by S. E. Harmon
His smile got wider. “I don’t know where that came from, but I certainly don’t mind hearing it.”
“It’s automatic when I see you.”
“Maybe I can make you into one of those dolls where you press each hand, and they say something.” He pressed the back of my right hand. “This one will be ‘I love you.’”
“I love you,” I repeated obediently.
He pressed the other hand. “And this one will be….”
“Fuck off?” I offered helpfully.
He grinned. “You’re defective, and you’re going back to the factory.”
I spotted the tiny mason jar in his other hand. My eyes flew up to his, and he gave me a rueful smile. “I talked to her again.”
Blue’s relationship with his mother was a constantly evolving tapestry. When Blue came out and told everyone about our relationship, his mother seemed to be fine with it. She contacted him shortly after his announcement to offer her support, which moved them forward. A few weeks later, she did an interview with Sports Illustrated that moved them right back. She was a little more candid about Blue’s childhood than he liked, which started another media storm that took two months to blow over. But at least they were making an effort.
His father stopped talking to him completely. He still talked about Blue in interviews, but he refused to talk about the bisexual aspect of his son’s life. Two months ago he stalked out of an interview with a determined reporter who wouldn’t take the hint.
Blue claimed it was almost a relief—a bittersweet relief. He hated to disappoint his father, but at some point, he had to live his own life. The severance of one parental relationship made him determined to make an effort with the other, and his mother was only too eager to comply. I usually served as the messenger between them, and if she wanted to talk to him, she knew to come through me. Even that little bit of distance gave Blue time and space to do things at his own pace so their relationship could be more about them and less about her. Things were working out, or so I thought.
I tried to think of a delicate way to put things without saying something bad about his mother. “I told her that if she wants to talk to you—”
“It’s okay. I called her this time.”
“Oh.” That was a horse of a different color. I nudged his shoulder. “Was it okay?”
“We had lunch.” He rubbed the back of his neck as the tension gathered there. “We’re… we’re working on some things. Anyway, it just reminded me that all of it wasn’t bad. We had some good traditions too.” He looked down at the jar. “I guess I wanted to keep this one.”
“I think that’s a good idea.” I stared at the jar as though I had X-ray vision.
He handed it to me. “You want to know my wish?”
I nodded jerkily.
“I wanna love you forever.” He smiled. “And if you start singing Jessica Simpson, I’ll throw you in the water, and not this jar.”
“Figured you would.”
God, and there were my eyes burning. “Onions.” I flapped my hands. “Who the fuck is chopping onions out here?”
He grinned. “You’re such a sap. Hold this. I brought one for you to make a wish in too.”
He turned to get the other mason jar he’d jammed in the sand, and while he did that, I threw his wish jar as hard as I could. It was a pretty good throw. I watched it gently bob in the waves.
He turned and looked in my hands. He stared at them, a little nonplussed. Then he looked out at the ocean, down at my hands, and back at the ocean.
Finally he sighed and ran a hand over his head. His hair was longer now, starting to get in his eyes a little bit, and streaked from practice in the unrelenting sun. “Tell me that’s not the jar.”
I frowned. “Of course that’s the jar.”
He sighed again, grabbed hold of the bottom of his shirt, and pulled it over his head. I stared at his ripped stomach and rethought the plan to stay in on Saturdays and get fat. It was another second before I realized he was taking off his watch. He slapped it in my hand, took his phone out of his shorts pocket, and handed that to me too.
I looked at him blankly. “Not that I’m complaining, but why’re you getting buck-ass naked?”
He didn’t answer as he unbuttoned his khaki shorts. And then he was standing in his dark boxer briefs, looking like a Calvin Klein ad—an irritated, three-dimensional Calvin Klein ad.
“What’s that look for?” I stuck a hand on my hip. “We’re supposed to throw it. That’s the tradition.”
“Not that one.”
“You already told me the message.”
“There was a ring inside, Kel. An expensive one.” He shook his head, looking a little amused and a little exasperated. “You just threw my playoff bonus in the frigging ocean.”
Fuck. That really was an expensive ring. It certainly took the wind out of my sails. “Oh.”
I watched as he waded in the shallows and then dove into the surf. I wanted to help with the impromptu search and rescue, but the waves looked choppy. He might be less annoyed if he didn’t have to fish the ring and me out of the ocean.
“Love you!” I yelled supportively.
I squinted. I was pretty sure he gave me the finger in response, but that wouldn’t be a fitting end to the story. So let’s just say we lived happily ever after and leave it at that. #lifegoals.
Wait, I don’t want you to leave thinking I’m a hipster douche.
He found the ring and proposed to me on the beach—properly, on one knee, water droplets clinging to his wet lashes like sparkling diamonds. And I did not perv on his completely wet body in nothing but clingy boxer briefs before I said yes, because that would be gross, right?
Then I loved him and he loved me, and we loved each other as long as the world kept spinning. But I knew we would.
True love, guys. It was kind of my thing.
