MY PARENTS burst through the front door and into the yard before we’d even gotten the Rover settled into the driveway. Mom had her apron on, and Dad was sporting a long-sleeve Henley that looked suspiciously like the one Kage had worn on his last visit.

I was beginning to think my dad had a secret hero-worship thing for my boyfriend. I was used to it, though. Everybody was fascinated with Kage, even the people who couldn’t stand him.

“Jamie, you’re late,” my mom said. “We were starting to worry that the plane was delayed, or God forbid that you had been in an accident.”

“Sorry, Mom. Kage made me give him the Stone Mountain grand tour.”

“Well,” she said. “You could have answered your phone. It kept going to voicemail.”

Kage laughed and folded my mom up in a giant bear hug. “Jamie has a problem, Mrs. Atwood. He can’t seem to keep his phone charged. I’ve learned that over the past three months.”

“Braden keeps stealing my chargers,” I said. “I’ve bought three in the last month. I don’t know what he does with them. They must all be in Miranda’s dorm room. He stays over there half the time.”

“Well, I’ll have a talk with Braden tomorrow night,” Kage said.

“Please do,” Mom said. “Jamie can’t afford to keep paying for chargers. We’re on a tight budget as it is.”

I didn’t tell my mom that Kage had been sending me money. She just thought I’d been living frugally, and I wanted to keep it that way. My dad would have a fit if he knew my boyfriend was supporting me. To him, me taking money from Kage was the equivalent of whoring myself out.

“You boys come on inside,” Dad said, reaching out to shake Kage’s hand.

Once we were all in the house, Dad disappeared into his office and came back out with a bottle of Johnnie Walker Red and poured three glasses, setting them all down on the coffee table. He plopped down in his recliner while Kage and I took the sofa.

“Don’t ruin your dinner,” Mom called from the kitchen. “I’ve cooked enough to feed an army, and I don’t want any leftovers.”

“Name one time we didn’t have leftovers,” I called back before taking a big swallow from my glass and grimacing. “Jesus, that is strong. I’m used to flat keg beer and watered-down well drinks from the Collegiate.”

Dad drained his glass and poured himself another. “I hope you’re not drinking too much, son. It would be a shame if you let partying keep you from graduating.”

“Kage,” my mom said, coming out of the kitchen and wiping her hands on her frilly apron. “You wouldn’t let Jamie jeopardize his schooling, would you? We need you to keep him in line. He doesn’t listen to us anymore.”

“Oh, no, Mrs. Atwood. Jamie knows I’ll tan his hide if he doesn’t get straight A’s this semester.”

My dad sent a sharp glance in Kage’s direction and actually blushed. Then Kage’s face turned red, and he looked sheepishly at me. Suddenly I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that my dad, Kage, and I were all picturing Kage spanking my ass, and that made me blush, too.

My mom seemed oblivious. “Well, I’m glad,” she said to Kage. “He’s too flighty. He needs a strong influence to help keep him grounded.”

“Mom,” I protested. “Stop talking about me like I’m not in the room. I have A’s in every class, okay?”

She looked skeptical. “Alright, I’ll take your word for it.” She shook her finger at me for good measure before going back into the kitchen.

Dad drained his second glass of Johnnie Walker and poured yet another. Then he poured Kage a second. “To straight A’s,” he said, holding his glass in the air before knocking back the entire contents. Kage raised his glass and downed it.

“Hey,” I said, waving my empty glass around. “Don’t I get any more?”

“You’ll spoil your dinner,” Dad said.

“I can’t even toast to my own good grades?” I grumbled, setting my glass down on the coffee table a little too hard.

The front door swung open, and my sister Jennifer and her boyfriend Chase came in.

“Hey,” Chase drawled, eyeballing the liquor and our empty glasses. “Looks like I’m late to Happy Hour.”

“Yep,” Dad said. “You just missed it.” He picked up the bottle and hurried back into his office. A moment later, he returned and went into the kitchen, giving my mom a kiss and a swat on the butt.

“You two get a room,” Jennifer said, throwing herself onto the sofa beside me. “There are impressionable children present.”

“Close your eyes, kids,” Mom said with a laugh. “Your father has had a little too much to drink.” She dropped her voice, but I could still hear her talking to Dad.

He pushed up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, then started nibbling her ear and making growling noises. Mom giggled and made a half-hearted effort to push him away.

“Oh, Jesus,” Jennifer said where only we could hear. “Ever since she had cancer, they’ve been all over each other. You’d think they were a couple of high school kids with all the giggling and making out they’ve been doing.”

Kage pulled his gaze from the happy couple in the kitchen. “Facing death makes you appreciate how precious love is.” He glanced at me. “Or so I’ve heard.”

“Awww…” I reached over to pat Kage’s leg—the boldest display of affection I felt comfortable with in present company— but he had other ideas.

He grabbed my arm and snatched me onto his lap. Then he laid a kiss on me that lit an instant fire in my nether regions.

“Kage,” I gasped before he pulled me in for another mind-blowing kiss. His tongue slipped in for a quick taste that had me melting against his chest.

“What was in those drinks?” Chase asked. “Did you all roofie each other before we got here?”

“Dad,” Jennifer called. “Can Chase have a drink of that Johnnie Walker?”

“It’s gone,” Dad yelled, though we all knew it wasn’t.

Chase looked so dejected I almost felt sorry for him, but Jennifer changed the subject quickly. “Chase and I are getting married in June.”

