What if he says no?
So much for all of Dane’s brilliant self-analysis about choices and running and commitment. It turned out he was only as terrified of rejection as your average middle schooler passing a note.
Do you like me? Check yes or no.
He could still run. Then he’d never have to admit that losing Gideon would cost him more than hearing 63.5 percent average survival rate ever could. Because he didn’t know how to survive anything if Gideon wasn’t right there with him.
He went into the bathroom and splashed water over his face, then tugged off his cap so he was as naked as he felt.
“Dane?”
Gideon’s voice jolted through Dane like an electric shock. Heat and chills raced under his skin, pulse ramping up like he’d run a mile on the beach.
He stepped out of the bathroom. Gideon looked exactly the same as he always did, brow furrowed in perpetual annoyance, dark eyes missing nothing. His hands, his body, his mouth. Everything Dane had always loved—been afraid of loving.
Gideon had never been the one burying his feelings and pretending he didn’t have them. Dane had.
“Dane? What’s wrong? Did Dr. Fuentes—?”
“No. It’s not the cancer.” Those physical sensations of suffering through cancer and chemo—pain, nausea, exhaustion—those were the easy things. But this. Staying here and feeling this, knowing Gideon could crush him with one word, this was the impossible part of living. Dane stared, throat working, tears burning in his eyes, and he didn’t try to stop them.
He couldn’t, any more than he could keep his knees locked. He gave in, dropping to the floor. That was how you begged anyway, right?
“I love you.”
“Dane?” Gideon knelt in front of him.
“I know it’s too late and I don’t deserve it, but please love me back.”
“I do. You know I do. I never stopped.”
“I didn’t get it. I thought I did. I’m still scared to death that you’re going to realize that you’ve been in love with some made-up Dane this whole time, and I’d rather start the whole fucking round of chemo again than have come this far and lose you now.”
“Oh believe me, Archer, I know exactly what I’m getting.”
“I’ll probably hurt you. And I know you can hurt me. But don’t leave. I don’t want to get divorced.”
“Divorced?”
“I know there are places in the Caribbean where—”
“I was going to Hawaii. And I’m not divorcing you. Unless—”
“No.” Dane kissed him. “I don’t want.”
Gideon wiped at his mouth. “Not up to your usual standards, King of Romance. A little tear-soaked.”
“Fuck you.”
“God, I hope so.” Gideon pushed him down onto the floor and kissed him until the salt taste was gone and it was them. Just them.
“Would this be the same Hawaii you bitched about endlessly when Theo got married there?”
“Not the same resort. I have better taste in spas. And cabana boys.” Gideon rolled off him and took out his phone, scrolling quickly. “Here. Look.”
He tossed the phone onto Dane’s stomach.
It wasn’t some resort website. It was an e-ticket. To Hawaii. For Dane Archer. “Wh—when? I thought—”
Gideon took the phone back. “Do you remember when you said you wanted to quit?”
“Which time?” Dane wasn’t in the mood to make a count, but he was pretty sure he’d said that at least ten times a week during chemo.
Gideon’s lips twisted, his familiar half-mocking smile. “The time you said you hated me for making you go through it.”
“Oh. I didn’t mean it.” If Dane lived to be a nice round one hundred, maybe he’d make up for all the times he’d let Gideon down.
“I’m pretty sure you did at that moment.” Gideon shook his head, then looked down at his phone. “But the next day, I booked the trip. I think I was trying to force the outcome I wanted. Buy a fix.”
“A cure?”
“Maybe.”
Dane smiled. “Captain Control Freak strikes again.” He was going to kiss that twisted smile off Gideon’s face. “Hang on. So why tell me you wanted to go alone?”
“If you search your highly accurate memory, you will not find me telling you to stay behind. What I said was that you would be where you wanted to be.” Gideon reached for Dane’s face, then drew back. “You’ve never had a problem expressing your wants, and I’ve never wanted to keep you where you didn’t want to stay. Never wanted to force you into anything.”
Grabbing Gideon’s hand, Dane brought it to his face and kissed the palm. His eyes spilled over. “Except surviving cancer.”
“A minor exception.” Gideon cupped Dane’s face in both hands. “If you want to come with me, you’re welcome. It’s not one of your ecotourist adventures, but there’s a beach and waves.”
“Mr. Archer, are you taking me on a honeymoon?”
“You only had to ask, Mr. Archer.”
More from K.A. Mitchell
Ready or Knot: Book One
Kieran Delaney-Schwartz—adoptee, underachiever, and self-professed-slacker IT guy—lives his under-the-radar life by the motto: Don’t try, don’t fail. His adopted siblings are all overachievers thanks to his driven, liberal parents, but Kieran has elected to avoid disappointing anyone by not getting their hopes up. He’s coasting through his early twenties when he’s hit head-on by Theo. The successful decade-older Broadway producer sweeps him off his feet for a whirlwind thirteen months that are pretty sweet, until it all comes screeching to a halt on Valentine’s Day, with an unexpected proposal via an NYC Times Square flash mob.
Now everyone wants in on the wedding, except the grooms….
Sequel to Put a Ring on It
Ready or Knot: Book Two
Former child star and deeply closeted adult actor Jax Conlon needs a boost to his flagging career. He promised his mom, just before she died. He hopes he’s found it in a guest spot with the latest directorial prodigy, but his research for the role gets derailed by an encounter with a handsome stranger with more… hands-on experience.
Oz Parsons is a devoted dad to two amazing little girls. Maybe a little too devoted—he hasn’t had anything resembling a personal life since his ex left, leaving Oz and the girls with broken hearts and abandonment issues. So a hookup with a hot guy is just what he needs to let off some pent-up steam without any complications. There’s something about Jax, though, that’s got him finding reasons to draw things out.
With their goals and families pulling them in two different directions, Oz and Jax have to figure if white-hot chemistry and desire that won’t quit is enough to roll the dice and risk now on forever.
K.A. MITCHELL discovered the magic of writing at an early age when she learned that a carefully crayoned note of apology sent to the kitchen in a toy truck would earn her a reprieve from banishment to her room. Her career as a spin-control artist was cut short when her family moved to a two-story house and her trucks would not roll safely down the stairs. Around the same time, she decided that Ken and G.I. Joe made a much cuter couple than Ken and Barbie and was perplexed when invitations to play Barbie dropped off. She never stopped making stuff up, though, and was surprised to find out that people would pay her to do it. Although the men in her stories usually carry more emotional baggage than even LAX can lose in a year, she guarantees they always find their sexy way to a happy ending.
K.A. loves to hear from her readers. You can e-mail her at [email protected]. She is often found talking about her imaginary friends on Twitter @ka_mitchell.
E-mail: [email protected]
Twitter: @ka_mitchell
Website: www.kamitchell.com
Blog: authorkamitchell.wordpress.com
By K.A. Mitchell
READY OR KNOT
Put a Ring on It
Risk Everything on It
Take a Chance on It
Published by DREAMSPINNER P
RESS
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.
Take a Chance on It
© 2016 K.A. Mitchell.
Cover Art
© 2016 Reese Dante.
http://www.reesedante.com
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: 978-1-63477-400-0
Published October 2016
v. 1.0
Printed in the United States of America
Take a Chance on It Page 15