- 17 Some People Had More Balls Than Brains
The incessant ring of the doorbell pulled him from sleep, and he looked over Gregory’s head to check the time. “Motherfuckers, it’s not even fucking noon yet,” Bull bellowed as he rolled from bed and the warm, gorgeous man beside him. He didn’t bother getting dressed. People would fucking learn not to come by his place before noon.
It should be a capital offense.
“Bull, where are you going,” Gregory asked sleepily.
“Someone wants to die.”
“Are Crave and Twitch at it again?”
“No, someone’s at the door.”
He muttered as he exited his room and made his way downstairs toward the door. His fingers had just wrapped around the door knob, turned it when he heard Gregory calling his name.
“What,” he asked jerking the door open.
A couple about his age stood on his porch. Both of them stared right at his cock. A sheet appeared out of nowhere and blocked his lower body from sight.
“What the fuck do y’all—”
“Mom, Dad, you’re early, I told you three.”
Shit, a great way to meet the parents. He let his head fall back and realized Gregory was just as naked as him. No time for a hard-on or to carry his man back to bed.
Parents, Bull, your man’s parents, you can behave, even his inner voice didn’t sound confident.
“Our plane got in early.” It was all Gregory’s dad said.
The man was shorter than him and not as broad. He didn’t see much of Gregory in him, but the woman, Gregory took after his mom. Same bright green eyes and impish smile.
“Son, should we let you have a few more minutes or an hour?”
Gregory’s mother sounded more amused than scandalized. He liked her already.
“Mom, behave, just because you’ve gone all bohemian in your retired life, it’s still weird.”
“Fine. Do we get introduced? In my day, a lady got the name of a man before she saw his—”
“Mom.”
He chuckled and held out his hand. “Name’s Bull.”
Gregory’s dad shook it a bit reluctantly, but his mom grabbed his hand and held on.
“Bull, such a pleasure to meet you. I’m Aggie, and this is Marty. I’m sort of a hugger, but we’ll save that for when you’re dressed.”
“Understandable. Come on in.”
He and Gregory stepped back in tandem. Gregory held the sheet around them.
“Is it a raid?”
Crave’s voice came from behind him, and he turned to find Crave hanging half out his door. Twitch peeked around his bicep. Hunter was staying back and sneaking a glance from just inside the hallway.
“Gregory’s parents are here. Temp, new rules in place.”
“Yes, Daddy, we’ll make a great impression on the in-laws.”
“Crave, I fucking swear I may not evict you, but I will kick your ass.”
“Whatever, old man.”
“Archer, no bloodshed,” Gregory ordered.
“Fine.”
“Thank you.”
“Kitchen is through there. We’re going to go get dressed.”
“I made cinnamon rolls, coffee cake, oatmeal bars, and fruit salad last night.”
He looked at Twitch in time to see the man’s cheeks turn pink.
“I was nervous about meeting them, leave me alone.”
The little man disappeared into the room, seconds later Crave slammed the door.
“New people make Twitch a bit nervous. It’s fine,” Gregory said fondly.
“Where’s Psycho and Ben? I believe you said, we’ll be using his trailer.”
“Oh, they live in the cottage on the other side of the fence with Psycho’s ex-wife Bernie and her wife, Stacey. It’s a long story. You’ll meet them later for breakfast.”
Nothing much made him uncomfortable, but the longer he stood with Gregory hidden behind him and wrapped in one sheet it was getting weird. He also noticed Gregory’s dad hadn’t said a word except to say their plane landed early.
“Breakfast, it’s already the afternoon,” Aggie asked.
“Our schedule is a little weird.”
“We’re going to get dressed, now.”
Bull bent his knees and picked Gregory up to carry him piggyback to the bedroom.
“I think we flashed ass at my parents.”
Gregory laughed as he dropped the man on the bed.
“Why wasn’t I warned about parents?”
“I did, you remember I texted you last Friday to say they were coming but would rent a car because they didn’t know when their flight would land.”
“No, I don’t remember, and if—”
“Quit being an asshole. If you put on pants to answer the door like a normal person, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“When have we ever been normal in this house?”
Gregory seemed to take a minute to consider it, “True, very, very true.”
“And I haven’t met parents since Polly’s, and I was probably five, they knew me my whole life.”
Gregory sat up and held out his arms. He stepped into them and leaned down to kiss Gregory’s soft hair.
“We don’t have to tell them—”
Which was exceptionally stupid because it wasn’t like him and Gregory didn’t share a sheet naked to greet them.
