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- Allan, S. H.
Cuddling
Cuddling Read online
Copyright
Published by
Dreamspinner Press
5032 Capital Circle SW
Ste 2, PMB# 279
Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886 USA
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Edited by Anne Regan
Reboot Copyright © 2013 by S. H. Allan
Happy Holidays Copyright © 2013 by Anna Butler
Remember When Copyright © 2013 by River Clair
The Responsible One Copyright © 2013 by Eva Clancy
The Thing I Love Best About Mitch Copyright © 2013 by Dawn Douglas
Like an Old Sweater Copyright © 2013 by Elizabella Gold
Dream Lover Copyright © 2013 by Audrey Jeung
Change of Heart Copyright © 2013 by Rhidian Brenig Jones
Cupcakes for Two Copyright © 2013 by K. Lynn
Home on the Range Copyright © 2013 by Anna Martin
The Cat’s Out of the Bag Copyright © 2013 by Rowan McAllister
Quarter Moon Over a Ten-Cent Town Copyright © 2013 by Stephen Osborne
The Making of a Family Copyright © 2013 by Caitlin Ricci
Looking Back Copyright © 2013 by Rob Rosen
How to Date Your Husband Copyright © 2013 by AC Valentine
At First Sound Copyright © 2013 by G.S. Wiley
Cover Art by Michael Breyette
http://www.breyette.com
Cover content is being used for illustrative purposes only
and any person depicted on the cover is a model.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press at: 5032 Capital Circle SW Ste 2, PMB# 279 Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886 USA
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/
ISBN: 978-1-62380-651-4
Printed in the United States of America
First Edition
August 2013
eBook edition available
eBook ISBN: 978-1-62380-652-1
Table of Contents
Cupcakes for Two
At First Sound
Dream Lover
Happy Holidays
The Responsible One
Home on the Range
The Cat’s Out of the Bag
Like an Old Sweater
Change of Heart
The Thing I Love Best About Mitch
Looking Back
Quarter Moon Over a Ten-Cent Town
Reboot
The Making of a Family
Remember When
How to Date Your Husband
More romantic anthologies from Dreamspinner Press
Coming in October 2013 from Dreamspinner Press
Cupcakes for Two
K. Lynn
“YES, Mom, I made it just like you told me to,” Jacob said, cradling the phone against his shoulder as he stirred the mashed potatoes. “They taste fine.”
“I’m just making sure,” his mother said. “Just because you’ve been at college for four years doesn’t mean I can’t still teach you some things.”
“They taste just like yours,” Jacob said, but when his mother’s huff came across the line, he revised his statement. “Okay, well, not exactly like yours, but close enough.” Jacob heard rattling at the door, signaling the return of his boyfriend. He replaced the lid on the pot so the mashed potatoes would stay warm. “I’ve got to go. Matt’s home.”
“Okay, sweetheart. You two have fun tonight, and call me when you can.”
“Love you,” he said before hanging up the phone.
“Cheating on me already?” Matt asked, a smile on his face as he set the pastry box down on the counter. “I’ve only been gone three hours.”
“Gotta be fast if you want to keep me,” Jacob teased back, leaning over to give Matt a kiss. “How was your exam?”
Matt sighed, leaning his hip against the counter. “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to be an engineer anymore.”
Jacob gave a short laugh. “I think it’s a little too late for that, considering we’re in our senior year.” His boyfriend groaned at the reminder. “Anyway, what would you do instead?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I can be your kept boy,” Matt said. “Make sure the house is neat and tidy when you come home from a hard day’s work.”
“Hate to break it to you, but I doubt a teacher’s salary is going to keep us going for long. Besides, I bet you did fine.”
“Dr. Baldwin has it in for our whole class. I’d be surprised if anyone passed.”
“Then he’ll grade on a curve,” Jacob said, adjusting the temperature of the oven. “Don’t even worry about it anymore tonight.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Matt said, though he didn’t sound convinced.
“What’d you bring us?” Jacob asked, starting toward the pastry box, but Matt blocked his way.
“Uh-uh, no peeking. It’s a surprise for after dinner.” He picked up the box, holding it above Jacob’s head as he moved around him and over to the high cabinet in the corner. It was the only one Jacob couldn’t reach without Matt’s help.
“Seriously?”
“Hey, not my fault you’re a shortie,” Matt said.
Jacob crossed his arms over his chest. “Keep on. See how you like it when I lock you out of the apartment next time you go for a run. I bet you won’t be laughing then.”
“Aw,” Matt said, closing the gap between them. “Don’t be like that. Besides, what’s an anniversary without some surprises thrown in?”
“Boring? When has that ever described our lives?”
Nearing the stove, Matt sniffed the air. His eyes lit up, and a smile crossed his face as the tasty smell reached him. “Is that Mama Nelson’s mashed potatoes?”
Jacob nodded, lifting the lid so Matt could have a good look. “That’s who was on the phone. She wanted to make sure I did it right,” he said, replacing the lid again.
“That’s because I’m her favorite,” Matt teased. “Though she still won’t give me the recipe.”
