If He Ever Cries (manxman / boyxboy)

Chapter 28

The cheerful tarantella in the background of Marcello's and the aroma of Pomodoro and garlic bread competed for a piece of Kaiden's mind a tiny bit less than the text messages he read, and a bit more than the annoyed pregnant woman who sat on the other side of the booth. He lifted his eyes for a second. "Is that so," he answered to whatever she said and ignored her fingers tap on the table as he tapped his reply on the screen of his cell phone.

Since the day of the surfing trip, the way and frequency Adam and Kaiden addressed one another escalated.

"I can't wait to see you tonight." The picture that followed showed Adam looking above his glasses, blonde hair slicked back. The tie and the collar of his white coat confirmed he was at the hospital, and the fox in that gaze refreshed the rush of excitement Kaiden experienced when Adam gazed into his eyes in bed.

"Can you please put that thing down for a minute?" she said.

No. He didn't find any fulfillment or joy in the mechanics of typing with thumbs—however, reading and replying to Adam's text messages topped listening to her about Daniel any day. "Hang on."

"I'll be there. Is eight a good time?" That gave him time to work on the pictures from the photoshoot he did yesterday. But at mere noon, time could not run fast enough.

"Make that Seven." Kaiden could accommodate.

The waitress brought their sodas and he asked for a minute to decide on what to eat. He could feel Kristina and her that's bullshit stare. He didn't need the minute to decide. He never had and he was aware that Kristina knew this about him. Marcello's lasagna could raise bodies from the grave and after tasting it once, there was nothing else on the menu that piqued the interest of any of the Taylors.

"Sausage lasagna and breadsticks for four, please." He will thank her in a minute. He didn't stop to ask why she ordered for four and not three. Was she seriously hungry for two?

"I'll bring the wine."

"I've got that covered, beautiful. I'll feed you, get you drunk, and have my way with you." A wave of desire ran under Kaiden's skin and he had to squeeze his legs together to calm down. After a moment the bubble that indicated Adam was typing showed again and Kaiden choked on his soda when he read it. "I'll watch you jerk off tonight. Bye for now."

Kaiden's heart jumped and he stuffed the cellphone in his pocket. He looked up when a hand touched his shoulder and breathed out. "Eric, thank God. Do something, please. Take me away from her."

Eric looked at each sibling with knotted eyebrows and a smile. He chuckled and sat next to Kaiden after greeting Kristina with a kiss on the cheek. "Oh, you made him go shopping."

She rolled her eyes and waved Eric off. "Since when doesn't he like shopping? He pretty much just carried my bags. I bet he has no recollection of what stores we entered or what I tried on. That phone is practically an extension of his hands."

Kaiden pursed his lips and squinted at her. She could afford him a moment of non-dictatorial use of his time after he spent the entire Wednesday morning enduring her complain about dresses she tried on for the wedding reception, lingerie and swimsuits for the honeymoon—and being expected to bring her water at her whim. He chauffeured her through town, carried shopping bags, made small talk, and watched her flirt with the wedding planner, all the while avoiding the topic of Daniel and what could be causing his mood swings of late.

There had to be a limit to the duties of a man of honor. He was one complaint away from backing out.

If this is how pregnancy fit his sister, Kaiden was so happy for Daniel.