Chapter Twenty-Two

K endall pulled his earbuds out and shoved them into his pocket. "Hi," he said. His gaze fell to the bouquet in Ridge's big hand, and his joy soared to a higher level. No one had ever given him flowers before.

"Hi." Ridge awkwardly extended the bouquet toward him, making Kendall wonder if it was a new experience for him too. "Um, these are for you."

Kendall accepted the gift and lowered his head to inhale the gorgeous fragrance. "These are beautiful. Thank you." He rose on his tiptoes to peck a kiss on Ridge's lips. Oh shit. Kissing wasn't part of their agreement, and neither was Kendall lingering to inhale Ridge's scent. "Christ, you smell even better than I remembered." He took a step back, but Ridge's arm snaked out and hooked his waist, hauling Kendall back in for another kiss, longer and with tongue. Kendall swayed on his feet a little after Ridge released him. He wanted to be confused about the abrupt departure from their early morning agreement, but he couldn't rustle up enough resources to combat his euphoria.

"Whatever you're cooking smells delicious," Ridge said. His stomach growled in emphasis as if cued by a director. He grimaced and said, "Sorry. My lunch was a bag of chips from a vending machine, and that was like five years ago."

"Long day, huh?"

"You can say that again." A dark emotion washed over Ridge's face but disappeared when he blinked. Kendall wanted to ask questions but knew better, so he nodded toward the kitchen. "Come on. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. I have just enough time to put these beautiful flowers in a vase."

Ridge followed so closely Kendall could feel the heat rolling off his body. "I feel underdressed," he tossed over his shoulder. "You're wearing a nice suit, and I have on my old, faded, holey jeans, a tank top, and no shoes." But they weren't on a date, so it didn't matter, and he needed to stop rambling. Kendall set the bouquet on the counter and opened a cabinet to assess his options for the flowers. He didn't have a vase, but he had several different sizes of mason jars and a few pitchers. He picked the largest mason jar, set it beside the flowers, and shut the cabinet.

"You look perfect," Ridge said, stepping up behind Kendall and sliding both arms around his waist. Ridge ran his nose along Kendall's neck, eliciting a full-body shiver. They probably should address the boundaries they were blowing through, but Kendall didn't want to spoil the moment. "You smell perfect." Ridge slipped a hand under Kendall's tank top and circled a finger over the ticklish skin around his navel. Talking could wait. "You feel perfect." Strong fingers gripped Kendall's hips and turned him around. Ridge lowered his head, his lips hovering over Kendall's. "You taste perfect too. I can't get enough of you."

Ridge captured Kendall's lips and stole his breath. Their kiss was long and languid as if neither of them had anything else to do with the rest of their lives. Ridge's fingers snuck back under the hem of his tank and traced the waistband of his jeans while Kendall stroked his hand over Ridge's silk tie. He wrapped the fabric around his wrist and gave it a nice tug. Ridge gasped and broke their kiss.

"I want to tie you to my bed with this," Kendall told him.

Ridge's mouth fell open, and his eyes glazed over. "Okay." But then his stomach rumbled again.

Kendall released the tie and stepped free from his embrace. "After I feed you." He filled the mason jar halfway with water and sprinkled in the packet of plant food that had come with the bouquet. "I know much of your job is classified, but I want to hear about your day." Kendall pulled a pair of scissors from his knife block and began snipping the ends off the flower stems. He'd seen Adelaide do it many times over the years when she put together centerpieces for their formal dining room. "What's something you can share?"

A rumbling chuckle pulled Kendall's attention away from his task. A dark flush stained Ridge's cheeks and his eyes glittered with humor. He looked both embarrassed and tickled at the same time.

"Must've been a real doozy," Kendall said.

Ridge picked up the next flower and handed it to Kendall, who trimmed the stem and arranged it in the jar. "It was one for the records."

They worked together like that as Ridge recounted his morning at work, starting with his lieutenant giving him advice on covering hickeys to the Barbie Beetle stunt the other deputy marshals had pulled off. Kendall better understood the juxtaposition of Ridge's blushing cheeks and laughing eyes.

