Ben frowned. “That was so weird. Do you think he’s started having fits?”
“Possibly. Maybe he’s allergic to something. You can afford to take him to the vet now…”
§§§
Ben had the common sense to warn Nikolas what was happening the first Sunday the church of New Hope Through Prayer—Martin’s new name for his organisation—descended on the chapel in their grounds.
When they came out from their prayer meeting, they were greeted by rugs spread out on the dry, newly mown grass, and with tables laden with early strawberries, and dishes of thick, yellow clotted cream. And, slightly bemused but clearly utterly delighted, they were served this treat by three children—Ben and Nikolas’s children: Emilia, Miles, and Molly Rose Rider-Mikkelsen.
Ben and Nikolas observed the sun-drenched clearing from a little distance away, perched on an old granite rock under the ancient oaks.
“I want Molly to come and live with us.” Ben didn’t turn his gaze from the milling throng spreading around on the blankets on the grass.
Nikolas didn’t either. “Good.”
Ben smiled and nodded. It was time. He’d carried burdens his whole life. He could carry this. He wasn’t afraid anymore.
“She’ll need someone to look after her. We can’t.”
Ben quirked a smile. “I already have someone in mind.”
Nikolas pursed his lips a little. It was obvious he knew whom Ben meant—Ben was studying the dumpy girl with the ridiculously Biblical hair who was playing with Molly now. Ben was also fairly sure that Nikolas was thinking about a certain kiss on the cheek. But didn’t it say in the Bible somewhere that God was a jealous god? “Are you sure that’s a good idea? You don’t want your daughter brought up with a lot of freaky—”
“No. I want your daughter brought up surrounded by love and goodness. It’s time to break some cycles, Nik.”
Ben could tell Nikolas wasn’t convinced. It didn’t matter. Ben had never been surer of anything. As Martin had tried to tell him, his unfailing sense of direction hadn’t gotten turned around after all—just a little lost in the fog. But it had brought him to this place, with these people, sitting alongside Nikolas Mikkelsen. Someone was watching out for him, that was for sure.
Ben chuckled when he saw the dogs emerge from the direction of the house, linked together as always now, drawn by the noise of the gathering, and muttered wryly, “Who’s leading who?”
“I think Chainsaw just winced.”
“Whatever. You know they are determined about the name.”
“I may be very chilled and relaxed about all things, Benjamin Rider-Mikkelsen, but we’re not calling that dog Puff Ball.”
Ben felt his lips forming into a small pout and stopped the worryingly childish expression. But he had to say it. He just had to. “You were also very chilled and relaxed when I…told you I wasn’t going to have sex with you anymore. You took my…rejection very equi…what’s that word that means easily?”
“I have no idea. It is your language, not mine.”
“You just agreed that you’d always thought we were wrong—about being gay…”
“Did I?”
“You almost encouraged me to…leave you. You didn’t even put up a fight.”
Nikolas bit his lip on what looked suspiciously like a smirk.
Ben frowned then suddenly thumped him. “You fucking bugger.”
“Do not swear at me, Benjamin.”
Ben saw the sly glance that Nikolas slipped him and caught him around the neck, knuckle-rubbing his hair, the first time Nikolas had been subjected to such an indignity after this familiar chastisement.
Nikolas appeared to think a cigarette was necessary to regain his dignity, but after considering the packet for a moment, slipped it back into his pocket.
Peace descended upon them once more until Ben ventured, “You’re not…angry about the chapel? Martin and Sarah still being a part of my life?”
With almost no hesitation, Nikolas replied, “Our life.”
It seemed to sum up all that needed to be said.
Nikolas rose from the rock and stretched, the sun catching the highlights in his hair.
Ben stood too and slipped his arms around Nikolas from behind, pressing against him, a pleasant sharing of an obvious intent for later that night.
Just as he was deciding whether they could bring this intent forward a little—sneak further off into the woods, in fact, Ben cried out in alarm, “Radulf’s collapsed again!”
Nikolas gave a small, gleeful chuckle. “It must be the company he’s keeping.”
Continued in Book 8 – His Fateful Heap of Days
About the Author
JOHN WILTSHIRE currently resides in New Zealand while he attempts to raise enough money to return to England and buy a house on Dartmoor. This endeavour is taking longer than he’d planned.
Trademarks Acknowledgment
The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:
Zimmer: Zimmer Biomet, Inc.
Canada Goose: Canada Goose, Inc.
Heinz: H. J. Heinz Company
30 Days of Night: Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.
Ghostbusters: Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.
E.T.: Universal Studios, Inc.
YouTube: YouTube, LLC.
Primark: Primark Holdings, Ltd.
Steiff: Steiff North America, Inc.
Maserati: Maserati S.p.A.
The Walking Dead: AMC Networks Inc.
Merc: Daimler AG
Range Rover Sport: Jaguar Land Rover Automotive, PLC.
Batman: DC Comics, Inc.
Lycra: Invista S.à r.l.
Ducati: Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.
MLR PRESS AUTHORS
Featuring a roll call of some of the best writers of gay erotica and mysteries today!
