“Good evening, Detective Handsome,” Jake murmured. “Whatcha got there?”
“A feeding station,” August replied. “It’s an anniversary gift.”
Jake froze. “Anniversary . . . ?”
August turned in his arms and pulled him in close, keeping his hands on Jake’s hips. “Four years ago today, I got a phone call from a Senior Constable Jacob Porter. He changed my life.”
Jake smiled and leaned in for a kiss. “You changed my life, too.”
August put a hand to Jake’s jaw and gave him another kiss. “I tried to think of something romantic, and well . . .” August gave an awkward shrug. “I suck at that, so I thought what would be more significant, and what would mean more to you . . . I looked at watches and rings and even holidays . . .”
Jacob tilted his head a little. “What?”
“A holiday,” August explained. “I thought we could go to the snow, or to the tropics, or the Outback, or even Paris if you wanted, but thought that would be something we should decide together.”
“No, not that. Although they do sound great too. But did you say rings?”
August blanched. “Well yeah, but I didn’t know what that would . . . I didn’t want you to think . . . I mean, I wanted to, but . . .”
Jake laughed. “So you bought me a feeding station instead?”
“Yeah, I . . . uh, it’s for kookaburras and I know we have that other one”—which was small and not great—“but this one is bigger and better, and with the right food, they will come. I want them to visit and I know it would mean a lot to you, and to me too. I just wanted to say a proper thank you to your nan and uncle and to let them know they’re always welcome and that they’re still family. It sounds kind of stupid and I thought it was a great idea at the time—”
Jake kissed him hard and held him tight, and when he pulled away he kept his forehead pressed to August’s. “It’s perfect.”
“I know it’s not romantic,” August began, his cheeks heated with embarrassment.
“It’s better than that.” Jake put his hand to August’s chest, over his heart. “It’s personal and means a lot to me.”
August sighed with relief. “You like it?”
Jake nodded. “Love it. But . . .”
“There’s a but?”
Jake’s grin widened. “I think we should revisit the ring thing.”
“The what?”
“The idea of you getting me a ring.”
August’s heart skipped several beats. “You want that?”
Jake looked him right in the eye. “Yes.”
“Um, how official a ring are we talking? Just a nice ring that you can wear on any finger, or . . .”
“Or,” Jake said with the beginning of a smile. “Or one that says ‘I, August Shaw, give this to you, Jacob Porter, as a symbol of forever’ would work too. I’m not fussy. Well, actually I am fussy, but I’d settle for either. And given you mentioned rings and Paris in the same conversation, we could combine the two. Or the Outback. I don’t mind which one.”
August laughed; his heart felt like it could burst. “You mean that? You would . . . would you?”
“Would I what?”
“Would you want that . . . the uh, symbol-of-forever ring thing?” August asked, fumbling over his words. He couldn’t think straight and his heart was hammering against his ribs, trying to claw its way out of his chest. “I mean, Christ, I can’t even speak.”
Jake put his forehead to August’s and stared into his eyes. “August, would you marry me?”
August stared, teary-eyed, and with a too-full heart, he nodded. Jake crushed him with a hug and led him backwards into the house, shedding clothes as they went. August managed to turn the oven off as they fumbled past, then into the bedroom, laughing and kissing until they fell into bed.
Jake spread August’s thighs with his own and August raised his hips to meet him. This was where Jake fitted best; over him, inside him, holding him, taking care of him. August kissed him, open mouthed and with tangled tongues, sure hands, and whispered moans.
And outside a kookaburra cried out to the setting sun, announcing to all who heard that they were finally home.
* * *
The End
About the Author
N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance. She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn’t have it any other way.
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She is many things: a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don’t let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.
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She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things… but likes it even more when they fall in love.
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She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.
