Chapter 8

The following morning,Kellan asked Emma to take Abigail to school. It had just been too damned hard seeing Connor again and not being able to touch him.

"But that's your little morning thing. I get her in the evenings." She gazed at him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Bullshit. What is it?" Emma glared. "I know when you're upset. Is it your father?"

"No."

Emma cocked her head, her gaze insistent.

"My companion…"

"What about him? He's not trying to blackmail you or something, is he? He signed an NDA."

"No, no… he's not trying to blackmail me. Nothing like that." He knew he should keep his mouth shut, but he had to tell someone, or he'd explode. If not Emma, then who?

"Can you promise me to keep this to yourself?"

She narrowed her eyes, concern on her face. "Yeah?"

"The guy… it was Abigail's teacher."

Emma frowned. "What?" Her eyes got wider. "Mr. Q?"

"Yeah."

Emma was silent a moment. "That's why he was gone last week." She snickered, shaking her head. "It was bound to happen, Italy or not. He's had the hots for you all year."

"He's not had the hots for me." Kellan's face grew hot.

"The hellhe hasn't. I was there at every parent-teacher conference with you. He couldn't take his eyes off you." She chuckled. "You did not out him. I already figured he was gay… or bi."

"You don't have an issue that I spent a week with our daughter's first-grade teacher?"

"Why would I?"

"If it gets out that he works on the side as a companion… he could lose his job." Connor was an excellent teacher… and didn't deserve being ousted. "Not all the parents in that school would approve of his extracurricular activities."

"Teacher's salaries are shit. I doubt private schools are all that much better. A man's got to live." She sighed. "Wait—do you have a problem with him having a side hustle? Is that the real reason you don't want to see him again?"

"No… I don't have a problem with it." He stiffened, realizing he didn't want Connor to continue as a companion. He's mine. "I wanted to make sure you wouldn't judge him."

"I was raised by hypocrites who judged everyone on the face of the earth when they themselves were pulling all kinds of nonsense when not in public view." She shrugged. "It's his body. He's an adult and can do whatever he wants with it. As long as it's not hurting anyone, it's none of my business."

I'm hurting.

But that's of my own doing.

"You want me to take Abby to school so you don't have to face him. Is that it?"

Kellan nodded.

"I should say no. Make you look at that man and think about what you're giving up…" She clicked her tongue. "I won't do that. At least for now. You can have a few days' break, but then after that, you need to face your demons head on." Emma snorted. "Face your fine as hell demon."

"You're a lesbian, remember?"

Emma sashayed from the room. "I still know a pretty piece of meat when I see it."

"He's more than a piece of meat," Kellan snapped.

Emma grinned. "Oh, Kellan Rhodes… you have it bad."

His face warmed as she departed. As soon as she was gone, he was, ready to tell her he'd changed his mind. He wanted to see Connor, no matter how hard it might be, yet the thought of seeing the man and not being able to touch… to kiss? That broke him.

He needed time. Time to get ahold of himself and his emotions.

Time to decide what it is he wanted.

Time that he barely got.

A week later, Kellan's cell rang. He lifted the screen and cringed when he saw the name. Clicking it, he lifted the phone to his ear. "Yeah, Dad?"

"I need you in my office ASAP."

"I'm not helping with the campaign."

"This is about your trip to Italy."

Kellan's blood went cold.

"I'm working from home today. ASAP, Kellan."

The line went dead. Kellan froze, unable to move. His stomach turned, and he was sure he'd retch, but when he finally ran to the bathroom, nothing came out. After wiping the sweat beading on his brow, he departed for his parents' house. He barely remembered the drive over, the different scenarios whispering through his mind taking center stage. His parent's housekeeper let him in, and he strode toward his father's office.

He lifted his hand to knock but chickened out.

"Come in, Kellan."

After a cleansing breath, he entered. Approaching the desk, he noted his father's look of disapproval was sharper that morning. "What about Italy?"

