Chapter 24 Reason Sixteen #2
He shook his head. “Her ring.” Before I could object, he held a finger up, asking for the chance to explain himself.
I nodded, but judging by the look of fear in his eyes, he knew he had mere moments before I rolled my body all over him to mark him with my scent.
“It was pretty enough, that ring. It had all the components of something beautiful. A nice enough foundation. A little shine to it, right in the center. But it was just for show. It gives the illusion of beauty. Just enough shine to fool everyone. And yeah, sometimes it caught the sun at just the right angle and the light shone right back up at me, too. But when that shine wore off, what was left to look at? Something I tried my hardest to appreciate, but never really wanted. It deserved to be appreciated. She deserves to be appreciated.” He leaned forward, pressing his lips to my ear.
“But me and you? Me and you, Kent, we’re like diamonds.
Timeless and solidified. Untainted.” He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against him.
“When I get you your ring, you’re going to know it’s yours.
You’ll know it because when you look down at it on your finger, it’s going to be just as beautiful as you are. ”
“Th-that," I stuttered, wiping tears from my eyes. "That is the most ridiculous thing that I’ve ever heard, and you should be embarrassed right now.” I grabbed his face with both of my hands and pulled him to me, giving him a kiss befitting a god—because that’s what he was to me. My God. My heart. My eternal soul.
“Don’t,” he warned. “If you make me cry before church, I’ll never forgive you. Not for the rest of my life.”
“Then I hope you’re mad at me for a really, really long time.” I kissed him again, gentler this time. “You’re sure you don’t want to just stay home?”
“I’ll only be gone a few hours.”
“But I’m home, Gray.” I pressed my lips to his neck and slid my hand down his back.
When I reached his ass, I ran my fingertips up and down his crack.
His body shook, a moan escaping as I pressed into the fabric that hid him away from me.
“I came home to you, remember? You said God gave me back to you. Surely he wants you to enjoy the fruits of your labor.”
“You’re the Eve to my Adam right now, you know? Tempting me with your forbidden fruit.”
“I don’t like that,” I said, taking a step back. I folded my arms across my chest and glared at him. “You leave Eve out of this. She's suffered enough."
“Here we go.” Gray nibbled on his lip as the corners of his mouth curled.
“Yes. Here we go. Poor Eve. Just wanted a little taste of that—” I leaned in, nipping his earlobe with my teeth. “—delicious fruit.”
“Please don’t sexualize Genesis, Kent. You know that makes me nervous.”
I rolled my eyes. “So, Eve took a bite. So what? Adam did, too. You never hear anyone laying into him at Sunday service. No one forced him to eat the damn fruit. No one put a knife to his neck. Hell, he didn’t even have a lying little snake to tempt him.”
Gray pulled away from me and frowned. “It’s sexist. That’s why.”
I crinkled up my nose at him. “Look at you. A few good dickings and I’ve turned you into a liberal.”
“Bite your tongue,” Gray said, looking scandalized. He gnawed on his bottom lip, staring past me like he was checking for chips in the paint on the wall.
“Spill it.”
He blinked a few times before looking over at me. “Huh?”
“You’re hiding something. I can tell. I know these things,” I said, rather cheerfully. “Come on, tell me.”
He shook his head. “Honestly, it’s nothing.
” He stood up from the bed and walked back to the dresser, checking his hair for the twentieth time that morning.
I swarmed behind him, tapping him on the shoulder.
With a sigh, he rolled his eyes and turned to face me.
“Fine. But you can’t tell anyone. Especially Daddy.
I know he’s okay with us being together, but I’m pretty sure this would break him. ”
My eyes bulged. “Okay, well now you have to tell me.”
Gray sighed like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. “It’s about politics.”
“Oh no,” I said, holding my hands up, warding him away. “You’re not going to rope me into your ridiculous little league of Log Cabin Republicans, Grayson Elijah Collins. I’m not voting against my own interests. Not happening.”
He snickered. “I love it when you use my full name. Makes me feel like you’re going to pull me over your lap and give me a spanking or something.”
I shifted to my right and peeked behind him, staring at that delicious little ass of his.
“Is that what you want, baby? You want me to take you over my knee and wear that ass out?” He swallowed, a bead of perspiration forming at his hairline.
“Gray Collins, you absolute deviant. Well, we can certainly arrange that. Tonight, perhaps?”
