Reunion (13 page)

The quiet room filled with great gasping breaths,
murmured words of love, harsh demands, soft begging. A tightness built in his
core, like a shiver waiting to break free, the moment you blew out the candles,
a breathless wish full of possibilities.

Images, like flash photography seared into his
brain: the long line of Patti’s back, little rivulets of sweat dampened her
neck, copper curls darkened and clinging to her heated skin, Grant’s lips
parted, the muscles and veins standing out in stark relief as he arched his
head back on the upward thrusts into Patti.

Taut as an archer’s bow, RJ strained to make the
moment last. He was lost as Patti cried out, her orgasm slamming through her,
causing her to clamp down on their cocks. So close together, so tightly bound,
RJ couldn’t even say which of them spilled first. All he knew was the blinding
light behind his lids burst through him, touching every nerve ending,
tightening each muscle so that he thought he might pass out with the lack of
blood and oxygen to his brain.

RJ reached around to circle both Patti and Grant
into a tight embrace, even as shivering remnants of their orgasms continued to
rock them. He needed to find the words to affirm the feelings racing through
him. They’d made a promise today, one that RJ knew they would keep. This was
his family.

With a sudden clarity, he realized that although
there was much to talk about, there was only one thing to say. Squeezing them
even tighter, he spoke the truth that consumed his heart. “Patti, Grant, I
should have told you sooner. I loved you ten years ago. I love you now. I will love
you forever. This is only the beginning for our family.”

RJ rubbed his palms on his thighs and looked out
the large front window.
Where is everyone?
He checked his watch. Five
minutes later than when he’d checked the last time and still ten minutes shy of
when they’d agreed to meet. He was just about to force himself to find
something else to do for the next ten minutes when he saw Patti’s familiar Jeep
turn down the long drive. Swiping his palms on his shorts once more, he stepped
outside and waited by the gated entry to the front patio, hoping to hear their
first impressions as they unloaded from the SUV.

Patti climbed from the driver’s seat, closed the
door, then looked back at the long drive, her gaze scanning the mountainside
where the Santa Fe style home perched. This was far different than anything the
four of them had looked at over the past six weeks, but RJ had known this was
home the minute he’d seen it. Now to convince the rest of the family.

Grant lifted Annie from her car seat and set her
on the drive, then two of them looked up at him, eyes wide, as if they’d made
some mistake. “Wow,” Grant said. “This is uh…big.” He turned his back to the
house and looked out at the stunning view. “Wow,” he repeated.

“Yeah. Come on, don’t say anything yet, just let
me show you guys around, okay?”

Grant and Patti each held one of Annie’s hands as
they met him at the gate. Stepping through, Annie squealed.

“It has a pool, it has a pool,” she sang, hopping
from one foot to the other.

“It does, baby girl. And at night I bet you can
see all sorts of pretty lights,” RJ said.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a house with the
pool in the front yard before,” Grant said.

“I know, but with the house backed up onto the
mountain, it really is the best spot. Plus, it’s totally secure with the surrounding
wall and gate. No one can see in, or get in, without our permission. Come
inside. Please?” He didn’t want them to give up on the place, not yet.

Patti’s lips pressed into a tight line…definitely
not a good sign. Moving quickly, before she could object, RJ opened the front
door, and showed them into the large, open downstairs living space.

“See? It’s one big room downstairs in the center
of the house. The other rooms, kitchen, dining room, and office, all open from
here. You can see right into the kitchen.” He pointed up. “And look, the
ceiling over the great room is open, and there are railings that circle the
second floor, so you could look downstairs to see anytime.”

No one spoke. Shit. “Uhm, there’s four bedrooms
upstairs, so if we ever have…” He looked at Annie and decided against bringing
up the idea she might have a little brother or sister someday. What else? He
grabbed Grant’s hand and tugged him farther inside. Like a train, they were all
connected and RJ was the conductor. He better make this good.

“Oh, and come look in the kitchen. It’s gourmet,
right? Isn’t this what you two wanted, the big comfortable kitchen?”

“Well, yes, but…” Patti let go of Annie’s hand and
walked around the kitchen, trailing her fingers over the granite counter top.

Grant bent to open a cabinet under the massive
center island. Then he worked his way around the room, apparently determined to
open and close each drawer and cupboard.

RJ looked down as Annie latched onto his hand and
tugged him toward the stairs. “Can I pick my room?” she whispered. Neither
Patti nor Grant turned at her question. Either they hadn’t heard or they were
too lost in their exploration.

Following Annie up the stairs, RJ was compelled to
warn the child that no decision to buy the house had been made. “We’re still
just looking, honey.”

