“Fuck … Colton … I can’t get enough.”
Seg pushed back against the intrusion, adding to the intense friction, driving Roan deeper.
“I’ll never get enough.”
Roan’s teeth sank into his shoulder and Seg lost it. All control disappeared as he came in a rush, taken completely off guard by the intensity.
“Fuck … fuck … fu-u-uck,” he roared as he came.
His release must have triggered Roan’s, because the next thing Seg knew, he was flat on his stomach, Roan’s body covering his. Roan’s fingers linked with his and they remained just like that for…
Seg didn’t even know.
And he honestly didn’t care.
Thirty-Two
“MY DAD INVITED ME TO dinner tomorrow night,” Roan whispered in the dark.
After their intense bout of sex earlier, they’d followed it with a long, relaxing shower where Seg had driven Roan clean out of his mind with his fingers, after he’d gone full-throttle with his tongue. Yes, Roan had enjoyed the hell out of that, and he’d made sure Seg knew it. Roan liked that Seg figured out Roan’s weaknesses all on his own. And the man was getting damn good at stroking his prostate just the right way to make him lose it.
Once Seg had brought him to the pinnacle of release for the second time, Seg had fucked him slow and easy, right there against the slick tile.
At that point, Roan could hardly walk, so it was a wonder he’d even made it to the bed. But here they were, practically wrapped around one another, lying together in the dark.
“How’s that situation going?” Seg inquired. “With your dad?”
Roan shrugged, his shoulder bumping Seg’s because Roan was lying with his head in the crook of Seg’s arm. “We haven’t talked much. I told him I was disappointed that he’d come over and expected to take Liam while I wasn’t there.”
When Milly had informed Roan about the conversation she’d had with Daniel and Lydia, Roan had nearly lost his mind. He had no idea what was going through their heads or why they were hell-bent on interfering with a good thing.
“How do you think it’ll go at dinner?”
“I don’t know.” Roan lifted his head, peering at Seg in the dark. “I’d like you to go with us.”
“Us?”
“Me and Liam.”
“Of course I’ll go.”
The fact that Seg agreed without any thought eased some of the tension where Roan’s father was concerned.
“He’s not a hockey fan,” Roan noted, his attempt at lightening the mood.
“Not a problem. I have other charms.”
“Do you? Like those that you’ve used on me?”
“Which ones do you prefer?” Seg shifted so that Roan was flat on his back, Seg hovering over him.
“All of them,” he admitted, his voice choked by emotion. “Every single one.”
“Well, I have to say, those particular charms are for you and you only.” Seg’s hand slid down his cheek and Roan leaned into the touch.
“You won’t hear me complaining.”
Roan could feel the intensity of Seg’s stare.
“Did you mean what you said earlier? About wanting to spend every night with me?”
“Yeah.”
Seg’s kiss was soft, soothing. “Good.”
“How do you propose we make that happen?” Roan hadn’t thought that far ahead, so he was hoping Seg had.
“It doesn’t have to happen immediately, you know. We can take things slowly.”
“I’m thinking that a year and a half of this has been relatively slow, huh?”
Seg chuckled. “We did manage to make up for some serious lost time, eh?”
“Hmm. I’m not sure we made up for all of it.”
“I can fix that,” Seg told him.
Roan took the opportunity to kiss Seg. Just kiss him. He ran his hands over the smooth skin of Seg’s back, feeling the flex of his muscles as he moved closer. This was what he’d wanted for so long. Something real, steady. A promise of years to come.
It was what all his friends had recently found, what Roan thought would never be available to him. Who would’ve thought that a one-night stand all those months ago would’ve resulted in this?
Love.
“Which one of us is gonna have to commute to work?” Roan asked when they broke for air.
“Me,” Seg said instantly. “Liam needs to be close to your friends so they can help when we need it. I have friends who would help out in a pinch, but they’re not as close as you are with your friends. Plus, I can manage the daily drive.”
