The Half of Us (Family 4)

“Seems that way to me.”

“After I got divorced, I stopped expecting forever,” Jason said. “I didn’t think it was possible for… I didn’t think it was possible.”

Abe’s hands stilled, his body stiffened, and his voice was tense when he asked, “And now?”

“I don’t know,” Jason admitted, covering Abe’s hand with his and twining their fingers together. “But I don’t want us to break up.” Of that he was absolutely certain. If anything, he wanted to see Abe more, not less. He needed Abe in his life.

With a relieved sigh, Abe said, “That’s good enough.”

“Okay.” Jason reached for Abe’s leg and caressed him. “Wait. What did we just decide?”

“I think we decided we’re walking along the path and we haven’t hit the fork in the road yet.”

“That is way too metaphorical for me,” Jason said. “How about we go with this? You want to be with me. I want to be with you. Neither of us wants to be with anybody else. So unless we tell each other it’s over, we stick with that.”

“Jase?”

“Yeah?”

“Did you just ask me to be in a monogamous, committed relationship with you?” Abe asked, his voice teasing.

“Quit fucking with me. It’s mean. I all but had an anxiety attack earlier.” It felt good to admit what happened, to himself and to Abe. Talking about it somehow made it less debilitating. Laughing about it was even better.

“Does that mean you’re my boyfriend?” Abe asked liltingly.

“I’m warning you,” Jason growled.

“Jason and Abe, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes—”

Jason flipped around and pinned Abe to the tub.

“Jase!” he shrieked as water splashed over the edge.

“I hope you understand that I need a lot of attention,” Jason said, his face hovering over Abe’s. He rolled his hips, dragging his erection against Abe’s thigh. They were done talking for the night. Maybe for the weekend. “This monogamy thing means you’re going to be very busy.”

Abe’s pupils dilated, his cheeks flushed, and his lips reddened. “I’m counting on it,” he said.

Chapter 10

“HI, KRIS,” Abe said as he glanced at the doorway to his classroom. “Give me a minute to finish entering these grades and then we can get going.”

“Okay, Mr. Green. No rush.” Kris slowly walked around the room, looking at the walls and touching the edges of the books on the shelves.

“Is everything okay?” Abe asked, flicking his gaze to her.

Normally Kris was so excited about getting to the community college for her math class that she came to his room seemingly seconds after the final bell rang, breathless from running across campus, and then fidgeted impatiently until he finished whatever he was doing. She reminded him of her father in that way, although when Jason wanted something, he was less likely to fidget and more likely to demand. It was a trait that would have been off-putting if it wasn’t so sexy.

“What?” She looked up at him distractedly.

“Are you okay?”

“Oh, yeah. I’m fine.”

“Good.” Abe smiled at her and then went back to typing. “Is the calculus class still going well?”

He was certain that question would be a surefire way to snap Kris out of whatever was distracting her and make her happy and excited. Her love for learning was second to none, and Abe could imagine her pursuing a career in academia. More than once, he had wanted to share that observation with Jason or to tell him a funny anecdote about Kris. But despite how much their relationship had solidified since their conversation a month earlier, Jason’s children remained a subject wrapped in porcupine hide with a flashing “Do Not Enter” sign above it.

“Class is fine,” Kris said. It was the least effusive she had ever been about the subject.

“Glad to hear it,” Abe replied. Then, trying to lighten the mood, he added, “We have less than three weeks left in the school year, which means I’m busy getting everyone ready for final exams while I’m secretly planning my vacation in my head.” He laughed at his own joke, making him the only person in the room who found it funny. Kris was usually a much more engaged audience. “Hmm,” he said. “I must be losing my touch. I didn’t even get a smile out of you.”

“What?” Kris turned her head toward him and blinked in confusion.

Realizing he was dealing with something more serious than distraction, Abe shut down his computer. He’d finish entering the remaining grades at home.

“Are you meeting with the professor or any of your classmates before your class?” he asked as he shouldered his bag.

“No.” Kris picked at her nail.

“Do you have homework you need to finish up?”

“Uh-uh.” She shook her head. “It’s all done.”

Of course it was. Abe smiled and patted Kris’s shoulder. “In that case, we have plenty of time before you need to be there. How do you feel about making a pit stop at my favorite coffee shop? They have good muffins and Danishes if you want a snack.”