by Megan Slayer
“I will, but you’re not.” Neil sipped his drink. “I’ve had a couple other lovers since Eddie passed, but none compared to him. We’d have been able to marry and I don’t want to marry anyone but him.” His voice caught. “I want Eddie back.”
The catch in Neil’s voice got to Evan. He understood. Neil had his one person and that person was gone.
“I miss him.” Neil sighed. “I’ll be you don’t want to hear an old man going on about his former lover.”
“I don’t mind.” He tipped his head to meet Neil’s gaze. “I wished I’d have known my uncle, but I’m glad I met you. You’re family.”
“Evan.” Neil nodded.
“You are.” He hugged Neil. “We Conleys aren’t easy to love. We’re moody, emotional, clingy at times and gruff, but we’re loyal.”
“That was Eddie to a T.” Neil’s voice caught again. He sighed. “I have his ashes with me. I couldn’t part with him like Martha did. She was always stronger than me.”
“You weren’t wrong to keep him. I think he’d have wanted it that way,” Mick said.
“I understand,” Evan said. Mick meant a lot to him. One day, he wanted to marry him. Mick would be the feature in lots of songs because he owned Evan’s heart.
“I have Eddie on the passenger seat. I told him I’d bring him home one day.” Neil’s hand trembled. “We’ll scatter him in a little bit. I’m not ready to say goodbye just yet.”
“You’re welcome to stay with us as long as you’d like,” Evan said. “Or come around whenever.”
“Thank you,” Neil said. “We had good times, big fights and the best makeup sex. I loved him.”
Evan sat with Mick and Neil, chatting until the sun went down. He wouldn’t have changed a moment of their conversation. He was happy to have met Neil and thrilled to get to know his uncle.
“Would you like to visit Martha? The stone hasn’t been installed yet,” Evan said. “We can go there.”
“I’d like to scatter Eddie’s ashes here, then we can.” Neil walked over to his car. He returned with a silver urn. “Let’s visit the pond.”
Evan smiled and bittersweet tears burned at the corners of his eyes. He needed to say goodbye, too. It was time.
Chapter Ten
Mick watched Evan and Neil chat. The sun set low in the sky. Brilliant streams of blue, purple and red streaked across the heavens. He’d accompanied them to visit Martha, despite Neil initially wanting to wait to visit her grave. He’d wanted to be there as Neil and Evan scattered the ashes, but had chosen to give them privacy instead. This moment belonged to Evan and Neil.
A few minutes later, Neil hugged Evan then headed over to his car.
Mick hurried up to Evan, but Neil drove away before he could say goodbye.
“He’s going so soon?” Mick threaded his arm around Evan’s. “He could’ve stayed.”
“I offered, but he said he wanted to see the sights.” Evan draped his arm around Mick. “Maybe he does. I don’t know. I think we overwhelmed him, but he’s at peace.” He hugged Mick. “He’s coming back in a day or so and will spend a few days here before he heads back to California.”
“Good.” He’d get a chance to see Neil once more and give him a proper send-off.
“My uncle made Neil happy and he made Eddie happy,” Evan said. “They were in love.”
“They were.” Mick held the man he loved. “Kind of like us.”
“A lot like us.” Evan rubbed Mick’s shoulder. “I never realized when I crushed on you years ago that we’d find each other again. I never thought you’d like me. I was so scared to be myself.”
“Now you’re comfortable being you.”
“I am.” Evan chuckled. “Edwin had to leave town to figure out who he wanted and who he was. I had to come home to do the same thing.”
“I’m glad.” He clung to Evan. “I crushed on you, too. For all your older-man sexiness, I hated you, too. You seemed so self-absorbed, but it was all drive to succeed. I couldn’t see it back then, but I do now.”
“I was an asshole and I didn’t succeed.”
“You’re in a hard career field. Thousands of people try to become famous. Don’t get down on yourself.” Mick kissed Evan. “If you’re meant to hit the big time, you will. You’re the most important to me.”
“You’re important to me, too.” Evan rested his forehead against Mick’s. “We’re different people, yet the same.”
“We’re a team, too,” Mick said. “I love you.”