His father tossed a handful of papers across the desk. Drawing one from the pile, he viewed an image of Connor and him holding hands down the market district in Bellagio. Another had them kissing on the ferry to Como. He fanned the pages out and stared at the dozens of others detailing their trip and all the public embracing that had happened.

His knees weakened, his stomach in knots… but then he noticed something.

When he looked at his face, he saw happiness.

He lifted one image of Connor starring at him while his head was turned. The look of adoration on the man's face made it harder to breathe.

A look that whispered… love.

Love? We barely know one another.

His chest tightened and the truth slammed into him.

In the span of a week, he'd fallen in love with Connor.

If he was honest with himself, he'd fallen a long time before, over all those mornings bringing his daughter into Connor's classroom. Class visits. Parent-teacher conferences. The Winter Play where Connor had acted like a complete fool for his kids, who loved him dearly. The evenings where Abby would chatter about her day, telling him all the wonderful things Mr. Q had done. He was a kind, caring teacher.

He was a kind, caring man.

"Are you trying to ruin me, Kellan?"

Seeing that look on Connor's face gave him strength. This is what I'm giving up… for what? "What I do in my own time has nothing to do with you."

"It has everything to do with me," his father roared. "Do you know what those left-wing radicals are going to do if they find out you're a fag?" He snarled. "We need that man to sign an NDA."

"He already has," Kellan murmured.

"I'd congratulate you for having the good sense to do that if you hadn't ruined it by galivanting around Italy kissing another man." His father's eyes closed briefly. "I don't even want to imagine what you did behind closed doors."

Kellan stared at the strewn photos, wishing he was back there with Connor. Away from the mess of reality. "How did you get these? Do you have someone following me?"

"Don't be paranoid. I don't have someone following you."

"Then how?"

"My campaign isn't not the only one investigating rivals. The candidates vying for my seat are doing their own opposition research, and you just handed them a potential victory."

Kellan collapsed in the chair facing his father's desk, both hands filled with printed pages. "Too bad you can't simply stand on your record, but we both know you're more interested in helping the special interests than the actual voters."

His father scowled at him. "You know how things work in DC."

"I wish I didn't." He couldn't stop looking at the images. "Why did they send these to you and not the press?"

"Because the photographer is blackmailing me. Maybe whichever opponent he's working for doesn't have the kind of cash he's anticipating. He's demanding twenty million or he's going to the media and selling these to the highest bidder."

Kellan wanted to throw up.

"I'm not pulling twenty million out of my coffers for your indiscretions. You need to convince that rich wife of yours to ante up. This will embarrass her almost as much as it will me."

Kellan couldn't look away from the pleasure on his face in every shot. Connor had made him happy in a way no other human being ever had.

"No," Kellan murmured, lifting his gaze to his father.

Norman's eyes narrowed, the evil look he'd always give before punishing Kellan. "What do you mean, no?"

"Exactly how it sounds. No," Kellan said. "Emma's not paying a single dime nor will I."

"I doubt you have that kind of money laying around."

Kellan stared at the man who'd tormented, humiliated, and abused him most of his life. Emma and Connor were right. He'd allowed his father to make him smaller. Afraid. He'd been so convinced he was a worthless piece of shit that he'd allowed the bullying and the continued humiliation long after he could've walked away and started a new life for himself.

A life truly out from under his father's thumb.

Don't let your father define you.

He'd done just that. He'd been beaten down so much that he couldn't see the way up.

Or out.

He glanced at his father behind the big desk, and the man appeared small. Old.

Weak.

"I'm not paying a dime, either." He smiled. "Just so you're aware, Emma and I are getting divorced. We're done hiding who we really are."

His father's face screwed up in disgust.

"Let them print the pictures. I'm ready to let the world know who I am and live the life I should've been living a long time ago."