"You should've seen the looks I got when…Hey, what's wrong?"

Kendall glanced up from his task. "Hmmm?"

Ridge eased the flower from Kendall's fingers and held it up. He'd gripped the stem tight enough to bend it. "What did I say that upset you?"

"I didn't mean to mark your skin and invite speculation," Kendall whispered. He reached up and loosened Ridge's tie so he could see the damage for himself. The red spot was small but definitely recognizable as what it was.

"It's nothing. I like wearing your marks." He dropped a quick kiss on Kendall's lips. "Maybe just put them someplace where no one else will see them."

"But we said—"

"It won't work. And I don't want it to. I'll figure something out."

" We . We're in this together," Kendall said, then raked his gaze over Ridge's body to map out all the places he wanted to lick and suck and leave his mark. The timer on the stove went off. "You're saved by the buzzer."

Ridge snorted. "I'm not feeling very grateful at the moment." But he changed his tune when Kendall pulled baked rigatoni from the oven. "Holy shit, that looks delicious."

"I hope it turned out well. This is my second favorite dish of Adelaide's. I asked her for the recipe, and she emailed it to me." Kendall laughed. "I had to call her several times since I've never made marinara sauce from scratch. She also helped me make her infamous chocolate bourbon pecan pie."

"Wow," Ridge said. "You didn't need to go to so much trouble."

"On the contrary," Kendall countered. "Staying busy quiets my anxious mind."

"You're anxious about me living here?" Ridge asked.

Kendall set the casserole dish on top of the stove and shut the oven door. He tossed his mitts onto the counter and faced Ridge. "I'm anxious in general, but today I was hyperfocused on keeping my hands to myself." They both glanced down to where Kendall's hand rested on Ridge's chest. "As it turns out, I had reason to be concerned."

Ridge cupped his face. "Not anymore. I want your hands on me. Let me worry about my job, okay?"

"I'll try."

Ridge searched his eyes for several seconds before letting go. "Can I help set the table?"

Kendall nodded. Ridge laid out the dishes and cutlery while Kendall carried the pan of baked pasta over, then retrieved the salad and a loaf of Italian bread. He quickly sorted their drinks and joined Ridge at the table.

"You're one of those people who can do anything, right?" Ridge asked.

Kendall chuckled. "I don't know about that." He scooped up a large portion of baked rigatoni and put it on Ridge's plate before taking a smaller amount for himself. He'd have to take little bites until he overcame his nervous stomach. "I'm one of those people who puts in a hundred percent effort when I decide to do something. It doesn't always turn out the way I want it to, though."

Ridge grabbed the salad tongs and filled their bowls. Kendall liked that he hadn't skimped on the greens. The baked rigatoni smelled like Adelaide's, but would it taste as good? Kendall held his breath while he waited for Ridge to take his first bite but released it on a sigh when a euphoric expression washed over Ridge's face as he chewed.

"Good?" he asked.

Ridge made Kendall wait through another bite before answering. "It's the best thing I've ever eaten." Kendall must've worn a doubtful expression because Ridge chuckled and pointed at his uneaten food. "Try it for yourself."

Kendall cut a small piece and blew on it until the steam dissipated. Ridge made an inarticulate noise that sounded like a combination of a growl and a whimper. Kendall glanced at Ridge and caught him staring at his mouth, so he licked his bottom lip to see if he could entice the same guttural reaction. Ridge's nostrils flared, and he snapped his gaze up to lock with Kendall's. Ridge's smoldering intensity left him breathless.

"Eat your food," he said huskily. "I have plans for your wicked mouth."

Kendall intended to make a big seduction out of eating his tiny bite. He slowly parted his lips and lifted the fork to his mouth but forgot all about his plan when the flavors burst on his tongue. "Holy fuck."

Ridge chuckled. "It's pretty awesome when the chef manages to impress himself."

"This is good," Kendall said, digging in for a second bite.

"Damn good."

They quietly ate for a few minutes, exchanging goofy grins instead of words between bites. There was no awkward pressure to fill the silence; they were content to simply eat and be together. Ridge finished off his water, and Kendall pushed his seat back to retrieve the pitcher.

