Part 6: Dinner & Dessert

"Fuck," Tivaughn muttered, changing his shirt for the third time. His phone buzzed - another text from Reece.

"You still coming or what?"

Tivaughn glanced at the clock. He was only ten minutes late, but he knew Reece's impatience. "On my way. Had to close up."

"Z been asking about you every 5 damn minutes"

Then: "Hurry up"

The drive to Reece's spot took fifteen minutes, during which Tivaughn tried not to overthink shit. It was just dinner. With Reece. And Z. After last night's kiss that had his lips still tingling every time he thought about it.

Reece's house was modest but clean, two-story with a small yard. Z's bike was propped against the porch, and warm light spilled from the windows. Before Tivaughn could even knock, the door flew open.

"Mr. Ti!" Zaire launched himself forward. "Daddy made spaghetti! And garlic bread! And-"

"Damn, Z, let the man breathe," Reece appeared in the doorway, and Tivaughn's breath caught. He was wearing sweats and a white tank, looking softer than Tivaughn had ever seen him. "Get your ass back inside before the food gets cold."

Zaire darted back in, leaving them alone on the porch. For a moment, they just looked at each other, last night hanging heavy between them.

"You gonna stand there all night?" Reece finally asked, but his eyes were warm.

Inside, the house smelled amazing. Family photos lined the walls - mostly of Z at different ages, but a few showed a beautiful woman with Z's smile. Tivaughn didn't ask, but he noticed how Reece's eyes skipped over those pictures.

"Daddy says you're staying for movies too!" Zaire announced from his perch at the kitchen table. "We're watching Spider-Man!"

"Oh we are, huh?" Tivaughn raised an eyebrow at Reece, who was busy at the stove.

"Z ain't shut up about it since I mentioned you was coming," Reece muttered. "But if you got somewhere to be..."

"Nah," Tivaughn moved closer, voice dropping. "Ain't got nowhere else I'd rather be."

Reece's hands stilled on the spoon he was holding. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"If y'all done making googly eyes," Zaire's voice made them both jump, "I'm hungry!"

"Boy, who taught you that phrase?" Reece demanded, but his ears had gone slightly red.

Dinner was surprisingly easy. Zaire dominated the conversation, jumping between topics faster than they could follow. But under the table, Reece's foot hooked around Tivaughn's ankle, staying there.

"Shit's good," Tivaughn said, gesturing to the food. "Didn't know you could cook like this."

"Got hidden talents," Reece smirked. "You ain't seen nothing yet."

"Daddy makes the best breakfast too!" Zaire piped up. "You should come over for that sometime!"

The implications of that hung in the air. Reece's foot pressed harder against Tivaughn's.

"Maybe sometime," Tivaughn managed, his mouth dry.

After dinner, they settled on the couch for the movie. Zaire sprawled across both their laps, head on Reece's thigh and feet in Tivaughn's lap. Halfway through, he was out cold.

"Should probably put his ass to bed," Reece murmured, but he made no move to get up.

"Probably," Tivaughn agreed, equally still.

The movie played on, neither of them really watching. Tivaughn was too aware of Reece's arm stretched along the back of the couch, fingers occasionally brushing his neck.

Finally, Reece shifted, carefully lifting Zaire. "Be right back."

Tivaughn watched him carry Z upstairs, heart doing funny things in his chest at the gentle way Reece handled his son. When he came back down, his eyes were dark with intent.

"Z's out cold," he said, stopping in front of Tivaughn. "You staying?"

Tivaughn reached up, hooked his fingers in Reece's tank. "That an invitation?"

" yeah it is." Reece straddled his lap in one smooth motion. "Been thinking about this shit all day."

"Yeah?" Tivaughn's hands found Reece's hips. "What exactly you been thinking about?"

Instead of answering, Reece kissed him - hard and deep and demanding. But when Tivaughn's grip tightened, taking control, Reece melted against him with a soft sound that had Tivaughn's head spinning.

"Damn," Tivaughn breathed when they broke apart. "You're something else, you know that?"

"Shut up," Reece muttered, but he was flushed, pupils blown. "You talk too much."

"Make me shut up then."

The challenge lit something in Reece's eyes. But before he could act on it, a small voice called from upstairs:

"Daddy? Can I have some water?"

"Fuck," Reece dropped his head to Tivaughn's shoulder. "I swear that kid..."

"Go," Tivaughn laughed, squeezing his hips. "Handle your business."

Reece climbed off his lap reluctantly. At the stairs, he turned back. "Don't move. I mean it."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

While Reece was upstairs, Tivaughn looked around the living room. More photos, kids' drawings on the fridge, Z's toys scattered around - it was a home, lived in and loved. Something in his chest ached at how right it felt being here.

"He's out again," Reece said, coming back down. "For real this time." He paused at the bottom of the stairs, something vulnerable crossing his face. "You really staying?"

Tivaughn crossed to him, backed him against the wall. "Try and make me leave."

The kiss was softer this time, but no less intense. Reece's hands slid under Tivaughn's shirt, mapping skin like he was memorizing it.

"Upstairs," he breathed against Tivaughn's mouth. "Now."

"You sure?"

Reece's answer was to drag him up the stairs by his shirt, pushing him into the master bedroom. The door had barely closed before they were on each other again, hands and mouths hungry.

"Been wanting this," Reece admitted between kisses. "Since that first fucking day in the shop."

"Yeah?" Tivaughn pushed him back towards the bed. "Tell me more about that."

But Reece was done talking. And honestly? So was Tivaughn.

Later, much later, they lay tangled in Reece's sheets, sweat cooling on their skin. Reece's head was on Tivaughn's chest, fingers tracing patterns on his stomach.

"Stay," he said quietly, like he wasn't sure he was allowed to ask.

Tivaughn pressed a kiss to his temple. "Wild horses couldn't drag me out this bed."

"Corny ass," Reece muttered, but he pressed closer.

Just before sleep took them, Reece spoke again, so quiet Tivaughn almost missed it:

"Ain't been nobody in this bed since... not since Z's mama."

Tivaughn's arms tightened around him. "I got you," he promised. "Both of you."

"Yeah," Reece's voice was rough. "I know you do."

They fell asleep like that, wrapped in each other, the sound of Zaire's quiet breathing through the baby monitor a reminder of everything that mattered. And if Tivaughn dreamed about more nights like this, about lazy mornings and family breakfasts and a future he'd never dared want before - well, that was nobody's business but his.

For now.