"Do you have any idea the blowback I'm going to have when the country learns I have a faggot for a son? You are the most inconsiderate, worthless child in existence."

Before Italy, his father's words would've stung a hell of a lot more than they did. "I'd much rather be called a faggot than a racist, homophobic piece of trash."

His father leaned forward. "You don't talk to me that way, boy!"

"Oh? Who's going to stop me?"

For the first time in his life, Kellan saw fear in his father's eyes. He rose, collecting the photos. "What do you think this will do to Abigail? She's young, but you can't shield her from the media circus that's coming if you don't pay up."

"Don't threaten my child."

"It's no threat. You grew up in the public eye. You know how hard it can be. You're making it harder on her just to get your jollies with a man."

"It'll pass… and my daughter will see me living my truth, for once."

"You disgust me."

"Sorry I couldn't be the carbon copy you wanted but thank heavens I'm not. Goodbye, Dad."

He escaped his parents' home, hearing his father screaming his name behind him. Outside, he slid behind the wheel of his SUV and took a deep, shuddering breath. His hands shook on the steering wheel, but he couldn't sit long. He needed distance between him and his father.

Nearly home, he got a call informing him that he was no longer employed. Smiling to himself, he knew he had no right to be happy. His entire world was on the edge of destruction.

What comes after destruction?

Rebirth.

Before he even realized it, he was sitting in the parking lot of Allton Academy. He hadn't considered how the news might impact Connor when he'd blasted his father. After checking into the office, he made his way to Abigail's class. He peeked in, catching Connor's gaze. Connor glared a moment before walking out into the hall.

"What is it, Mr. Rhodes? I have a class to teach."

"I wanted you to hear this from me," Kellan said, pulling one of the images he'd snatched from his father's desk from his pocket. "My father was sent these with a demand for twenty million."

Connor snatched the page, eyes wide. He lifted his gaze. "Is he paying it?"

"I don't know. Dad demanded Emma or I come up with it, and I refused."

Connor was silent.

"I told him I'm coming out. If the pictures end up in the media, so be it." Kellan stiffened. "But then I realized after I left… they might hurt you. What can we do to make sure that doesn't happen?"

Connor leaned up against the wall outside the door, staring at the photo in his hand. A few seconds of silence passed before he looked up again. "The principal's aware I'm gay. Not all my kids' parents do. I don't know how they'll react, especially being caught with another parent." He sighed. "Plus, I lied and said my mother was sick last week so I could go to Italy. I'm not sure if it's a fireable offense, but if parents push back, who knows if the board might not use it to let me go."

"I'm sorry. I never wanted this to happen."

"There's other jobs," Connor said. "And who knows… I might just do more work with the agency for a while. The pay is better."

"I'd prefer if you didn't."

Connor glared. "Oh? Why's that?"

"I was hoping that we might be able to see one another. Maybe not now… maybe after the dust settles?"

"You're forced out of the closet, so now you can have a relationship with me? I wasn't worth it before that, though."

"No," Kellan said, gripping Connor's elbow. "I wanted to as?—"

Connor wrenched away. "Save it. I have class."

Before he could say another word, Connor was gone.

I wanted to ask you to be with me yesterday, but I lost the nerve.Kellan closed his eyes. If only he hadn't waited. He exited the school and slipped behind the wheel, yearning to race back inside and drag Connor into his arms and kiss him in front of god and country.

He wouldn't do that.

I'll let him calm down. Try again later.

Hopefully, he'll be willing to listen.

* * *

"Test time!" Connor announced as he slipped back into his room, shoving the folded page with the images into his pocket. Spelling wasn't over, but he needed a little quiet after his conversation with Kellan. The Math test would give him a few beats to get his shit straight.

"Ahhh…"came the collective grousing.

"Put everything away except a pencil," he instructed, pulling out the test sheets. He passed them out and returned to his desk.