"I'll get it," Ridge said. "Eat."

Ridge returned a moment later and refilled Kendall's glass before resuming his seat and serving himself. "So, how else did you stay busy today?"

"I finished unpacking the last few boxes from the garage, did my laundry, and cleaned the house."

"All while making marinara sauce from scratch?" Ridge asked.

Kendall shrugged. "Oh, and I reorganized my closet and fine-tuned the Envy sauce."

"Your closet, huh?" Something in Ridge's tone snagged his attention. The smoldering expression Kendall had witnessed before was now a five-alarm fire. What in the world could've revved him up? Then it hit him. Ridge had seen those damn canvases before he'd moved them. Apparently, Ridge was reliving the moment and getting hot under the collar because he loosened his tie and the top few buttons on his shirt.

"You liked those pictures, didn't you?" Kendall asked, crossing his legs to hold on tighter to the thrill building in his groin.

Ridge swallowed hard and nodded. "I see them every time I close my eyes." A wide smile spread across his handsome face. "Or step into the shower."

Knowing he affected Ridge so strongly was the strongest aphrodisiac he'd ever experienced. "Are you assuming I put the canvases in my closet, or did you go looking for them?"

Ridge's grin grew wicked. "What do you think?"

Kendall imagined him digging through the closet until he found them. And then what? "Did you—"

Ridge shook his head. "Searching your closet was bad enough. I might've thought about it, though."

Kendall let his mind conjure up an image of Ridge stretched out across his bed, taking himself in hand while staring at the pictures.

"Why'd you tuck those beautiful photos away?" Ridge asked. "Why not hang them in your bedroom?"

Kendall took a deep breath. "They're a reminder of the person I used to be, not the person I want to be."

Ridge cocked his head to the side. "And you can't merge the two versions together?"

"Not yet."

Kendall saw the questions burning in Ridge's warm eyes, but he didn't press. "Will you tell me about the inspiration behind the mysterious green sauce now?"

"You are."

"I'm what?" Ridge asked. "Annoying? Nosy?"

Kendall laughed. "You're the inspiration for the sauce."

"You're envious of me?"

Kendall held Ridge's gaze and took a deep breath. "I'm envious of the man who'll eventually win your heart."

"When?" Ridge asked.

"Are you asking me when you'll fall in love? I'm not clairvoyant."

Ridge laughed. "No, when did you start creating Envy?"

Once the truth was out, Kendall wouldn't be able to take it back. Playing it safe might save him from getting hurt when Ridge eventually left town, but Kendall would never know if Ridge could love him. "I made it the night we met. I was still amped up and jealous of Todd, a man I'd never met, when I got home."

Ridge's brows shot up. "But you didn't know anything about me."

"I knew I liked what I saw. I knew I resented all the hands that had ever touched you, especially the ones that had betrayed you. I started the base for the sauce the same night and added to it the night we toured the apartments. By then, I knew what it felt like to have your body and mouth pressed to mine. Envy is a burning emotion, so I decided to use a much hotter pepper."

Ridge leaned forward, cupped his neck, and pulled him closer for a brief kiss. "I'm incredibly turned on by your confession, but I've consumed so much pasta I'm doubting my ability to act on the emotion."

Kendall waggled his brows and forced a diabolical laugh through his lips. "All part of my evil plan."

"To render me impotent?"

"Hardly. I just loaded you down with heavy carbs to slow your escape."

Ridge laughed. "Is that why you're eating more salad than pasta?"

Kendall replied with a wink as he chewed.

They kept the conversation light going forward, sticking to pop culture topics like music and movies. Kendall was surprised to discover Ridge loved sci-fi movies and black-and-white classics.

"They don't make movies like The Maltese Falcon anymore," he said.

Ridge seemed just as stunned when Kendall confessed his love of hockey.

"I'm in it for the hot dudes," Kendall admitted. "That stamina. Whew." He fanned his face. "Same reason I've seen every Fast and Furious movie a dozen times."

"I love those too," Ridge said. "The guys aren't really my type, but I love the over-the-top action."

