Every Shade by Nora Phoenix
One Year Later
“Honey, I’m home!” Matthew called out as he walked through the front door.
Fast feet came running, and then Jace launched himself at him. Matthew dropped his backpack on the floor and held him tight as Jace wrapped his legs around him. “I missed you,” Jace said with a deep sigh. “I missed you so fucking much.”
“The next time I have a conference, you’re coming with me. I don’t care what everyone thinks.”
Jace leaned back, his eyes sparkling. “You could always introduce me as your cousin…”
Matthew grinned. Who could have thought that Jace had a dirty mind that rivaled his own? Between the two of them, they’d come up with all kinds of scenarios they wanted to play out, and their latest one had been a guy who caught his cousin masturbating and decided to teach him how to do it properly.
“That’d sure as fuck shock the hell out of everyone.”
He kissed Jace firmly, then put him back on his feet. He hadn’t been kidding. A week without Jace was too long. They’d become inseparable since Jace had driven up to take care of him. Fun fact: he’d never left. One week had become two and then a whole month, and two months later, they’d made the trip to Maryland together to pack up Jace’s apartment and move all his stuff into Matthew’s house.
“I have a new role I’d love for you to play,” he told Jace, who cocked his head and looked at him expectantly.
“You know I’m always game for whatever dirty scenario your mind comes up with. What is it this time, and more importantly, do I get to wear a costume again?”
They’d discovered Jace got a kick out of the dressing up part of their role-play, and so they now had a wide variety of outfits he could put on. “Yup, a very fancy one. Super stylish.”
Jace frowned. “Fancy and stylish? Are we doing a regency ball or something?”
“Nope, though there will be dancing.”
“I have no clue, so hit me with it.”
Matthew felt for the little box in his pocket, then sank to one knee and flipped it open. “The role of my husband…”
“Matthew…”
He’d never become Avery to Jace. In fact, he’d begun to introduce himself as Matthew, even when he met new people. Avery was the past. Matthew was the future. Jace’s husband. “What do you say, baby? Ready to play that role for the rest of your life?”
Jace’s eyes filled with tears. “Yes. A thousand times yes.”
He slipped the simple ring onto Jace’s finger, his own eyes growing moist, then kissed his hand and rose to his feet. He cupped Jace’s face in his hands. “I love you so much. Please don’t ever stop taking care of me…”
“That’s an easy one,” Jace said. “I promise. Forever.”
* * *
In the moodfor more winter romance? Check out Coming Out on Top, where a top Twink gets snowed in with a gentle giant and discovers that they have more in common than he’d ever thought possible…