Withdrawing the printed photos from his pocket, he stared at Kellan and him in an embrace, smiling at one another. Another of them kissing on the ferry. His own lips curled up at the memory. He'd wanted nothing more than to spend time with Kellan when they returned, but it wasn't meant to be.

Connor wouldn't be an afterthought.

He was saddened that Kellan was being forced out of the closet—especially considering it would be splashed all over the internet and media. He'd be splashed all over the internet and media, too. Memes would come. They'd be the butt of many a joke.

And he could lose his job.

Another with the agency might not come either, the more he thought about it. Who'd want to be seen in public with someone infamous? He'd have to go into hiding for who knew how long.

Fuck! He was royally screwed.

"Is that my daddy?"

Connor lowered the paper. He hadn't realized anyone had approached his desk. He turned to find a very confused Abigail Rhodes standing beside him.

"No,"he fibbed. "Another man."

"It looks like Daddy."

"He just looks a little like your dad."

"Oh." She cocked her head to one side. "You kiss boys?"

Connor wasn't sure what to say to that other than the truth. It would come out anyway, from the sound of things. "I do."

"My pawpaw and grandpa say that's wrong, but Mama says it's okay. She says when grownups love one another, it's not wrong."

"Your mama is one smart lady."

"Yep," Abigail answered. She handed her test over. "My daddy's pretty smart, too."

Connor took her quiz. "Well, I wouldn't expect less considering how smart their kiddo is."

"Verysmart." Abigail glanced at the back of the sheet with a look that told him she knew who was in that photo. She walked back to her seat and took out a book to read while her classmates finished their test.

After school, Connor stopped into Mr. Harding's office to own up to his lie. Best get ahead of it.

"Your mother wasn't sick?"

"No, sir." Connor sighed. "I had an opportunity to go for a last minute, all-expenses paid trip to Italy, and I took it."

The principal frowned. "I will have to document this in your file." He leaned across the desk. "In your shoes, I likely would've done the same. Just don't do it again, okay?"

Connor nodded. "There's more."

Mr. Harding glanced up, frowning.

"The reason I'm telling you is… some photos with the man I went on the trip with… well, he's the son of a US Senator and those photos are likely going to the press."

His boss was quiet a moment. "Might it be Kellan Rhodes?"

Connor didn't answer.

"A parent of one of your students."

"He is."

"You're aware that's against our code of conduct?"

Connor froze. "I did not."

"You signed it when you were hired. You didn't read it?"

"To be honest, no. I don't know if it changes anything, but we were set up. I didn't know it was him when I went to Italy. He didn't know I would be there. And, once there… we shared a villa… and things happened."

"You didn't know who you were going to another country with?"

Connor didn't want to bring up the agency. Hopefully that part wouldn't end up in the media. "No."

The principal sat back in his chair. "We're going to have to wait and see how this plays out in the press. Once the board and parents see the news, my hands might be tied. You understand that, right?"

"I do." He hedged. "Until then? Do I keep my job?"

"You're a good teacher. Late, but good. Your test scores are wonderful. Your students love you. Their parents do, too. I've yet to have a complaint besides minor whining over inconsequential matters. While I'm not pleased to hear there's a scandal on the horizon or your involvement with a parent, I don't see any reason to remove you from your position. For now."

"Thank you," Connor murmured. "I'd miss my kids."

"The school year's almost over. Maybe this doesn't come out until the summer, and it can blow over before September, if we're lucky."

"I don't have that kind of luck," Connor said.

"Me, either," his boss replied.

Connor rose to leave.

"This thing with Rhodes. Is it more than a fling?"

I want it to be."I doubt it."

"I'd say you best decide for sure before the shit hits the fan."

"Yeah," Connor said, nodding. "It's likely not going any farther."

Even though I wish it would…

* * *

"What's the emergency?" Emma asked, blowing into the living room.

"Come with me," Kellan said, leading her to the study and closing the door. He pulled a photo from his pocket and handed it over, spilling the beans.

