The Guy on the Left (The Underdogs, #2)(69)
“Not yet. The next time I push inside of you, there won’t be a doubt in your mind about me. Because I want all of it.” He presses warm lips to my chest, where my heart pounds and again to the side of my temple, erasing all doubts of where we stand, ending our discussion.
“Troy, let me touch you,” I whisper, palming his girth. He pulls my hand from between us and kisses it with the shake of his head before easily hauling us to sit where we have a clear view of Dante. He’s still sleeping soundly as I lay in Troy’s arms just as snow begins to fall.
“We’ll do it right this time,” he murmurs again, pressing another kiss to my temple. “For us, and for him.”
Ruth’s Beef Brisket
Bank teller, South Carolina
Makes 8 servings
2 hours and 30 minutes
3 Lb. Boneless Beef Brisket – Well Trimmed
1/4 Cup Liquid Smoke
1 Tsp. Onion Salt
1 Tsp. Garlic Salt
Salt to Taste
Smoky Sauce (combine all ingredients and simmer 5 minutes): 1 Tbsp. Liquid Smoke
1/2 Cup Ketchup
1 1/2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Tsp. Dry Mustard
1/4 Cup Water
3 Tbsp. Melted Butter
1 Tsp. Celery Seeds
Dash of Pepper
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
Sprinkle brisket with regular salt and place on a large piece of aluminum foil. Set in a shallow pan and pour liquid smoke over meat. Seal foil and refrigerate overnight. Remove brisket from refrigerator. Sprinkle with onion salt and garlic salt. Reseal foil.
Bake at 300 degrees for 2 hours. Slice thin. Serve with Smoky Sauce.
Clarissa
“Mommy wake up! It snowed, and we have to see if Santa came!” Dante exclaims jumping into my bed in the Michigan J. Frog pajamas and matching slippers Troy bought him to wear last night. I groan as he bounces around me with boundless energy. Eyeing the clock, I see I’ve only had a mere hour of sleep.
For me, Santa most definitely came, and delivered. Troy and I spent the rest of the night on my couch, making out like a couple of teenagers, and even with the lack of sleep, I feel as if I’m floating on air, my feet haven’t touched the ground since he lifted me from the freezing lawn. Dante jumps into my bed, ready with his demands.
“Hurry up! Hurry up!”
I pull him to me from where I lay and squeeze. “Merry Christmas, Peanut. Just let me brush my teeth.”
“Gah, hurry, please!”
“Morning, bud,” Troy pokes his head into my bedroom and Dante turns to interrogate him.
“Did you see? Did Santa come?”
“I think he might have.”
“Hurry, Mommy!”
Troy’s eyes rake over me with heated appreciation.
“Morning good neighbor.”
He gives me a breathtaking smile, his own eyes red-rimmed from lack of sleep. “Morning.”
I rip my eyes away and still Dante’s bounce on my stomach. “Why don’t you let Troy take you to see what Santa brought?”
“You sure?” Troy asks.
“Of course, I’ll be right out.”
“Come on!” Dante springs from my bed and grabs Troy’s hand ushering him out of my room.
After wrangling with my sexed-up hair and making myself somewhat presentable, I join my men in the living room as Dante gushes over his new desk.
“I didn’t know I wanted this!”
“Santa knew,” I say, giving Troy the compliment. Pride shines in his father’s eyes as he shows Dante the ins and outs of his new desk and the lighting equipment.
“I love it!”
“Did you like your bike?”
“Yep. Troy’s going to teach me how to ride it.”
Troy. Not Mommy. I curl my lip at him, and he chuckles.
Dante rips through his presents while Troy and I sit back, sipping coffee, sharing heated looks. It’s when Dante reads the tag on a large package that he grabs Troy’s attention.
“This says from Troy, and it’s big,” Dante says, moving to sit in his lap. Troy wraps around him as if they’ve been doing it for years, which warms my heart. I look on, just as curious about the contents. Dante’s eyes bulge when Troy helps to open the taped box.
“IT’S ALL MY MERCH! Mommy, LOOK!” Dante lifts up the contents consisting of T-shirts, hoodies, coffee mugs, posters, and more, all brandishing The Legit Life Logo which Dante had designed himself. He’s beside himself with excitement as he sorts through it. It’s hundreds of dollars of merchandise that I haven’t been able to afford, and I’m blown away by Troy’s gesture. “You got me all of it! TROY! This is awesome!”
“I thought we could design your set, and you could wear it when you make your videos.”
Dante turns in Troy’s lap and throws himself at him, hugging him tightly. “Thank you soooo much!”
“Welcome, bud,”
“You’re my best friend,” Dante says easily, which stuns us both. Eyes locked after his confession, Dante moves from his lap and digs into the rest of his presents. Troy clears his throat, but I don’t miss the emotion shining in his eyes.