanking coming your way.”
“You said nothing he said would change how you feel,” Kai whispered, and Nolan’s arms tightened around his waist.
“What else?”
He’d said that he would have Kai’s secrets if they became a problem, but Kai didn’t want to remind him of that. The idea of having to confess his sins to Nolan set his stomach roiling again.
“You said you didn’t judge me for the stuff I did.”
“That’s right. I don’t give a damn about the past. I care about what you do right now and what we’re going to do in the future. I’m not looking backwards. Don’t worry about Chris. I told you, sometimes time is the only way to earn trust, and we have time on our side, isn’t that right?”
“Yes, Daddy.” And Kai was surprised to find that his words did make him feel better.
His panic had abated some, and, even though he still kind of felt shivery, he did trust Nolan when he said the past didn’t matter.
It still felt like a fragile thing in his hands, like if he jostled it too much it might break.
“Look at me.”
Kai did as he was told, meeting warm, coffee brown eyes. Nolan had his “Kai” smile on and he searched his face, looking for something.
“Perfect,” he murmured, and Kai couldn’t help the smile that spread on his face. No one had ever looked at him before and thought, “perfect,” that was for sure.
“I think you got that backwards.” He bit back a grunt when Nolan slapped him hard on his ass and then grabbed two fistfuls and squeezed.
“Don’t contradict me.” He claimed Kai’s mouth in a kiss, and Kai responded hungrily pressing into Nolan’s body as both of their cocks started to fill.
Kai rubbed against him, his poor, touch-starved dick desperate for a little affection, until Nolan pulled back.
“Nuh uh. You still have two more nights on your punishment.”
Kai groaned. “I’m dying!”
“And yet I can already tell your lesson is finally registering. I’m proud of you, baby.
” He sounded a little proud, but mostly amused, but it triggered a realization in Kai.
He was right. For the first time ever, Kai had brought his concerns to Nolan and even though he’d a minor freak out, they’d dealt with it. Together.
“I did learn my lesson,” Kai said proudly.
“Yeah, you did.” Nolan kissed him again. “Come on. Let’s get back out there.” Nolan took his hand, but when they rounded the corner, Chris was blocking their path, arms crossed.
“Were you eavesdropping?” Nolan asked, tensing his grip on Kai’s wrist.
“Maybe.” He fixed his stare on Kai. He wanted to step into Nolan, but he forced himself to stand his ground.
“What he said about trust and time is true. The truth of the matter is, I already believe that you care deeply for Nolan… when it’s easy.
I mostly just need to know what kind of person you are when things get tough. ”
“Respectfully, Chris, you don’t need to know shit about me.” Kai tipped his chin stubbornly, but Chris seemed unfazed.
“Nolan might be able to make that argument, but let me assure you that everything that relates to Katie is my business.”
Kai wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, but he bit his tongue.
He wanted to say that he didn’t care, but he did.
Even though he’d only known her for a short time, Katie was his friend, and she’d become his confidante in this life that he’d suddenly dropped into.
She meant something to him so as much he would love to cuss Chris out properly, he wouldn’t.
And Kai guessed that he was grateful Chris hadn’t said anything to her that might tarnish her opinion of him.
“Alright, enough,” Nolan cut in. “You’ve said your piece. Leave it alone now.”
Chris gave his brother one last look and then nodded.
“I came to let you know we’re leaving. Katie’s tired and she has papers to grade.”
“Can I say bye?” Kai asked.
Chris stepped aside.
Katie had already slipped her sundress over her head when he returned outside, and Justin and Jason were wrangling the boys together, both looking disgruntled that their fun was being cut short. Jason had already told him that he’d picked up a shift at a bar where he served part time.
“Everyone’s leaving?” he asked, slightly disappointed.
“Yeah, man, I need to get these guys home and get ready for work,” Jason said.
Katie swooped in and kissed his cheek. “I need to go too, but thank you for inviting me. I really loved meeting your family. I’ll call you later.”
“Okay.” Kai glanced over at where Matteo was standing with Dion.
“Actually, Dion’s thinking about taking on some outdoor work and asked if I’d give him my opinion, so I think we’re going to take off as well.
I’m just going to say goodbye to Nolan.” Give him his opinion.
Kai looked at the pair of them askance as they walked past. Kai would put money on that not being the only thing Matteo was going to give Dion if their flirting all day was any indicator.
When the very last car had pulled away from the driveway, Nolan wrapped his arms around Kai.
“How does a shower and a nap sound?”
“Amazing.”
Nolan took his hand and led him back inside and all the way upstairs.
Even though their sexy time had been put temporarily on pause, showers with Nolan were still one of his favourite parts of the day, and today, after his realization that he loved Nolan, every kiss, every touch felt deeper, more profound, more settled.
He wanted to tell Nolan, but he wanted to do it right.
That meant dealing with his Liam situation once and for all.
Once he figured that out, everything would be perfect and Kai could tell Nolan then.