“I already told you, it’s a secret. The only way you’re getting it is if you marry into the family.”
Matt seemed to pause at that, his face going blank for a second, but then the happy appearance once again returned. “What else are you making?” He cracked open the oven door to take a peek, slamming it shut again so the heat wouldn’t escape. Matt looked over to Jacob, his eyes widening. “Seasoned steak?”
“And green beans, keeping warm in the microwave,” Jacob said, taking the dish out to sit on the stovetop.
“It’s like you love me or something,” Matt said, pressing himself against Jacob’s back and sliding his arms around Jacob’s stomach to give him a squeeze.
“Or something,” Jacob teased, patting Matt’s hands. “Can you go pour us some wine? I’ll get the plates fixed.”
“Sure,” Matt said, giving one last squeeze before releasing his hold on Jacob. He moved over to their wine rack, taking a moment to look through the choices before grabbing a bottle. “Your mom have any news from the home front?”
“S
he said that Cassie’s going to give her a heart attack before the year’s out,” Jacob said, grabbing two plates out of the cabinet. “Mom refuses to go driving with her anymore. She’s started making Dad do it.”
“Your sister still hasn’t learned the use of her brakes, I’m guessing.”
“Not yet,” Jacob laughed. “Though she kind of reminds me of you when we were learning to drive.”
“I beg your pardon,” Matt said, sounding offended as he clutched the bottle of wine against his chest. “I was a perfect driver, and you know it.”
“So it was someone else who drove his truck into the ditch three times before he got his license?”
“That damn ditch had it out for me,” Matt grumbled, getting two wineglasses out of the cabinet beside Jacob.
“Yes, such an evil thing,” Jacob teased, giving Matt a wink as he hip-checked his boyfriend. “Oh, and your mom wants us to call her soon because”—he changed his voice, trying to give a perfect imitation of Matt’s mother—“just because you’re in college doesn’t mean I shouldn’t get a call more than once a week.” Jacob cleared his throat, returning his voice back to its natural register. “My mom agrees with her.”
“Of course she does. They’ve always been in cahoots.” Matt laughed as he exited the kitchen and headed toward the table to fill their wineglasses.
“Speaking of being in cahoots,” Jacob said, following after him with now full plates, “Vivian and Derek caught up with me after class today.”
“Oh yeah?” Matt asked, trading Jacob’s wineglass for a plate before he went to sit down. “What’d they want?”
“Besides to harass me about the fact we haven’t hung out with them in over a week?” Jacob asked, grinning as he took his own seat. “Just wanted to make sure we were still coming up to the cabin with them after exams were over. They promised to give us the big bedroom this time.”
“Good. The bunk beds last year were not funny at all.”
“Aw, come on,” Jacob teased. “It was like Camp Dixon all over again. Sneaking into each other's beds and trying not to get caught.”
Matt raised an eyebrow at him. “Yeah, but we were doing a whole lot more than reading comic books under the sheets at Derek’s cabin.”
“That we were.” Jacob laughed, taking a sip of his wine before cutting into his steak. “I’m more than ready to get away for a few days.”
“College life not all it’s lived up to be, huh?” Matt asked, sounding sympathetic.
“Less late-night parties, more late-night lesson plans. And it’s just the beginning.” Jacob sighed. “I think that’s why Vivian and Derek were so insistent that we tag along. It’ll be the last time we get to spend any real time together. After we get back, it’s final projects and getting ready for graduation, then they’re heading out not long after.”
“I can’t believe they’re moving across the country,” Matt said, a frown crossing his face as he took a bite of green beans, swallowing before he continued. “I mean, it’s awesome that he got the job with Hanson’s, but we’re never going to get to see them.”
“Just gotta make the time. We can fly out there sometime, or they can come visit when they’re home to visit their folks.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Matt said, though he didn’t sound convinced. “I just hate feeling like we’re counting down to the end. Last visit to the cabin, last end-of-midterms party, last time for a lot of things.”
“Hey,” Jacob said, reaching out to squeeze Matt’s hand. “Nobody should be that sad eating my mom’s potatoes.”
Matt huffed a quick laugh, the corner of his mouth going up. “True. She’d beat me if she knew I wasn’t fully appreciating your fine culinary skills.”
“Exactly,” Jacob said, releasing his hold to return to his own meal. “Lavish me with the praise I deserve.”
“Like I don’t do that already,” Matt teased, taking a bite of his steak. He moaned in pleasure. “Seriously, why don’t you make this more often?”
“Because it wouldn’t be a special treat if I cooked it every week,” Jacob said, giving him a soft smile. “But tonight deserved to be special.”
“Five years together,” Matt said, looking lost in thought.
“Or fifteen to be technical, though you were oblivious to my natural charms for a while there.”
“We went from Hot Wheels to hormones. It was a little bit of a jumbled mess.”
“Didn’t help that I was falling in love with my best friend either,” Jacob said, sounding sad. “Not that you knew it.”
“Yeah, well, I was always a little bit blind to what was right in front of me,” Matt said, giving Jacob a comforting smile. “But eventually I figured it out and figured myself out too.”
