by Mary Calmes
I crossed the room and stepped between his legs. He reached up for my hand, tilting his head so he could look up into my eyes. I wanted to comfort him. "I'm sorry you—"
"And I got to have lunch with Dane."
Time stopped.
He grinned at me. "Didja hear me?"
Obviously not. "I'm sorry, what?"
He chuckled dryly. "You heard me. I had lunch with the big man."
"You did?" I croaked out as he pulled me down into his lap, my legs folded on each side of his thighs, straddling his hips.
He patted my ass before he settled his hands on my hips.
"Yes, I did, baby, and it was grueling, lemme tell you. Only for you would I sit through that shit."
"Why? What?"
"He's good, ya know? I give him credit. I might ask him to sit in next time I question a witness."
"Oh," I sympathized, cupping his face in my hands, lifting his chin up so I could bend and kiss him.
He parted his lips for me and I slipped my tongue inside his mouth, tasting him.
"God, yes," he groaned. "I so deserve this after the fuckin'
day I had."
I smiled against his mouth as he pulled back to look up at me.
"We get to have dinner with him tomorrow."
"With Dane?"
"Yep."
"I'm so sorry," I chuckled, kissing his eyes, the bridge of his nose, his brows, his cheeks, and his lips as he smiled wickedly.
"It's okay, baby." He sighed heavily. "It's a package deal. I don't get you without him, and since I'm keeping you, I gotta deal with Dane Harcourt."
"You sound so thrilled."
"He's an arrogant sonofabitch," he passed judgment. "And he's fuckin' possessive and protective and today he was just... he's so worried I'm gonna hurt you and he... he threatened me and I just felt like—"
"You wanted to kill him?"
"I wanted to thank him." He smiled up at me. "'Cause he took such good care of you."
"Awww, Sam." I kissed him again. "That was nice."
"He's gonna sell the apartment for you, J, and give you the money. He said it was yours."
"We'll see. I'll talk to him about—"
"You can get it all straightened out tomorrow."
"Why couldn't we see him tonight?"
"Tonight he's going to see Carmen. Is she hot?"
I smiled at him. "It's an opera."
He pinched my ass hard. "I know that, jerk. I'm not a total idiot."
I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around his neck, buying my face in his shoulder. "I love you."
"I know," he said, clutching me tight, his hands smoothing up and down my back. "This is the only thing that kept me going all day."
I drew back to look down into his face.
"Knowing that I'd have you at the end of it."
The words that came out of his mouth were amazing.
"You're vibrating." He smiled at me with the lopsided grin I loved, the one that short-circuited my brain.
"What?"
"Your phone, dumb-ass."
I grunted, sliding out of his lap. "Nice."
"Come back." He reached for me.
I turned away and answered. "Hello?"
"Coward."
"What?"
"Sending that poor man here alone to eat with me and discuss his intended future with you. Tsk-tsk."
"I didn't send anyone anywhere," I told Dane. "I would have gone with him."
"That would not have been advisable. It would have been impossible for me to keep my objectivity had you come along."
"Like you were objective."
"I was."
I smiled into the phone. "He says it was brutal."
"I was polite."
"You know what you think... it means everything and he—
I—"
"You love him, I know."
"Is this where you tell me if it goes bad the next time you're not gonna be there to help me out?"
"I don't care how many times it gets screwed up, I will be there."
Everybody in my life was amazing today. "Yeah?"
"I would however like you to consider the wear and tear on your heart. You don't have to act like an idiot simply because you are one."
"That makes no sense and you're being kind of an ass right now."
He grunted.
"Dane, I—"
"Listen," he sighed. "Tomorrow the Reids are in town from Texas. I expect you, with the detective or without, to be at my apartment at seven sharp. We're having drinks and then we're going to dinner at The Dancing Bull at eight."
"Okay."
"Repeat what I said."
"Oh for crissakes, I heard what you—"
"Did you?"
"I'm not five, Dane. I heard you and I was actually paying attention."
He grunted like he didn't believe me.
"I was, drinks at seven, dinner at eight. I got it. Dancing Bull, so I know what to wear."
"Wear one of the suits I bought you at Christmas."
"I'm not a Ken doll, ya know."
He laughed at me. "Oh the hell you're not. Make sure the detective wears a suit as well."
"I will."
"Does he own a suit?"
"God, you're a snob."
"No, I just want to know what to expect."
"We'll both be properly attired," I assured him.
"Excellent."
"Is that all?"
"That's all."
"Hey, did you get lucky the other night after the art walk?"
"That question is both crude and obnoxious."
I smiled into the phone.
"Good night," he said quickly.
"Good night."
"Well?" Sam asked when I looked over at him. "What did the great man have to say?"
"We have to have dinner with him tomorrow night."
"I already told you that."
"It won't be just us."
"I know, his birth parents. I already told you that too."
I smiled at him.
"Sounds like it'll be a blast." He smirked at me.
"You'll get introduced to someone as my partner for the first time. Are you ready for that?" I stared into his eyes and waited.
