Page 32 of Egg Me On
"Marking your territory?" Liv suggested with a smirk. "Yeah, we noticed."
"He makes the best fucking breakfast sandwiches I've ever had," Dylan said, changing the subject slightly. "You're a lucky man, Cash. Just saying."
I stared down at the photos again, lingering on the one of us by the fire. I hadn't known I could look like that—soft, open, almost... happy. It was a stranger's face reflected back at me, but one I recognized somewhere deep in my bones. The person I might be if I stopped fighting so hard against my own nature.
"Yeah," I said quietly.
The admission hung in the air, surprisingly easy to voice. Dylan and Liv exchanged glances, clearly not expecting me to agree so readily.
"Well, shit," Liv grinned. "The apocalypse must be coming. Cash Upton admitted to having feelings."
"Fuck off," I muttered, but couldn't stop the slight upturn of my lips. I tucked my phone away, the images burning into my memory. Aiden's animated face as he'd told that story about his first week with the food truck. How he'd laughed at his own mistakes, completely at ease with his imperfections in a way I'd never managed to be.
I ran a hand through my hair, unaccustomed to talking this much, especially about someone I was—what? Dating? Was thatwhat we were doing? Whatever it was, it felt too new, too fragile to name.
The shop door swung open, and my heart did that ridiculous leap it always did when Aiden walked in. He was carrying a brown paper bag that smelled like heaven, his hair still damp from a shower, cheeks flushed from the morning chill. He spotted me and his face lit up in a way that made my chest ache.
"Breakfast delivery," he announced, crossing to my workbench. "Triple bacon with extra cheese and that hot sauce you pretended not to love but definitely went back for seconds of."
Dylan whistled, backing away with his hands raised. "And that's my cue to give you lovebirds some privacy."
Liv followed, but not before wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do on that workbench."
Aiden's cheeks flushed darker, but he was grinning as he set the bag in front of me. "They know, huh? It's kind of hot," he said, leaning closer. "Knowing I can make the stoic Cash Upton lose his cool."
Something warm uncurled in my chest at his teasing. I took a step toward him, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body. I lifted a hand and brushed that stray curl off of his forehead.
His eyes widened slightly, lips parting on an indrawn breath. "That was almost romantic, Upton. Be careful, or I'll start thinking you like me."
I more than liked him, I just didn’t know how to say it.
The shop door banged open again, shattering the moment. The sound was followed by heavy footsteps and a familiar voice that turned my blood to ice.
"Cassius! I knew it," Leo spat, striding across the shop floor like he owned it.
“Your full name is Cassius?” Aiden said, laughter in his eyes. “I kinda like it!”
"Jesus Christ, right out in the open? Are you fucking kidding me?" Leo continued, undeterred by Aiden’s cheer.
I pulled back from Aiden instinctively, years of conditioning kicking in. Leo stood before us in his perfect suit, perfect haircut, perfect campaign-ready appearance, face contorted with disgust as his eyes flicked between Aiden and me.
"Leo," I managed, voice tight.
"I’m here for damage control," he snapped. "Though it might be too late for that. You know your little photo is all over social media, right? With your full name tagged? Do you have any idea what this could do to my campaign?"
Of course. The campaign. First, it had been the business, their customer base, wholesome, Christian folk from the heartland who just wanted me to behave like I should and not make a fuss. But lately, my brother had shifted his focus to bigger goals. To politics.
"What are you doing?" Leo's voice rose. "My opponents will jump on this, and trash me in the headlines. 'Senate candidate Leo Upton's brother caught in homosexual tryst.' You couldn't keep it private, could you? Had to flaunt it all over social media."
Aiden straightened beside me, his easy smile replaced by something sharp and dangerous. "Excuse me," he said, voice deceptively calm. "But who the fuck are you?"
Leo barely spared him a glance. "I'm his brother. And you need to back off."
"His brother," Aiden repeated slowly. "I didn’t even know he had a brother."
"This doesn't concern you," Leo dismissed. “This is about the way my little brother is hell-bent on ruining my political career.”
“Political career?” Aiden scoffed. “You must be a huge deal. I’ve never even heard of you.”