“That’s what matters.”
Matt’s expression sobered a little. “Do you realize that August will be the first time I’m going to be in school without you?”
“Well, you’re the one who wanted to go to grad school. I can’t help it if I’m ready for the real world and you still want to hide out in the library,” Jacob teased. “Then again, I always was the mature one.”
“Right,” Matt scoffed. “I’ll remember that when you come home crying your first day because the kids decided to attack you.”
“Don’t jinx it. I already have nightmares of a minimutiny.”
“It’s going to be weird not getting to see each other during the day. No more lunchtimes together.”
“Can’t steal my peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches anymore.” Jacob winked at him. “But it’ll be okay. We’re just gonna have to make the time we have together count. I even promise to help you with your homework if you’re a good boy.”
“I’m always a good boy. My momma says so.”
“Hate to break it to you, but sometimes she lies.”
“Those are fighting words,” Matt said, pretending he was taking offense. “Why do I love you again?”
“Because I’m the only guy who would put up with you,” Jacob joked back. “And I can cook.”
“Hmm, true,” Matt said, seeming to take that under consideration. “Okay, I guess you can be forgiven.”
“You’re too kind,” Jacob said, taking the last swallow of his wine. He nodded to Matt’s plate, now empty of most of his meal. “How’d you like your dinner?”
Matt seemed to come out of a daze, looking at his plate as if he was seeing it for the first time. “Oh,” he said, his face coloring a bit. “I guess I liked it a lot.” Matt glanced at Jacob’s plate as well, which was also cleared of food. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” Jacob leaned forward, grabbing the bottle of wine to refill his glass. “So, you gonna let me see what you’ve got hiding in the cabinet now?”
“Ah!” Matt jumped from his seat, grabbing his plate along with Jacob’s. “Yeah, just a minute. Don’t move.”
Jacob wrinkled his forehead in confusion as he watched his boyfriend rush through the kitchen door. He tended to joke that Matt was addicted to sugar, but this was a bit weird even for him. “What’s up with you tonight?” Jacob called out when he heard some shuffling in the kitchen. When no answer came and then there was just silence, Jacob began to worry. “You okay in there?”
It took a few seconds, but Matt finally appeared in the doorway, holding the pastry box close to his chest. “Yeah, fine, nothing to worry about with me.” The nervousness in his voice contradicted his words.
“Really? Because you’re acting like I dosed your food or something.” He reached out a hand toward the box Matt had set on the table. “Or maybe you’re just wanting to get wasted on sugar, huh?”
Matt grabbed for the box, pulling it close to him and out of Jacob’s reach. “Wait, not yet.”
Jacob leaned back in his chair, his confusion increasing. “Okay, seriously, what’s going on?”
“Give me a minute,” Matt said, taking in a deep breath, then another, as if he was trying to steady his nerves. His eyes were focused on the box instead of Jacob as h
e started talking. “You remember the first time we met?”
Jacob had no idea where Matt was going with this, but he answered anyway. “Uh, yeah? It was lunchtime, and your table was the only one with an empty seat.”
Matt looked up at him then, a smile slowly edging onto his face. “You were the new kid in second grade, and everyone was curious about you.”
“And I was scared to death because no one would really talk to me,” Jacob said, remembering that day fondly. “They’d keep looking at me and then turning away to whisper. It was a lot for a seven-year-old to handle.”
“But I never had that problem.”
Jacob laughed. “No, you looked right at me and said, ‘You talk funny, but I think we should be friends. Want a cupcake?’”
“And we were best friends ever since,” Matt said, his voice faltering a little. “Thank goodness Momma packed me a second dessert that day.”
Jacob scoffed at that. “Are you saying you wouldn’t have been my friend if you didn’t have an extra?”
“Hey, you know how much I loved the cupcakes from Walton’s,” Matt said, his tone teasing. “I’m just saying it made the choice easier.”
“I do know. You were the only kid I knew who refused to have a birthday cake but insisted on birthday cupcakes every year.”
“And I was devastated when Walton’s closed up shop,” Matt said, pressing his fingers tighter on the edges of the pastry box. “Your parents let you stay over all weekend to keep me distracted.”
“They loved you like you were their own kid,” Jacob said, giving an encouraging smile to his boyfriend. “They still do.”
“It’s always been that way with the two of us, huh? I got a best friend and an extended family to go along with it.”
“Exactly. And it didn’t matter whose house we ended up at, we knew we’d be welcome.”
“Our moms in the kitchen baking shared Sunday dinner,” Matt said, recalling their youths, “and our dads out playing touch football with us until they called us in.”
“Best friends forever,” Jacob said, nodding.
“I was so scared that it would all go wrong when my feelings changed. Almost lost you before all that anyway.”
“Hey.” Jacob leaned forward, wanting to reach out and grab Matt’s hand for reassurance, but the other man wouldn’t let go of the box he was holding. “You think I wasn’t scared too? I fell in love with my best friend and couldn’t tell him. It tore me up inside. That’s why I tried to keep it a secret.”