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She’s been writing ever since…
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Email:
nrwalker@nrwalker.net
Also by N.R. Walker
Blind Faith
Through These Eyes (Blind Faith #2)
Blindside: Mark’s Story (Blind Faith #3)
Ten in the Bin
Point of No Return – Turning Point #1
Breaking Point – Turning Point #2
Starting Point – Turning Point #3
Element of Retrofit – Thomas Elkin Series #1
Clarity of Lines – Thomas Elkin Series #2
Sense of Place – Thomas Elkin Series #3
Taxes and TARDIS
Three’s Company
Red Dirt Heart
Red Dirt Heart 2
Red Dirt Heart 3
Red Dirt Heart 4
Red Dirt Christmas
Cronin’s Key
Cronin’s Key II
Cronin’s Key III
Cronin’s Key IV - Kennard’s Story
Exchange of Hearts
The Spencer Cohen Series, Book One
The Spencer Cohen Series, Book Two
The Spencer Cohen Series, Book Three
The Spencer Cohen Series, Yanni’s Story
Blood & Milk
The Weight Of It All
A Very Henry Christmas (The Weight of It All 1.5)
Perfect Catch
Switched
Imago
Imagines
On Davis Row
Finders Keepers
Evolved
Galaxies and Oceans
Private Charter
Nova Praetorian
A Soldier’s Wish
Upside Down
The Hate You Drink
Sir
Titles in Audio:
Cronin’s Key
Cronin’s Key II
Cronin’s Key III
Red Dirt Heart
Red Dirt Heart 2
Red Dirt Heart 3
Red Dirt Heart 4
The Weight Of It All
Switched
Point of No Return
Breaking Point
Starting Point
Spencer Cohen Book One
Spencer Cohen Book Two
Spencer Cohen Book Three
Yanni’s Story
On Davis Row
Evolved
Elements of Retrofit
Clarity of Lines
Sense of Place
Blind Faith
Through These Eyes
Blindside
Finders Keepers
Galaxies and Oceans
Nova Praetorian
Free Reads:
Sixty Five Hours
Learning to Feel
His Grandfather’s Watch (And The Story of Billy and Hale)
The Twelfth of Never (Blind Faith 3.5)
Twelve Days of Christmas (Sixty Five Hours Christmas)
Best of Both Worlds
Translated Titles:
Fiducia Cieca (Italian translation of Blind Faith)
Attraverso Questi Occhi (Italian translation of Through These Eyes)
Preso alla Sprovvista (Italian translation of Blindside)
Il giorno del Mai (Italian translation of Blind Faith 3.5)
Cuore di Terra Rossa (Italian translation of Red Dirt Heart)
Cuore di Terra Rossa 2 (Italian translation of Red Dirt Heart 2)
Cuore di Terra Rossa 3 (Italian translation of Red Dirt Heart 3)
Cuore di Terra Rossa 4 (Italian translation of Red Dirt Heart 4)
Natale di terra rossa (Red dirt Christmas)
Intervento di Retrofit (Italian translation of Elements of Retrofit)
A Chiare Linee (Italian translation of Clarity of Lines)
Spencer Cohen 1 Serie: Spencer Cohen
Spencer Cohen 2 Serie: Spencer Cohen
Spencer Cohen 3 Serie: Spencer Cohen
Punto di non Ritorno (Italian translation of Point of No Return)
Punto di Rottura (Italian translation of Breaking Point)
Imago (Italian translation of Imago)
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Confiance Aveugle (French translation of Blind Faith)
A travers ces yeux: Confiance Aveugle 2 (French translation of Through These Eyes)
Aveugle: Confiance Aveugle 3 (French translation of Blindside)
À Jamais (French translation of Blind Faith 3.5)
Cronin’s Key (French translation)
Cronin’s Key II (French translation)
Au Coeur de Sutton Station (French translation of Red Dirt Heart)
Partir ou rester (French translation of Red Dirt Heart 2)
Faire Face (French translation of Red Dirt Heart 3)
Trouver sa Place (French translation of Red Dirt Heart 4)
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Rote Erde (German translation of Red Dirt Heart)
Rote Erde 2 (German translation of Red Dirt Heart 2)
Vier Pfoten und ein bisschen Zufall (German translation of Finders Keepers)
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Sixty Five Hours (Thai translation)
Finders Keepers (Thai translation)