Sidearms and Spareribs by Ashton Cade

Author:Ashton Cade [Cade, Ashton]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-10-24T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Porter

The day of the camping trip has arrived. All the gear is packed, we’ve got our campsite picked out, and we’re ready to go.

Or, they are. I’m standing in my bedroom, looking around bewildered, wondering what I’m forgetting. I’m sure I’m forgetting something.

“You ready?” Sean asks, hovering in the doorway.

I turn, and I guess my face says it all.

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

“Nothing,” I mumble. Yet again, it’s the truth. I can’t keep falling back on the same thing when someone asks that.

Sean makes a face and steps into the room, coming close enough that I can feel his body behind me. I can smell the rich, familiar scent of him, and I want to melt.

“Porter,” he says softly, gentle enough to ease some of the worry knotting at the base of my neck. “What is it?”

I turn, and we’re chest-to-chest, nearly touching.

“This has always been a thing Billy did with our dad. I don’t know what I’m doing, and I don’t want to screw it up the first time without him. Billy’s having enough trouble coping without me tarnishing family memories.”

Sean’s hand finds mine, and he laces his fingers through mine, a subtle reassurance that I desperately need right now.

“You’re not going to tarnish anything,” he says. “You’re making new memories, adding to the old. Billy’s going to appreciate it no matter how the trip goes, but you don’t need to worry about that because I’m here.”

“And you’re going to save the day, is that it?” I tease, feeling lighter without a doubt.

“Would that be so surprising?” he teases right back, my stomach fluttering at the low note deep in his voice.

“More expected than anything, Officer.” I grin, and there’s a low growl rumbling up from his chest right before he kisses me.

“Come on, let’s go. Billy’s waiting in the car,” he says, still holding my hand.

I don’t want to let go. I’m getting used to having Sean around, and the idea that he’s going to leave soon isn’t sitting well with me. It was fine when all I wanted was a quick fling, a fun time to let loose and remember who I am, but now? He hasn’t just reminded me who I am, he’s helped me realize I didn’t have a good handle on it before, either.

When I’m with Sean, I don’t feel so flustered and out of place. I don’t question every single thing I do, because with him, I’m actually relaxed.

Crazy, I know.

“What’s taking so long?” Billy whines the moment we’re out the front door.

“I was just double-checking we didn’t forget anything,” I say, locking it behind me.

“Come on,” he implores, practically dancing in the back seat. He’s more than ready to go, despite being a pain to drag out of bed a little while ago. We woke up before dawn to get everything packed, but now the sun is up, the fog is breaking, and it looks like it’s going to be a gorgeous day. Perfect weather for camping and fishing.

“All right, all right. Let’s go,” I laugh, climbing into the driver’s seat.

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