Most surprisingly was that they both loved the movie Twister .

"A classic," Kendall said.

"Timeless."

"Would you like to watch it after dinner?"

"After I clean the kitchen," Ridge said.

Kendall shook his head emphatically. "No way. I'll get it tomorrow."

"My mother would never forgive me."

Kendall took in Ridge's firm jaw and tense posture and knew he wasn't going to give in. Did he really want to waste his energy arguing when he could use his powers of persuasion for much more memorable purposes later? Kendall allowed his gaze to drift lower to the tie and imagined it securing Ridge's wrists to his headboard, allowing Kendall free rein of his body. Oh , the places he could mark . "Fine. You win." This time .

It didn't take Ridge long to restore Kendall's kitchen to pristine condition so they could retire to the living room. Ridge sprawled on the couch while Kendall pulled up his Amazon Prime account. He dropped onto the sofa in front of Ridge when the opening credits began, and Ridge spooned in behind him. Kendall had probably watched the movie fifty times, but seeing it with someone who loved it as much as he did was an entirely unique experience. Both men spoke their favorite lines along with the characters and often found themselves quoting the same parts. Ridge laughed when Kendall tensed and flinched in certain scenes, even though he knew the outcome.

"I can't help it," Kendall said. "I still act like I don't know the ending of Friday Night Lights too."

Ridge laughed. "Yeah, same."

When the closing credits started to roll, Kendall did too so that he was facing Ridge instead of the television. "I can't believe you're still wearing your tie." He'd loosened it, but it still hung around Ridge's neck. "Aren't you uncomfortable?"

Ridge nipped Kendall's bottom lip and settled his hand on Kendall's waist. "Guess not since I'd forgotten all about it."

Kendall trailed his fingers over the silky-smooth fabric, and his earlier fantasies rushed to the forefront of his mind. "You know, this is usually the part where I seduce you."

Fingers flexed against Kendall's body, and Ridge's eyes darkened with a wicked promise. "Do I sense a but coming?"

"I still want to tie you to my bed and do delicious and dirty things to you," Kendall said.

"Okay."

Kendall kissed Ridge's smiling lips as he unknotted the tie. Instead of pulling the silk free, he left it looped around Ridge's neck, then started on the buttons down the front of his shirt. Kendall took his time, angling his head and deepening the kiss in between stops. Ridge slid his hand under Kendall's tank top and traced a finger above his waistband, stopping to explore the places that elicited a shiver.

Kendall threw his leg over Ridge's outer thigh, and the bigger man bent his leg and pushed it through the gap, tucking it under Kendall's balls. The friction pulled a slutty moan from Kendall's throat, and he couldn't resist rocking against the thick muscles. Ridge grunted and gripped Kendall's ass with both hands like he was worried Kendall would vanish.

They kept kissing and touching until the need for air took precedence and forced them apart.

Ridge swiped his thumb over Kendall's lips. "You have the prettiest mouth I've ever seen."

Kendall released a deep sigh and nipped Ridge's finger until he pulled it away. "You haven't seen a fraction of what it can do to you."

Ridge smiled and trailed his hand down Kendall's chest until he reached his jeans. Then he hooked his finger through a belt loop. "Why do I get the impression I won't be seeing these other tricks tonight?"

"Because for once, sex isn't the most pressing urge I have where you're concerned."

Ridge smiled. "This sounds like a backhanded compliment, but I'll bite. What feels more important than having me at your mercy?"

Kendall's pulse hammered at his throat. "I'm handling this all wrong."

"I don't need to be handled," Ridge replied. "And you don't need to sugar coat your feelings on my behalf."

Kendall cupped Ridge's face and kissed him. "I just…I need this thing between us to be different. I want to get to know you." Snuggling deeper, Kendall tucked his head into the curve of Ridge's neck. "Where did you grow up? Where does your family live?"

"My family owns a ranch in Montana. It's situated in the valley between the Bitterroot Mountains and Sapphire Range."

"Montana? I never pictured you as a cowboy."

Ridge laughed. "I'm not." He lowered his voice to a husky pitch and said, "I could pretend to be, though, if it turns you on."

