by Susan Laine
Duncan considered that day a huge win. He was planning a celebration for that—and for the two of them knowing each other for over three months now.
Ruben’s relationship with his brother, though, was still not dealt with. Duncan saw his lover hedging, unsure, and he had gently prodded the boy a bit more every day to get him off his ass and try to reconnect. Duncan knew both brothers wanted to, so he didn’t think he was stepping over too many lines with his meddling.
While the coffee machine bubbled, he refocused on the conversation.
“That sounds wonderful, Ruben,” Benjamin said, and one could hear the smile on his face. “How about Saturday? I have a meet and greet with potential investors for the gallery—”
“Why are you meeting them? I thought Lissa—”
“Oh, yeah, um….” Benjamin chuckled. “Lissa and I, we now co-own the gallery. The previous owner retired, moved off to the Caribbean. We bought him out.”
“Oh Ben, that’s great news.” Ruben was happy for his brother. It was evident in his delighted tone. “Congratulations. It’s what you’ve always wanted.”
“It’ll be a lot of work, I think, but Lissa’s a capable girl, and….” Benjamin sounded a bit wistful.
“Honestly, Ben, when are you going to pop the question?” Ruben huffed, frustrated.
“Well, actually, now that you mention it….” His voice trailed off, but the amusement and pride was there, loud and clear.
“Oh my God, Ben. That’s even better news.”
“Yeah, yeah. I guess I finally got off my ass to see what I was missing.” A soft giggle came from the background, a decidedly feminine intonation. “I’ll be there in a sec, baby. Hold your horses.” Benjamin’s briefly muffled voice became clearer again. “I have to go, Rube.”
“Oh, right, of course.” Ruben sighed. “Call me later, and we can talk about particulars for the weekend, okay?”
Benjamin laughed. “Sure thing. Oh, speaking of which. Is your, uh, significant other gonna be joining us?”
A deafening silence ensued, and Duncan held his breath. He wasn’t truly worried that Ruben would deny their relationship, but he was curious to hear what Ruben had to say.
“So you did set us up,” Ruben commented, though his accusatory tone wasn’t all that serious.
Benjamin chuckled. “I liked Kerr. You should’ve seen him, Rube. When I was being pissy with him, he had steam coming out of his ears. He was already all yours, baby brother.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Whatever. But I don’t hear you denying it.”
For a moment it was quiet. Then Ruben said, “Duncan loves me. And I love him. Yes, he is going to be here. I’m going to ask him to move in with me.”
At that point, Duncan was so astounded that he didn’t even realize the coffee mug was no longer in his hands until he heard the clay breaking as the cup hit the linoleum floor. “Shit.” He knelt and started picking up the pieces. Thankfully, the cup had been empty, since the second batch of coffee wasn’t ready yet.
Then Ruben was kneeling at his side, apparently off the phone, and he helped Duncan gather up the broken bits. “Can’t leave you alone for five minutes, can I?” he muttered, but the amused smile he was sporting ruined the reproach.
Duncan stopped, simply staring at the boy he had come to love. “To be fair, love, it’s not entirely my fault. Not when you spring such a surprise my way. You knew I’d be listening.”
Ruben feigned coyness, again failing since his grin was downright cocky now. “So, you don’t want to move in with me?”
Duncan gripped Ruben’s hands in his own, forcing him to meet his gaze. “Just set the time and I’ll be here.” He leaned forward to kiss Ruben’s soft, warm lips. “I’ll always be here for you, love. You know that.”
This time when a shy smile replaced the playful smugness and those gray eyes glistened with unshed tears, they were real reactions. “Duncan…,” Ruben whispered, his voice soft and shuddering. “I love you so much. You have no idea.” Then a wet, choked chuckle came out. “I do want you to move in here with me. I know it’s far from your work and—”
Duncan’s chuckle halted Ruben’s speech. “You worry too much. I work for an e-pub. I can work both from the office and from home. Same as you. If you had an office, that is.” Duncan gave a teasing wink.
Ruben rolled his eyes. “The sunroom’s my office. That’s where I work. Where I have my tablet, and my Masonite board, and my easels, and—”
“But it’s here, at your home, so it doesn’t count.”
“Pfft.” Ruben scoffed. “You are a pedantic—”
Duncan kissed him silent, letting his mouth mold over Ruben’s lips. When he pulled away, his thoughts mostly consisted of erotic imagery. He cleared his throat to clear his head too. “As I was saying—”
“Let’s go upstairs,” Ruben enticed, licking his lips seductively.
Duncan swallowed hard, his cock rising in his jeans. It was his day off, and he had all day to spend with his lover. “When I move in, will I get to share your bedroom?”
Ruben blinked, surprised and wide-eyed. Then he shook his head as if baffled, but it was mostly for show, it seemed. “Our bedroom. Silly Duncan.”
When Ruben wrapped his arms around Duncan’s shoulders and kissed him breathless, the coffee was forgotten.
About the Author
SUSAN LAINE, a multipublished author of GLBT erotic romance and a Finn through and through, was raised by the best mother in the world. She told her daughter time and again that she could be whatever she wanted to be. The spark for serious writing kindled when Susan discovered the gay erotic romance genre. Today she writes for several publishing houses.
Anthropology is Susan’s formal education, but she has set her long-term sights on becoming a full-time writer of sizzling hot man love. Susan enjoys hanging out with her sister, niece and friends in movie theaters, bookstores, and parks. Her favorite pastimes include pop music, action flicks, chocolate, and doing the dishes, while a few of her dislikes are sweating hot summer days, tobacco smoke, and purposeful prejudice.
Visit Susan’s website at http://www.susan-laine-author.fi/ or write her an e-mail at [email protected].
By SUSAN LAINE
NOVELS
Falling for Rain
SENSES AND SENSATIONS
A Luminous Touch
Love in Plain Sight
Sensible Commitments
Sounds of Love
The Sweetest Scent
LIFTING THE VEIL
Book One: The Wolfing Way
Book Two: Genie’s Wish
Book Three: Hunter’s Moon
Book Four: Monsters Under the Bed
Book Five: Love of the Wild
SECOND CHANCES
Accidental Chemistry
Twice by Chance
THE WHEEL MYSTERIES
Book One: Sparks & Drops
NOVELLAS
Haunted Heart
Lofty Dreams of Earthbound Men
Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Lifting the Veil by SUSAN LAINE
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Lifting the Veil by SUSAN LAINE
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Also by SUSAN LAINE
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Senses and Sensations by SUSAN LAINE
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Senses and Sensations by SUSAN LAINE
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Also by SUSAN LAINE
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Copyright
Published by
Dreamspinner Press
5032 Capital Circle SW
Suite 2, PMB# 279
Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886
USA
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents eithe
r are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Haunted Heart
© 2014 Susan Laine.
Cover Art
© 2014 by DWS Photography.
[email protected]
Cover design by Paul Richmond.
Cover content is for illustrative purposes only
and any person depicted on the cover is a model.
All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press at: 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/.
Digital ISBN: 978-1-62798-686-1
Printed in the United States of America
First Edition
April 2014
