Page 47 of His Coveted Obsession

“Pretty house.”

“Dalton and Sid recently bought it after they got married. This is just one of their homes. Sid has a condo in the city as well.”

“Must be nice.”

I couldn’t imagine having so much money that you could buy several homes. Our home was small, and it was okay before Mom died, but Dad had just stopped caring.

Instead of knocking, Easton opened the door and walked inside, wiping his shoes on the rug before removing them.

“Take off your shoes.”

He took the container from me as I toed off my sneakers and put them off to the side, next to his nicer leather shoes. Then I took off my coat and removed my scarf. Easton handed the container back to me so he could hang our coats in the closet.

The home was stunning inside, full of beautiful crown molding, comfortable furniture that was bold in color and texture, yet also carried a traditional vibe. I was in awe. Someone professional must have decorated it. The entire house looked like it had been featured inArchitectural Digest.

The closer we got to the kitchen, the more the aroma hit me, making my mouth water. Scents of roasted meat and herbs filled the air.

They probably had some fancy dessert. My carrot cake suddenly felt inadequate.

As soon as Easton stepped into the kitchen, a little boy of about six squealed and rushed him. Easton lifted him and carriedhim on his hip. I may have melted at the precious sight. And Easton said he couldn’t love.Please.

When I followed him inside, one taller man, well over six feet with cropped, dark blond hair, stood with his back to me, pouring two glasses of red wine. The other man, a few inches taller than Easton and me, stood at the oven, pulling out a roast. He was leaner than the other man and had much darker hair. I smiled at the black apron, featuring a graphic of a wiener, which read, ‘Smokin’ Hot Sausage.’

They turned around and smiled warmly at Easton. You could clearly see the love and care they had for him. It warmed my heart to know that Easton had people to love him after coming from such a horrible upbringing.

Easton turned to face me, still holding the boy. “This here is Owen.”

“Hi, Owen. I’m Thomas.”

The child smiled brightly, full of missing teeth, strawberry-blond hair falling into his face, and hazel eyes. “Hi, Thomas!”

“The big man pouring wine is Sid. And the one with the ridiculous apron on is Dalton.”

“Don’t knock his apron. I had that custom-made for my Boy Scout, thank you very much,” Sid huffed playfully.

I laughed, instantly put at ease by the light banter.

“This is Thomas. He’s mine, so be nice.”

My face flamed as I shook Sid’s hand first, holding the cake container precariously with one arm. His blue eyes that nearly matched mine twinkled with humor, and while he wore a smirk, there was something hard about him, too. He was someonewho looked like he would fight hard for his family. He wasn’t as laid-back as he first appeared.

“Hello,” I said to him. “It’s nice to meet you finally.”

“I’m presuming Easton has yammered non-stop about how great I am.”

I snorted a laugh. “Yes, all good things.”

“Don’t tease him, Sid,” Easton admonished. “Not everyone gets your humor.”

Sid winked at him. “Especially you.”

I nearly died when Easton rolled his eyes, looking even younger than he was.

Next, I shook Dalton’s hand. His features were kinder and softer, and his warm brown eyes were inviting. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Thomas. Can I take that?”

“Oh, yeah. It’s, ah, carrot cake. I’m sure you’ve planned a better dessert, but I wanted to make something. It’s the least I could do. I don’t generally cook that much. Not lots of time, but I… sorry. I tend to ramble when I’m nervous.”

“Don’t be nervous. You’re more than welcome here,” Dalton said, putting the cake on the counter. “And thank you for the cake. I’m sure we’ll love it.”

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