"I'm ready," he said, getting up, motioning me to him.
"Get your stuff, I wanna go."
When my courier bag was packed and I met him at the door, he took it from me and tucked it under his arm before wrapping the other around my neck, drawing me in close to him.
"I'm your guy, J. You call me whatever you want."
The man definitely knew what to say.
* * * *
As we drove through downtown I looked at the strangers walking outside my window and wondered, as I always did, about different people's lives.
"Ask you a question?"
"Of course." I yawned, turning to look at him.
"What would make you want to stay home with me instead of going out and getting laid by a different guy every night?"
I felt myself scowl.
"Don't gimme the look, just answer the question. 'Cause when I was twenty-two, J—"
"I'm twenty-three."
"Whatever. When I was twenty-three I was fuckin' wild. I used to hit the club every night, or the bar, and I never took home the same person twice."
"You were a big-time player," I passed judgment.
"Yeah, I was. I was twenty-three. You're supposed to sow wild oats so you don't try and recapture your youth when you're like fifty or whatever."
"I see."
"I have a theory that guys that go through a midlife crisis just never really got to be young the first time, ya know? Like my dad—he was insane before he met my mom but he got it all out and he never had a midlife crisis. He never had to buy a Porsche or get a divorce and date blondes the same age as his daughters. I think that comes from being crazy when you're supposed to."
"Okay."
"So my question to you is this—aren't you gon
na miss going out with your friends or—"
"I can still go out with my friends," I assured him. "If you want to go dancing with me, or to the movies, or out to dinner, or come along with me for game night you can—
you're invited. If you don't, I'm not gonna beg you. You have your friends and I have mine. They might not ever mix."
"You're still gonna go out?"
"Why not?"
"To the club to—"
"I may wanna go dancing, Sam. I enjoy it. If I wanna go and you don't wanna go with me, then I'll go alone. But I have some really good friends that get me. They know me and if I say I'm with you, they'll respect that. When you meet them, you'll understand."
He let out a deep sigh. "I just don't want you to resent me a few years down the road 'cause I kept you from doing whatever you wanted to do."
I put my hand on his thigh and he immediately covered it with his, sliding his fingers between mine. "I've been on my own a long time, Sam, and I've slept with my share of strangers. I don't wanna do that anymore. I don't need a trick, I need a home."
"Trick?"
"You know, like a one-night stand or whatever."
"Okay, and I'm a top, right?"
I looked over at him. "Are you kidding?"
"No, why?"
"Sam, what's with you and Gay 101?"
"I'm just asking because I don't know."
"Okay, for the record, you're a top."
"And that makes you what?"
"A bottom," I said like he had ridden the short bus to school.
He nodded.
"We could mix it up if you like." I grinned slyly.
"No, I don't think so. I like everything just how it is."
"Oh, I bet you do," I said, looking out the window.
"You don't?"
"Don't be an idiot." I sighed, turning to look at his profile.
"You know I'm good with us."
He kept his eyes on the road. "I know you are."
"You know I have a lot of friends that have open relationships."
"Meaning what?"
"Meaning they live with someone but still sleep around."
"And?"
"And so you know... I'm not built that way."
"Good, 'cause it ain't gonna be that way. You belong to just me."
I looked away so he couldn't see me smile.
"Look at me."
I turned to find his eyes on mine. I hadn't realized he'd pulled over.
"I just want you to be sure this is what you want, J, 'cause after this we're gonna go with this bein' permanent. I mean, I've got my mind made up but you gotta be on board too."
I understood that this was how he worked. There was the wrestling with the problem, then the resolution, the yes or no on a decision, followed by the buy-in from all parties involved.
He liked a rock-solid foundation before he moved forward.
After this, there was no going back.
"I'm on board, Sam."
He reached for me, his hand around the back of my neck, and pulled me forward to kiss me breathless. I had to push back to take in air.
The smile was wicked, very pleased with himself.
"You look very happy," I said, my voice soft so it wouldn't crack on me.
"'Cause I am," he assured me, running the back of his fingers up and down my throat before suddenly settling back behind the wheel, easing the SUV back out into traffic. "Let's go eat. I'm starving."
* * * *
We ended up at a deli, where we both ordered sandwiches stacked to the sky and took them to go. He told me how frustrating it was that, in all the mess of my rifled apartment, there was not one fingerprint, piece of hair, or any other telltale piece of evidence to suggest that there had even been an intruder. Professionally done was an understatement, and when I pressed him for a guess as to who it could have been, he had nothing he wanted to share. I knew better, even in the short time we had known each other, than to push. I was going to ask some more questions about his new partner when his phone went off. I was surprised when mine rang a second later.
"Hello?"
"Jory?"
"Yeah."
"Jory, it's Jen."
"Oh." I glanced over at Sam, who was listening very intently to whoever was on the other end. "Hey, how are you?
I had no idea you had my—"
"Jory, I need you and Sam to come to my house right now."
"Are you—"
"I'm okay, I just need some support." She was close to tears; I could hear it in her voice. "I told Mitch and he just left and... then I called Kurt and... could you just come?"
