Page 48 of His Coveted Obsession

When dinner was ready, we all sat down in the dining room to eat. Everything looked so perfect, beautiful, and tasty. I swore their lives were straight out of a magazine.

“Easton said you two just got married? How did you all meet?” I asked between bites of prime rib.

Sid took a sip of his wine and leaned back in his chair. “We were high school sweethearts.”

I swooned at that. “Oh, that’sso—”

“We werenothigh school sweethearts,” Dalton said, interrupting me. “Your brain has suddenly gone faulty.” Then he looked at me, smirking. “Sid here was my bully back in high school.”

“Way to ruin a perfectly made-up story, Boy Scout,” Sid interjected, exaggeratingly rolling his eyes.

Dalton sighed, but smiled affectionately at Sid before looking at me again. “Let’s just say Sid and I met in chaos. And from those flames, we found common ground, despite being completely different.” He grabbed Sid’s hand. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Well… I could’ve done without all the chaos and flames.”

“They’re both weird,” Easton said to me, and I nearly spit out the water I was drinking before laughing. His smile was small, so I knew he cared about the two men. And that was literally his first joke ever.

Sid raised a wineglass in cheer. “And you love us anyway… or put up with us, at the very least.”

“I like having two daddies!” Owen, who was sitting next to me, said around a mouthful of roasted potatoes. “Sid throws me around a lot.”

I patted the boy’s back. “I remember when my dad did that.” Back when he was fun and great. I used to look up to him. Now, disappointment filled me whenever I saw him.

“Easton says you’re going to school?” Dalton said.

“Yes, well… It’s just afternoon and evening classes at the community college. Nothing mind-blowing. I want to be a nurse.” I shrugged. “I’d rather be a doctor or something, but… that’s more money and time than I have between working and taking care of my younger sister. I got into medicine when my mom was diagnosed with lymphoma.”

“Sorry to hear that,” Sid said.

“Thanks. She died three years ago.”

“How old is your sister?”

“Annie’s fifteen and a handful.”

“She’s angry a lot,” Easton said.

I burst out laughing. “As I said, she’s a handful, but she’s very sweet and smart.”

Dalton pointed at Owen. “I’m not looking forward to that one becoming a teen.”

“Owen will be perfect,” Easton said.

That right there proved how much he cared about his family. And more proof that he loved. Just because someone didn’t get all warm and fuzzy didn’t mean they couldn’t love. Did you know whowasall warm and fuzzy? Me.

I was staring at Easton, feeling the love for him consume me, and worshiping the ground he walked on. I still couldn’t believe he had chosen me, of all people, to be with. If he ever broke up with me, I would literally die. Or hunt him down and beg until he agreed to take me back.

“I see it now,” Sid said, his blue eyes grazing between Easton and me.

“See what?” Easton asked, shoving a potato into his mouth and chewing methodically.

“Why you like Thomas. No offense, Thomas. It’s just that Easton is built differently.”

“Oh, I know. It’s what drew me to him. He’s honest, straightforward, handsome, refined… He’s perfect.”

Easton glanced at me, his pale brown eyes shimmering with pleasure. His face may not have emotive expressions, but you could always tell when his mood shifted, as subtle as it was.

Then, to my surprise, he brushed the backs of his fingers against my face before he resumed eating. His reaction was fleeting, but it said so much.

After dinner, I sat in the living room with Sid and Easton as Dalton headed upstairs to bathe his son and get him ready for bed. When he was done, he called downstairs for Easton to go up and read to Owen before he went to sleep.

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