Kendall lifted his head. "You're from Montana? You ride horses and stuff?"

"Technically, I was born in Germany where my dad was stationed. He was in the army. We moved back to the states when I was a few months old and kept moving until my dad retired to Montana at the end of his career."

"You bounced around a lot, huh?"

"I think I attended eight different high schools before my dad made his final transition to Corvallis, Montana."

Kendall cringed. "Yikes. Eight high schools? One was bad enough." He ran his hand up and down Ridge's arm. "Did you hate the constant moving?"

"I loved it. Mom said it's responsible for my wanderlust. Montana was the first place to feel like home, though. Those mountains just call to me."

"I bet you fit in pretty well there."

Ridge snorted. "Not really. I was a scrawny, awkward kid who'd rather draw pictures of the mountains than interact with people my age."

"An artist, huh?" Kendall asked. "How romantic."

"No one would call me either of those things."

Kendall thought about the gorgeous flowers Ridge had brought home but didn't argue. Ridge's lips were loose and spilling details, and he wanted to keep it that way. "Just so you know, I would've been your friend," Kendall said, nestling closer. "You would've tried to shake me, but it wouldn't have worked."

Ridge slid his hand into Kendall's hair and massaged his scalp. "I wouldn't have appreciated you the way I do now. I wasn't ready to admit my attraction to the same sex back then, and I would've resented the feelings you stirred inside me."

"I'm no stranger to resentment," Kendall said. "But I'm glad we're meeting now."

"Me too." Ridge moved in and resumed their kiss for several languid moments.

The intense emotions Kendall felt earlier still simmered beneath the surface, but he lusted for knowledge over sex, so he broke the kiss. "I want to see some of your art."

"Fuck no."

Kendall smiled at his vehemence. "Okay, tell me more about your family."

"Now?"

Kendall nodded. "I want to know about the people who produced a man like you. What are your parents like? Do you have siblings?"

"I have a twin sister," Ridge said. "Her name is Sierra."

Kendall pulled back and narrowed his eyes.

"What?" Ridge asked. "You don't believe me?"

Kendall smiled. "Of course I believe you. I'm just trying to picture what a feminine version of you looks like, and I keep seeing you in drag." He buried his face in Ridge's neck and laughed again. "Does your sister have shoulders like a linebacker too?"

Ridge laughed. "No, she's the exact opposite of me. Petite and blonde like my mom where I look like a carbon copy of my dad. Only I'm taller and broader now," he said with no small amount of pleasure. "I might be bigger and stronger than Sierra, but I wouldn't want to tangle with my sister for any amount of money."

"Who was born first?" Kendall asked.

"Sierra by thirty minutes."

"Thirty minutes?" Kendall knew a few sets of twins, and their births were much closer together. "What the hell took you so long? Did they have to coax you out with a cheeseburger or something?"

Ridge's shoulders shook with laughter. "Mom said I was just grateful for some damn peace and quiet after being bossed around and jabbed by Sierra's bony elbows for thirty-eight weeks. She likes to say my sister entered this world raising hell and hasn't stopped since. It's no wonder she's a kickass attorney." The smile on his face was one of pure pride.

"What's your family ranch like? It's obvious those mountains speak to something deep inside you."

"Heaven," Ridge said. "Mom swears the mountains have healing powers. I feel the stress wash out of my body just by staring at them."

He went on to tell Kendall about the organic bison and beef they raised as well as the different vegetables and grains they grew, taking full advantage of each growing season.

"You grow chickpeas in Montana?"

"Parts of the state, yes," Ridge said.

"I love to experiment with hummus flavors almost as much as my sauces for chicken wings."

"You'd get along great with my mom. One of her dreams is to produce her own line of health foods, including hummus. In fact, she's on the verge of realizing that dream." Something in Ridge's voice was off. Instead of sounding excited, his words came out heavy and hung in the air.

"What's wrong?"