“That’s not what I want, and you fucking know it.”
“I didn’t say it was.”
“Do you want to keep it secret?”
Even though he hoped the answer would be no but prepared for the yes. As much as he wanted one night to change everything, he knew Gregory was still married and the last five years were hell for Gregory. It was way too early to hope for more.
“No.” Gregory placed a kiss on his stomach. “Like you said last night, we’ve been dancing around this for months. I think everyone knew before us.”
He combed his fingers through Gregory’s hair. “Oh, I knew, I just fought it.”
“No more, okay?”
“Okay. Let’s get dressed before the Brawlers descend on them.”
“Good idea, hopefully, one of our kids behaves.”
He growled as Gregory bounced off the bed to head to his own room. They’d have to remedy that soon.
“Don’t start adopting.”
“Too late.”
He started after Gregory but reminded himself he needed to get dressed. He was too old for this shit.
# # #
“Touch my motherfucking stomach one more time, Psycho, and I will fucking castrate you,” Stacey’s voice was the only warning he’d got before she was busting into the room with Psycho on her heels.
A few weeks before the twins moved for the first time and Psycho was obsessed with not missing a kick. It was also making the usually even-tempered Stacy insane.
“Psy, please, leave Stacey alone.”
“But, baby, what if—”
“We’ve discussed this, we’ve allowed you an hour each day to cuddle with the belly.”
“Yes, dear.”
Bull snorted before taking a big swallow of his coffee and watched Psycho pout. If the man wasn’t crazy, they would give him shit about it more. Bernie and Stacey spent two years trying to talk Psycho into donating, it wasn’t until Ben came into the picture that Psycho relented. Since then, the huge man was obsessed with every phase of Stacey’s pregnancy, every ache or pain, any sign of exhaustion, Psycho tried to drag her to the doctor.
Instead of a simple donation for Bernie and Stacey to have a family. Ben had thrown in a stipulation that he’d only agree if they moved to town. They’d co-parent any children they’d have together. It was an odd arrangement, but nothing was normal around the farm.
He glanced at Aggie and Marty to find them watching the new arrivals with amusement. He introduced Gregory’s parents to Psycho, Ben, Stacey, and Bernie. The conversation easily flowed around him, but he remained silent and took it in.
He reached out and rested his arm along the back of Gregory’s chair, he gently drew circles on Gregory’s arm with his thumb. Over the months, his need to touch Gregory intensified to an almost obsessiveness level, but since he’d had Gregory in his bed—taken his body and claimed him, he didn’t want the man away from him.
Gregory turned to give him a small smile before turning back to his breakfast.
“Bull,” Aggie said his name. “Gregory tells me you have a son.”
“Yes, Hank, he’s in the Marines.”
“You must be very proud.”
“I am. He followed in my footsteps. I would’ve chosen a different life for him, but he does what makes him happy.”
“How did you meet my son,” Marty finally opened his mouth.
“He came into Brawlers one night for Landon and Zerk’s anniversary party.”
He was trying not to point out in his usual asshole fashion he was older than Marty. Older than his boyfriend/partner’s parent probably wasn’t good idea to bring up when he was in the process of being interrogated.
“You knew he was married, right?”
“Dad.”
“Baby, it’s fine,” he whispered. “The ring on his finger was kinda obvious.”
“But you still moved him into your house. What about his husband?”
Gregory stiffened beside him. His man was keeping secrets.
“My reasons are for Gregory explain to you, but that fucker is his soon-to-be ex-husband. Gregory’s mine.”
Gregory’s hand tentatively came to rest on his thigh. He set his mug aside and reached across his lap to lace their fingers together. At fifty-six he hadn’t pictured himself meeting parents again, hell, he had reached the point he would be alone except for the crew and their partners and kids.
“I gotta go get ready for work, you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
He leaned to the side and gave Gregory a quick kiss.
“Sorry, we have to cut this short, but Twitch and Gregory will be around if you need anything. Make yourself at home.”
“Thank you, Bull, it was a pleasure to meet you.”
He smiled at Aggie. Marty remained silent. He had a feeling it was going to take some time to win over Gregory’s dad but, to be honest, he didn’t care if the man liked him or not. Gregory was his, and he wasn’t giving him up. He reached out and grabbed his mug, brought it to his mouth and drained it.
He stood and went to his room to get ready for the night. Unlike other nights where he dreaded coming home to his empty bed, he knew Gregory would be there waiting. Finally, something to look forward to after years of waiting.