"Oh shit, babe," Emma said. "This is all my fault. I assumed you'd be free that far away."

"Opposition research. I was being followed. No matter how far I went, I wouldn't have been free."

"I'm sorry, Kel. I never wanted this to happen. I wasn't trying to force you out, I swear." Tears swam in her eyes. "I just wanted you happy. I fucked that up."

"No. You didn't fuck up anything."

"Why don't we just pay the money? I'll do it if it protects you and Mr. Q. Then you come out when you want… or you don't."

Kellan shook his head. "No."

"I made the mess. Let me clean it up."

"I'm coming out," Kellan said.

Emma stared silently a moment. "Are you sure? You don't have to do that."

"You were right all along. I can't live like this, especially after being with Connor and knowing how it feels to be real for once." He smiled, trailing his fingers over the images. "To walk hand-in-hand with a man and not worry who was watching or what might happen." He smiled, lifting his gaze. "While this isn't the way I wanted to come out, so be it. Let's rip off the bandage and be done with the lies."

Emma smiled, tears sliding down her face. "Okay."

"And we need to step up the divorce announcement."

Emma chuckled. "Yes, sir."

"A joint announcement, where we tell the world why we married in the first place. I don't want folks thinking I cheated on you and you're left the scorned woman."

"Oh,but I could rock that part. Play it up in the press." Emma placed the back on her hand on her forehead. "Oh my, he's destroyed my whole world. Whatever will I do?"

"Oh, and—I've also lost my job. So don't forget to call me a deadbeat dad, too."

"No child support? How will we survive?" she asked before falling back on the couch.

"Check the couch cushions while you're over there? There might be some loose change."

She rose, chuckling, and closed the gap between them. She slid her arms around him. "I adore you. You know that, right?"

Kellan wrapped his arms tight and kissed her forehead. "And I, you. Just promise me we won't lose this after the divorce."

"Never,"she whispered.

A buzzer sounded from the gate alarm, and Kellan's head whipped up.

"Has the press descended already?"

"Doubtful," Kellan said before striding out to the security panel. One look on the screen and his heart swelled. Connor stared into the camera, speaking, but there was no sound. He switched the speaker button on.

"… meonelet me in? I need to speak to Kellan Rhodes."

Kellan hit the button for the gate and watched onscreen as Connor drove through, struggling for air the entire time. As soon as he closed it behind the man, he headed for the door and descended the steps. The hot early summer sun beat down on him, but he didn't care. Barely felt it. He needed to see Connor.

Connor sped toward the house and screeched to a stop, jumping out of the car without turning off the motor. He rounded the vehicle, anger written into the lines of his face. "We need to talk."

"You're right. We do."

"I never should've taken that job. A week in Italy sounded like a plum gig, but it's going to cost me everything. That would've been worth it if I'd been enough for you."

"I never said you weren't enough."

"You didn't have to say it, Kellan. You weren't willing to make room for me in your life. Now, forced to by a blackmailer, you figured I was a consolation prize." He scoffed. "After a week of avoiding me and having someone else drop off Abby."

"I needed time to figure things out."

"Yeah, sure."

Kellan took a step closer, capturing Connor's stare. "When I stopped by the other day? I planned to tell you then that I wanted there to be an us. That I was ready to come out—but I chickened out. I was on the ledge ready to jump. And I… I couldn't get the words to come out of my mouth."

Connor stared, silent.

"My dad… he tried to beat the gay out of me when I was a kid and it… left marks."

"I saw them," Connor murmured, the anger fading from his expression. "I'm sure there's a lot more inside I didn't see."

"I allowed him to define me, just like you said. I allowed him to make me a victim. Even after I was grown and had the power to live as I wanted, I feared his reprisal. Fear him yet craved his acceptance. Something I will never, ever get."

"You quit working for him. You didn't fear punishment then."