He blushed, spinning around and adjusting his tie. “Yeah. Yeah, we can do that.” He cleared his throat. “I’d like that. But what I was saying—it’s just—”
“Oh, for God’s sake, just spit it out, babe.”
His eyes met mine in the mirror, and he smirked at me. “I may have voted blue in the last few elections.”
My jaw hit the floor.
“Well, in every election, actually,” he said.
“You’d better not be fucking with me right now.”
He winked at me. “I did it for you.”
“What?”
“Gay rights never mattered much to me. I mean, they mattered, but they didn’t touch my life after you left.
I wouldn’t need to get married to a man.
I knew I wouldn’t be adopting a kid or anything.
I wanted you to be able to, though.” He turned around and kissed my forehead.
“Even if I couldn’t have you, I wanted you to have everything.
You deserve the world.” He checked his watch and frowned.
I had to swallow the lump in my throat. “So do you.” He tried to turn away, but I latched onto him, burying my face in his chest. “It breaks my heart to hear the way you were so resigned to everything.” I purred like a kitten when he scratched my scalp.
“You sure we don’t have a few minutes before you have to leave?
I feel like I ought to thank you for all of those beautiful words you just gave me. ”
“I wish,” he said. “Service starts in twenty. Sure you don’t want to tag along?”
“Yeah,” I scoffed. “We’ll just march in there arm in arm like a gay Jim and Tammy Faye.”
“I would,” he said, his voice quiet. “I’d walk in there with you. I wouldn’t hide you. Not there.” He looked up at the ceiling again, but that time, he smiled. “Not from God.”
“You wouldn’t?”
“I’ll never hide you. Not again. If you ever want to, I’ll be there. Right by your side.”
I snorted. “Could you even imagine? Your dad would probably storm the stage and start singing Born This Way.”
He looked down at his feet, shoving his hands inside his pockets. “Daddy hasn’t gone back. Not since he found out about the lake. He won’t talk to Momma. Hasn’t spoken to Trevor since.”
“Oh,” was all I could say.
“I don’t think that they’ll get through this.” His lip wedged between his teeth and he sniffed. “It’s stupid. I’m a grown man, but it still hurts.”
I wrapped my arms around him and leaned against his chest. “I’m sorry you’re going through this. If you want to talk to her, it’s fine. She’s your mom. I’m not going to come between you.”
He shook his head and hugged me back. “It’s Daddy I feel sorry for. He’s no good on his own. I just want him to be okay.”
“Marty’s just about the strongest man I’ve ever known.
He’ll get through it. And we’ll be right there if he needs us.
And if they don’t make it, if he can’t forgive her, we can help him.
We know this town, Gray. Every woman in it.
Myrna’s been single for years. I wouldn’t inflict Elmyra on him, though.
” The beginnings of an idea formed in my head, and Gray must have thought the same because he covered my mouth with his hand and shook his head.
“If you suggest your mother, I’m divorcing you, Kent.
” I wanted to mumble that we weren’t married yet, but all I could do was pucker my lips and kiss his palm.
“We would be brothers. I know you don’t take religion seriously, and your moral compass has been busted for decades, but I draw the line at pseudo-incest.”
I giggled and wrapped my arms around his waist, resting my forehead against his. “We would be brother-fuckers," I said, waggling my eyebrows. Then I cringed. “No. Scratch that. I’m right there with you. I move to strike this entire conversation from the record of our lives.”
He nodded. “Agreed.” He glanced up, our eyes meeting. “You sure I can’t talk you into coming with me?”
“God, you’re worse than those damn Jehovah’s Witnesses.” I pulled away and slapped his ass. “Go on. The sooner you’re gone, the sooner you come home. And I can’t wait for you to come.”
“Everything is sex for you, isn’t it?”
“Pretty much,” I said, thumping his nose.
“Just another one of my charming quirks. Now go on. Get the hell out of here, and go get your praise on. I’ll be right here when you get home.
” I turned and gazed at his closet, licking my lips.
“There are about fifteen leather belts in that closet, and they’ve all got your name on them.
” I arched an eyebrow, bringing my voice to a growl.
“The longer you make me wait, the worse your punishment will be.”
His knees wobbled so hard, I had to wrap an arm around his waist to keep him from falling. There were two big, bright splotches of red heat settled on his cheeks. “You promise?”