by Gabbi Grey
“Like going for ice cream down at the seawall?”
Her grin was as wide as her daughter’s. “See, I knew you were a smart man. You would have to be for my Thomas to trust you so much. To love you so much.”
And she was right. Thomas cared unconditionally, and I needed to work every day to earn that trust and love.
“What’s taking so long?”
Speak of the devil.
I pulled a box of matches from the drawer and lit the candle.
Norma handed the pile of plates to her son and grabbed the forks and a large knife. “We were just having the talk.”
“Aw, Mom.” Another one of those deep blushes.
I leaned over and pressed a kiss to his lips. When she was out of earshot, I said, “She loves you.”
Thomas rolled his eyes.
“And she knows something happened to you the night Luke died.”
His stricken look had me rethinking my words.
Too late now. “Maybe one day you’ll be able to talk to her. Ten years is too long.”
He cleared his throat. “Today was a good start, eh?”
“Today was a great start.”
He held open the door while I walked out with the cake. Sarah rolled her eyes, but the corners of her mouth curved up.
I had yet to give her my gift—tuition for her last year of undergrad as well as money for her master’s degree, and her PhD if she wanted to go that far. The young woman was brilliant, and her forestry studies could help save the environment. Or at least that was Thomas’s boast. God, he loved his family, and seeing them all together warmed my heart.
****
“I cannot believe my father implied they’re going to be your future in-laws.” The comment galled me, and I was still embarrassed. If I’d known they were to be so presumptuous, I’d never have invited them.
“It’s their way of warning me.”
I rolled my eyes, snickering, then held up the covers and bade Peter join me in our bed. My family had headed back to the hotel, and after finishing the cleanup, we’d made our way upstairs. The master bedroom faced out over the tree-lined backyard of our property.
Our.
Silly man insisted on putting my name on the deed of this beautiful home. We’d been together all of two and a half weeks. He made an offhand remark that we’d be sharing everything when we married and we were just getting a head start.
Confident much?
Then Sarah offered to be a surrogate, and the shine in Peter’s eyes assured me this would be the route we’d take when the time was right. She needed to finish school first, though, so I thought of maybe fostering or even adopting an older child. A child no one wanted. A child we could love.
My heart was full. I’d never known such happiness was possible. After Luke’s death, there’d been nothing but bleakness. Now the world held options. Chances to do right.
Peter slipped into bed, turned off the bedside lamp, and pulled me into his arms. He really did prefer being the big spoon, and since it kept him plastered to me, I had no complaints. He swept my hair aside and placed a kiss to my shoulder, using teeth. Man, I loved that. Truthfully, I loved just about everything he did. His patience was infinite, and he was also teaching me what he liked. Just about everything indeed.
I wanted sex, but between last night’s wrap party and the time with my parents, I was wiped. In the morning, I promised myself. We were both horny-in-the-morning people. Of course, we could be horny at night, during the day, and pretty much at any time. We’d already christened several pieces of furniture in the house and had discovered keeping lube close at hand was a good idea. Peter had gone for testing, and me being a virgin…well, we were in the clear, so no more condoms. It made things messier, to be sure, but way more intimate. I loved it when he came inside me. Hell, I loved it when I came in him as well. Variety being the spice of life and all that.
Peter tapped my temple. “What’s going on in that brilliant mind of yours?”
Brilliant?
I snickered. “Just thinking about the next time we’re going to fuck.”
His sigh was as weary as I felt. “Tomorrow morning?”
I grinned, although it was a little lopsided. “That was my thought.”
“Great minds…” His grasp tightened. “I like your family.”
“Yeah.” I placed my hand over his and squeezed. “Given they didn’t know I was gay just a few weeks ago, they’re handling everything pretty well.”
His grip on my chest tightened. “I think they knew. Well, your mother did. She’d never have said anything, though.” He pressed his lips to my shoulder again. “A mother’s love knows no bounds.”
That’s right, he’d lost his mother so young. My heart twinged. He’d lived without his parents as long as he had with them. My parents weren’t going to live forever, but I hoped to have many years to come.
“You know I’m going to propose, right?”
Casually spoken, but I knew him. I heard the edge.
“Of course.” I brought his fingers to my mouth and kissed them lightly. “Although I might beat you to it.”
As I hoped, his breath caught. See, I could surprise him.
“Something simple, your mom said.”
“My mom knows me well.”
Too bad I couldn’t see his expression, but we were comfortable and intimate. Truthfully, I was too tired to move. And then, because I had to know. “Will you be happy here? Is this enough?”
His entire body convulsed as he pulled me closer. “I love you, Thomas. What we have here…it’s everything I’ve ever wanted but didn’t dare believe I could have.”
I sagged in relief. These weren’t just pretty words. There was conviction behind them. Love, even. “Even Calvin?” My little one hadn’t initially been pleased with the new arrangements, but he’d only destroyed two drapes and one pillow.
“I think he’s growing on me.” Another chuckle. “I’d put up with anything to make you happy. You are, right? Happy?”
My eyes stung, and I blinked away wetness. “Yeah, I’m happy. We’re going to make it.” Illogical for me to say, given we’d known each other a mere two and a half weeks, but I knew. I just knew.
“You’re my forever person.”
I believed him because he was mine. “I love you.”
“Back at you. Hell, I even love tiger tail ice cream.”
And that meant everything.
About the Author
Gabbi lives surrounded by trees, racoons, deer, and other woodland creatures, on a mountain in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin poo keeps her safe from nasty bears.
Working for the government by day, she spends her nights writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances…and while she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love.
~*~
Visit Gabbi Grey at
www.gabbigrey.com
Also Available
from The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
and major retailers.
My Past, Your Future
Deerbourne Inn
By Gabbi Grey
Callum MacLaren, a professor from Scotland, visits Willow Springs, Vermont during the Winter Solstice to study and explore the rich history of St. Joseph’s Cemetery. His encounter with a sexy soldier in a tattered Civil War uniform is a captivating puzzle, and the more he learns, the deeper his attraction.
A hundred and fifty years ago, Elijah Freeman was killed during the Second Battle of Fort Wagner and woke up in Willow Springs, the only home he’d known. Alone, he roams the town, unable to leave or interact with a single soul until an intriguing Scot addresses him. Even stranger, the man can see him, hear him, and touch him–a sizzling caress that leaves Elijah aching for more.
But will Elijah return to his ghostly form when the magic of the solstice fades, or is Callum’s love enough to keep him in the land of the living?
Also
Available
from The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
and major retailers.
Catching Eagle’s Eye
SEALs Going Hot
By Samantha Cayto
SEAL sniper, Dane Sawyer, is known as Eagle Eye for his deadly aim. He’s also good at hiding his identity as a gay Dom. Childhood trauma has led him to live and play deep in the closet. Then a bullet to his thigh lands him on leave and in the incredible hands of a hot ensign assigned to get him back in the field.
Will Chadwick is happy to finally be living as an openly gay man in the Navy. And as a physical therapist, he’s used to coaxing bad asses like Dane into doing their PT. Harder for him is resisting the temptation that Dane presents. He’s a patient and hiding his sexuality. A prudent man would keep his distance.
But Dane doesn’t know how to quit, and seducing Will has become a mission. The budding sub in Will can’t resist the Dom’s commands. If he could only make Dane see that being a man doesn’t mean hiding his true self.
Thank you for purchasing
this publication of The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
For questions or more
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www.thewildrosepress.com