Page 59 of The Best Man's Secret

I smiled wide as though she could see me. “Are you serious, Mom?”

“Yeah. I miss you a lot too. Working abroad was something I needed to do, you know? But it’s time to come home.”

“I get it, Mom. You needed to experience life outside of being a working single mom.”

She chuckled. “You were a good kid, but yeah, your dad dying so young changed the plans we had as a family. Never got to give you a baby brother or sister.”

Her voice was strained, as it always was when she mentioned my dad.

“I have my bonus family, Mom. You know I’ve never missed not having a sibling. Adam, Lex, and Noah more than made up for it,” I chuckled.

“Speaking of which, how is he?”

I sighed. My mom, with her infinite mom instinct, or maybe it was because she was a nurse and could smell bullshit a mile away, had known I had a crush on Adam since I was sixteen. She’d gone into protective bear-mom mode because, atthat time, there had been no indication Adam was anything but straight, and she didn’t want me to get my heart broken.

By then, it had been too late. The kiss had happened, and my fate had been sealed. Not that I’d known at the time. My demisexuality didn’t become apparent to me until I was in college and learned more about queer identities.

“He’s…okay. He’s staying here until he gets back on his feet.”

“River…”

“Don’t worry, Mom. I’m okay.”

Adam stirred, and then his eyes fluttered open. When he saw me, he smiled and reached out for me.

Yeah, I was more than okay.

“Listen, Mom, I have to get ready for work.”

“Okay, honey. Look after yourself.”

“You too, Mom. And I want to hear more about your plans soon.”

“Sure thing.”

I put the phone away and turned back to Adam.

“Morning, sleepyhead.” I pushed his messy hair off his forehead.

“Morning. Did I stir much last night?” he asked.

“No. You slept like a baby.” I gave him a soft kiss on the lips. “But you snored like a truck.”

“I did not!”

I laughed at his indignation. “You’re right, you didn’t. It was more like a small locomotive. For a moment there, I thought I’d have to call the Department of Transportation to ask for a fault assessment.”

I was still laughing when, all of a sudden, I found myself under Adam with my hands pinned over my head.

“I see you regained your strength.”

“I had a good nurse.”

He ran his nose over the side of my face and then sucked my skin until I knew there would be a mark later. My dick hardened immediately.

“Feels like my nurse is ready for the morning round.”

I growled, and holding his hands tight, I raised my head to kiss him. He met my lips with the usual need. Adam always gave everything in a kiss. It was a long way away from the inexperienced kiss we’d shared at fourteen.