"I still can't believe my impenetrable father had a heart attack. Seeing him lying in a hospital bed and hooked up to all those monitors…" Ridge shuddered in Kendall's embrace, so Kendall held on tighter, hoping to give him comfort. "Dad was pretty out of it one night at the hospital, and he mentioned wanting to see me settled and happy before he died. He wanted me to have what he'd found with Mom." Ridge blew out a breath. "A world without my dad in it is something I'm not ready for, and letting him down wasn't an option either. So I tried to make something out of nothing."

Kendall kept his opinion of Todd to himself. "But your dad is doing better now, right?"

Ridge nodded and tightened his hold on Kendall. "Yeah, he's going to make a full recovery, but it landed a mighty blow to his ego. He's worried about the impact it will have on Mom's business endeavors. He's afraid of losing consumer trust if people find out he's human."

"Are you going to be as stubborn as your dad when you're older?" Kendall asked.

"Probably. Some would say I already am."

"I'll make a note."

Ridge's laughter was music to Kendall's ears. "You still plan on knowing me thirty years from now?"

Heat infused Kendall's cheeks as he struggled to find the right words. Christ. Could he run a guy off any faster? "Well, I don't have grand designs on your future if that's worrying you."

"Oddly, I feel more charmed than scared."

"Okay, good. Brace yourself for my next declaration," Kendall teased.

Ridge snickered before making a big show of anchoring himself to the couch. "Ready."

"I, um…I will always want to know you, Kurt Dandridge. We might become best friends who talk all the time, or we might drift apart and only check in with each other occasionally, but if I'm breathing, I'll still want to know you."

Ridge's eyes softened like melted chocolate. "That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me." And the bravest words Kendall had ever dared to speak. Ridge cupped his face, stroking a thumb over Kendall's cheek. "And I feel the same way about you."

"Even after meeting my family?"

Ridge nodded. "I can't help but wonder…"

Dread pooled in his gut. "What?"

"How'd you end up so amazing?"

Kendall laughed and pressed his cheek into Ridge's palm. "My mom wasn't always cold and distant," he said. "Before she met Stanton, Rebecca was the best mother a kid could ask for. We grew up together. She was so damn excited when she landed the secretary position at Stanton's company. They were a startup back then, but the money was still better than her old job. The higher salary got us a nicer apartment with access to a pool until we moved in with Stan and Travis."

Ridge let out a cute little growl, and his hand stilled. "Travis is the stepbrother that you…"

Kendall nodded. "I only have one."

"You really tensed up there," Ridge said, resuming his caress. He shifted his hand lower, working on the muscles in Kendall's neck. "I didn't mean to get you all knotted up."

Kendall had been unaware of his tension until Ridge drew his attention to it. He took a deep breath and allowed Ridge's tender ministrations to ease it away. "Sorry."

"Don't be. I don't want to stir up pain and misery, and I'm not judging you, okay?" Kendall nodded. "We don't have to talk about it."

Kendall allowed himself to get lost in Ridge's warm gaze. It felt as if something genuine and unique was blooming between them, and he needed to build it on a solid foundation. It was better to show Ridge all the worst parts of him now rather than wait until later when the rejection would hurt so much more. He resolved to have an honest conversation with Ridge and to let the chips fall where they may. "I think we do."

"Don't do that," Ridge whispered.

"Do what?"

"You're bracing yourself for goodbye. Knock it off. Let's get something straight right now. I will always want to know you too, Kendall Blakemore. I promise to listen without judgment now or whenever you're ready. Okay?"

Kendall took a deep breath and nodded. "Stan Burkhart was the worst thing to ever happen to us. The asshole was nice to me until he put a ring on my mom's finger, then he resented the very air I breathed. I tried hard to please him, but I failed to meet his expectations. Stan made it his personal mission to drive a wedge between my mother and me. It happened gradually, but she became a person I no longer recognized. My warm, loving mother became cold and aloof. I eventually stopped turning to her when I had something exciting to share or when I wanted her to nurse my broken heart." Kendall smirked up at Ridge. "I was always a sensitive, dramatic little thing, so it was a daily occurrence." Kendall chewed on his bottom lip as he thought about the right way to transition to more challenging topics.

"Stop doing that too," Ridge said, rubbing his thumb over the abused flesh.

