Ten

Lux

We had a lowkey day on Sunday, which included a lot of floor time with Gunner, and then the next week, Archer worked from home. It wasn't feasible in the long run because he had to meet clients a lot and have team meetings that worked better in person, but he said that if he could make it work long term, he wouldn't hesitate to do it.

I could tell he truly treasured his work, and was struggling between his love for his company and his love for Gunner, and I'd assured him the best I could that him wanting to do his best at work didn't mean he wasn't a good dad.

He'd never brought work home or stayed at work late, and that in my books was the sign of a very good dad. He gave Gunner all the time he needed, spent every evening and most of the weekends bonding with him, kept up with all his doctor visits, and did everything he should.

After the incident, I was even more determined to tell Archer the truth, so he'd know that I would never allow anything to happen to Gunner. I just needed to figure out the best way to do it so he wouldn't think I was a threat to Gunner.

"Coffee," I said, placing the mug on his desk. He'd set up his work space in a corner of the living room with the crib in his line of sight, and he kept sneaking glances at the sleeping Gunner every few minutes. It was Friday today, so after he was done, he'd be free for the next two days. He'd probably go back to the office on Monday.

Placing a hand on his shoulder, I leaned closer, keeping my voice low under the pretense of not wanting to wake Gunner. "Do you need anything else?"

Archer's dark eyes flicked to mine, and I watched the way his Adam's apple bobbed with a swallow. Clearing his throat, he shook his head, returning his gaze to the screen as he spoke. "No, I'm fine. Thanks, Lux."

I didn't miss the slight blush at the tops of his cheeks as I straightened up, and I patted his shoulder a few times before settling on the couch with my cup of tea. I wasn't a huge fan of coffee, but tea I loved. Tea was soothing.

Since I had a bit of free time, I plugged my earbuds in and started watching one of the shows I liked on my phone. It was a family drama, and highly entertaining in its unrealistic over-the-topness. I'd missed the last few episodes, but nothing seemed to have happened in that time because the characters were still involved in the same argument.

I kept the sound low so I could keep an ear out for Gunner, and the sound of Archer's typing played in the background, acting like white noise. I liked this, I realized. The three of us in the same room, all doing our own thing and still spending time together. It felt like we were a family. Oh, what I wouldn't give to make it reality.

Much of the morning passed like that, and while I got up a few times to change Gunner and feed him, Archer mostly stayed focused on his work. He'd taken only one short break all morning, and he'd used almost every minute of it holding Gunner.

I'd sneakily taken a picture of him as he'd cradled Gunner against his chest, his lips pressed against the baby's curls. His love for his son was clearly visible on his face, and I knew I was going to treasure that picture for all of eternity.

Once it was lunchtime, I made us some sandwiches—I'd discovered those were the easiest things to make since they didn't need cooking, and I could make a whole bunch of combinations—and took them to the living room, tapping Archer on the shoulder.

"It's lunchtime."

"Just a minute," Archer said, though I could tell from his voice that he was distracted and would probably forget what I'd said.

"Come on, Archer. You need to eat. Work can wait."

Archer stopped typing to glance up at me, and I raised a brow in challenge. After a minute-long staring contest, he sighed and clicked out of the file he'd been writing into.

"Fine, fine. You know you're supposed to be Gunner's nanny, right?"

"Yeah, but he needs his dad to be healthy too. How will you take care of him if you're overworked and underfed? Now go wash your hands."

"Yes, dad," Arched teased, and I rolled my eyes at him as he laughed and ducked out of the room.

I was glad he was back to his usual self more or less. I was sure he'd be back at work in a day or two, and things would go back to normal.

Placing the plates stacked with sandwiches on the coffee table, I checked in on a sleeping Gunner before settling on my usual side of the couch.

Instead of sitting right up against the armrest like usual, I stayed closer to the middle, curious what Archer would do.

When he came back, he walked over to Gunner's crib first, smiling down at the kid before walking over to the couch. Sparing barely a thought, he settled beside me, so close our arms brushed as he leaned forward to pick up the plates, offering one to me.

Taking the plate, I settled comfortably, and then almost swallowed the bite I'd taken when Archer leaned into the backrest too, pressing the length of his arm against mine.

Neither of us looked at the other as we ate, and yet my whole being was focused on that line of warmth against my side. Why was he so warm?

Thrice during our meal, I had to forcibly stop myself from leaning into him.

I'd thought slowly flirting with him to test the waters would be a good idea, but I hadn't expected him to take the plunge outright.

What was I supposed to do now? Did I continue this dance and see who came clean first? Or did I ask him outright if he wanted to date?

