Page 94 of All The Things: The Last Thing He Needs Omnibus

Tom stopped rubbing his palm against Bobby’s cock through his trousers. “You’d rather wait?” he asked, taking a deep breath, probably steadying himself.

“Nope.”

“Thank Christ.”

But some things never change, and before they could get any further, the patter of several pairs of feet sounded on the other side of the door, just before a few fists beat against it. “You guys comin’ out?” Collin said over Max and Zoe calling their names.

“One second,” Bobby said with a laugh.

Tom pulled away, let out a frustrated breath. “No way has it been twenty minutes.”

“No, but this is pretty on brand for us.” Bobby wanted to reach out, straighten Tom’s tie, smooth his jacket down for him, but he knew better than to touch Tom just then, or they’d never leave the apartment.

“We live with seven cockblocks. Eight, if we count your mother.”

“She’s your mom now too,” Bobby teased, and something in Tom’s expression pinched. Some emotion Bobby couldn’t read flitted across his features, then softened everything about him.

“Not the worst thing that could happen to a guy,” Tom said.

But before Bobby could respond, Collin shouted, “Come on, you guys.” And that was the end of it.

Tommy

Later that evening, with the sun setting and turning everything a golden pink, Tommy and Bobby had their dance—which Tommy hadn’t wanted and Bobby had, so naturally, Tommy spent three weeks learning how to fucking waltz. But whatever. Tommy had gotten his chocolate cake and Bobby had gotten his dance and Judy had gotten to do all the shit she’d wanted to do and the kids had gotten to invite their friends (because Tommy’s three guests against Bobby’s thirty was a little embarrassing, even if he’d never admit it), and even the damn dog had a good time.

At one point, one of Bobby’s friends, a cop because of course, who came into the pub a couple of nights a week and was trying to turn Smarty’s into a cop bar, stepped up to them and passed Bobby an envelope. He had his wife with him, a woman who was pretty and rough around the edges and who Tommy had always liked, the few times he’d met her. Even though he couldn’t remember her name.

“You two should’ve registered. I didn’t know what to get two gay guys,” he said.

Tommy snorted a laugh, and Bobby grinned, but the wife punched his arm so hard Tommy almost winced in sympathy.

“What? He knows he’s gay.”

“Lube and butt plugs always go over nicely,” Tommy said, getting a look from Bobby, a snort from the wife, and a cackle from the cop—Mark, if Tommy recalled correctly.

“I’ve always liked you, Tom.”

“Then call me Tommy.” Mostly because he hated the sound of Tom in anyone else’s voice. Bobby was the only one who got away with it without annoying the shit out of him.

“Will do,” he said and shook Tommy’s hand before his wife leaned in and kissed Tommy and Bobby on their cheeks.

They wandered off and danced to a slow song. Tommy could tell Bobby wanted to join them, but damn, he’d barely learned the one dance, and he really didn’t want to do it again. He also didn’t want to stand around eating finger food and drinking champagne and making small talk with everyone there. He’d much rather drag Bobby out and finish what they’d started. But that’d have to wait.

“You talk to your father yet?” Bobby asked, even as he smiled and nodded to someone across the yard.

His father. Bobby had been surprised when Tommy invited him, had told Tommy as much, and Christ knew they all had mixed feelings about Cal. “Not a word. Think I should?” He’d hoped just inviting him would be enough.

Bobby smiled softly at him, dropped off an empty glass of champagne, and picked up another. “I don’t think there’s any should when it comes to him. Let him try and be your dad after all these years or tell him to fuck off and it’s too late, or something in between… It’s all hard, and it’ll probably always be hard with him.”

“Thanks for the optimism.” Tommy huffed a laugh. “Your mother would probably disagree.”

“Probably. And maybe she’d be right, but…”

But Bobby had to deal with the fallout of Cal O’Shea in a different way than Judy had to. Bobby had to deal with Tommy’s messed-up life and head on a daily basis. Judy did too. But it wasn’t the same. “But let’s not get our hopes up too soon? Never thought I’d see the day.” Tommy grinned and leaned in for a kiss.

“Get a room,” Gene said from behind them.

“You didn’t want a live sex show tonight?” Tommy asked as he turned.

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