Page 62 of The Fated Mate Bandit

26

SILVER

We do nothing but sleep and fuck for the next two days. Every few hours, Lucas waddles out of bed to go to the bathroom, and doesn’t return until an hour later with omelettes, spaghetti with my mom’s meat sauce, or a salad with homemade dressing he just “whipped up.” We eat in bed. It’s a mess anyway, even though we change the sheets halfway through the first day. With the exception of a quick trip to the bank to get Daryll’s money, and his very brief visit, our first few days together are complete bliss. We shower together whenever the mood strikes us and make out when he’s too sore to have sex again. Most of the time we cuddle, whether we’re asleep or not. The idea of being physically apart from him is painful.

On Saturday afternoon, Lucas drags me to the shower with a big grin on his face. “We get to go to family dinner.”

I had almost forgotten.

He pulls out a container of potatoes he apparently baked yesterday and starts chopping them up for a potato salad. My mom’s potato salad, no less. He hums to himself as he whisks around my kitchen, adding mustard and mayo with a butter knife, the way my mom does.

That’s when I realize this isourkitchen. Well,hiskitchen, if the last few days are any indication.

“I’m getting the impression that you want to be in charge of the cooking?” I ask.

He stops. “Um, yeah. If that’s okay.”

“It’s very okay. If there’s anything you need, please let me know. In fact, I should get you added to my bank account so you can buy stuff yourself.”

He takes a step back. “Oh. I’m still planning to get a job. I can get my own bank account and start contributing to the bills. I probably won’t make enough to pay half your mortgage, but I’ll give you everything I make.”

I can’t help but think of how casually Daryll admitted that he only wanted Lucas back because he needed to pay the rent and a body to fuck. I need to clarify that our relationship isn’t going to be like that.

“I can pay my own bills, Lucas. If you want to work, then you can. We’ll figure out childcare and all of that. But it isn’t necessary,” I say.

He wrings his hands. This is stressful for him. Maybe I need to be clearer about what I mean.

“I’ve always wanted…” I pause, not sure how to say this. If I phrase it wrong, I could end up coming off backwards or insensitive. “A relationship like my moms’. I liked that my omega mom was at home with us when we were kids. I guess I wanted that for my kids, too. That’s why I studied something in college that I knew would pay well enough to support a family.” I sigh because I think this is coming out all wrong. “But I don’t expect you to stay at home with our pups. I really don’t. If you want to get a degree in cyber security, I’d be happy to stay at home with them instead.”

Lucas’s lips quirk up. “You think I could get a degree in cyber security, huh? I don’t even own a computer.”

He’s teasing me. That must mean he isn’t nervous anymore.

“You could get a degree in something else,” I say.

He continues stirring his potato salad. “Or I could stay at home with our pups.”

“Is that what you want, or do you feel pressured?” I ask.

“I feel… excited. I want to put together a meal plan of your favorite dinners and make you lunches with those bento boxes you’ve never used underneath the sink. I like cooking for you, Silver. I was thinking I could put together a cleaning schedule, too. This house is so beautiful… I mean, wow. I never thought I’d live in a place like this.”

I smile. “Me neither.”

“We could hang the pots and pans from the ceiling right here,” he says, pointing to a spot above the island. “And we could put a spice rack here.” He points to the counterspace next to the oven. “I mean, if that’s okay.” His cheeks pinken and he ducks his head sheepishly.

“That’s very okay. Make this kitchen your own. Consider it your work space. You can decorate it however you like.”

He looks around the kitchen with a wistful expression on his face. “Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Thank you. This is… wonderful.”

That’s exactly how I felt when I stepped into this house for the first time. I couldn’t believe I was buying a stick build house on a tree-lined street a block away from a good school. Lucas came from the same trailer park I did, so he gets it.

I walk around the island and hug him from behind. “I think you and I could build a beautiful life together here.”

He leans against me. “We could raise a family. Grow old together.”

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