“Even if I’m a failed country musician, who isn’t a great farmer, but I’m trying? Are you willing to let me play at the local clubs because I can’t give up my music?” Evan asked.
“Only if you’re willing to be with a lawyer who loves his job and is smitten with a farmer who loves his music.” Mick smoothed his palms over Evan’s chest. “I need my cowboy.”
“Me?” Evan laughed. The throaty sound split the silence around them. “My former manager would’ve loved if I’d really been more of a cowboy about ten years ago and made it big.”
“You’re a cowboy to me,” Mick said. “We don’t need a horse because we’ve got everything we need right here.”
“We do,” Evan said. “I love you.”
“Love you, too.” Mick brushed his nose along Evan’s and sighed.
“If you’re willing to go on this ride with me, I’m here for the taking.”
“You should turn that into a song,” Mick said. He knew nothing about music, but the line sounded good.
“Our song.”
“Yes,” Mick murmured.
“Our life, our record…our song starts now,” Evan said.
“I’ll follow you anywhere.” He loved Evan and cherished their second chance. They belonged together and Evan owned his heart. He hadn’t expected to fall in love with Evan, but his life wouldn’t be the same without him.
* * * *
Mick made his way through the cemetery where Martha had been buried. In the month since the funeral, his life had changed in so many ways. His heart still hurt and he missed his friend. Someone had told him that grief was love with no place to land. He believed the sentiment, yet he didn’t. He loved Martha, but had a place to channel that love.
He stopped in front of her grave. Evan had said the headstone should’ve been installed and he’d been right. Mick touched the smooth red granite.
Martha and Clement
United for Eternity
He bit back a cry and grin. He ran his fingers across the carved letters. Martha might be in the box beneath the dirt, but her spirit swirled around him.
He laced his fingers together and stepped back. He needed to speak to his friend. Besides, the words were ready to come.
“Well, you were right. You said I should help Evan and I have. I kept an eye on him,” Mick said. “I can hear you laughing, wherever you are. You told me Evan and I would be good together. The truth is, you weren’t wrong. Did you have a sixth sense about him and me? Or was it wishful thinking?”
Mick nodded once. “Whatever it was, you were right. I hated him at first. He drove me crazy, but when I got to know him…we clicked. I used to crush on him so hard. Like a crazy amount of crushing. When you died, I saw a different Evan. Not the showy, jerky guy he’d been in school, but the true man. He’s not like I expected.”
Mick sat on the bench across from her grave and rested his elbows on his knees. “Evan took over the farm and is doing great. It’s like he never left.” He lowered his voice. “I never knew how magnetic he could be. When he puts on those spangled chaps and his hat… I shouldn’t tell you.” The tops of his ears burned and his cheeks heated. He was talking to Evan’s grandmother and he should keep his conversation PG.
“I fell in love with him. Head over heels. He asked me to move in with him on the farm. He’s touring, too. It’s just around Cedarwood and the northern Ohio region, but he’s gaining a following. He’s good. I’m not saying that because I’m partial, but because he’s really electric when he’s pl
aying a show. He’s himself, too. Cowboy, singer and proudly out man.” Mick blinked back tears. “I’m honored he chose me.”
He tensed when he heard footsteps on the grass and falling leaves. Mick didn’t have to turn around to know who’d joined him. He wiped away his tears. “Evan.”
“Hey.” Evan sat next to him. “Are you crying?” He offered his hanky. “I miss her, too.”
“Yeah.” Mick bumped shoulders with Evan. “I told her I’m proud of you.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m thrilled to be with you,” Mick said.
“Good.” Evan held Mick’s hand. “So am I.” He cleared his throat. “I heard some of what you said.”
“Eavesdropper.” He wasn’t upset. He and Evan didn’t keep secrets. “It’s all true.”
“I’m not that great on stage, but if you’re happy, I’m good.” Evan stood and crossed the small expanse to the headstone. He touched the lettering. “Grandma, I’m happy. Not kind of or happy in a way that I’m lying to myself. You were right. Mick is the one I’ve been waiting for. I love him. Grandma, I found my person.”
