by Cameron Dane
“So he went ahead and accosted her too,” Diana muttered. “Thank God I introduced us really quickly because I think John was about slam Nic to the ground.”
A smile almost lifted John’s lips. “Nobody puts a hand on my wife.” His pale blue eyes flashed with quick mirth. “Except me.”
Kelsie rolled her eyes and rubbed her very pregnant stomach. “Yeah, I think they all figured that out, McBride.”
Nic looked at Kelsie, and another fast grin lit up his dark eyes. “He put more than a hand on you, Kelsie. Unless he has one hell of an immaculate touch.”
Sirus groaned, John blushed, and everyone else laughed. “In case you hadn’t figured it out yet,” Sirus finally said, “this is Nic.”
“I gathered.” Grey stuck out his hand. “Your voice was familiar, and I’ve heard enough family stories by now to put two and two together the minute you spoke.” Grey’s voice was dry, but he breathed a sigh of relief when Nic chuckled and shook his hand.
“Good to finally meet you.”
“Likewise,” Nic replied. With a blink of his eyes, the teasing man disappeared, and only a stone-cold serious older brother remained. “I’ve never heard more happiness in Sirus’s voice than in the last few months since you’ve been together. I’ve heard through Diana’s visit that it’s clear you adore him. That makes you a welcome addition to the family in my book.”
Grey’s emotions rose to the surface and he found it difficult to swallow. “Thank you.” He dipped his head. “That means a lot.”
“And that’s why we keep Nic around.” Sirus cuffed his brother’s neck and gave him another fast hug. “He can be a poet when he cares.”
Sirus leaned back against Grey’s chest. He barely settled when he stood back up straight, his eyes locked across the room. Grey followed his stare and immediately recognized Nia Wilder, dressed in a beautiful, formal navy-colored gown. She held the arm of a big, bruising man with salt and pepper hair, and behind them was a decent sized group Grey could only assume were the rest of Sirus’s siblings and their spouses.
Nic turned too, and his demeanor altered again. He slipped his arm around Diana and turned to Kelsie and John. “Why don’t you guys come with us, and I’ll introduce you to my other brothers and their wives?” Nic’s gaze shifted to Sirus and Grey, and Grey could tell the man fought to grab Sirus and throw him behind his back.
Damn, Nic doesn’t know how this is going to play out either.
Nic added, “We’ll give you guys some time to do this alone, okay?”
Diana squeezed Sirus’s arm. “Call us if you need us,” she said, but let Nic lead her away. John and Kelsie followed.
Slipping his hand into Sirus’s again, Grey nodded. “Don’t worry. We’ll be fine.”
Grey let the small group walk across the open hall and make some introductions before turning Sirus to face him. Sirus’s hands shook, and too much brightness brimmed in his eyes, breaking Grey’s heart.
“Look only at me,” Grey said. Once again, he took Sirus’s face in his hands, holding the other man until the light sparked in his beautiful deep gray eyes. Christ, Grey’s heart ached for how much Sirus was still tied to his mother’s choices, no matter how hard he tried to sever that love. Mother and son had not spoken since that day months ago in Sirus’s cabin. “You okay to do this?”
Sirus exhaled slowly and rolled his neck, joints cracking. “I’m okay now.” His shoulders lifted, and the small tremors left his body. He looked at Grey, and his normal confidence infused his voice. “I promise.”
“Good.” Grey pressed a gentle kiss to Sirus’s lips, uncaring who saw them or what they thought about two men as life mates. He pulled back and pecked another kiss on each cheek, loving the hard mixed with the soft in this man. “I love you, Sirus. No matter who does or doesn’t walk over here, or how they treat me or you in the process, I’m still gonna love you and we’re still going to be together. You fought through too much of my shit to get me to open up to you; I’m not going to let anyone break us up now. Got me?”
“Loud and clear.” Sirus lifted his hand and soothed Grey with his touch, as he always did. “I love you too.”
A rough clearing of a throat broke the men apart. They both turned, and Grey stood face-to-face with Sirus’s imposing father and cool mother.
“Son,” Sirus’s father pulled Sirus into a bear hold, “give your old man a hug.”
“Hi, Dad.” Sirus hugged Whit tightly, his flexing muscles straining against his suit jacket as he did it. “I’ve missed you.” A slight catch hitched his words.
“You too, kid.” Whit planted a kiss on the top of his son’s head. “It has been too long.”
Sirus’s gaze slid to his mother, but Whit shifted and demanded Grey’s attention first.
“You must be Grey.” The guy stuck out his giant hand. He smiled suddenly, lighting up his entire face in the same way the move did for Sirus. “It’s nice to finally put a face with the name and the voice. Good to meet you.”
A breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding escaped, almost making Grey dizzy. He took Whit’s hand and was met with a strong, sure handshake. “It is my honor, sir,” Grey said, humbled to meet the father of the man he loved. This man had no idea how much Grey already admired the parent he was. “Truly, my honor.” Grey became momentarily tongue-tied, and did a quick scan of his memory for the content of their few talks. Yes. Grey smiled. “I look forward to a game of chess while I’m in town. If you’re interested, of course.”
Whit clapped Grey on the shoulder and boomed with a burst of laughter. “Now you’re talking.” His granite eyes—Sirus’s an almost perfect mirror of them—held only welcome. “You give me a call and we’ll set something up.”
Good Christ, Grey might just want a father after all. If it could be this man. “Will do.”
Stepping back, Whit slid his arm around Nia’s waist. Nia looked up at her husband, and Grey could only see love in her eyes. It reminded him of the similar, gentle way she looked at Sirus that morning on the porch.
Nia shifted her attention to Sirus, and her chin wavered a little bit. Grey slipped his hand into Sirus’s and gave him a reassuring squeeze. He breathed a little easier when he got a strong squeeze back.
We’ll be all right, the hold conveyed. No matter what happens.
Nia opened her mouth, but snapped it shut again, and she put her attention on Grey.
“Mr. Cole,” she held out her hand, “it’s very nice to meet you. I hope we can talk over dinner.” Her gaze slid back to her son for a moment. Her eyes filled with moisture, and a nervous smile lifted her lips. Something passed between them, and she came back to Grey, her hand still outstretched. “I’d like to get to know my son’s partner, if you’ll let me.”
Grey brought Sirus’s hand up to his lips and pressed a kiss to the back. As soon as he let their hands fall clasped between them, Sirus did the same, and kissed Grey’s hand.
Smiling, Grey finally took Nia’s hand in his and shook it. “Mrs. Wilder,” he said, his heart full for Sirus, “it’s very nice to meet you too.”
The End
About the Author:
I am an Air Force brat and spent most of my growing up years living overseas in Italy and England, as well as Florida, Georgia, Ohio, and Virginia while we were stateside. I now live in Florida once again with my big, wonderfully pushy family and my three-legged cat, Harry. I have been reading romance novels since I was twelve years old, and twenty years later I still adore them. Currently, I have an unexplainable obsession with hockey goaltenders, and an unabashed affection for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
I’d love to hear from you! Visit me on the Web at http://www.camerondane.com Meet Lsb Authors At The House Of Sin
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2007: Terran Realm
Urban fantasy world: TerranRealm.com
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