by K. C. Wells
Gary’s heart went out to him. “You were afraid you’d disappoint them if they found out the family line ended with you.”
Sam nodded, and Gary patted his leg.
“Er, excuse me? Can we say ‘adoption’? Surrogacy?”
Sam expelled a long breath. “I know. That was just part of it, though. There was this huge ball of fear in my belly, one that said everything else I was would be forgotten once people knew. I’d just be gay.” He stared into the creek, his shoulders hunched over.
Gary sighed. “Look at me, Sam.” He waited until Sam had slowly raised his chin and those troubled brown eyes met his. “There are so many things I could tell you about myself—my experiences, my dreams, my fears…. All of them go to make up Gary Mason.” He laid his hand over Sam’s. “Being gay accounts for just one of them, and it isn’t what defines me.”
“When you came out, did people look at you differently?”
Gary rolled a shoulder. “Sure. Some did.”
Sam nodded. “See, that is what I was afraid of. That people would change the way they view me. That they’d start analyzing my every move, maybe start acting differently toward me.” He swallowed. “I thought maybe my parents would think they didn’t know me anymore.”
“But you’re still you,” Gary said softly. “The fundamental things about you haven’t changed. You’re just deciding to show them a part of yourself they haven’t seen before.”
Sam stared at him for a moment and then nodded. “I like that.”
“Look, there are bound to be a few assholes out there who will have a problem with your sexuality. That’s to be expected. Life is not all rainbows and unicorns, okay?”
Sam gasped. “It isn’t? Why didn’t anyone ever tell me that?”
Gary whacked him on the arm and Sam growled.
“Hey, that hurt.”
“Then stop being an asshole and let me enjoy this place before we have to leave it.” Gary gazed around him. “This is a really romantic spot,” he murmured.
“Do you think so?”
Gary turned to look at him. “Don’t you?”
Sam gave a half smile. “I don’t have much experience in the romance department.”
Something stirred in the recesses of Gary’s mind. “About that. We mentioned this briefly on Tuesday, didn’t we? I told you I’d had a couple of boyfriends, but that there’d been no one for a year.”
“I remember.”
Gary waited, but nothing else was forthcoming. “What about you? I know you said you haven’t had much time for romance lately, but I was wondering…. What about before you became a senator?”
Sam leaned away, crossing, then uncrossing those long legs that were stretched out in front of him.
Shit. His unease was palpable.
Gary backpedaled. “I’m sorry if I’ve made you uncomfortable again. It just seemed to me that we should know these kind of things about each other, especially if I’m meeting your parents tomorrow.”
Sam stared at him for a moment and then sighed, his shoulders sagging. “That’s a fair point.” He gazed at the creek. “I’ve never had a boyfriend.”
“Really?” When Sam jerked his head up, eyebrows lifted, Gary gave a shrug. “The strange thing is, I’m surprised to hear that, and yet when I think about it, it’s not surprising at all.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, yeah, it’s surprising that someone as attractive as you hasn’t had a boyfriend, but then again, if you’d had one, I guess we’d have known about him by now.”
Sam nodded. “Exactly. This is why I didn’t date.”
Gary snorted. “In that case you’ve been very fortunate to hook up with some extremely discreet guys. That, or you paid them a fortune to keep quiet.” He grinned, but one look at Sam’s face made him stop. Sam’s expression had tightened, and he swallowed. On impulse Gary reached out and placed a hand on Sam’s shoulder. “Sam? What is it?”
Sam remained silent, avoiding Gary’s gaze.
Gary thought quickly. It didn’t surprise him that Sam might be an intensely private man—he was a politician, after all—and Gary clearly didn’t know him well enough yet to be able to judge if his question had really embarrassed the hell out of him or if there was some other reason for his reticence.
When the idea occurred to him, he dismissed it. Surely not. There was no way that Sam….
Oh hell.
“Sam, can I ask you something kinda personal?”
Sam turned to face him, brows scrunched together. Then his face cleared, leaving an expression of resignation. “Sure.”