Gah, why was doing things the human way so bloody complicated?

Archer

Lux was so warm against me. I wasn't sure what had possessed me to sit so close to him, but there I was now, with my arm pressed against his, his skin soft and smooth against mine. It made my fingers itch to touch him more, and I buried them in the sandwich to keep from reaching out.

"Whoa, what did that sandwich do to you? Does it taste bad?"

How deep did my attraction go that I thought his frown was cute as a button?

"No, it's good. I was just...lost in thought," I concluded lamely, and Lux gave me a look that said he didn't believe me.

Lux returned his attention to his sandwich, and I took another bite of mine, sneaking glances at him out of the corner of my eyes every once in a while.

By the time we finished our meals, I was worried my pupils were going to be permanently stuck in the corner of my eyes. I was sure he'd felt my gaze on him, but he hadn't questioned it, and I was grateful for that.

For the rest of the day, Lux continued touching me. Nothing overtly inappropriate, just a soft brush of fingers as he handed Gunner to me, or a pat on my shoulder to get my attention. They were little things, but each touch of his made me want for another.

I'd just finished with work when my phone buzzed, Jerry's name flashing on the screen.

"Hey, Jerry, what's up?"

"What's up is Kat and I are coming over, and we're going to take the little dude home with us while you and Mr. Manny go out and get drunk."

"What? We can't do that!"

"You can. And you know why? Because you had a traumatic fucking experience, and you need to let loose for a bit and deal with it so it doesn't come back to bite you in the ass. I'm sure you already have an appointment with your therapist—" I did, "—but this will help, promise. And not just you. I'm sure Calux is pretty shook up too."

"Yeah." I couldn't disagree with that, not when I knew he was. He was doing better now, but he'd been affected. Deeply.

"Are you sure? Will you and Kat be okay with Gunner?"

While Jerry and Kat used to be married, they were just friends now. Friends and roommates. Neither of them had any feelings for each other, but their present boyfriends or girlfriends rarely understood that, or accepted it. It made dating harder, but at the same time they were determined not to destroy their friendship for the sake of dating, which I really respected.

"We'll be fine. We'll be there in thirty."

In a whirlwind that I fondly called my best friends, Gunner and his packed bag of supplies were carted off by Jerry and Kat, but not before they'd made us dress up and dropped us outside our usual bar.

It was hard to let Gunner go, but I trusted Jerry and Kat with him. They'd been my friends almost all my life, and I knew they'd take care of him.

"So, I guess we're getting drunk?"

Lux snorted at my unsure tone, and led the way to the entrance. When the bouncer asked to see his ID, it was my turn to be amused.

Lux grumbled under his breath before pulling it out and showing it to the man, who squinted at it for a whole ten seconds before letting us in.

Sloshy's was the kind of bar people went to for conversation and good drinks, which meant the music was soft and in the background instead of bouncing off my skull. Just the way I liked it.

"Oh, this place is nice."

Lux eyed two men sitting at a table with their heads bowed toward each other, murmuring softly.

Right. Since Jerry was pansexual and Kat was a late-blooming lesbian (her words, not mine), our bar of choice was also queer inclusive.

I supposed I was a late-blooming bisexual as well.

Chuckling at my own thoughts, I led Lux to the counter, and since the plan was to get drunk, we settled on some vodka shots. They were a favorite of mine, though the last time I had them, I was still in college.

Since I was a regular here, the bartender—Felix, a grumpy but genius mixologist—sent us off to a table, promising to have a server bring us our drinks.

When I discovered my usual booth was free, I decided the universe wanted me to get drunk with Lux.

I slid into the booth, and then blinked in surprise when Lux slid in after me.

"Sorry. The bench seat looked more comfortable." Why did I get the feeling he was lying? "I can sit on the other side if you want."

"No, it's okay. There's more than enough space for the two of us."

Smiling, Lux grabbed a tissue from the center of the table and then started folding it, humming softly under his breath.

I watched, mesmerized, as his lean fingers folded the paper this way and that until it transformed from a simple tissue paper to a bird.

"Wow. That was really neat."

Neat , really? That was the best compliment I could give him? Neat? What the hell was wrong with me?

Lux's eyes slid to mine, a small grin on his face. "Thanks."

Then he offered the bird to me, and I took it, careful not to crush it.

"If you want to keep it, just fold it from the other side and it'll be flat."

I tried it, and then grinned when it worked. "Thanks!" Carefully, I slid the bird in my pocket.

When I looked up, Lux was watching me with sparkling blue eyes, and I felt my heart skip a beat at the look on his face. It was fondness mixed with something else. Something more .