“I want to know what Mom caught you doing in the hot tub,” he snickers, which tells me he’s good with everything.
“I wasn’t expecting this today,” Mom starts, “but I’m always happy to have someone that one of my children loves join the family.” She stands and kisses me on the top of my head before doing the same to Noah.
“You both can rest assured that I have no intention of visiting you at the cabin unexpectedly, again.” She heads inside.
“I’m dying to know about the hot tub.”
I glare at Michael, who starts laughing.
“I’m sure I can show you what I think they were doing,” Lily suggests.
“We can let Ramon and Noah babysit,” he wiggles his brows at Lily.
She smacks his arm. “Let’s go join the rest of your family inside and feed these two.” She smiles at us both. “I’m glad Ramon, about everything…and welcome to the family, Noah.”
“Thank you, Lily.” Noah returns her smile.
I watch them disappear inside and turn to my guy.
“I’m kind of feeling let down.” I frown before it slides into a grin I can’t hide.
Noah laughs. “You’d have preferred them to have been pissed rather than accepting?”
“No, but their reaction makes me wonder why the hell I haven’t said anything before…and don’t tell me I told you so.”
He chuckles. “Okay…even if I did.”
I try to scowl but end up laughing.
“I have to say though, I hope your mom doesn’t keep bringing up the hot tub.”
“She won’t, but you can bet my brothers will.”
“Are they seriously all right with us?”
“Yes.”
I know where he’s coming from. Although, some of my brothers had told me they were good with it, I found it difficult to accept at the beginning.
“Are you all right?” He rubs my shoulder.
“I’m good, and grateful my family are a lot more accepting than what I thought they would be. I’m still waiting for Dad to say he was joking, or Mom to tell us to leave.” I shrug. “Deep down I know my parents aren’t like that but there is still that small amount of fear. My grandparents brought them both up to believe that everyone is equal, and that’s how they raised my brothers and me. I just feel deflated in a way. I got all worked up for nothing. I’m glad though.”
“What do you want to do now?”
“Join our family inside.”
Noah stands and, taking my hand, pulls me to my feet. When we’re both standing, he steps into me.
I don’t even flinch at the thought of anyone catching us anymore.
“You said you love me…did you mean it?”
“I meant every word. Our secret is out, no more hiding.”
He leans forward and places a teasing kiss along my lips. “I love you, too. I never stopped.”
Chapter Ten
Ramon
“Fuck,” Noah curses for the third time in as many minutes.
I smirk and keep my back to him so he doesn’t see the amusement on my face.
He’s been trying to fasten his purple cravat for the past five minutes with no luck.
Another reason for keeping my back to him is so that I’m not tempted to put my hands on him.
The dark grey slacks of his morning suit fit him like a glove, and the fabric caresses over his ass like perfection.
Today has finally arrived, Ruben and Rosie’s wedding. I never thought sweet Rose would tame Ruben, but I guess she knocked my brother for six.
Since telling my parents about Noah and me, twelve weeks ago, things have been pretty damn perfect. I’ve felt as though my life is finally falling into place—family get-together’s, Noah with me every time. He tackles just like my brothers when we head to the backfield at my parents’ house to take each other on with a game of rugby or football.
It fills my heart with pride to see him be accepted with open arms by all my family. We’ve had to put up with the occasional crude joke from Sebastian, but he gets as good as he gives.
My only regret is that outside of our family, no one can know about us. Noah stays in an apartment across the street from the site I’m managing during the week to make it look plausible. The last thing we need is for word to get out that he’s my lover, boyfriend, or whatever other name there is for what I feel about him.
We’re both starting to get frustrated now. It’s been nine weeks since Noah started working on the site, and so far, nothing. He has made some connections but not one has panned out to be more than that. Nothing untold has happened on the site in the time he’s been there. I’m hoping it’s not the calm before the storm because I don’t believe for a minute that all the bad luck has stopped. My only hope is that the culprits are caught before anything else can happen.
I just have a bad feeling that something needs to happen first.
Shaking the stress from my shoulders for the day, I finish fastening my own cravat before finally turning to Noah.