“Have… have you ever… been with a guy?” It sounded less blunt than coming right out and asking him if he’d ever had sex. Then it occurred to him that maybe Sam had experimented. “Or with a woman?” he added quickly.
Something flickered in those deep brown eyes, but Sam said nothing.
Holy fuck. “You haven’t been with anybody?”
Sam lowered his gaze, and shock ricocheted through Gary. The thought that no one had ever held this beautiful man, had ever known what it was to hold him in their arms….
Gary couldn’t stop himself.
He reached across and gently lifted Sam’s chin with his fingers. Sam looked into his eyes, and Gary’s chest constricted. “Sam… may I give you a kiss?” His heart hammered and a shiver ran down his spine.
Sam’s breathing quickened. “I’d like that.”
Gary shifted closer until he could feel Sam’s breath on his face. Slowly, so slowly, he closed the gap between them, and their lips met in a soft kiss, mouths closed, the feel of those warm lips intensifying the tremor that rippled through him. When he drew back, Sam was staring at him, his eyes wide.
“Can I ask you a question?” Sam’s words were so faint, Gary just about missed them. He nodded, and Sam cupped Gary’s face with a gentle hand. “Can I have another?”
Gary smiled. “You bet.” He closed his eyes and let Sam guide their lips together, as chaste a kiss as before, but still one he felt all the way through his body.
When they parted, Sam let out a sigh. “I’ve waited a long time for that.”
“I hope it was worth it,” Gary said quietly.
Sam hadn’t relinquished hold of Gary’s cheek. “Totally.” He lowered his hand, and impulsively Gary shifted position until he was leaning against him, his head on Sam’s shoulder. After a few seconds, Sam put his arm around him.
Gary had no idea how long they sat like that. He was lost in the moment, conscious of Sam so close to him, that strong arm holding him, the smell of him, warm and comforting. Sam’s body had lost its tension, and Gary thought he could sit like that until the sun went down.
“You know what we should do right now?” Sam murmured. “Take a selfie.”
Gary snickered. “Aw. Josh will love you for it.” He felt Sam’s chuckle vibrate through him.
Sam pulled out his phone and held it at arm’s length. “Stay just like that.” He took the photo and was about to put the phone away when Gary stopped him.
“One more,” he said softly. “But this one is just for us. Think you can take a pic at the same time as kissing me?” He wanted to feel that mouth on his one more time.
Sam grinned. “That’s what timers were invented for.”
Before Gary could say a word, Sam was kissing him, lips pressed together. It was soft, it was sweet, it was chaste….
It was perfect.
They parted and Sam grimaced. “Going to have to move soon. My ass has gone to sleep.”
Gary laughed. “We can’t have that.” Then Sam’s stomach gave an almighty rumble, and Gary arched his eyebrows. “Never mind your ass. I think we’d better get some food into you.” Reluctantly he got up, extended a hand to Sam, and pulled him to his feet. “Let’s go home.”
Gary took one last look at their surroundings, trying to fix it all in his mind. He didn’t want to forget this moment.
SITTING in Sam’s Explorer, staring throu
gh the windshield at the two-story wooden house, those idyllic moments of the previous day seemed a lifetime ago.
“I’m not sure I’m ready for this,” Gary muttered.
Sam patted his leg. “You’ll be fine. Just remember to look her in the eye.” He tilted his head and grinned. “And you did remember the garlic and the wooden stake, right?”
Gary blinked.
Sam burst out laughing. “She’s not that bad.”
Gary fixed him with a hard stare. “I’m sorry, but I’m finding it difficult to take this situation lightly.”
Just like that, Sam’s mood changed. “Hey, what’s wrong?” He spoke softly, his voice reminiscent of the Sam who’d sat next to him on that rock.
“This… this is important,” Gary stressed. “If we can convince your parents that we’re a couple, we can convince anyone.” It had been the only thing he’d thought about all night. He’d loved the day they’d shared, but once he’d gotten that thought into his head, the bubble had well and truly burst.
This was reality.
“Just be yourself,” Sam said, his gaze focused on Gary’s face. “If she starts asking awkward questions, I’ll deflect her, all right? But I promise you, it won’t be that bad. And she’s sworn she’ll be on her best behavior.” He smirked. “Which isn’t saying much.”