More from S.E. Harmon
Rules of Possession: Book One
Kelly Cannon is satisfied with his life. He has friends, a wonderful family, and a great job. But his love life has reached a new level of pitiful. Why? Well, his heart decided to break all the rules. Don’t fall in love with a straight guy. And definitely don’t fall in love with your best friend.
NFL standout Britton “Blue” Montgomery has pressure coming at him from all sides. From his father, who’s only interested in Blue’s football career. From his coaches, who just want him to play without getting injured again. From the fans. From his agent. And from his mother, who has popped up on the radar after leaving his family years before. And now his relationship with Kelly is on shaky ground, and that frightens Blue more than anything.
When Kelly admits he’s in love with Blue, bonds are tested, and Blue has to decide what’s really important. He doesn’t want to lose the number-one person in his life, but the cost to keep Kelly close might be more than he’s willing to pay.
It’s a good thing his nickname is the Blueprint—it’s time to draft a new set of plans.
SSA Rain Christiansen used to be the agency’s golden boy. It just takes one moment of weakness, one slight, tiny, itty-bitty paranormal sighting, and all of a sudden he’s the agency’s embarrassment. His boss gives him one last chance to redeem himself—go down to Brickell Bay, play nice with the local police, and leave the ghost sightings behind. Rain is determined to do exactly that, even if it kills him.
Cold-case detective Daniel McKenna’s latest investigation is going nowhere fast. Five years earlier, high school student Amy Greene went missing after leaving her part-time job and was never seen again. Daniel is glad to finally have the FBI help that his department requested, even if it does come in the form of his ex.
It doesn’t help that Rain is pretty sure he’s falling in love with Danny all over again—if he ever stopped. Add to that the frustration of seeing ghosts at every turn while he works a case that’s stalled in its tracks, and Rain is starting to wonder if second chances and happy endings are just for fairy tales.
T
he PI Guys: Book One
Private investigator Mackenzie Williams’s newest client is everything he’s looking for in a guy—charming, beautiful, intelligent, and successful. There’s only one itty bitty problem—the guy’s not exactly gay. In fact, Jordan Channing is looking for a PI to follow his fiancée. The smart thing would be to thank Jordan for his time, turn Mr. Perfect away (don’t let the door hit you on the rump, thank you very much), and forget he exists.
Of course, Mackenzie has never been accused of doing the smart thing. Being a smart aleck is more his MO. Relationships aren’t up his alley, never have been. So why’s he so inexplicably drawn to his new client?
Jordan has always been the high achiever, a man who lives in a focused, controlled, and carefully constructed manner. But for the first time in his life, he has to admit the impossible—another man is getting his engine running on all cylinders. Despite Jordan’s denial, it’s not long before he can no longer resist the strong undercurrents pulling them together. Now Jordan must decide if he can go against everything he’s ever known to have the only love he’s ever wanted.
The PI Guys: Book Two
Screenwriter Noah Ashley has a few four-letter words for his agent when she suggests he improve his script by shadowing a PI. Still, because he’s an artist dedicated to his craft and she knows where the bodies are buried, he agrees. Then he spends a little time with the gorgeous PI, and suddenly it seems like a really good plan. The PI doesn’t seem to entirely love the idea, but Noah has never been afraid to go after what he wants.
PI Drew Rodriguez is used to people depending on him. He’s the classic rock for his family. Responsible. Dependable. The classic rock would never succumb to the borderline sleazy temptation of friends with benefits, no matter how sexy that temptation is. Drew is looking for something enduring.
Despite Drew’s misgivings, it’s not long before they’ve got all the requisites for friends with benefits going. Friendly, good conversation? Check. Fun times in and out of bed? Check. Hot, electrolyte-sapping sex? Double check. Falling in love? Yeah. About that….
Readers love The Blueprint by S.E. Harmon
“…the kind of story that one will stay up to the wee hours to finish.”
—Sinfully: Gay Romance Book Reviews
“…this is a beautifully written story. I love the subtlety and nuance in the character development. I love the multifaceted characters and their complex relationships.”
—Wicked Reads
“The characters were great, the flow and writing smooth, the banter excellent, and the chemistry palpable…”
—Alpha Book Club
S.E. HARMON has had a lifelong love affair with writing. It’s been both wonderful and rocky (they’ve divorced several times), but they always manage to come back together. She’s a native Floridian with a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters in Fine Arts, and used to spend her time writing educational grants. She now splits her days between voraciously reading romance novels and hiding away someplace to write them. Her current beta reader is a nosy American Eskimo who begrudgingly accepts payment in the form of dog biscuits.
Website: seharmon.weebly.com
Email: [email protected]
By S.E. Harmon
P.S. I Spook You
THE PI GUYS
Stay With Me
So Into You
RULES OF POSSESSION
The Blueprint
A Deeper Blue
Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Published by
DREAMSPINNER PRESS
5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886 USA
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
A Deeper Blue
© 2018 S.E. Harmon.
Cover Art
© 2018 Kanaxa.
Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.
All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or www.dreamspinnerpress.com.
Digital ISBN: 978-1-64080-808-9
Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-1-64080-809-6
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018946335
Digital published October 2018
v. 1.0
Printed in the United States of America