Mick watched the sway of Evan’s ass and the way the denim stretched across his backside. He shouldn’t be ogling his boyfriend, but he couldn’t help himself. “I love him, too.” Mick joined him in front of the stone. “Thank you for putting us together.”
“You could be naughty, Grandma, but you knew. You encouraged me to be myself, to come out…to find love. I’m strong because I had you pushing me. Thank you. I found Mick again because of you.”
“We couldn’t be us without your gentle nudging.” Mick hugged Evan. “When we get married, we’ll tell your grandmother first.” He hadn’t planned on saying that out loud, but it was the truth. He turned his attention to the stone. “Is that good with you, Martha?”
Evan hugged Mick tighter. “We will.”
“We miss you.” Mick clung to Evan. “It’s not the same without you around.”
“But we’ll ensure you and Grandpa and Uncle Edwin aren’t forgotten,” Evan said. “I’ve written a song I play in honor of my uncle and mention you and Grandpa were my biggest fans at every concert. We won’t forget. Promise.”
“Love you.” Mick bowed his head, then let go of Evan and left the grave.
“Love you.” Evan joined Mick at the truck. “We’ll get married? I want to, but I wasn’t sure you were thinking along those lines.”
“We should take our time, but we’ve got each other and I want to.” Mick leaned against the back fender of the truck. “The stone you chose is nice.”
“You helped me pick it out. I hope it’s good enough for them.” Evan widened his stance. “I added Uncle Edwin’s stone. It’s already been installed right next to theirs, like I promised him. It’s smaller, but I don’t think my uncle would mind. Neil contacted me and asked to have his name added when he passes.”
“That’s sweet. I knew you’d get it all to work out.”
Evan lowered his gaze and didn’t speak.
“What?” Mick knew Evan inside and out. The wicked glint in his eye meant one thing, but his silent manner suggested another. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m telling everyone about us. I’m ready.” Evan held out his hand. “I wrote a song for you and I want to introduce it on tour. I want to tell everyone I’m with you.”
Mick threw his arms around Evan. “Tell everyone. I’m ready, too.” He kissed Evan. They might be in the cemetery, but he didn’t care. He’d never been so happy in his life. “I love you and I want everyone to know.”
“I love you, too.” Evan sighed. “If you’ll go down this road with me, I’ll have the love I need. I never thought I could be saved. Never thought I’d have someone for me. My heart, my soul, my man.”
“Is that part of the song?” He wanted to hear every note. “I love it.”
Evan nodded.
“Let’s go home.” Evan opened the door for Mick. “My favorite lawyer.”
Mick slid onto the seat and waited for Evan to join him. “I got lucky. I’ve got my Cedarwood cowboy and my happy ending—all thanks to your grandmother.”
“We’re making her proud, aren’t we?”
“We are.” Mick held Evan’s hand as they left the cemetery. Life could be sad, happy, quirky and make no sense sometimes, but he loved the ride. Now he’d never have to be alone. Evan was his world right here in Cedarwood and his favorite cowboy.
Want to see more from this author? Here’s a taster for you to enjoy!
Rules of Summer: Summer Stock
Megan Slayer
Excerpt
Jon Fox settled back in his seat and stared at the players before him. He’d spent too much time today at Club Extasy and should’ve found someone to play with by now. Should’ve. He bit back a groan. He liked to play at the club and loved giving a good spanking, but he wanted someone specific.
He spotted a scene taking place across the room. The sub wore a harness across his torso, and a jockstrap. His bare ass jiggled as he walked. His thick boots clunked with each step. The Dom, a blond Jon didn’t know well, cuffed the sub to a St. Andrew’s cross.
Jon shifted his position to get a better look at the sub and scene. The tattoo on the man’s back caught Jon’s attention. He knew that ink—a cross with a set of wings stretching across his shoulders. Jon had seen the ink on a man he’d known well. Ainsley. His former boyfriend’s best friend. Would Ainsley be at the club? He did like to play and had visited Club Extasy before. Was he there now?
He rubbed his crotch as he watched the Dom flog the man with the tattoo. Damn, the view was hot. Each time the Dom spanked the man, Jon’s breathing hitched. He wished Ainsley were the man being flogged. No, he wished he were the one flogging Ainsley. He’d love to have a scene with him. He’d bet they’d have a good time. He massaged the bulge in his leathers.