“What if we bought a house somewhere in the middle? Share the drive. It would allow me to be close enough to the marina, to Cam and everyone, but also limit the amount of time you have to spend driving.”
Seg lifted his head and smiled. “I’d like that. The idea of buying a house that’s ours…”
Roan liked the idea, too.
Then again, if it involved sharing a life with Seg, he more than liked it.
“NOW THAT WE’VE GOT THAT settled,” Seg prompted as he eased onto his back and pulled Roan closer, “tell me all I need to know for tomorrow night.”
“Like?”
Seg turned his head to look at Roan. “You haven’t exactly been forthcoming with details about your family. What does your dad do? Your stepmom? How long have they been married?”
“My dad works as an electrician. He’s semi-retired though. My stepmother works at a bank. They got married when I was twenty-two, so … twelve years.”
“Does she have kids of her own?”
“No. I’m not sure why that is either. Maybe she can’t have them. I’ve never asked.”
“Semi-retired and your dad wants to take on the task of raising another child? Sounds backwards to me.”
“It is.” Roan shifted. “I honestly don’t think my dad wants to raise Liam. However, Lydia can be pretty persuasive.”
“And her issue with you being gay?”
Roan sighed. “She always claimed it wasn’t an issue. Not until Cassie died. Then she voiced her opinion of a child being raised in a gay household.”
“You think maybe it’s just a knee-jerk reaction? If they didn’t know about Liam, maybe she’s disappointed Cassie never came to them?”
“No. I mean, sure, I get that they could be upset, but you have to understand the relationship they have with my sisters. Cassie was a wild child from about thirteen. She acted out in school, and she ran with the wrong crowd. They dealt with her drinking when she was in high school, but my dad pretty much washed his hands of her when she left home. Cassie didn’t like Lydia for whatever reason.”
Based on what Seg knew of Lydia, that didn’t surprise him. He didn’t even know the woman and he wasn’t a fan.
“Do you think they would’ve wanted guardianship?” Seg asked.
“I’m not sure. Maybe. It sure seems that way, but I don’t think they’re in it for the right reasons.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, how did you end up getting guardianship?”
Roan sighed again. “When Cassie was in the hospital, after she had Liam, Child Protective Services paid her a visit.”
“Oh, shit.”
“Yeah. They had a file on her, a note to keep track of the baby if she made it to term. She knew she had a problem, and no, she didn’t make much effort to fix it. But she did know what was right for her child. When they were handling the birth certificate, they asked about the father. She had no clue who the guy was, and honestly, I don’t think she cared.
“I think CPS put the fear of God into her, telling her in no uncertain terms that they would be keeping an eye on her. After that meeting, Cassie and I had a heart-to-heart. First one ever, I think. She told me she wanted me to be Liam’s guardian. She said she knew she wouldn’t be a good mom, but she wanted to give it a shot. She wanted to try. Unfortunately, Cassie never was good at following through on anything.”
Seg was grateful that Roan had been
there to pick up the pieces. That Cassie had been smart enough to know she needed her brother.
“As for Lydia…” Seg shifted closer. “She has experience with that gay household thing? Two moms? Or two dads?”
Roan chuckled, just as Seg had hoped he would. “No, she’s merely judgmental.”
“Well, if we don’t make headway tomorrow night, we’ll let my mom get ahold of her,” Seg joked. Only he wasn’t completely joking.
“It turns my stomach to think about fighting with them on this.”
“There’s no need to fight,” Seg told him, turning so he could get more comfortable. “You’re the best thing that’s happened to Liam. They’ll see that if they just open their eyes.”
Roan yawned.
“Get some sleep. We’ll talk more in the morning.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
As Roan drifted to sleep in his arms, Seg held on to him. He didn’t want to close his eyes although it would be so easy to do. He wanted to call his mother, to ask her what she thought about Seg going to dinner with Roan’s parents tomorrow.
Then again, he knew what she’d say. She’d tell him to fight to win because that was what he was good at.
