Page 103 of Mr. Naughty List

“Expensive?”

“If we’re wrong and it all goes to shit, it’ll cost us a lot more in heartbreak and lost time than some dumb material object we could have bought. But if we’re right and it works out, then it’s priceless.”

Aaron’s dimples broke through. “You’re a secret romantic.”

“I’m not. I actually think love is bullshit.”

“Right. Okay. And yet—” Aaron put his hand over RJ’s where it still cupped his cheek.

“I know. I know. I want this. I don’t want to believe that this will be the only Christmas I’ll ever spend here.”

Aaron chuckled. “Were my cousins that fun?”

“No, but I just want to be with you. Next to you. I want your dad to give me more baby photos, and I want to hear more cousin stories, and I want to become a story of my own… ‘Remember that Christmas when RJ showed up? We didn’t even know Aaron was gay!’”

“They knew I was gay.”

“Did they though?” RJ chuckled, and Aaron did too.

“They suspected.”

“It doesn’t matter. What matters is that I want a nickname too.”

“Do you?”

RJ grinned. “We have to plan for that future, baby. We have to commit to it working. Unless you don’t want it?”

Aaron leaned close, kissing RJ and whispering, “I do.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The sound ofa scream woke RJ from his sleep. He jerked up in bed, heart pounding with a rush of adrenaline. “What was that?”

Aaron, who’d been curled up next to him, snuggling in for warmth, chuckled and tugged on RJ’s arm. “Rooster.”

“Are you sure? It sounded like a scream to me.”

“I’m sure.”

The noise came again, and RJ thought it didn’t sound a damn thing like the cockle-doodle-do of his childhood books. “That’s terrifying.”

Aaron murmured something incomprehensible and snuggled close again. RJ ran a hand through Aaron’s soft hair and down the chill of his scratchy cheek before climbing out of bed. The house was snug, but still cold, and he shivered in the morning air. It was dark out the window, but he could make out that the snow had mostly melted in the night. The temperature must have lifted well above freezing.

So much for a white Christmas. The kids would be disappointed.

The kids!

RJ hustled over to the night table and grabbed his phone. Five-ten in the morning. Not even close to dawn. The rooster crowed again.

“The sun isn’t up yet,” RJ whispered. “Why’s he screaming?”

“Internal clock. He always crows at five or shortly after.” Aaron yawned and rolled over. “C’mere. It’s cold without you.”

RJ put the phone down and was just climbing under the covers when he heard a door open and shut from the hallway. Heavy footsteps started down the stairs. “Your Dad’s already up?”

Aaron nuzzled RJ’s shoulder, his nose all cold against his skin. “Farm life. Going out to the barn.”

“Now I see why you didn’t want it. Way too early.” RJ cuddled up to Aaron, breathing in his sleepy morning scent and considering. As much as he loved holding his sweet Mr. Danvers, soft and pliant in his arms, he also had a promise to keep. Well, if he could.