I know in this moment that, no matter what, I’m never going to be able to refuse him, no matter what he asks of me.
Ever.
Even if it means doing things that will negatively impact my professional life.
I can’t look away from those blue eyes and I nearly miss the next thing he says after he takes a deep breath. “I’m in love with Declan.”
Casey’s gaze narrows as she studies him, looks at me, then back to Sir. “Oh,shit. Did you just drop theL-bomb on Dec for the first time?”
Sir nods, still staring at me, his gaze growing even more intense, if that’s possible. “Yeah. I did.”
I find myself nodding, my heart pounding in my chest. “I love you, too.”
I can’t describe the smile that washes across his features. It wipes away years, grief, worry, stress.
I love Casey—I do. Deeply. And she knows that. But I also know even though she does love me… There are older, stronger demons in her past than are in George’s or mine. Demons she might never tell me about, much less let me help her heal so she can release them.
I can’t wait forever. I thought I could, but not now. Not when I’ve now experienced first-hand another level of emotional intimacy I never knew existed, much less that I needed it so damned much. George and I will always be here for Casey if she ever decides to open herself to him and trust him the way I trust him.
George returns to me and holds out his hand.
I take it.
He pulls me to my feet and into his arms, where he stares down at me. “If I could, I’d tell everyone about us right now. I’mnotashamed of you, Dec. I’m not ashamed of what we have, either.”
“I know, Si-George.” I hear Casey snort as she catches my near-misstep. “Wecan’tbe open right now. We’ve still got too much work to do in office.”
That’s when he kisses me,rightthere. Not a tonsil-tickling kiss like we frequently share when alone in the safety of his home, but a sweet, tender kiss that’s more PG-rated and all the more delicious for it.
Because he’s kissed me in front of Aussie, told her how he feels about me.
Admitted tomehow he feels about me.
“I’mnotcalling him ‘Dad’,” Aussie snarks from where she’s standing.
But when we both look, she’s standing there, her arm around Casey’s waist and Casey’s around Aussie’s shoulder, and they’re both wearing identical smirks.
Still, Sir doesn’t release me. “We’re not quite that far along yet,” he says. Then he looks at me again. “All we’re asking for is your silence.”
“Fine, Dad. Igetit.”
I think he’s releasing me, except he keeps one arm around me and waves the two of them in for a group hug.
“Hey, I haven’t told your brothers about you since you came out to me,” he reminds her, nuzzling the top of her head. “It’s not their business. I letyoudictate that. Remember?”
“Yeah, yeah.”
We all stand there for a moment.
“How many heads could we make explode,” Aussie muses, “if the gay governor and his lesbian daughter both have weddings at the Tennessee Residence?”
Casey laughs and uses that moment to step back. “Probably most of them,” she says.
Chapter Seventeen
The filing deadline draws closer and I’m increasingly paranoid something’s going to come out about me and George, some whiff of gossip, no matter what Aussie promised.
Except as the days pass without any word of our relationship escaping into the wild to come back and bite either of us in the ass, I do my best to relax.