"He berated me in front of the entire staff, digging deeper than he'd ever dug before. He utterly humiliated me." Kellan felt the sting of tears and hated himself for it. Another of his father's gifts. "I quit because I couldn't face those people again with them knowing how worthless I was."

Connor moved a little closer. "You're not worthless, Kel."

"Logically, I know that. I've reached out to a therapist for help. I have my first appointment next week and hoped I could wade through all the bullshit and find my way back to you." He scoffed. "Then I was shown these photos and my father demanded Emma and I pay the blackmailer." He took a shaky breath. "We could pay it. Emma just offered because she wanted me to have the chance to come out on my own terms, not like this. And to protect you."

"You're paying it?"

Kellan shook his head. "No. I won't, and I won't let her."

Connor held his stare.

"I won't pay the blackmail because it's going to come out eventually and I'm done hiding. I didn't ask to see you again because of that. I asked you because I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since we left Italy. I want to be with you. I wanted it when you asked, but I didn't know how to be the man you knew there once we returned." He winced. "I realize I've got a lot of baggage and need to fix a lot before I'm worthy of you… and I don't expect you to wait for that to happen."

Connor moved closer.

"Unless… unless you want us to pay. I know this could cause a lot of hardship for you. If it's too much, we can make it go away."

"No. Don't pay it," Connor murmured. "I'll be fine. One way or another."

"If you lose your job, I'll help out. Make sure you don't lose everything."

"I appreciate the offer but hope it doesn't come to that."

Silence hung between them.

"I know I don't deserve to ask this… but once the chaos is over and I've gotten some help… if you're not with someone else, maybe you and I could give this another try?"

Connor didn't say a word. Face unreadable, he didn't move a muscle.

"I'm sorry. It wasn't appropriate to ask considering the situation. Forget I asked."

Connor closed the gap between them, his expression still indecipherable. When the man reached out and cradled Kellan's head, he sobbed, closing his eyes.

"Hey, look at me," Connor whispered.

Kellan gazed up, lost in Connor's eyes.

"If you need time to heal and deal with your shit, I'll give it to you… but I don't want to wait to have you in my life."

"I'm a mess, Connor."

"Who isn't a little fucked up these days?" Connor pressed his lips to Kellan's, the kiss too gentle. Kellan leaned in, silently begging for more than he merited. "I want to be there for you, Kel. You don't need to go through this alone."

Another sob rose in Kellan's throat. Connor kissed him, absorbing his pain. The gentle embrace quickly turned desperate, both of them hungry for more.

The front door opened, and they broke the kiss. Emma peeked out. "Sorry to interrupt, but Abby and I are going to have a sleepover in the big house tonight. We wanted to get on over there and use the movie theater to watch her favorite movie."

Kellan took another step away from Connor before Emma strode out hand-in-hand with Abigail.

Abigail's gaze drifted to Connor. "Hi, Mr. Quaid!"

"Hi, Abby. How are you?"

"Good. Why are you here?"

"I was just telling your dad how great of a job you did on that Math test."

Kellan marched over and lifted Abigail into his arms, drawing her attention away from Connor. "A sleepover sounds fun. Don't you think?"

"Do you like kissing boys, Daddy?"

Kellan froze. He glanced at Emma and back to their daughter. "Who said anything about me kissing boys?"

"I saw you through the window."

Dumbstruck, Kellan didn't know what to say.

"I saw Mama kissing a girl one day, too."

Kellan's gaze whipped to Emma's wide-eyed one.

"I've never seen you kiss Mama like that," Emma whispered. "Don't you love her?"

"I love your Mama very, very much, but it's also very complicated. It's a long story, Sweet Pea. One that's hard to understand when you're only six years old," Kellan said. "What I can tell you is that your mother and I do love one another. We're the very best of friends and always will be. But we don't love each other like married people should because you're right. I like kissing boys, and I was scared of people finding that out."

