“I told you I’m not going to Kensley for Thanksgiving,” I say, flopping down on my couch and kicking my socked feet up onto the coffee table.
He sits down next to me, still bundled up. “I know you said that, but that’s fucking crazy. I’m not leaving you here all by yourself on Thanksgiving.”
I roll my eyes at that but can’t hold back my smile. I wasn’t invited to my parents’ house. Which is fine. It really is. They’re still mad at me for moving away and not helping on the farm like they’d planned.
And I still want my independence. I want to live my own life. So I’m not going home for this stupid turkey-eating holiday, and I’m fine with that. But of course, Oakley can’t let that go. “I’m fine, Oakley.”
“You aren’t.” He looks completely serious, and it actually makes me laugh. Serious Oakley is kind of funny.
“Really. I am. Go eat your turkey.”
“You’re coming with me to my parents’, and I’m not taking no for an answer.”
“You don’t have a choice,” I say with far more conviction than I feel.
“I’ll totally withhold the D for like a week if you don’t.”
My eyes widen at that, studying his face for a hint of teasing. This motherfucker. “You couldn’t go that long,” I say with certainty.
He straightens his shoulders and huffs. “I can. I’ve gone way longer without sex.”
I lean into him, teasing him a little and dragging my lips over his neck and his jaw. “But not since you’ve had a taste of me.”
I notice him shiver and smile triumphantly at that. Yeah. He’s just as addicted to this thing between us as I am. “Fine. Fuck.” He throws his hands up in a cute little huff. “I can’t go that long, but I really want you to go with me.”
Damn it. Him and his stupid puppy-dog eyes are making me weak. “Why?”
“Because no one should be alone for Thanksgiving, and my mom is a damn good cook. Seriously. She’s the best.”
I roll my eyes at him and shake my head. “Mama’s boy.”
He doesn’t argue with me and doesn’t seem the least bit bothered. “It’ll be fun. We’ll watch football. We’ll stuff ourselves so full, we won’t be able to move for hours.” I chuckle at that until he leans into me, his lips pressing against mine softly, then again before he pulls back, his eyes intense. “Then we’ll come back here or to my place, and I’ll fuck you until you can’t move for days.”
It’s my turn to shiver, a full body shiver racking me completely. Damn. Him. “What about your parents?”
“What about them?” He seems confused, and this is why I can’t take him up on his offer. He doesn’t worry about anything. It wouldn’t even cross his mind that his parents might not want me there.
“They don’t know about us, do they?”
His brow furrows, and he shakes his head. “Not yet.”
“So this is your coming out?” I really want him to think about this because it’s a big deal. I know his parents. Not particularly well, but it’s a small town. They went to every event. We’ve crossed paths.
They were high-school sweethearts. He played football. She was a cheerleader. They have the typical Kensley life. They’re not going to be fine with their son not following that same path. There’s just no way.
He shrugs. “I don’t know what this is, Trav. I just know I want you to come with me and not sit in this damn apartment all day.”
“So it’ll be a secret?” I hate the thought of being in the closet ever again, but it’s not worth blowing up their whole world for when this is just a temporary thing.
“What will be?” He’s still confused, and I’m getting a little frustrated.
“You and me, Oakley. Focus.”
“Listen, I know your parents are being total fucking assholes right now, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s their loss.” My heart aches in my chest, thinking about my parents because no matter how much they shoved their desires on me, I have good memories of them. I love them. And I miss them. But they made it clear that if I don’t want to live in Kensley and be a farmer, that I don’t have a place there. They don’t even know I’m gay, and they’ve already rejected me. “But my parents are pretty cool. Trust me.”
I place a hand on his cheek and look into his sweet eyes because it’s not about trusting him. I don’t want to see him crushed. “Trust me, even the coolest parents fuck up. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
He grabs my hand on his cheek and brings it to his lips, kissing my palm. “I won’t. Just come with me. We’ll see how it goes and play it by ear, but I’m not worried. If they have any problem with you at all, we’ll leave. Together. But they won’t.”
The together part makes me stop for a minute. I pause and look at him, thinking about how easily he said that. It feels like we’re getting in too deep.
That maybe we should have a discussion, but instead, I just reluctantly agree. I pull on boots and a coat, then find my gloves and bundle up before we climb in the old rusty truck he loves so damn much. “You sure this will make it all the way to Kensley?”
He looks offended with a playful grin on his face as he pats the dash. “This truck will go and go forever. Don’t ever doubt this beauty.”
“If we die, freezing on the side of the road, I swear to you . . .” I don’t really have a threat because I’ll be dead.
He only laughs at me, starting up his truck with a loud rumble and backs out of the parking space. “I’ll keep you warm. Don’t you worry.”
I laugh at that, the action coming so effortlessly the more I’m around him, but nerves still twist in my gut.
I hope he’s right.
Because I don’t think I could stand to see him wrong and get crushed.
TWENTY-THREE
OAKLEY
Man, I love driving into Kensley. It’ll always be my home. We drive down Main Street, and as expected, everything is closed today, but it still looks good. The snow covers the brick streets and the sidewalks.
But it still looks the same.
And I can’t believe Travis thought my truck wouldn’t make it here. I mean, come on. This truck is beyond reliable, despite being a hundred years old. Okay—not that old, but I love it.
And we made it.
I think he owes me a blowjob for being wrong. I’ll mention that later.
“You want to stop by your parents’ house?” I ask when we get through town and are heading out toward the country where both of us used to live. His parents live about a mile from mine.
“No, thanks.” He seems nervous, and I don’t like it. But there was no way in hell I was letting him spend Thanksgiving alone. Garrison and Jameson are going to both of their parents’ today, so that left no one in Hayes.
And I know he’s worried, but they’re going to both of their families together. Their parents have both fully accepted their relationship, and while Kensley is a small town, with some stupidass small minds, it’s getting a lot better.