10. Kairo

10Kairo

I refusedto admit how good it felt to know people were waiting at home for me. I never thought I would want that but, knowing Justin, Theo and Sara would be there when I got home made me want to head in sooner.

Before going home, I decided to stop to get them some food. I popped into one of my favorite restaurants for Justin and got him salmon with wild rice and steamed veggies. Just in case he didn’t want that, I also got a penne arrabbiata since you couldn’t really go wrong with pasta.

The for the kiddos, I made a stop at McDonald’s and grabbed happy meals with chicken nuggets for them. I also picked up some apple slices and carrot batons from the grocery store because, so far, it seemed that Justin was good about making sure the kids didn’t eat junk food.

With everything I wanted ready to go, I headed home. Driving up to my house and seeing it lit up with life warmed a part of me. I pulled into the driveway and found myself hoping that Justin wouldn’t disappear into either his room or the kiddo’s room again when I got home.

When I got out of my car and saw Justin’s parked at the curb, I found myself wondering if I should get him a new one. Maybe he was sentimentally attached to it. Perhaps I could get a mechanic over to make sure it was running well.

And it wasn’t something you did for a mate. I was just making sure he was safe when he drove to work. It was part of the house renovation. The car lived in the house.

You’re not even buying that.

I put all those thoughts aside as I stepped into the house. I may have timed my return home, so it was right before dinner time for the kids, but that wasn’t weird. Maybe I shouldn’t have had a television installed in the kid’s room, then they would have had to spend time in the main living room.

When I entered the kitchen Justin turned towards me, “I’m so sorry, I was just about to warm up dinner. I’ll be out of your hair in about ten min—”

I held up the bags, “I brought dinner.”

Justin stared at me like I’d spoken in a foreign language, so I held out the bag towards him, “Salmon and rice for us, but if you don’t like that, there is also Pasta. And for the kids, I picked up chicken nuggets, but I also got apple slices and carrots, so it’s not too unhealthy right?”

He kept staring, and it took everything inside of me not to squirm. “If it’s not okay—” That seemed to break him out of his stupor, and he shook his head, taking a step towards me. “No. No. It’s perfect,” he said. A blush stained his cheek, “thanks for thinking of us.”

“I thought maybe we could all sit down to dinner….” I hoped like hell the like a family was ringing as loud in his head as it was in mine… actually I found myself hoping that it was.

“Are you sure?” he glanced at the baby monitor, then back at me, “Their table manners need some work.”

“I’m sure yours will make up for it,” I replied, smiling lightly, “yeah, I’m sure.”

He smiled shyly back at me, “Okay, I’ll go get them.”

“I’ll set the table,” I told him.

“I wiped down the high chairs, so we can just dump their nuggets and apples and carrots on there.”

“Then I’ll get grown-up plates for us, unless I should dump our on the table too,” I teased.

He laughed, “I think plates are just fine for ours, be right back.”

I grabbed some plates and cutlery for us and water and juice from the fridge and set it all up. Just as I was about to grab some glasses and some baby cups that had found their way to the draining board, Justin appeared. He held Theo in his arm while holding Sara’s hand in the other.

“Say hi to Mr.—” Was it my imagination, or did he swallow before saying my name, “Kairo,” he finished swallowing again.

Nope, not my imagination. And fuck, my name sounded so good coming from him.

Sara waved at me with a smile on her face, “Hi.” I couldn’t help it. I grinned back at her. She had wild curly hair, a shade lighter than her uncles.

“Hi there. Hope you like chicken nuggets?” Her eyes widened, and another sweet smile graced her lips, and she eagerly nodded. Justin put Theo in his high chair, then picked Sara up and plopped her into hers.

“What do you say to….” Justin seemed to pause again before saying my name, and it shouldn’t have mattered, but it did. Also, I didn’t miss the way his eyes traveled down my face stopping at my lips when our gazes met again. There he had this look in his eyes. At that moment, I could sense his greatest desire, and it stole my breath. He wanted me to kiss him. And I’d be damned if I said I didn’t want the exact same thing. Justin cleared his throat. “Mr. Kairo, what do you say for the nuggets?”

“Thank you!” Sara said before immediately stuffing one into her mouth.

“Nuggies,” Theo said before chomping down on one.

Justin smiled sheepishly, “That’s Theo’s way of saying thank you. Told you their table manners needed work.”

“I don’t mind,” I said. “I’m having a good time.” And the crazy part was, it was the truth.

When I met Justin’s gaze again, I watched as his adam’s apple bobbed. He swallowed hard, and it took every ounce of my willpower not to pull him in for that kiss that we both wanted. Justin looked away down at the plates I’d opened between us and shook his head.

“This looks and smells amazing.” He reached for his fork, and I glanced down at the meal.

“I’m glad you approve,” I said, pushing the plate with the pasta closer to him. “Eat up. Please.”

I felt his eyes on me and looked up. Justin smiled softly, “Thank you for this. It was really thoughtful.”

I felt ten feet tall seeing that adoring look in his eyes like I’d done something more than just buy dinner.

That mixed in with his need that I could sense like a living thing damn near stole my breath. I didn’t know if I was worthy of this man, but dammit, I wanted him. And all I could think was nothing would taste more amazing than kissing him.