As he
stuck birthday candles in the blue cake in front of him, Deputy Nick Hale
thought he just might pull his hair out. He would be bald by the end of the day. There
was just no other way to get out his frustrations without screaming and that
would upset the kids, which meant it would never happen.
He had
faced armed perps scarier than baby Hannah in a snit. Not quite a year old, she
was hell on two wobbly feet. Nick couldn't think of much he wasn't willing to do
to keep her smiling and happy.
It was
pretty much the same with TJ, but at least the little boy could be reasoned
with...to a point. Three year olds—scratch that, four year olds—tended to have
minds of their own. If what Nick told him to do made sense to him, TJ did it. If
not, no power on earth could get the kid to agree. Nick was positive that the
innate stubbornness came from his sister, Betty, the children's mother.
Sadness welled up inside of Nick as he finished decorating TJ's birthday
cake.
He missed his sister, and her husband, Tommy. The sudden loss of two of the most
important people in his life had been hard. There were days when Nick wondered
if he would survive. Throwing TJ's fourth birthday party was one of them.
What
did he know about throwing a birthday party for a kid?
"Breath, baby."
Nick
chuckled as he let out a breath and then drew another one in. He leaned back
into the arms that encircled him, patting the hands clasped over his chest. "I
don't know how Betty and Tommy did this year after year. It's insane."
"It's
not like they did this for decades, Nicky," DB said as he moved around in front
of Nick and peered up at him. "TJ is only turning four, not a hundred."
"Can
you imagine what Ma and Da Blaecleah went through?" The older couple had like a
million kids. Granted, they were all grown now, and a few of them had even
started providing the Blaecleahs with grandchildren, but six kids made for a lot
of birthday parties.
DB
snickered. "We're lucky we just have the two little hellions."
Nick
grinned as he rested his head against DB. With each second he spent in his
husband's arms, he could feel he layers of stress rolling off his body. He was
pretty sure he could face anything the world tossed at him as long as he had DB,
even a four year old's birthday party.
"We
could have more," Nick whispered into DB's light brown hair. "Maybe one with
your beautiful green eyes." Nick felt the air still around them, his heart
beating erratically in his chest as he waited for DB's response.
DB's
head lifted slowly. Nick couldn't read the expression in the handsome doctor's
eyes, almost as if DB was closing off his emotions. "You want more children?"
Nick
felt his face flush with heat as he dropped his eyes the open neckline of DB's
dress shirt. He traced the edge of the material with his finger, feeling the
heat of DB's skin with the tip of his finger. "Not right away, no, but I've
thought about it."
DB
said nothing.
Nick
started to think he shouldn't have said anything when he felt DB's finger under
his chin, lifting his face up until their eyes met. Something loosened in Nick's
chest when he saw the twinkle in DB's eyes.
"Green
eyes, huh?"
Nick
swallowed hard. "I like your eyes."
"You
know you can't always get someone pregnant on the first try. It might take
awhile."
Nick
grinned as he pulled DB tight up against him, his semi hard cock making it
abundantly clear that he liked the feeling of the gorgeous doctor pressing
against him. "I'm willing to fuck you as many times as it takes."
Considering he had thought he was straight most of his life, that was saying a
lot. If his best friend hadn't stubbornly stuck by his side while he almost
married a woman, Nick might have missed the best thing that ever happened to
him.
"I
love you, Devon."
"I
love you, Nick, always have." DB's green eyes flashed with heat.
Nick
started to lean down to claim the handsome man's lips in a kiss guaranteed to
peel the paint off the walls, when the sounds of children laughing floated
through the air. Nick groaned as he dropped his forehead against DB's.
"Stop
laughing," he growled.
DB
laughed harder. "Cock blocked by a four year old."
Nick
rolled his eyes. "Light the birthday candles, jackass."
DB
wrinkled his nose at him before pushing away and heading for the doorway. "You
should probably do it." DB's head tilted, turning halfway toward the noise
coming from the backyard where the birthday party was in full swing. "Might be
the only fire you get close to anytime soon."
Nick
stood there with his mouth hanging open as he watched the love of his life walk
out into the backyard. "Nick Hale, this is your life." He grinned as he grabbed
a lighter and started lighting the birthday candles on the blue cake. "Ain't it
grand."
For
more from Nick and DB...
THE TIES THAT BIND
Cade Creek 9
Deputy Nick Hale and Dr.
Devon Berkley have been best friends since grade school. They have always been
there for each other, even when DB discovered he was gay and Nick was not. When
tragedy strikes, being best friends might not be enough to keep Nick from making
the worst mistake of his life.
DB has always had a thing
for his best friend but he hid it under years of friendship. Not willing to let
the man out of his life, DB ignores the attraction growing between them and
helps Nick plan his future—even if that future is with someone else.
Nick Hale has always known
DB had his back. The man being gay had never been an issue until one night, the
comfort DB offers him brings to life fantasies he had buried long ago. When it
seems like life has taken away his choices, Nick gives up his fantasies and goes
with what he believes is right. But is it? Or is he fooling himself because the
life he has always dreamed of might just be a fantasy?
http://www.bookstrand.com/book/the-ties-that-bind
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