On My Knees (8 page)
Authors: Tristram La Roche
“You are.” He stroked my cheek. “And I just couldn’t stop thinking about you. Then I thought about my last relationship and how it was good in the beginning, but all the jealousy and the mistrust corroded it, ate it away like cancer. Then on the flight there I realized that maybe it was all my fault.”
“What was? What was your fault?” I led him by the hand to the sofa and we sat side by side on the edge.
“Going with other men. I think that’s the problem, isn’t it? My previous relationships were shallow, unsatisfying, at least for me, so I had to go off and find what I needed elsewhere. What I saw as clinginess was just my boyfriends’ love and their obvious hurt at what I did to them. It wasn’t them at fault, it was me.”
I followed the argument. It certainly struck a chord with me, but I wasn’t sure where this was leading.
“And? You’re having regrets?”
“No, not regrets, not like that. I just don’t want it to happen like that with us. And I realized then that it’s me who has to change, not you. I have to commit myself to you for this to work.”
“You would do that, for me?”
He nodded. “I love you. I know that, more than anything else, I don’t want to push you away. Once I acknowledged that, I had to come straight back. As soon as we disembarked, I went straight to the ticket counter to change my return. I’m just sorry I couldn’t get on an earlier flight. God, the wait at the airport was interminable.”
“But why didn’t you call?”
“I wanted to surprise you. Is that bad?”
“No, of course not.”
“I’m in love with you, Mark. And I know that I only want to be with you.”
I could hardly believe it. Whether he could actually stick to it we’d have to see, but the desire was genuine. I was about to explode with joy. I cupped his face in my hands and kissed him. “I’m yours, Attila.”
His big, dark eyes looked at me. “And I’m yours. All yours.”
I lowered my hands and, for the first time in ten years, slipped the wedding ring off my finger.
~ The End ~
~ About the Author ~
Tristram La Roche was born in London and spent much of his childhood in Europe. His career has included tourism and yacht charter, as well as a brief period working as a freelance journalist. His interests include travel, art, theatre, cinema, books and current affairs, and he is passionate about the rights of the GLBT community.
On My Knees
is his debut romance. Tristram lives in London with his husband.
Find out more about Tristram here:
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