I rolled my eyes. “You guys set dates and break them more than anybody I’ve ever heard of. It’s giving me whiplash. Just call me the day of the wedding, and I’ll see if I can make it.”

Jennifer huffed. “Thanks a lot. I wouldn’t do that to you if you decided to get married.”

Kage ran a finger down my arm, and when I looked up at him, he had the strangest expression on his face. I wasn’t sure what it meant exactly, but it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I snuggled in tighter, running my hands covertly over Kage’s pecs and abs and wishing like hell we were alone.

A few minutes later, just when I was about to doze off, the door flew open and my little brother Paul came rushing in. “Where’s Kage?”

“Right here, buddy,” Kage said, his voice sounding as groggy as I felt.

“Mom said you were coming today. I told my friend at school. I hope that’s okay. I didn’t tell him you were Jamie’s boyfriend.”

Kage laughed. “That’s fine. No harm done.”

Paul let out an exaggerated sigh of relief and launched himself at Kage, crushing me between them as they hugged. At ten, Paul still hadn’t lost his baby fat, and he’d gotten a little chubby over the past year. “Hey, Jamie,” he said as an afterthought.

“Hey,” I said. “Do I get a hug?”

“I just gave you both a hug,” he said. But he threw his arms around me anyway and squeezed.

“I brought something for you, little bro,” Kage said.

“Little bro?” Paul repeated reverently. “What did you bring me?”

“It’s in my bag,” Kage said. “Why don’t you carry it into Jamie’s room for me and look inside. You’ll know it when you see it.”

“Are you bribing my brother to carry your bag for you?” I asked incredulously.

Kage winked. “That’s what little brothers are for.”

I shook my head and burrowed back into Kage’s chest for another mini-nap. It felt so good just to be touching him, I didn’t want to move. Ever.

At some point, Kage shook me gently awake. “Time for dinner, sleepyhead.” He kissed the top of my head.

“Oh, gosh. How long was I out?”

“No idea,” he said. “I passed out, too.”

We unfolded our stiff bodies from the sofa and limped into the kitchen. Jennifer and Chase were already there helping their plates. Dad was gathering napkins and silverware.

“Paul,” Mom yelled while she was pouring tea into glasses of ice. She turned to look at us. “Help yourself, everybody. Biscuits are on the table.”

“Thanks, Mrs. Atwood,” Kage said. “It looks delicious.”

“Thank you, Kage. I hope you enjoy it.”

“It’s made with love,” I said with an exaggerated wink.

Mom slapped me on the arm, then cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled again, louder this time. “Paul!”

When Paul entered the kitchen, everyone in the house went silent. I don’t think any of us could believe what we were seeing.

My ten-year-old brother was dressed in a long-sleeve black fishnet shirt, cut off just below the chest, and black latex booty shorts that hugged every crease and roll of his chubby little body. They were so small the band of his underwear showed over the top, and the latex rolled up into the crevices at the top of his thighs. A black rawhide choker was draped loosely around his neck like a bolo tie, its thin strands hanging down in the front, tipped by teardrop-shaped jewels of the palest blue.

Paul stood there barefoot and dressed like a high-dollar rent boy, looking at all of us like we were crazy.

Jennifer let out a nervous giggle. Mom knocked one of the glasses into the sink, and still nobody moved.

Finally, Kage stepped forward. “Buddy, did you see the autographed picture I brought you? The one that was wrapped in paper with the ribbon around it?”

“Yeah,” he said. “It’s hanging on my wall already. I think you might need to help me get it straight.”

“Okay. Let’s go straighten it right now.”

Paul shrugged. “Okay.” Then he leaned around Kage to address Mom. “Don’t let Jamie eat all the Lil Smokies before I get back.”

“I won’t, baby,” Mom said, her voice weak.

Paul headed to his room, and Kage quickly fell in behind him, stretching his arms out to the side and blocking most of the view of Paul’s rear from us. Thank goodness.

“What in the holy everlovin motherfuckin hell just happened?” my Dad cried when they were out of earshot. For the first time in history, Mom didn’t bother to chastise him for his language.

I turned to face him, stifling the giggle fit that was threatening to escape me. I was afraid it ever got started, it wouldn’t stop.

“I’m not exactly sure, Dad. Kage told Paul there was a gift for him in his bag.” I grinned. “I’m guessing Kage brought me a gift, too?”

Jennifer started laughing, and then I couldn’t hold mine back anymore. I didn’t want Paul to hear us and get his feelings hurt, but damn that shit was funny.

I motioned for everyone to follow me, and I led them out into the backyard, where I immediately fell down on the ground and laughed until my insides hurt. Jennifer was crawling around beside me howling with laughter, grass clinging to her red hair. Mom was giggling with her mouth covered, still a bit shell-shocked. Even Dad and Chase were laughing. Every time we’d think we had it under control, another fit would hit, and all five of us would break down again.

Suddenly Kage was there, pulling me up and shushing everyone loudly. When he had coaxed us all to calm down, he said, “You all need to get a hold of yourselves. Don’t give the poor kid a complex. It’s my fault, not his.”

That sobered us all up quickly.

Paul came to the door more appropriately dressed in a t-shirt and jeans, looking perplexed to see us all standing in the yard. “Aren’t we gonna eat?” he asked.

“We were just waiting for you,” Mom said and led the way inside.

We all nodded in agreement and followed. Jennifer let out a little giggle just as we were going through the door, so I punched her in the arm. Hard.