by Sierra Hill
He gets down on bended knee, clasping my hands in his, lifting his beautiful hazel eyes to my face.
“Kyler, I love you. I love your beautiful heart and the beautiful art you create. I want to showcase that art here in this gallery that we own. I want to be the pedestal to hold you up and share your incredible gifts with the world. Because you’ve given those gifts tenfold to me.”
Falling to my knees, I cup Lucas’s jawline in my hands, strumming my thumb over his bottom lip before touching his lips with mine in a watery and happy kiss.
“Baby, you’re the only gift I’ll ever need in this world.”
The End
Epilogue
Kyler
“What do you think of the new piece we just got in?”
I stand facing the black painted wall, hands on my hips and my back to Lucas, tilting my head left and right, critiquing the hell out of the new artwork we’d just received.
It might need a bit more adjustment.
That’s been our motto over the past year as we’ve worked side-by-side and collectively grown the gallery. I wake up every morning still shocked and amazed at how much my life has changed and how much in love I am – more and more each day – with Lucas.
Talk about adjustments. We’ve seen plenty in our lives and within our circle of friends. We’ve even been discussing the idea of opening a new gallery location in L.A., where Peyton now lives and works with her boyfriend, Brody.
Lucas moves in behind me, securing his solid arms around my middle, holding me so close that his mouth lands on my neck. And because I’m always a horny boy and up to no good all the time, I wiggle my ass against his crotch playfully, knowing I’ll get the reaction I’m looking for.
And I do, which makes me smile at my ability to turn on my man with my dirty little dancer moves.
Lucas quietly assesses the canvas, muttering indications that he might not like it as much as I do.
“Well?” I prod, hoping for his approval so we can spotlight it in our upcoming show. “Yes or no?”
“Hmm, that’s a really good question. Yes…or no…” His voice trails off and he backs away from me, his swift departure leaving me to sway on unsteady feet. As I regain my balance, I twist my neck behind me to give him the ‘what-for’ look to see that he’s disappeared.
I notice he’s retreated into the back office, where just this morning as he was paying the bills and signing contracts, I interrupted his managerial work with a welcome home blow job.
Lucas had just returned from a trip to the east coast to spend some time with his grandmother and manage some of her affairs, as well as attend a few art shows in New York. While I wanted nothing more than to travel with him — because, hey, the Big Apple is still on my bucket list —I remained at home, finishing up my last and final school project before I became a full-fledged graduate.
It still blows my mind how far I’ve come since leaving behind my family and my ex to learn to walk on my own. But we all need a little help from others and I found it and more with Lucas and my best friends.
That’s not to say it has been easy finding balance in my professional and personal life, but every struggle has been worth it. With the art gallery and my income from my own art, I was been able to quit my other two jobs to focus on painting and finishing my degree.
And while it was time consuming and often times difficult trying to adjust to this new and crazy life, I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Once Luc and I committed to one another and agreed never to keep secrets again, we fell into a groove that has led me to profound happiness. And I think the feeling is mutual for him. A weight was lifted from his shoulders when he came out to the university and his friends and it was as a brand new, fun-loving Lucas emerged, full of life and energy.
He even took a sabbatical this past summer to travel to Italy and Paris, where we visited the most incredible museums in the world, and he began writing a paper on sexuality and art history that was published this fall.
By the time we returned to Phoenix, I was so madly and deeply in love with Lucas, I could barely see straight.
It was also during that time that Peyton went off to seek her own identity in L.A. as a new fashion designer. While we both went our separate ways, thereby ending our roommate requirements, she has become my closes confidante in the world.
Aside from Lucas, of course.
“Hey, where the hell did you go, baby?”
I walk through the office door and find him rummaging inside the connected back storeroom where we keep prints and other commissioned art locked up to rotate through the gallery. There was still one piece he’d brought back with him from New York that was still boxed up.
But now he stands before it, the canvas turned and hidden from view, and he peers over his shoulder.
“I wanted to get your opinion on this piece I had commissioned.”
“Of course. Is it a new artist?”
He smiles slyly and flips the painting around, placing it on the easel next to him.
My heart hammers so loudly in my chest I’m sure it sounds like a jackhammer. I’m in speechless wonder as I gaze over the perfectly beautiful and soft lines of the artist’s brush, the muted highlights, and the bold contrasts of the two men in the forefront of the painting.
It’s a star-filled, sunset evening on the Pont des Arts near the Museé du Louvre, two men holding hands, overlooking the river Seine.
It’s a picture of the two of us from one of the most beautiful moments in my life.
“Wow,” I croak in a raspy voice. “Where did you have this done?”
“I had it commissioned when we got back from Paris in July. What do you think? Do you like it?”
Tears flood my eyes and like a sappy goon, I throw my arms around my man’s neck, my body sagging into his, as I pepper him with kisses.
“No, I don’t like it,” I say with a shake of my head, pulling back to see the expression in his eyes borders on disappointment. But then I smile broadly and kiss him on the lips.
“I love it! And I love my hot, sexy professor even more.”
Afterword
Did you enjoy Lucas and Kyler’s love story? If so, the greatest gift you can give an author is in the form of a review. Thank you for reading Change of Course!
And if you haven’t read the previous two books in the Change of Hearts series, check them out now. In fact, Book 1, Game Changer, is a 2020 RONE Award-winning novel!
Start the series here:
Game Changer (Book #1) - Brooklyn and Garrett
Change in Strategy (Book #2) - Peyton and Brody
And you can also download a FREE book just by subscribing to Sierra’s mailing list. Sign-Up Here: www.sierrahillbooks.com
Acknowledgments
First, let me thank all my ARC team readers who read and reviewed Kyler and Lucas’s story. Your feedback and corrections are always helpful and so very appreciated. You are all such fantastic human beings and I appreciate all your love and support.
And to Lisa H., thank you for alpha reading this story and giving me your thoughts and feedback along the way, helping me to give life to these characters and develop their story. <
Debbie, you’re such a wonderful editor and friend. And REALLY, ACTUALLY the best at finding those redundant words I seem to always include. Haha
To Marley Valentine for your initial feedback and critique. You are one of the most supportive authors I’ve met along the way in this business. Love you, my Aussie friend!
And finally, to all those out there who live in fear and have to hide who they really are because our world is so cruel and unaccepting of the concept that love is love. We are all born this way…it’s not a choice. I support the LGBTQ community and hope that someday all queer and gay kids and adults can love openly and freely.
Xoxo, Sierra
About the Author
Sierra Hill is a 2020 RONE Award-Winning author of Game Changer, as well as over 30 novels, including
the award-winning college sports series, Courting Love, and the twice award-finalist erotic ménage serial, Reckless – The Smoky Mountain Trio.
Subscribe to her email list and download a FREE book here: www.sierrahillbooks.com
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