"I was ten when I started to wish I could just disappear."

Ridge sucked in a sharp breath and tightened his grip on Kendall's hip but didn't say anything.

"Stan sent Travis to a boarding school in London. He told Travis it was to open up doors for him, but I think Stan wanted to punish his son for showing kindness to me. Without Travis there to deflect some of the verbal abuse, Stan's attacks grew more intense until I just wanted to fade away. Those thoughts manifested as a nasty eating disorder."

"Fuck," Ridge growled and resumed his massage.

"It wasn't intentional," Kendall said. "I didn't make a conscientious decision to stop eating or to harm myself. My stomach just got tied up in knots from the stress, and it became too painful to eat."

"Where the fuck was your mother?"

"Stan kept her busy with all kinds of committees and social engagements. Most of them happened in the evenings, so I was in bed before she came home."

"And the mornings? You didn't see her before school?"

Kendall shook his head. "She was sleeping off the effects of self-medicating with booze and pills. Stan took advantage of my mother's absence in more ways than one."

Ridge stiffened, and Kendall worked quickly to assure him Stan had never physically or sexually abused him. "I was referring to his many affairs."

"So Stan's affair with Amber Everly wasn't the first time he strayed?" Ridge asked.

Kendall's eyes widened. "That came out during the raid?"

Ridge nodded and bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing. "I'll tell you about it someday."

Kendall smiled. "Amber was probably his hundredth affair."

"I just need five minutes alone with Stan in a room with no cameras. I can make this right," Ridge said.

Kendall's heart melted. "Five minutes couldn't possibly undo the damage, but I appreciate the thought."

Ridge dropped a soft kiss on his forehead. "When did your mom figure out you were starving yourself?"

"She didn't," Kendall replied. "Travis came home for a school holiday and flipped out. He made an anonymous call to children's services. God, it was a fucking mess. I don't know whose pocket Stan greased to make it all go away, but he must have paid someone off. He would've punished us harshly if my mom hadn't caught him with the housekeeper around the same time."

"Adelaide?" Ridge asked.

Kendall snorted. "God no. She would've cut Stan's dick off and forced him to eat it. Mom hired Adelaide to replace the woman she fired."

"So, did the power dynamic change once your mom had irrefutable proof Stan was a cheating asshole?"

"Briefly," Kendall replied. "Stan played the remorseful husband who wanted to do better. My mom fell for it. Hell, even I did. It didn't take long for the power to shift back to the asshole. But in the interim, my mom made three life-changing ultimatums that Stan never reneged on."

"And they were?"

"She hired Adelaide, who became my surrogate mom and biggest ally in the house. Rebecca arranged for Travis to return home and attend his regular school. She also sent me to therapy for my eating disorder. And boy, did Stan hate paying for that."

"Therapy helped?"

"Yes, but I'm going to battle this disorder for the rest of my life. It gets better but never fully goes away. When I get really stressed, my stomach still knots up. I have to use the techniques my therapist taught me to override the instinct that tells me to skip meals."

Ridge stroked a broad hand up and down Kendall's back. "Something about you stirs my protective instincts. No, stirs is too tame a word. It's more like poking a bear."

"Because you don't think I can take care of myself?"

Ridge rolled his eyes. "You can't be serious. I saw you take down a hardened criminal with your fist and a serving tray. You're more than capable of taking care of yourself, but I still want to shield you from ugly things."

"But you can't."

Ridge smoothed Kendall's hair off his forehead and pressed a kiss there. "I want to."

Kendall stretched and yawned. "My evil-genius plan to bog you down with carbs has backfired. I don't know what was heavier: the food or the conversation I insisted we have. I really know how to bring down the tone of an evening."

"You did no such thing," Ridge assured him.

Kendall rolled over, grabbed the remote off the coffee table, and switched the television over to cable. He turned on Forensic Files and scooted until there wasn't even an inch of space between his back and Ridge's chest. "You know what to do," he said over his shoulder.

Ridge looped his arm around Kendall's waist, resting his hand on Kendall's stomach. "We're both going to be asleep in minutes."

Kendall yawned. "Seconds."