It was true. He didn’t usually give up on what he wanted. Not with hockey, anyway. That had been his dream when he was a kid. He still remembered his first NHL game. He’d been a nervous wreck, but he’d made it through the game without any mishaps.
Surely he could do the same tomorrow.
Pretend dinner with Roan’s father and stepmother was just like any other game. He’d go in with a plan.
To win.
And if they didn’t like it?
Well, he’d deal with that when they came to it.
Because Seg hadn’t been kidding when he said Roan’s parents wouldn’t want to go up against an army. And Seg would make sure they paid heavily for doing this to Roan and Liam. He had the money to fight them for as long as necessary.
However, he knew it would be best to resolve this amicably. No reason to cause Roan any undue stress.
Seg hugged Roan tighter, brushing his lips over his forehead, then closed his eyes.
And for the first time in at least a week, Seg fell into a dreamless sleep.
Thirty-Three
EVEN AS THEY WALKED UP the path to his father’s front door, Roan wished he were anywhere but here. He’d tried to back out of this dinner a half dozen times today, but Seg had assured him that it would be fine.
Clearly Seg hadn’t met Roan’s stepmother.
It wasn’t that she was a bad person. Lydia Gregory had a good heart beneath her overabundance of prejudice. Although no one was as prejudiced as his own mother, Lydia certainly wasn’t a member of PFLAG.
Thankfully, Roan had been out of the house by the time his father and Lydia made the decision to get married. Cassie had still been at home, but that hadn’t lasted long. Cassie and Lydia had butted heads. But Cassie had butted heads with everyone at that point in her life.
Taking a deep breath, Roan glanced over his shoulder. Seg was standing directly behind him, carrying Liam. Their eyes met and Roan knew Seg was letting him take his own sweet time.
“Okay, let’s get this over with.” Roan knocked, then took a step back, keeping Seg at his side.
When the door opened, Roan’s father stared back at him, his face a little more weathered than he’d remembered. The man looked tired.
What was he thinking wanting to raise an infant? Even if it was Lydia’s grand scheme, surely the guy knew he was getting too old to be starting over.
“Roan.” Daniel’s dark brown gaze drifted over to Seg.
“Dad, this is Colton Seguine. Colton, this is my father, Daniel Gregory.”
“Nice to meet you, sir,” Seg said instantly, holding out his hand. “You can call me Seg.”
Roan’s father nodded, shaking Seg’s hand and then stepping out of the way. The man had never been much of a conversationalist.
“Lydia’s in the kitchen,” Daniel informed them.
“I’m right here,” she said, stepping into the small living room. Her eyes darted from Roan to Seg, then back. “I didn’t know you were bringing … a friend.”
“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Gregory,” Seg said, greeting Lydia with the same smile he’d greeted Daniel with. “And I’m a little more than a friend.”
Roan nearly choked, shocked to the roots of his hair that Seg was so upfront during their introduction.
“This is Colton. He goes by Seg,” Daniel informed Lydia, his tone dry.
Seg grinned, then glanced over at Liam. “Look who it is, Liam.”
“Hi, sweet boy,” Lydia greeted, stepping closer but not quite close enough to touch Liam. “You’re getting so big.”
That tended to happen after four months of not seeing a baby, but Roan didn’t say as much. He’d promised himself he’d be on his best behavior. At this point, he was going to take a page from Seg’s book because the guy had managed to break the ice within the first thirty seconds of being in the house.
“Have a seat,” Daniel stated gruffly, waving toward the couch.
“Thank you,” Seg responded.
Roan fought the urge to grin. The man was on his absolute best behavior. It was kind of hot.
“You have a lovely home, Mrs. Gregory.”
Lydia’s eyes swept from Daniel to Roan, then over to Seg. “You can call me Lydia. Please.”
Seg nodded, then gave the air a little sniff. He grinned sheepishly. “Would you possibly have somewhere I could change Liam?”
Lydia’s eyes widened while Daniel nearly choked on a laugh.
