Chapter 43
FORTY-THREE
LARS
Aaron pushed Lars against the wall, kissing him so deeply, so thoroughly that Lars couldn’t think straight. He couldn’t deny how much he liked it. Aaron rarely took such control like this.
But Lars knew now wasn’t the time. His boyfriend was grieving and exhausted. It was clear to anyone who knew him, no matter how often he told them he was fine.
Seeing Aaron encompass Lars’s daughters had never failed to warm his heart, but this time it had hit especially hard. Aaron had looked about in tears as he’d knelt to hug the three of them. He was falling apart, and Lars needed to end at least some of his misery.
Pushing him back, Lars held his gaze. “Hold on; we need to talk. Mel made a decision, and we’ve talked it through.”
Aaron shook his head and stepped away. “No, don’t do this. Not right now.”
“Aaron—”
“Please,” he said in a begging tone that shattered something in Lars. “I know I’ve been pushing for an answer, but I changed my mind. Not today. I can’t… I love you so much; I can’t lose you too. Not right now.”
He continued talking, rambling about how scared he was about the future because now he had Bri to look out for, but Lars was stuck on the fact that Aaron thought he was leaving him.
Closing the distance between them, Lars fisted Aaron’s shirt and kissed him hard.
When he finally stopped and leaned away, Aaron let out a sound somewhere between a sob and a laugh.
“You can’t just interrupt my spiraling every time by kissing me.”
Lars’s forehead creased. “Why not? It worked, didn’t it?” Before Aaron could reply, Lars kissed him again. “I love you too.”
Aaron’s gaze softened. “Lars—”
“We’re not going to London,” he said, gripping either side of Aaron’s face, making sure he was listening.
At that Aaron froze. Tears formed in his eyes. “You’re not?”
The question was so quiet, so full of terrified hope, that it physically hurt Lars. Shaking his head, he clarified, “None of us.”
Aaron’s chest rose and fell in heaved breaths.
“Mel requested her position be made remote. They accepted on the condition that she goes to the Chicago headquarters at least once a month and for any major events, and she’ll need to go to London a couple times a year, but otherwise—”
Now, it was his turn to be cut off. Aaron’s mouth claimed his, and Lars smiled into the kiss. When Aaron turned to push him against the wall once more, he didn’t fight it. This was what he wanted. But they still had more to discuss.
Breaking the kiss, he said, “Aaron, I… I need you to know something though.”
“What?” Concern laced Aaron’s tone. “Are you moving to Chicago? Because that’s a lot more manageable than London.”
Chuckling, Lars told him, “I’m not going anywhere.”
Shock filled his features, but Lars still wasn’t finished.
He lifted a hand to the side of Aaron’s neck, stroking his jaw with his thumb.
“But I want to be perfectly clear on something.” Unable to resist, he leaned forward to brush his lips across Aaron’s before continuing.
“Even if she’d needed to move to London, even if I’d decided to go with her so that the girls wouldn’t lose one of us…
” Lars took a deep breath. “I would’ve wanted this to work out too.
I was… I would’ve asked you to come with me. ”
Aaron stared at him for a beat. And then, he was there, kissing Lars again, softer this time. “Before today, I would’ve said yes without hesitation. But now, I… I think I’m going to take in Bri, and I didn’t want to completely uproot her after all this.”
“You don’t need to explain.” Lars shook his head. “I get it. Besides, it doesn’t matter; we’re not going anywhere.”
Aaron kissed him again and again, nipping at Lars’s lips, tongue sweeping in to brush along his. Every place their bodies touched felt alive, burning with desire. He wanted nothing more than to take Aaron home and remove the barriers between them.
And like clockwork…
The door opened.
Aaron jerked his head away, but there was no denying they’d just been kissing. Their arms were still around each other.
And there stood Chloe with a confused look, which mirrored Allie and Bri’s faces in the living room behind her. “Daddy, you kissing Unc Aaron?”
“Um…” Aaron released him, putting space between them.
Lars reached out though and took his hand, not letting him go far. “So, who took their eyes off this one for more than six seconds?”
Charlie chuckled nervously from the couch, where she held Maddie. “Aid is grabbing snacks.”
“Sorry,” Aiden called out from the kitchen.
Lars led Aaron inside and shut the door. Allie stood and walked closer. “Daddy?”
With a sigh, he knelt with Aaron. “Girls, you know how we talked about Mommy and Daddy not being married anymore?”
“You marry Unc Aaron?” Chloe asked, eyes wide with glee as she started jumping and clapping.
Lars choked as he laughed. “No, not… Well, maybe someday.” He glanced at Aaron nervously, but Aaron just squeezed his hand. “But Daddy loves Uncle Aaron a lot.”
“Is he your boyfriend?” Allie asked.
“Would you be okay with that?”
