Page 85 of Taming You

“Because he doesn’t need protecting,” Henry says, and my blood starts to boil as I remember our conversation in his kitchen.

“I don’t need protecting anymore. I’m an adult, and I’m perfectly capable of deciding who I date and how I spend my time.”

“So, you are dating him,” Henry pushes.

“I am. I’m also the happiest I’ve been in a long time.” Jayden starts to make noises, and I stand and pace. “You five were there for me as a kid, and I appreciate it endlessly. I know not everyone is as lucky as I was to have five brothers to look after me so I didn’t end up in the system, but I’m an adult now. I just need you to support me.”

Matt reaches for Jayden, but I don’t give him over. While I’m helping him sleep, he’s helping keep me calm right now. “Bug, why don’t I take him to the other room so you guys can talk?”

I shake my head. “I’ve got him.” My eyes are pleading, and he knows exactly what I mean.

“You’re also here on a Friday night taking care of a baby that’s not yours,” Henry says, and it kind of hurts, because as much as I know Jayden isn’t mine, he feels like mine and I want him to be.

“That’s my choice. Do you really think I’d be here right now if I didn’t want to be?”

Matt rubs my back as I pass him in my pacing, and Henry’s attention turns to him. “So you’ve just dragged my sister into this? What’s going on with the kid’s mom?”

“He has a name,” I interject. “It’s Jayden.”

Henry notices my tone, nods and returns to his questions. “What is going on with Jayden’s mom? Are you just using my sister for a fun time?”

Matt shakes his head furiously. “I would never use Zoey for just a fun time. I respect her too much, and I know that between her and my sister I’d be a very unhappy man if I messed with her like that. Zoey is the only person who has made me want to settle down. I wasn’t in any rush to stop having fun and settle down and start a family. Even before Jayden was dropped off, I found myself going out less to spend a night in with Zoey. So, even if Jayden wasn’t dropped off, I think we’d be right here eventually.”

I stop and stare at him. I never even stopped to realize Matt was spending a lot of weekends with me, and they weren’t just when other plans fell through, he was consciously making plans with me.

“Why do you call her Bug?” Ezra asks thoughtfully.

“He called me that as a kid,” I say off-handily before resuming my pacing.

“Okay, but why does he call you that now?”

Matt grips the back of his neck, his eyes flashing to me before his attention is focused on Ezra. “As a kid, I called her that because she loved ladybugs and it got a rise out of her. She’d turn this adorable shade of red and say, ‘Don’t call me that,’ but she eventually got used to it, stopped complaining, and it faded. A few months ago, it hit me like a semi just how fucking lucky I am to have her in my life, even if at the time it was just as friends. Zoey makes me feel safe and comfortable, and justme.So Bug, like ladybugs, because she is the luck in my life.”

I’m crying now. No one has talked about me like that so earnestly. Liv and the girls have always said nice things and helped build me up, but this is different. Matt makes me feel not only needed but wanted, like his life isn’t the same without me, and I feel the same way.

Ezra and, surprisingly, Henry nod as though they get it, Riley, Kai, and John are more so focused on eating it’s as though they’re not even sure why they’re here.

Matt looks over at me and is rushing out of his seat, taking my face in his hands. “Please don’t cry.

“I don’t want to cry,” I whisper, and he kisses my nose.

“So why are you crying?”

“Because I never thought I could feel like this. I never thought I could feel so strongly about someone or that they’d feel the same about me. You make me feel seen and wanted.”

Matt wipes away my tears, and I close my eyes as I lean into his touch. Jayden hasn’t fussed in a bit, and I would love to put him down and see him get some good sleep, so I say, “I’m going to see if he’ll be okay in his crib.”

“I can take him,” Matt offers, but I shake my head.

“I need a minute.”

He nods, and I head upstairs.

CHAPTER 33

Matt

Iwatch Zoey make her way up the stairs. As soon as she’s out of sight, I take my seat again. I met Zoey’s brothers a few times growing up, but she’s talked about them enough that as soon as they showed up, I knew who was who. And right now, I know I need to focus the majority of my attention on Henry and Ezra.

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