Derek Adams
Kyle Adams
Vicktor Alexander
Z. Allora
Simone Anderson
Victor J. Banis
Laura Baumbach
Ally Blue
J.P. Bowie
Barry Brennessel
Jade Buchanan
James Buchanan
TA Chase
Charlie Cochrane
Karenna Colcroft
Jamie Craig
Ethan Day
Diana DeRicci
Vivien Dean
Taylor V. Donovan
S.J. Frost
Kimberly Gardner
Kaje Harper
Stephani Hecht
Alex Ironrod
Jambrea Jo Jones
DC Juris
AC Katt
Thomas Kearnes
Kiernan Kelly
K-lee Klein
Geoffrey Knight
Christopher Koehler
Matthew Lang
J.L. Langley
Vincent Lardo
Cameron Lawton
Anna Lee
Elizabeth Lister
William Maltese
Z.A. Maxfield
Timothy McGivney
Kendall McKenna
AKM Miles
Robert Moore
Reiko Morgan
Jet Mykles
Jackie Nacht
N.J. Nielsen
Cherie Noel
Gregory L. Norris
Willa Okati
Erica Pike
Neil S. Plakcy
Rick R. Reed
A.M. Riley
AJ Rose
Rob Rosen
George Seaton
Riley Shane
Jardonn Smith
DH Starr
Richard Stevenson
Christopher Stone
Liz Strange
Marshall Thornton
Lex Valentine
Haley Walsh
Mia Watts
Lynley Wayne
Missy Welsh
Ryal Woods
S
tevie Woods
Sara York
Lance Zarimba
Mark Zubro
Check out titles, both available and forthcoming, at
www.mlrpress.com
GLBT RESOURCES
RAINBOW ROMANCE WRITERS
Raising the Bar for LGBT Romance
RRW offers support and advocacy to career-focused authors, expanding the horizons of romance. Changing minds, one heart at a time. www.rainbowromancewriters.com
THE TREVOR PROJECT
The Trevor Project operates the only nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. Every day, The Trevor Project saves lives though its free and confidential helpline, its website and its educational services. If you or a friend are feeling lost, alone, confused or in crisis, please call The Trevor Helpline. You’ll be able to speak confidentially with a trained counselor 24/7.
The Trevor Helpline: 866-488-7386
On the Web: http://www.thetrevorproject.org/
THE GAY MEN’S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROJECT
Founded in 1994, The Gay Men’s Domestic Violence Project is a grassroots, non-profit organization founded by a gay male survivor of domestic violence and developed through the strength, contributions and participation of the community. The Gay Men’s Domestic Violence Project supports victims and survivors through education, advocacy and direct services. Understanding that the serious public health issue of domestic violence is not gender specific, we serve men in relationships with men, regardless of how they identify, and stand ready to assist them in navigating through abusive relationships.
GMDVP Helpline: 800.832.1901
On the Web: http://gmdvp.org/
THE GAY & LESBIAN ALLIANCE AGAINST DEFAMATION/GLAAD EN ESPAÑOL
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
On the Web: http://www.glaad.org/
GLAAD en español: http://www.glaad.org/espanol/bienvenido.php
SERVICEMEMBERS LEGAL DEFENSE NETWORK
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, legal services, watchdog and policy organization dedicated to ending discrimination against and harassment of military personnel affected by “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT).The SLDN provides free, confidential legal services to all those impacted by DADT and related discrimination. Since 1993, its inhouse legal team has responded to more than 9,000 requests for assistance. In Congress, it leads the fight to repeal DADT and replace it with a law that ensures equal treatment for every servicemember, regardless of sexual orientation. In the courts, it works to challenge the constitutionality of DADT.
SLDN Call: 800-538-7418
PO Box 65301 or (202) 328-FAIR
Washington DC 20035-5301 e-mail: [email protected]
On the Web: http://sldn.org/
THE GLBT NATIONAL HELP CENTER
The GLBT National Help Center is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization that is dedicated to meeting the needs of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community and those questioning their sexual orientation and gender identity. It is an outgrowth of the Gay & Lesbian National Hotline, which began in 1996 and now is a primary program of The GLBT National Help Center. It offers several different programs including two national hotlines that help members of the GLBT community talk about the important issues that they are facing in their lives. It helps end the isolation that many people feel, by providing a safe environment on the phone or via the internet to discuss issues that people can’t talk about anywhere else. The GLBT National Help Center also helps other organizations build the infrastructure they need to provide strong support to our community at the local level.
National Hotline: 1-888-THE-GLNH (1-888-843-4564)
National Youth Talkline 1-800-246-PRIDE (1-800-246-7743)
On the Web: http://www.glnh.org/
e-mail: [email protected]
If you’re a GLBT and questioning student heading off to university, you should know that there are resources on campus for you. Here’s just a sample:
GLBT SCHOLARSHIP RESOURCES
http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/tell-us-about-an-lgbt-scholarship
Syracuse University
http://lgbt.syr.edu/
Texas A&M
http://glbt.tamu.edu/
Tulane University
http://tulane.edu/studentaffairs/oma/lgbt/index.cfm
University of Alaska http://www.uaf.edu/woodcenter/leadership/organizations/active/index.xml?id=61
University of California, Davis
http://lgbtrc.ucdavis.edu/
University of California, San Francisco
http://lgbt.ucsf.edu/
University of Colorado
http://www.colorado.edu/GLBTQRC/
University of Florida
http://www.multicultural.ufl.edu/lgbt/
University of Hawaii, Mānoa
http://manoa.hawaii.edu/lgbt/
University of Utah
http://www.sa.utah.edu/lgbt/
University of Virginia
http://www.virginia.edu/deanofstudents/lgbt/
Vanderbilt University
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/lgbtqi/
John Wiltshire - [More Heat Than the Sun 07] Page 26
