Page 26 of Red Zone (Big Bend Bears #1)

Dallas

I t’s Thanksgiving break, and I’m finally doing this. I have to do this. Football is over. I only have a little bit of school left. It’s time.

“You want me to go with you?” Colt asks from the driver’s seat of his truck, but I shake my head.

“No. I need to do this by myself,” I say firmly, but my heart is beating erratically in my chest. I’m still very nervous, but I’m certain this is what I want. “I’ll be fine.”

He still looks worried, but he gives me a clipped nod. I don’t blame him for being nervous. I’ve been spending a lot of time at his house, but usually, I make it home the night before, and I’ve been dodging my mother’s questions.

But last night, I stayed at Colt’s all night. I woke up in his strong arms. We made love, and then I told him I needed to wake up that way every day going forward.

And I meant it. He was practically giddy at the idea of me finally moving in with him, and we decided to come and get my stuff to get this plan going. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. I’m an adult, even though I may be in high school. I’ve walked alone in this world for a long time.

Nothing makes you grow up faster than that.

And now I don’t have to be alone anymore, and more importantly, I don’t want to be. I found my person, and we are doing this thing. So I take one more deep breath, push open the door to his truck, close it, and walk into the house that was never my home.

My mom is there, instantly on me, asking where I’ve been. It’s what I expected. “Who is that parked in our driveway? Is that who you were with?”

“Yes,” I answer simply, ignoring my father, who’s also ignoring my presence as he sits at the kitchen table. I go into my room, and unfortunately, my mother follows.

“Yes? That’s all. You’ve been staying out until all hours of the night with no explanation, and today you show up after being out all night, reeking of...” She waves her hand exaggeratedly in the air as she tries to find the word.

“Sex. I smell like sex,” I help her out, and her entire face goes red, nearly purple.

“Dallas Boone. You do not speak that way to me.”

I ignore her, packing some clothes in a bag, not really wanting or needing anything in this room. Maybe I should have just stayed away. There’s nothing they can do. I’m legally an adult, and I owe them nothing.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“To live in Kensley.”

“What?” She’s flabbergasted, and I wish I cared. I really do. But she’s never once cared about me, I realize. Not once. Not even when I pleaded with her to just be my mom and listen to me. To be on my side, but she never has been.

“You heard me. I’m going to live with my boyfriend in Kensley.”

“You’re disgusting,” she shouts, and it stings. Of course it stings, but I keep my shoulders from sagging, and I hold my chin high as I zip up the bag and sling it over my shoulder. “You are not doing this.”

“I am. It’s happening, and you have no say about it,” I say before walking out of my room and past the kitchen, not sparing my father a glance, even as I feel him standing up and walking toward me.

“Don’t you dare ever come back here then. You hear me? If you do this, the entire town will know. We’ll be a laughingstock.”

“You’ll never have a family again, son.” I hear my dad’s cold voice, and it doesn’t hurt nearly as badly this time.

I’m not afraid. Not at all. I look at the two people who were supposed to love and care for me, no matter what, and all I feel is pity. Because Colt is right. I’m great, and they’re missing out on knowing me.

They’ll never go near their grandchild—I’ll die before I let that happen. And that includes any kid Colt and I may decide to have in the future. They won’t ever touch another part of my life.

Joy spreads through my entire chest as I realize how true that is. I never thought I could have this. True, unbridled joy. I felt like maybe I was close once or twice in my life, but never quite there.

Never truly happy. I thought maybe it could be possible when I went to that club and saw other happy men. But I never fully got there.

Not until now.

“I don’t care,” I say quietly. “I have a family. One that loves me for me. One who isn’t ashamed of me. And that’s all I need. Take care,” I say and turn my back on both of them, blocking out every hateful word coming out of my mother’s mouth as I make my way to Colt’s truck.

I climb in with the bag on my lap, and Colt’s eyes assess me instantly, his worry palpable. “You okay?”

I turn to him, grabbing his shirt and pulling him into me for a deep kiss I hope my mom witnesses. “I’m great. Take me home.”

He puts the truck in gear and does just that.

“Okay, so I can get you a job working with me, but I don’t want you to hate it,” Colt says, holding my hand in his and dragging the fingers on his other hand through the lines on my palm. We’re naked in our bed, sated and sweaty, taking our time after coming down from mutual orgasms. Celebrating moving in together.

“Why would I hate it? It sounds great.”

“I like it a lot, but oil isn’t for everyone.”

I shrug. “It’s a job. A good-paying one, from what I’ve heard. I never really had a specific career in mind. Just knew I didn’t want to go to college and that I wanted out of Big Bend.”

He drops his hands and places my hand over his heart, covering it with his. “You don’t want to leave now though, right?”

“What do you want?” I ask because Colt is so concerned about everyone else, I’m worried he doesn’t think enough about himself. But that’s what I’m here for.

“I want to be with you,” he says and turns his head to kiss my lips softly. I nearly get lost in the kiss but force myself to focus. I still have a semester of high school left, but after that, we probably need a plan.

“Would it be possible to get a house near here? Maybe not quite as far away as the city? Somewhere we can see Christian and Chloe often? And still travel for work?”

He nods his head at that, clearly thinking that over. “We could even get a house in Kensley. Watch Christian grow up. Help Chloe any time she needs when we aren’t on the road.”

“But you like the city,” I say, concerned he’s doing this just for me.

He holds me closer to him and seems totally at peace. “Nah. You made me realize I was running from things. I think we can help make this town great. I think we can make it a better place, like your old coach and his husband. But more than that, this is where our family is. Our real family—Chloe and Christian. It’s where Chloe wants to raise him.” I nod, thinking the same thing.

“I want this badly, but I want you to be happy.”

“I’m happy.” He kisses me again. “It’ll all work out, Dallas. I have you. I’m happy.”

“Me too. Thank you for coming into my life at the exact right moment.”

He grins. “Sorry for being an asshole.”

I shrug. “You were just being yourself,” I tease, and he nips my bottom lip. Not as punishing as he thinks because it feels pretty good, and my sated cock starts to rally at the sensation.

“Jesus fuck, you might actually kill me,” he jokes, looking at the tented sheet covering my groin.

“At least we’ll have a good time on the way out,” I joke and laugh as he kisses me, pulling my body onto his.

I am absolutely, without a doubt, finally home.