Page 56 of Manny Included

Bay gave him a sideways look.“Not to mention, you’re hot.For a manny.”

“Bah.I’m just hot, right?”He kept a straight face for… about a second before he cracked up.

“You are, though,” Bay told him.

“Bah.I’m just… a dude.”

“A hot dude.And I don’t want to hear you say bah again, thank you very much.”

He stuck his tongue out at Bay, both of them having a laugh at that.Then Bay leaned over and pressed a soft, gentle kiss on his lips.It was the first time they’d kissed out in the open like this.

He brought one hand up and cupped Bay’s jaw, loving the tiny scrape of stubble on his palm.Bay tilted his head, almost caressing Pete’s palm, and he deepened the kiss, just a little, tongue slipping out to glide against Pete’s lips.

He sighed, his eyes falling closed.So sweet.

Bay kissed him a time or two more, then sat back, licking his own lips.“You taste sweet.”

“I haven’t been eating anything sweet, so…” It had to be him, right?

“No, you were eating Chinese food.The sweetness is you.”

He couldn’t stop smiling.“Oh.Thank you.”

“Mmmhmm.”Bay smiled back at him, then nodded toward the food, the TV.“Eat.Watch.”

He nodded and nibbled an egg roll.So crunchy.

He thought maybe Bay was watching him more than the movie, but maybe it was just his imagination.

By the time they were done eating, they just melted back against the couch cushions.Bay leaned against him, leg warm along his, Bay’s head resting against his shoulder.

“I love this,” he whispered.“I look forward to it, all week.”Even when they wound up skipping a week or two because the kids were all out of school and everything was a little chaotic.

“Me too.”Bay spoke as quietly as he had, as if them admitting it out loud would somehow break the magic bubble of it.

He twined their fingers together, just holding on.He didn’t know what to do next, so he didn’t stress it.For right now, this was more than enough.

And not destined to last long.A piercing cry came from upstairs, followed by crying.Flynn.

Bay jumped about a foot, head whipping around to meet his gaze.“What the hell was that?”

“The baby—” He ran, that scream one of pain.He hit the stairs, taking them two at a time.“I’m coming!”

He could hear Bay following him, but his focus was all on poor baby Flynn who was clearly in distress.It was the most horrible sound.

Flynn was standing in his crib, holding tight to the rail and just wailing like he was on fire.

He scooped the baby up, and his fever was raging, the little one tugging his ear and sobbing.

“What’s wrong?”Bay asked.“Something is clearly very wrong.”

“Yeah.Yeah, we need to take him to the ER.Do you want to stay here and call me a car?”

“Shit.That bad?One of us has to stay here, right?Yes, there’s three other kids.I’ll stay.I’ll call you an uber.Oh God.”

“Okay.Maybe call Will, see if he can come?”He glanced at Bay.“In case I need you.”

His heart was racing.He didn’t think the baby was in danger, but an infection needed antibiotics.