“Not helping,” Gary growled.
Sam chuckled. “I was trying to make you laugh.” Then his eyes widened. “Damn. I nearly forgot.” He reached into the breast pocket of his shirt and pulled out a gold band. “This was my granddad’s. He left it to me.”
Gary stared at it, confused. He sought refuge in humor. “Senator Dalton. My, this is so sudden.”
Sam guffawed. “Yeah, she’s going to love you.” He held up the ring. “What did I say in that press conference? Something about you finding a surprise in your Christmas stocking?”
Gary’s mouth fell open. “Shit.”
“Exactly. My mom remembers everything.”
Gary winced. “Whoa. It must have sucked to be you growing up.”
“You have no idea.” He took Gary’s left hand. “This is probably not going to fit, but here goes….” The only finger it fit on was his middle finger. Sam shrugged. “Better than nothing. It’s slightly too big for your ring finger, but there’s always the possibility that if you wear it on that one, it could fall off. When she remarks on it—and she will—I’ll come up with a plausible excuse. And try not to lose it. It’s just for today, anyway.” He smiled and gave Gary a quick peck on the lips. “Now let’s get in there before she sends out the Marines to find us.”
Gary stilled him with a gentle hand to his arm. “Does it get easier?” When Sam gave him an inquiring look, Gary smiled. “Being more… physical with me. Like that little peck just now.”
Sam flushed. “The funny thing is, I did that without thinking. It just felt… right.”
Slowly Gary leaned closer. “That’s because it was right,” he whispered. He didn’t wait for Sam’s reaction, but brushed his lips against Sam’s, the movement light and fleeting. When he sat back, Sam’s eyes were wide. Gary smiled. “Okay, I promise not to do that in front of your parents, but if they’re going to believe this is real, there has to be some… connection between us. Agreed?”
Sam nodded. “Agreed. Do you remember all the things we discussed?”
Gary squeezed his arm. “I’ve learned my script, Senator. I won’t let you down.” Then he forgot to breathe when Sam’s hand was on his cheek and Sam was kissing him, lips together.
What is it about a chaste kiss from him that makes my heart pound?
Sam released him and sat back. “Time to face the music.”
Gary nodded, trying to regain his composure. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
Once he’d collected the flowers from the backseat, they got out of the Explorer, locked it, and walked side by side up the driveway to the front door. When they reached it, Gary felt Sam’s hand on his back at his waist. “Remember to smile, nod, compliment her on the delicious grilled chicken….”
“Just so long as the chicken is the only thing getting grilled,” Gary muttered under his breath. Whatever else he’d meant to say died in his throat as the door opened and a small woman in a plain blue dress and white pearls stood there, smiling.
“You must be Gary. Come on in.” She gave a nod toward Sam. “Hi, Son. Good to see you.”
Gary stepped past her into the hallway. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Dalton.” He held out the bouquet of flowers. “These are for you.”
Her smile widened. “Why, thank you. How thoughtful. It’s so nice to finally meet you. You’ll have to forgive me, but until this week, I had no idea you even existed.” She glared at Sam. “But then again, why would I? It’s not like I’m important or anything. I’m just your mother.”
Sam groaned. “Mom, you promised to be good.”
“This is me being good,” she said sweetly before fixing Gary with a firm stare. “Do you know, he claims he’s never brought you to meet us because we’re scary. I’m not scary, am I?”
“No, ma’am.” The words came out as a squeak, much to Gary’s embarrassment.
“See?” She turned to Sam with a triumphant air before patting Gary’s arm. “Now, you come along with me. I have so many questions I want to ask you.” She steered him along the hallway, and Gary managed to turn his head and mouth one word to Sam.
Help.
Chapter Ten
Sunday - Meet the Parents
“MORE mashed potatoes, Gary?” Dad asked, holding out the serving dish.
“Thank you, sir.” Gary took them, helped himself to more, and then reached for the gravy. “This is delicious, ma’am.”
Sam waited for the sigh.