This had to be some level of hell, watching a man who reminded him of Ainsley being spanked. He’d lusted after Ainsley for the last two years. He and Ainsley had always gotten along because they loved to talk about sports and running. He understood Ainsley’s affection for the theater and Ainsley seemed to appreciate his need to write. Jon’s ex, Leo, had never understood either man. Jon didn’t miss Leo, but he did wish Ainsley would come around now that Jon and Leo had split up.
The sub twisted and flinched from his position on the cross, but didn’t use his safe word. Jon listened to the scene and rubbed his dick harder. He didn’t get off on watching, but the view was too much to ignore. The sub’s ass shimmered red and had to be hot. The Dom moved up to the sub’s shoulders, then down to his upper thighs, leaving angry lines on his body. Perspiration glittered on the sub’s skin and caught the light. When the sub cried out, Jon tensed. He needed to come and so did Jon.
He marveled at every lash and stripe across the sub’s ass. Beautiful. He wished he were the one doling out the punishment. He loved the power in dominating, but he loved giving the sub what he or she needed even more.
Jon opened the front of his leathers and stroked his dick. His balls tingled and he growled. As the scene ended with the sub collapsing against the cross, Jon gritted his teeth and came. A ribbon of cum landed on his thigh. He panted as he added a few more strokes, then stilled.
“Fuck.” He stared at the ceiling. He wasn’t one for jerking off while watching a scene, yet he’d done it. Whoever this sub was, he had to be important. Maybe the catalyst had been the tattoo and the chance that the man could be Ainsley. Jon didn’t know.
Once his heart rate returned to normal, Jon grabbed a towel and wiped his leathers clean. He abandoned the towel in one of the hampers, then strolled back to the changing room. He loved the freedom of the club. He didn’t have to worry about being seen or anything being off-limits. Everyone, Dom and sub, could mingle together, but the Doms were in charge.
He stood in front of his locker and changed out of his leathers into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Jesus. What kind of pervert was he that he got o
ff watching a sub who looked like Ainsley being flogged? He had a terrible crush on Ainsley and no way to act on it. He massaged his forehead. He’d better get a sub and fast so he could move on with his life.
“Jon?” Ainsley strolled across the locker room and stopped beside him. His nipple rings glittered in the light. The jockstrap barely contained his cock and balls, and the harness stretched across his slender torso. “Hi.”
“Hi.” Jon fought his instinct to keep the man at bay and tugged him close for a hug. This version of Ainsley wasn’t quite the polished man he remembered, but he liked the rougher version more. “I never thought I’d see you here again.”
“I know.” Ainsley toyed with the wrinkles in Jon’s shirt. “Leo thought it was best if my path didn’t cross with yours.” He blushed. “He hated that you and I got along so well.”
“He would.” He swept his gaze over Ainsley again. “You played.” The sweatiness of Ainsley’s body added to his sexiness.
“I did. The flogging scene. I heard you watched me,” Ainsley said. “Did you?”
“That was you?” Jesus. His fantasy man really had been the one he’d watched. No fucking way. “Was it good? You seemed to enjoy it.”
“Yeah.” A smile curled Ainsley’s lips and accentuated the cleft in his chin. He seemed more relaxed than the last time Jon had seen him. Ainsley rested his hands on his hips. “I wanted to talk to you.”
“Oh?” Jon sat on the bench and donned his socks, then running shoes.
Ainsley sat beside him. “I’m going to be here in Cleveland this summer. I designed the sets for the Colonial Theater. They’re putting on a production of Romeo and Juliet.”
“Uh-huh.” Jon tucked his leathers into his gym bag. He had to hide his enthusiasm. Ainsley would be in his area for a while. He’d have to see the production and bump into Ainsley at least once or twice.
“The thing is, I’m staying at a hotel downtown, but it’s expensive. Leo, in his infinite wisdom, decided he had a better idea and gave me the pass to park in your building as well as your penthouse key. He said I should stay with you because it’d be cheaper.” Ainsley tensed. “He practically begged me to take the key.”
