Page 40 of Fruit and Flash

“Sure, but I still want to feed you.”

The fact that Hayes cares whether I eat and takes the time to make me a home-cooked meal means I don't plan on ever turning this offer down, but it’s still so cute.

Kissing his cheek I move to open the cutlery drawer. “Can I set the table?”

“That would be great, thanks.”

Hayes turns off the heat to the corn as we move around each other in a comfortable way, as if we’ve been cooking and setting the table in the kitchen together for years instead of only a few weeks. Humming some song I can’t catch the lyrics to in my head, I find myself swaying my hips and bobbing my head, but I stop in my tracks when Hayes joins in with lyrics.

“Stand by your man,” he sings in a deep baritone before catching me staring. “What? That was one of my mom’s favorites.”

“I didn’t know you could sing. My voice is terrible, but I love music.”

“Me too,” he grins at me and we just stand there like idiots until the timer goes off, breaking the spell. Hayes pulls the pan out of the oven and turns the other pot off, and I finish setting the table, noticing fresh flowers in a vase.

“These are pretty.”

“Picked them for you,” Hayes tells me, coming up from behind me to set a bowl of rice on the table. He kisses my cheek and takes our plates before I can react, and I reach out to touch a soft petal. I can’t remember anyone ever getting me flowers, let alone picking them by hand.

“Thank you.”

“I figure everyone deserves flowers, not just women,” Hayes tells me, setting our plates down with a pork chop and ear of corn on each.

We don’t discuss the flowers as we sit and dig in, and I can’t help moaning as the savory flavor of the breaded meat bursts over my tongue. “Damn, these are the best I’ve ever had!”

“Glad to hear it.” Hayes chuckles and I see he’s been watching me, waiting for me to eat first. “I always like the meat I raise myself best, but I’m biased.”

“Raised yourself?” I set my fork down and feel my brow furrow as I realize what he means. “Oh! The pigs!”

“Yep. Meat came in from the butcher this morning so I defrosted the chops for tonight and some bacon for tomorrow.”

My first thought is that it’s weird to eat pigs I’ve met, but I remember Hayes owns a working farm, and that he is proud of the things he grows to eat. That includes the animals. And I enjoy his eggs and produce every day. This isn’t any different.

After taking a bite of the wild rice I bet is from his brother-in-law’s farm and his sweet corn, both with butter, I groan in enjoyment and go back to the pork. It’s still delicious. “Thank you for cooking dinner. This is all delicious.”

“Figured you might want to celebrate. Your first full-length video seems to be doing well and everyone can see how hard you’re working. Congratulations!”

After taking a moment to have a few more bites and process that he recognized my efforts, saw my success, and took initiative to celebrate with me, I find my throat clogging up with emotion. Setting my fork down and standing, Hayes looks up at me in worry.

“Are you okay? Should I have told you about the pigs before you ate?”

He doesn’t have to wait long before I’m pushing him back in the chair to straddle his lap. Cupping his jaw under his beard, I lick my lips and swallow hard.

“Thank you.”

“It was nothing,” Hayes starts, but I cut him off with a kiss. It starts hard and fast, but deepens to involve our tongues and roaming hands before I lean back to look at the incredible man before me.

“It was everything.”

Chapter twenty-eight

Hayes

Wetakeonlyaminute to make sure the food is put away in the fridge where Shadow can’t get to it before Kai leads me to his room. We’ve had most of our sex on the couch or in here, and I realize I no longer think of this room as my parents' space anymore. It’s Kai’s room now.

“I need you inside of me,” Kai tells me as he strips beside the bed. Between his hands and mine, we’re both naked and stumbling into the bed before I can formulate a response.

Settling over him with Kai’s legs wrapped around my hips, I nibble at his jawline. “You had me in you last night,” I tease, knowing he doesn’t mean a blow job. We haven’t had my dick in his ass since the first time, often too eager to get that far before we’re both coming all over each other.