“It’s Moira, dear, and that’s Marshall.” She met Sam’s gaze. “He’s a polite one. You could learn a lot from him.” That twinkle in her eye spoiled the effect. “And I’m glad you like my cooking, Gary. Sam loves my roast chicken, although lately we’ve been having it grilled.” She peered at his dad. “Someone has to watch his weight.”
Dad glared at her. “Is nothing sacred? You make it sound like I’m obese.” He patted his belly. “There is nothing wrong with a little middle-aged spread.”
Sam laughed. “I’d agree, except you left middle age a while back.” Before his dad could come back with a reply, he deflected. “How’s business been at the store?”
Dad groaned. “If I hear one more customer complain that something is cheaper at the Home Depot, I swear I’ll….” He shook his head. “Or else it’s, ‘Did you know this is on sale at Lowe’s?’ I was sorely tempted to say to him, ‘Then why don’t you go back there and buy it?’”
Sam chuckled. “We always get comments like that, right? But the bottom line is people still keep coming back to us. We have loyal customers.”
Dad nodded enthusiastically. “It’s like I always say. ‘Quality will be remembered long—’”
“‘—after price is forgotten,’” Sam and Mom chorused, both grinning. Gary was smiling at them all.
Dad gave them a mock scowl. “You two.”
Mom snickered and glanced across the dining table at Gary. “So, how did you two meet?”
“Moira. This is Sunday lunch, not an inquisition,” his dad remonstrated. “Let the boy eat in peace.”
“I was only asking,” she retorted. “All I know so far is that they met in Raleigh, and I had to watch a press conference to find that out.”
“Mom,” Sam said, a note of warning in his voice. She gazed back at him innocently, but he wasn’t buying that look for a second. He knew her too well. Gary was staring at her calmly enough, but Sam caught the quick bob of his Adam’s apple.
“It’s obvious,” his dad said, waving a forkful of chicken in the air. “They met at a gay bar. I mean, I assume Raleigh has such things.” He turned to Sam. “Right?”
Damn. Sam had no idea. When they’d agreed on their story earlier, he hadn’t anticipated such an
assumption. Of course he’ll think we met in a gay bar. Maybe Gary wasn’t the only one who was nervous.
“Sure, Raleigh has a couple,” Gary interjected, his tone light. “There’s Flex, Legends, Fifteen. But no, we didn’t meet in a gay bar. It was just your ordinary, run-of-the-mill bar.” Next to him, Sam put his hand on Gary’s leg and gave it a grateful squeeze. Gary acknowledged the gesture with a quick smile. “Actually? We met over a cigarette. I’d snuck out to smoke, and Sam was there, cigarette in hand.”
Oh hell.
“Sam smokes?” His mom’s gaze bored into him.
Sam removed his hand from Gary’s leg and reached for his water glass.
Gary jerked his head to face Sam. “Oh God. Have I just dropped you in it? Babe, I didn’t know.”
The endearment sounded natural, like it was something Gary always said. Sam knew it was how they’d agreed to play it, but damn, it sounded good.
“A little late for that,” he muttered.
Gary pierced him with a look. “You didn’t cover that part when you wrote the script.”
“Maybe cigarettes weren’t in the script because I didn’t want them mentioned? Hmm?”
His dad burst out laughing. “Lord, anyone can tell you two have been together a while. You argue like an old married couple.”
For some reason the thought warmed Sam.
“Anyway, back to my story,” Gary continued. “So I was having a cigarette, and Sam joined me. I saw his gaze flicker to my wrist. I wear a rainbow bracelet when I go out for a drink. Raleigh’s pretty gay-friendly, though Durham is more open—you can see gay couples walking down the street hand-in-hand there—so it’s kind of a code. And it’s really useful for scaring off the homophobes too.”
“Have you ever encountered anyone like that, Sam?” Mom’s voice was quiet. She’d stopped eating and was staring at him in obvious concern.
“Mom, there are always going to be people who think homosexuality is just plain wrong,” he said, equally quietly. A pang of guilt stabbed him in the chest, and he resorted to the truth. “But no, I haven’t come across many haters.” He grimaced. “Though that may change now, of course.”