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It was all warmth and relief and comfort, even for Cass. He held Ash tighter, like he’d been wanting to all week, and Ash’s body trembled again.

“Sorry, I—I really needed this,” Ash mumbled, and though he loosened his arms slightly, he didn’t let go or back up.

Cass nodded against Ash and let his hand drift up and down, gently rubbing Ash’s back. “I know,” he said.

Ash huffed a weak laugh, his warm breath hitting Cass’s neck, and Cass closed his eyes again. They stayed there for another few seconds, until Ash finally pulled back and let his arms drop to his sides. He looked down, almost as though embarrassed, then glanced into the car. Cass followed his gaze.

Bri was sitting there, watching them with a huge smile on her face. She giggled, though the sound was muffled since she was in the car.

Ash groaned but forced a smile and then waved at her. And Bri clapped her hands, said something Cass couldn’t really decode, and then picked up her octopus toy and started bouncing it up and down.

Ash sighed and lowered his eyes to the ground again.

“Hey,” Cass said softly, and he reached out slowly and brushed his fingers against Ash’s. A small smile worked its way onto Ash’s lips, and when he looked back up, his cheeks were tinged pink. “Ready to go now? My parents are looking forward to meeting you. Especially my mom.”

Ash’s smile relaxed, and his eyes brightened with amusement. “Should I be worried?”

“Not in the slightest,” Cass replied easily. “Although I’m sure they’ll both be teasing me every chance they get. And don’t listen if my mom tells you the go-cart story. Please.” He stepped around Ash and opened the front passenger side door, grinning.

Ash stood there, laughter in his eyes. “The go-cart story, huh?”

“Yeah. She’ll very conveniently forget to mention that I was six years old at the time.”

Ash grinned wider, still holding Cass’s gaze. Heat started working its way up into Cass’s cheeks again, and he bit his lower lip, barely able to stop himself from reaching out to take Ash’s hand.

Clearing his throat, Cass tilted his head toward the car. “Ready?”

“Yeah.”

The short drive was quiet because nearly as soon as they got on the road, Bri fell sound asleep. When they pulled into the driveway at Cass’s house a few minutes later, Ash glanced into the back seat and grimaced, explaining in a whisper that her nap schedule had been off since last week. Cass nodded, and then they both got out of the car. He popped the trunk to gather Ash’s things while Ash skillfully unstrapped Bri and lifted her into his arms, all without waking her.

A moment later, Cass shifted the diaper bag on his shoulder so he could open the front door. “After you,” he said softly, tilting his head to direct Ash inside. “The guest bedroom is down the hallway, the second door on the right.”

Cass followed Ash in and shut the door behind him. Ash paused just inside the entryway, and Cass heard his mom’s voice from the living room.

“Oh, my, look at that precious angel.”

He stepped up beside Ash and smiled as he met his mom’s eyes and then his dad’s. They sat together on the couch, his dad closing the book they’d been reading, and his dad looped an arm up around his mom’s shoulders.

Warmth filled his chest as he held his dad’s gaze for an extra moment, and then he smiled again and tipped his head toward the hallway. “I’m going to help him get Bri settled,” he said quietly. His mom nodded, her face bright with joy. The warmth in his chest grew.

Tentatively, and just for guidance—not any other reason at all—Cass placed his free hand on Ash’s lower back and pressed gently. “Just down the hallway,” he said.

Ash nodded to Cass’s parents with a shy smile that Cass found more than a little endearing and then stepped forward slowly, cradling Bri in his arms. Cass followed again, letting his hand drop away when they entered the narrow hallway.

The bedroom at the end of the hallway was neat and clean and free of any clutter—thanks to the several hours Cass had spent in there while the turkey had been cooking the day before—and Cass only hoped it would be comfortable enough for Ash and Bri for the next two days.

Ash paused after he stepped inside the room, and a small smile grew on his lips. He glanced back over his shoulder at Cass. “Thank you. The outlet covers are appreciated,” he said, still keeping his voice low.

Cass nodded as he set down the diaper bag and Bri’s backpack and quietly retracted the handle on the suitcase. “Did you end up bringing that portable crib you mentioned? It fit in here?” He motioned to the suitcase.

“Yeah, it works really well actually,” Ash replied.

“I’ll set it up for you, then?”

Ash’s smile softened. “That would be great.”

It took only a minute or two for Cass to open the suitcase, pull out the neatly packed portable crib Ash had fit in alongside his clothes and toiletries, and set it up. After double checking that it was solid and that the mattress was properly in place, Cass stepped aside so Ash could lay Bri down.