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“What about men?” I asked cautiously

“Do you mean was I attracted to them?”

I nodded

Haas thoughtful for aor not, but no, I wasn’t attracted to them”

“Does it bother you?”

“What?”

“Being with ay and it sounds like you aren’t even bi”

I felt Hawke’s fingers leaveat hi on labels,” he said “People have been labeling er traced over my lower lip “You’re beautiful, Tate…but that isn’t what hasmore of you”

I felt my stomach drop out at Hawke’s words

“You’re kind, even though all you’ve known is cruelty You’re strong despite all the ti for that little boy from the second you saved him and you’ve been the father he needs and deserves despite not having had that yourself I’m in awe of you, Tate Travers”

I sed hard around the knot of emotion in my throat and shookto say to that I’d thought it had only been about physical attraction for Hawke, but to know he saw more than that…

Hawke’s hand returned to my hair and we both fell silent for a while But I couldn’t miss out on the opportunity to know more about him so I said, “You said the house behind yours was your uncle’s”

Hawke nodded “It wasup”

“You lived with him?”

“Yeah, ht She died a few months later”

“What happened to her?”

“She had a brain tumor…inoperable”