Page 4 of Unexpectedly Wanted
I knew the type.
I’d grown up with one of them.
And I’d spent my adult life saying fuck anyone like that. I did not deal with people like her. Nope. Not if I could help it.
“I just don’t understand why you work so much. What could you possibly be doing that is so important that you can’t take a little time off to spend with your family? Especially since we came all this way,” she said, and I actually rolled my eyes, even though there wasn’t a chance that she’d notice me doing so.
“It’s a four-hour trip,” Milo said flatly.
I nearly snorted.
“Yes, but we plan on spending a whole week here.”
I almost wanted to match Milo’s irritated sigh. I kind of felt bad for him.
“I told you it wasn’t a good time,” Milo responded, though I got the feeling he knew his words would fall on uncaring ears.
“Well, I thought now was a good time as any to talk to you about your future. You can’t just keep treading water, doing nothing for much longer.”
“My future?” I heard Milo shift in the booth. I was ashamed to say that I might have shuffled back a bit to hear better. “What do you mean?”
“As I tried to tell you months ago, Elenore Carver has been asking about you,” his mother started. “She said her daughter, Blaire— you remember her, right, the two of you used to go swimming at the lake during the summer? Anyway, she was wanting to know if you’d ever be in town again. Her mother said she was looking to settle down, and I have a feeling the two of you would make a perfect match. You did always—”
“Mother,” Milo said in nearly a bark. “I’ve told you this more times than should be necessary. I’m gay.”
And for some unimaginable reason, my heart pinched tight at hearing his tone.
It said,“when will you hear me?”
It said,“why don’t you get it?”
It said,“why can’t you just accept me as I am?”
I knew the feeling all too well.
So it was no wonder why I had a pinch in my chest for him. An ache. A sympathetic understanding that made me want to make it better.
“Yes, but… you know, it might be nice to move back home and settle into some kind of normal life,” she responded, tone not holding an ounce of understanding or care. If she had a broom, she’d be sweeping his statement under the rug. “I thought your time away would have given you a chance to… uh, how should I put it?”
“‘Get it out of your system,’ I believe is what you say all the time,” an older man’s voice cut in. I hadn’t had a chance to take in the man sitting next to the woman, since Milo’s body was currently blocking my view from this angle. I assumed it was his father. Or step-father. I didn’t have a clue because Milo and I didn’t know each other like that.
Something in the man’s tone had me doing my best to hold back a chuckle.
“Thank you, Harold,” she bit out, and I could just see her clenching her teeth and forcing a smile as she said those words, though I still had my back to the table and focus now forward again. “We feel that it’s time for you to come home and do what needs to be done for the family.”
Milo was silent for a good, long minute.
Ah, fuck.
I couldn’t explain what had come over me any more than I could explain why I was moving. Couldn’t tell you why I’d stopped to tell Sandy that I’d changed my mind and to bring my food over to Milo’s table. Sure as hell didn’t have an explanation for why I’d turned around and headed back in the direction of that table.
And it only got more insane from there.
“Hey, babe,” I found myself saying as I smoothly slid into the booth beside Milo.
I ignored his shocked face as I leaned over and brushed a delicate kiss on his soft cheek. His scent invaded my senses, and… well, I wasn’t sure what the hell was going on with me. I wanted more of his scent. Because it did something to me that I couldn’t explain. This small spark, warm and tingling, ignited in my chest. Which was why my lips ended up staying pressed against his cheek a beat or two longer than necessary to make the insinuation that we were together obvious. And my eyes may have even closed as I breathed in a deep hit of his unique scent. I was so reluctant to pull away.
I forced myself to put distance between us, clearing my throat as I went on to say, “Sorry, I’m late. You know how those work things can go.”