"'Course," I soothed her. "We'll be right there."
"Thanks. I'll see you soon."
"Sure," I promised before she hung up on me.
"Who was that?" he asked, yawning.
"Jen," I said fast. "How 'bout you?"
"My mom," he sighed deeply. "She wants me to go to Jen's."
"Perfect." I smiled at him. "That's where Jen wants us to go too."
"We're not going." He shot me a look.
"Oh the hell we're not," I retorted, thinking he was kidding. "Jen needs us. We're so going."
"We're not and that's final," he assured me.
I nodded slowly.
* * * *
As we rolled up in front of Jen's house in La Grange, I immediately opened my door.
"Wait!" He growled at me.
I turned my head and gave him the most exasperated look I could manage.
"You know what," he pointed at me. "You're lucky I even gave in and drove your ass over here."
"Gave in?" I snapped back before I climbed down and slammed the door shut as hard as I could. I turned for the house.
"Will you wait?" he roared at me as he came around the front of the car.
I limped to the fence and leaned as he came up beside me, his hand heavy on my back.
"Jesus, you're so fuckin' stubborn."
I grunted, realizing that I should have been using the crutches. My ankle was still really sore.
"Can I help you, please?"
I shrugged and he drew my arm up over his shoulder and tucked me in against him. I was surprised when he bent and kissed my temple.
"What was that for?"
"You're a pain in the ass, J, but your heart's in the right place. And seeing you all pissed off is really cute."
I scowled up at him. "I'm not cute."
"Yeah, ya are." He kissed the bridge of my nose. "And your face gets all flushed and your nose scrunches up. It's adorable."
I rolled my eyes and decided to ignore him.
"I love you."
Which basically undid me. Righteous indignation stood no chance in the face of his warm eyes and crooked grin, the dimples that only showed when he smiled, and the way he looked at me. And his words, he killed me with his words.
"Cat got your tongue, baby?" He leaned down and kissed me, breathing me in, clutching me tight.
I clung to him and when he pulled back I could only stare up at him.
"I feel so good." He sighed deeply before he grabbed me and threw me over his shoulder.
"You know how old this is getting," I groused at him, swatting his ass.
"I like it." He shrugged, and of that I had no doubt.
When we hit the porch, the door opened and Regina Kage was standing there, framed with light from behind her.
Instead of reaching for Sam, she reached for me, taking my hand, drawing me inside the house.
"Jory, it's so good to see you."
I smiled at her as she opened her arms. It was so much better than I had ever imagined. I grabbed her so tight she squeaked and then hugged me back, smoothing her hands down the back of my hair, rubbing circles between my shoulder blades.
"Thank you for coming. Jen really needs the support."
She let me go and went to Sam, wrapping her arms around him as I limped toward the living room.
Jen was sitting on the couch with Rachel beside her.
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Michael was in the opposite chair, watching football with his dad. There were sandwiches on a tray on the coffee table, along with chips and dip and paper plates. All eyes were on me as I stepped into the room.
"Come here by me," Jen said quickly, patting the space beside her.
I shed my jacket and was almost around the coffee table when Thomas stood to face me.
"Jory."
"Sir."
"Listen," he began slowly, his voice low. "You understand this is not the choice I would make for my son... but neither have I ever seen him be the way he is when you're with him.
I want to be his friend, Jory, not just his father. I can't have what I want and not give to him in return."
I couldn't stop staring at him. Sam's parents were amazing. I understood what unconditional love looked like at that moment.
"The fact that you came when Jen called you... that says a lot too. Family's important, Jory, they have to love you no matter what."
I nodded.
"Yes?"
"Yessir."
He patted my shoulder. "Good boy. Go ahead." He gestured to the couch.
I glanced over at Michael and he gave me the head tip.
"Jory."
"Michael."
"Good to see you. We missed you for the holidays." He sighed, eyes back on the TV. "Boy, did we."
"Yes, we did." Rachel smiled up at me, reaching for my hand as she stood to give me a hug. "Sammy was such an ass... I felt so sorry for that poor girl, Maggie."
"Yeah," Jen snorted out, smiling through her tears. "He was so obviously not into her."
"She was clingy and needy." Rachel shivered, giving me a final squeeze before she let me go. "I offered her a Valium."
Jen laughed before burying her face in her hands. When I sat down beside her, she turned into me and I wrapped her in my arms, holding her tight as she sobbed.
"What happened?"
"She told Mitch about her and Kurt." Rachel sighed, patting her sister's back gently. "And guess what?" She looked me in the eye. "He's been banging his accountant for the last six months."
"No way." I was stunned.
"Oh yeah, way." She shook her head. "So he was so relieved that he's giving her everything in the divorce. The house, the car, their assets... he just wants out."
"And the girls?"
"He wants joint custody, but that shouldn't be a problem."
"Then...." I drew out the word, making it a question, looking at Rachel. "Why all this?"
"Kurt," Rachel said softly. "He's going to stay with Rita.