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Bandit couldn’t stop trailing his fingers up and down the back of Sacha’s arm.

He loved the way chill bumps formed beneath his touch.

With Sacha using his chest as a pillow, he was in heaven, but he still felt like they had so much to talk about.

The more he had thought about Tip’s accusations, the more Bandit had come to realize he couldn’t let Sacha continue to flounder along, barely giving himself a second to breathe.

While Sacha had his pride, that trait was killing him under the weight of what more than one man should be forced to handle.

Bandit was in the position to make his life easier, and he would, even if he had to go around Sacha to do it.

He opened his mouth while still unsure of how to start.

“I got fired today.”

Everything inside Bandit lit with rage. He nearly leapt from the bed in his immediate need to tear into Baylor.

Sacha didn’t give his rage time to truly take root. “Well, actually, Baylor has decided to dissolve his business to focus on family. He gave me five years' severance and has already set up thirty specialty cake orders for me to start my own business.”

Damn. Bandit kind of wanted to kiss Baylor right on the mouth. “That’s awesome, for both of you, honestly. Baylor will never feel secure being away from a child again once they adopt and you should be living your dream. Not his.”

He felt Sacha shrug. “Maybe, but working on his dream meant avoiding more responsibilities I don’t know how to handle. I didn’t have to worry about taxes and overhead. All I had to do with Baylor was my job and collect my salary. Now I have all these things at once and I’m terrified of failing.”

Bandit saw his opening. “Last night, when I rejected Tip, he accused me of making you up because you’d never been to a game. I told him you were busy working. He asked why you’d need to do that since you have me.”

Sacha went up on one elbow and stared down at him. He looked adorably outraged. “That’s ridiculous. Your money is not mine. Of course I’d have to work.”

Bandit took a breath, but he refused to break eye contact.

“Maybe you don’t. I mean, I want you to be able to design your cakes, but I also want you to do so stress free.

Art probably doesn’t come from a place of panic.

I love you. You’re mine. Don’t go into this thing killing yourself, hoping to make ends meet.

Let me take care of you. Come live with me.

” He could see the sadness rising in Sacha’s eyes.

He hurried to squash it. “All of you. Baba and Artem too. Let me help you with nursing care and be the extra hand you need. We’re partners.

Please stop stealing my right to be your rock. ”

Sacha chewed his bottom lip. The hope in his eyes crushed Bandit’s chest because he felt Sacha’s denial coming despite his desire. “This is Baba’s home. It’s the house she bought and lived with her husband until he died. She’ll never leave it, and I can’t leave her.”

Bandit had always thought the three-story townhouse was damn nice for the way Sacha struggled.

He got it now. Everyone had left him to pay for a home that wasn’t even his.

Then the situation was compounded by everyone else’s unwillingness to move to someplace more affordable.

Everyone had definitely unabashedly dumped a load on Sacha’s shoulders.

Luckily, Bandit was determined and shameless once he had his sights set. “Then let me live here. I’d gladly sell my house to stay with you. Just let me in. I want to be your partner in life.”

A sweet smile touched Sacha’s lips. He plucked at the covers. “I could never ask that of you.”

“You’re not asking. I’m begging for you to take me in.” He sat up and gently rolled Sacha onto his back. Bandit straddled Sacha’s body, ensuring he couldn’t get away. “Let’s do this thing together. I need to know you’re waiting in my bed when I get home. When I have a game, I want you there.”

Sacha pulled a face. “I doubt Baba would let it go if I went to the game and didn’t watch it with her. She’s pretty set on the idea that you’re ours.”

Bandit smiled despite his frustration. “Then let’s figure out how to bring Baba to the games. I can hire someone to push her in a wheelchair.”

Sacha snorted. “Hell would snow, or whatever that saying is, before Baba sat in a wheelchair. Now, if you want to hire some big, muscular stripper type to carry her everywhere, she’ll go wherever you like.”

A laugh burst from Bandit. “If that’s what it takes.” His smile slipped. He needed this. “Please, Sacha. I never want to feel the way I felt last night ever again. I need to know my home is with you. You’re drowning in responsibility that I want to share with you. Let me in.”

Sacha’s heart was in his eyes, and it was beautiful. “Okay.”

With one word, Sacha gave Bandit the entire world. A loud WOOT escaped him, forcing him to cover his mouth.

Sacha’s eyes swam with laughter. “I can’t imagine what Baba will have to say about that later.”

Bandit settled down, squishing Sacha beneath him. “We could just stay right here forever and never find out.”

“Mmm.” Sacha’s hands ran up Bandit’s body. “I like this plan.”

Bandit did too. They might never leave this bed again.