"And I like kissing girls," Emma murmured to the side of them. She rubbed her palm on Abigail's cheek. "Not everyone is kind to people like us, so sometimes we hide to protect ourselves."

"Like Pawpaw and Grandpa. They don't like gay people."

"Yep, like Pawpaw and Grandpa," Emma murmured. "How does that make you feel?"

Abigail shrugged. "I don't know."

"You know how much we love you, right?" Kellan asked.

Abigail nodded.

"Nothing's ever going to change that. You are the most special thing in the entire world," Kellan said. He added a tickle, and she giggled.

"I snuck downstairs one night and heard you and Mama talking. She said something about a divorce."

"That was just talk," Emma said. "Just talk."

"But if Daddy wants to kiss Mr. Q, and you want to kiss that lady, maybe you should get a divorce so you can love other people the married way. You can still be best friends and love me."

"How'd you get to be so smart?" Emma asked, brushing some hair back from Abigail's face.

"I dunno," Abigail said. She focused on Emma. "Can we go watch the movie now?"

"Sure thing," Emma said.

Kellan gave her a kiss on the cheek and lowered her to the ground. "Have fun."

Abigail took Emma's hand and headed in the direction of the big house. A few steps away, she looked over her shoulder at Connor. "I knew that was my daddy in that picture."

Kellan's gaze flicked to Connor's.

"Yeah, you were right, Abby," Connor said, grinning.

Abigail smirked and looked up at Emma as they walked away. "Are we gonna live in Pawpaw's house now?"

Emma glanced over her shoulder at Kellan and then down to Abigail. "Is that what you want to do?"

"Davy Burrows has two houses. He lives some days with his mama and some days with his daddy. He also gets two Christmases. I like that idea."

Emma cast one more look Kellan's way before they moved out of earshot.

Connor sidled up beside him. "Your daughter is wise beyond her years."

"I don't know where she gets it," Kellan admitted.

"I do," Connor murmured, capturing his gaze. "When a bright child has two loving, caring parents who only want the best for them, it allows them to blossom. She's a great kid, and you both should be proud."

Kellan turned toward Connor. "I did everything in my power to give her a better life than I got."

"You succeeded."

"Not done yet, though." Kellan searched Connor's face. "What's this about her seeing a picture?"

Connor winced. "You handed me that picture in the hallway, and I left angry, still clutching it in my fist. She caught me looking at it later during a test."

"Whywere you looking at it later?" Kellan asked, grinning.

"Because I missed holding you like that," Connor replied before dragging Kellan closer. "And I missed kissing you like that." He lowered his head, capturing Kellan's lips.

Kellan melted into Connor's kiss, moving as close as two people could. He'd feared he'd lost the chance to be in Connor's arms ever again. Trembling, he pulled back.

"What's wrong?" Connor asked.

"Nothing,"Kellan replied. "I'm just… happy you're here." He smiled up at Connor. "Maybe… we can take this inside?"

"Well, your soon-to-be-ex-wife did so graciously clear it out for us. Wouldn't want it to go to waste, now, do we?"

"Nope," Kellan said, leading Connor toward the door. He stopped on the first step and chuckled. "You might want to turn off your car first."

"Fuck,"Connor whispered under his breath. He ran over, reached inside, and turned it off, exiting with keys in hand. He returned, a sly smile on his lips.

"What's that look for?"

"I'm about to get lucky. Why wouldn't I be smiling?"

"Oh? You're so sure of that, hmm?"

"I'm taking you inside that house, and I'm going to get you completely naked," Connor stated, encircling Kellan's waist with one arm and dragging him close. "And then I'm kissing you from head to toe. Might spend a little extra time about midway through. We shall see."

"Oh, midway better get plenty of attention."

"See, I told you I was getting lucky," Connor murmured, leaning in for a kiss. He paused a fraction of an inch away. "You just confirmed it."

Kellan chuckled against Connor's lips, quickly lost in the feel of his man.