“Yes. Uh … you can use the guest room.”
“Perfect. If you’ll lead the way…” Seg got to his feet, still holding Liam. He shot Roan a quick grin before snatching the diaper bag and following Lydia down the hall toward the back bedrooms.
“You’re serious about this one?” Daniel asked, his deep voice little more than a whisper.
“What gave it away? The fact that I introduced him to you?” Since Roan had yet to introduce his father to anyone he was interested in, he got it. He also got the fact that his father noticed.
Daniel didn’t respond to Roan’s retort, just slid his bored gaze over Roan’s face. “He the reason reporters were camped out in front of my house and yours?”
“He is.”
“You’re okay with that stunt he pulled? Can he be trusted?”
Roan was surprised that his father knew what had happened, but he hid his initial reaction. “I am, and yes, he can.”
Daniel nodded as though processing that information. He met Roan’s gaze. “How’s Liam doing?”
“Great. Strong, healthy, growing like a weed.”
“And this guy likes Liam?”
Roan narrowed his eyes. This guy was changing Liam’s diaper. He figured it was safe to assume Seg was more than a late-night visitor to Roan’s bed.
“He loves him.”
“And he’s still got a job? After that fiasco with the woman?”
Roan sighed. “It wasn’t the fiasco with the woman. The heat is coming from the fact that he’s gay. But yes, he does still have a job. And that’s behind us. He hadn’t come out to anyone, Dad. He’s a professional athlete. It was bound to make news. But it’s out there now and he’s dealt with it.”
Seg returned to the living room, carrying Liam, with Lydia right at their side. She was laughing at something Seg said. Seg must’ve felt the tension because his eyes traveled between Roan and his father, then back. He quirked a brow in a silent question. Roan nodded slightly, forcing a smile.
“Lydia said dinner’s about ready. You hungry?” Seg asked, his question directed at Roan.
Thankfully Roan’s father got to his feet and followed his wife into the kitchen.
Roan peered around Seg to ensure no one could hear him. “You seriously did not make her laugh within five minutes of being here.”
“I told you. I’ve got charm.” Seg winked
.
“There’s no way this is over. That’s too anticlimactic.”
Seg grinned, then leaned in and kissed Roan lightly. “Always looking for the drama, eh?”
Roan huffed out a laugh, a real smile forming this time.
Seg was obviously proud of himself, because he winked. “It’s not over, trust me. But the night’s young. Give it a chance.”
Roan didn’t like the sound of that. In order to give it a chance, he was going to have to listen to a lecture from his stepmother.
And if that wasn’t enough to kill his appetite, the dirty diaper Seg passed over certainly was.
FROM THE INSTANT SEG WALKED in the door, he understood the dynamic of Roan’s parents. His father was clearly the strong, silent type. He didn’t seem to care about much of anything except his television and dinner. Lydia, on the other hand, wanted to be the center of attention. More so than Liam, even. Which was odd, but whatever.
Dinner had been a relatively tense ordeal. Thankfully, they had Liam to help calm the waters. Everyone spent most of their time watching him chow down on applesauce and make a complete mess of himself despite the fact he never touched the spoon.
Luckily for everyone, small talk was minimal. They’d talked about the fact that Seg was from Toronto. Being that none of them had been to Canada, Seg noticed they didn’t know much about geography. He explained that he’d gone to college in the States. Again, Roan’s father and stepmother didn’t seem all that interested that Seg had gone to the University of Minnesota; however, they did happen to call out that he pronounced a few words differently such as house and mouse. (Although he never said mouse.)
“How long have you been playing hockey?” Daniel asked from his spot on the sofa, clearly trying to ignore the discomfort of the situation and make conversation.
Seg had to respect the guy for trying. Then again, Seg got the feeling he was attempting to keep Lydia from saying too much.
“Since I was a kid. Played pond hockey with my old man when I was three, I think. Haven’t stopped since.”
“What’re your plans after?”
Harmless (Pier 70 Book 4) Page 28