Mannies Incorporated by Michael, Sean (phonics books .TXT) 📗

to kill him, Minds." He knew it wasn't fair to guilt her, but he could see it, in Slayde's eyes now and then, when he thought no one was looking. Drake wanted to protect the man from that.

"What am I doing to do, brother? I'm going to be home. I won't need a nanny. You know I adore him, but I'll be a full-time mom."

He nodded and sighed, trying not to be angry with her for doing this to Slayde. "I know."

"It's going to be hard on all of us." She rubbed her forehead, looking so tired.

"I know," he said again. "Who knows, maybe he'll go from being nanny Slayde to being Uncle Slayde." Fuck. Had he actually said that? Out loud?

"What? Are…What?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I just know I don't want us to go our separate ways." And being out didn't seem nearly as scary anymore as it had. If he had Slayde and Mindy on his side, and those kids to love him, he thought he could face pretty much anything.

"Oh, wow. Wow, Uncle Slayde sounds like a good idea, if you're happy with it." She looked over at him. "What about your work?"

"I don't know. I don't think I'd be comfortable being out on the job." Some guys would be fine with it, but enough would be assholes and some downright awful. It was too dangerous a job not to know if everyone had his back. He was pretty sure there was no way he could be out and a cop, just no way.

"I… Drake, I love you, but Slayde, he's out. Like out-out. Even there in Ft. Hood, Texas. Out where it could kill him." She looked him straight in the eyes. "If you can't be with him, he might not be the right…him."

"I didn't say I wasn't going to be out, I said I didn't think I could be out and be on the job." So clearly, he needed a different job. Because being out with Minds hadn't killed him. Being out with Travis and Joey hadn't killed him. Being out with Slayde's folks hadn't killed him. Jesus. He was really considering this, considering letting everyone know. Well, no, it was more a matter of just not hiding it anymore than making some big announcement to everyone he met.

"But… Oh. Oh, wow. I… Shit, Drake, that's big. Cool, but big."

"You're going to have to do pushups." It just popped out of his mouth. Besides, he was far more comfortable talking about that than him and Slayde. Some things were never going to change and he was pretty sure it would have been the same even if Slayde had been a girl.

"Drake, I'm a soldier. Pushups do not scare me."

He stuck out his tongue at her.

"Save that for Slayde."

"Bitch!"

"Asshole!"

"Hag."

"Dimwit." Mindy was beginning to giggle.

"Dirt-eater." God, it had been forever since they'd played this game.

"Oh, that's low." She cackled. "Dingleberry."

"Dingleberry?" He narrowed his eyes. "Littler." It had been a terrible insult when they'd been young.

"Chunky." She pursed her lips at him.

"If you two don't behave, I'm going to take the Internet away from you." Slayde's eyes were twinkling.

"I'm not chunky," he pointed out.

"Puffy?" Minds suggested.

Slayde snorted. "Hot."

"Thank you!" He stuck his tongue out at her again.

"Like Slayde knows anything about hotness."

"Hey!" Slayde leaned over his shoulder. "Aren't you supposed to be running or something?"

"She needs to do pushups. Like a lot of push-ups." He let his hand slide along Slayde's leg out of range of the web-cam.

"Get to it, Cap-i-tan." Slayde drawled the word out.

"Two against one is not fair. I'm signing off. Love you, bro. Slayde."

Slayde waved. "Have a good day, lady."

"Bye, sis."

The screen went black and Drake leaned in and turned off the webcam. He moved back and looked up at Slayde. "She thinks she might be home by Halloween."

"That soon?" Slayde's smile was a little forced. "That's great for the kids."

"Yeah, but less great for us." He reached back and rubbed Slayde's leg again.

"Yeah. Yeah, are…" Slayde shook his head. "Do you want a cup of coffee or anything?"

Coffee was on the top of his list. "The kids in bed?"

"Yeah. Christian was asleep before his head hit the pillow."

"Cool." He rubbed his head against Slayde, and given he was at crotch height, it worked out pretty well.

Slayde's fingers stroked through his short hair, caressing him.

"We'll figure something out, baby." It was a promise, one he was going to do his damndest to keep.

"Will we? I don't want to lose you. This."

"You won't. I mean…" He took a breath. "She's going to have to let you go, but you won't be going alone."

"I. Drake? You mean…"

He met Slayde's eyes. "I don't have any plans in my back pocket, but I want us to figure this out together. I want there to be an us." There. He'd said it. Out loud. To Slayde. Jesus fuck. The best part was that the world hadn't blown up in his face for it.

"An us?" Slayde's fingers brushed his lips, the look on the man's face a slowly dawning wonder.

"Yeah, as in you and me." He'd been wrong; the best art was that sweet look on Slayde's face.

"I like you and me."

He thought maybe he'd stunned Slayde a little.

"Good." He reached up and grabbed Slayde's shirt collar, dragging him down for a kiss.

Slayde kissed him like it was the only thing the man ever wanted to do. Ever. It was a bit strange and a lot sexy to be kissing upside down like this. He liked it. Of course he pretty much liked everything about Slayde and everything he did with Slayde.

Slayde slipped around, slid into his lap. The chair creaked and groaned, making him chuckle. Grabbing for Slayde's ass, he squeezed.

"Hey." Slayde's forehead rested against his, eyelashes tickling as the man blinked.

He chuckled. "Hey, baby."

"We're an us. I've never been an us before."

"Me neither." He'd never been a lot of things before Slayde, but it was pretty cool being a part of a first with Slayde, too.

Slayde nodded,