Allie lifted a finger to her chin, as if thinking it through. For a moment, anxiety filled him. But then, she grinned and nodded before lunging at Aaron for a hug. Aaron released Lars to hold her close, and soon, Chloe was pushing forward to hug him too.
Tears lined Lars’s eyes as he watched his babies accept this. He knew they’d talked about waiting, but getting it out there, not having to hide, felt so fucking good.
After a moment, Aaron stood and went to his little sister. He asked her something quietly, and when she nodded with a small smile, he hugged her too.
Lars pushed to his feet then picked up Chloe.
This apartment wasn’t safe from her destructive tendencies.
Aiden returned with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches cut into quarters.
The older girls grabbed one, and Charlie got one for Maddie, helping her.
Chloe wiggled in Lars’s arms, wanting down.
He sat her in a dining chair and put one on a napkin for her.
“Sit right here while you eat it. No getting up until someone washes your hands, okay?”
She nodded and immediately pulled the two pieces of bread apart to lick at the jelly. Rolling his eyes, he faced the others, meeting Aaron’s gaze. “There’s one more thing we need to discuss.”
Aaron stood and crossed the room. “What?”
“I was thinking…” He trailed off, unsure how to ask this. It was really soon, but in the grand scheme of things, it didn’t feel like it. He also didn’t want to pressure Aaron, especially while he was figuring out everything with his sister.
“Lawrence Spencer, just tell me.”
Lars chuckled. “I love when you use my full name.”
“Lawrence,” Aaron repeated with a knowing smile. “Please tell me before I lose my fu-freaking mind.”
Quietly, he asked, “Do you want to keep playing house with us? Maybe on a more… permanent basis?”
Aaron’s eyes widened. “You mean…”
“Move in with me. Not into the guest room, not as a visit or a short stay to help with the girls. Move in with us for real.” Lars kissed him chastely before adding, “You and Bri.”
Aaron stumbled back a step, shaking his head, but it wasn’t in refusal. It was surprise. Confusion. Disbelief. Lars knew Aaron would want to take her in. He also knew he wouldn’t want to impose on Vi, not that there was even room in that apartment for all three of them.
“I can’t ask you for that,” he whispered.
“You’re not asking,” Lars said, reaching for his hand. “I’m asking you.”
Aaron visibly swallowed. “I have no clue how to be what she needs.”
Lars tilted his head. This time it was his turn to stare in disbelief. “If something happened to Mel and I, would you take in the girls? You’re their godfather.”
“Of course, but that’s—”
“If you can handle my three crazy kids at once, you can handle that sweet, calm girl.” Lars drew him closer.
“You know how to parent, Aaron. You’ve practically been one for six years.
” He smiled when Aaron exhaled and stepped into his space, leaning against him.
“You might not be biologically related to my kids, but you’ve been there from day one.
Apart from my parents, you were the first to hold Allie and Maddie.
You were the first to hold Chloe—I’m pretty sure that’s why she’s so attached to you.
You’ve been there for birthdays, holidays, first words, and first steps. ”
Tears filled Aaron’s eyes. He didn’t bother trying to hide them.
Lars wrapped him in another hug. “They might not be yours by blood, but I know they’re your babies too.
You love them just as much as Mel and I do, and they love you like another dad.
” Trying to make Aaron laugh, he added, “Most of the time, they act like they love you more, actually. Seriously, watch.” He let go of him to turn to Chloe.
“Chloe, who’s your favorite person in the whole world? ”
She twisted in her seat, showing the mess across her mouth and cheeks. Without hesitation, she said, “Unc Aaron.”
To Lars’s delight, that worked; Aaron let out a chuckle.
“You’re a part of this family.” He ran a hand down Aaron’s arm to hold his hand. “My point is that you don’t have to be scared. It’s completely up to you and Aid what you do with Bri. But I want you to know that if you’re a package deal now, I still want you to move in.”
“What if I mess things up?”
“You will.”
Aaron narrowed his eyes, making Lars laugh.
“We all do.” He reached up to brush the wetness from Aaron’s cheeks. “You’re great with my girls, and I’ve seen how good you are with Bri. You love with your whole heart, you always have, and I know how much you care for her already.”
Sighing, Aaron looked down. “I haven’t always loved with my whole heart.”
“Bull,” Lars said, tilting Aaron’s chin up. “If you’re referring to the Charlie situation, that was because of your love and fear. You let the fear win, but in the end, you made things right.” Another thought occurred to him, remembering what his mom had told him. “You deserve happiness, Aaron.”
“But I ruined their—”
“You deserve happiness,” Lars repeated louder, not letting him finish that sentence. “You’re no longer that scared, selfish kid. You are a good man, and it’s time to let yourself have the life you want. I hope that’s with me, but it’s up to you. You have to choose your next path.”