Without any sign she was taking him seriously, Annie
skipped ahead, peeking into each room. RJ was struck with a sense of unease.
Even though they agreed in principle that she should be part of the decision,
he would rather die than disappoint her if her dad and Patti didn’t want the
place.

“Come on, RJ. I want this one to be mine!”

He stepped into the bedroom at the very back of
the house and tried to imagine it through the little girl’s eyes. Why this one,
baby girl?” he asked.

Spreading her arms wide, Annie twirled around
until she wobbled, then staggered her way across the hardwood floor to flounce
onto the window seat.

“Because it has a special place just for me,” she
said. “Patti could sit right here in the window and read me stories.”

“That she could, tiger. But don’t you want to see
the lights at night?”

Red curls tumbled as she shook her head from side
to side, her lip suddenly quivering. RJ was next to her and on his knees in an
instant.

“What is it, honey? What’s wrong?”

“No one can get me back here.”

Pulling the little girl into his arms, RJ held her
tight, rocking her from side to side, hugging away the threat of tears. “Annie,
you don’t have to worry about that. You’re safe now, and we’re going to make
sure you’re always going to be okay, whichever house we pick.”

Grant cleared his throat from the doorway and RJ
turned so Annie could see.

“Daddy! I wasn’t crying, I promise.”

“No, sweetheart, I could see that you were being
brave, but it’s okay if you cry, too. Even brave people cry sometimes.” He
stepped through the door, followed by Patti. “So did I hear this is the room
you like best?”

“Yes, it has a special reading place.”

“That it does. Patti, go sit on the window seat
with Annie and let me take a picture of my best girls.”

Biting his lip to keep from asking how they liked
the house, RJ moved back and smiled at the impromptu photo session.

“I like this one the best. Can we buy it Daddy?
Can we?”

“I’m afraid we can’t afford this one, honey,”
Grant said, a deep crease forming between his brows.

It was the opening RJ had been waiting for. He
crossed his arms across his chest, and prepared to plead his case.

“Aside from the cost, what do you think? I know
Annie’s opinion, but Patti? Grant? Tell me what you think. Do you like the
house?”

The silence stretched for a long moment as his
lovers stared at each other, before turning to look at him.

“RJ, we both love it. How could we not? It’s a
beautiful home,” Patti said. “But I think you forgot…I’m temporarily unemployed
while I look for something here in the valley.”

“And it’s pretty far from the school, RJ. I’d have
to leave before the butt crack of dawn to get to work on time,” Grant added.

There was a long pause and he tried not to mirror
Annie’s slump of shoulders when she heard their answers. He was actually
relieved at their responses. At least he already had answers for these
objections.

“Okay, family conference time. Everyone to the
kitchen and grab a stool.” Since the barstools were the only furniture in the
house, it was talk there or sit on the floor. Plus, he thought, hiding a smile,
putting his lovers in their favorite room might give him a slight advantage.

Once they were all seated, RJ pulled a single
sheet of paper from his shirt pocket, but didn’t unfold it. “Let me tell you my
reasons for showing you this house, beyond the obvious of location and beauty.

“First, Patti, I know Max is talking to you about
expanding his nightclub by adding a private club for”—he looked at Grant then
back to Patti—“people like us. Take the job. Take it for a year and help him
figure it out. Then if you want to look for something else you can, but I know
you… I think this is something you would love.”

Patti blinked, then laughed out loud. “Have you
been talking to Gabe? Because I just had breakfast with him and he said the
exact same thing.” 

“I’ll never tell.” RJ laughed a little. He faced
Grant. “As for your commute, I’ve been thinking…”

“Oh Lord,” Patti and Grant said in unison. Annie
giggled.

“Hey, I resemble that!” RJ said, laughing.
“Seriously, now. As I understand Arizona law, although attendance isn’t
mandatory, in order to attend kindergarten in a public school, children have to
be five-years old by September first. Our little princess here, misses that
deadline by a month.”

“Right, but I planned to put her in a private
kindergarten. Then she’ll be ready to take the test to enter first grade early
next year,” Grant explained.

RJ nodded. “I figured that. But what if her school
was really private?” He waited a beat. “Like homeschool private? It would give
you both a year to uhm…settle.”

Grant’s mouth dropped open, and he just blinked,
shifting his gaze between RJ and Patti, then finally down at Annie. “But I
can’t afford—”

RJ held up his hand. “Hear me out, babe. You know
I had some money saved that I planned to use for a down payment. For the last
few weeks, I’ve listed to you and Patti tell me you can’t take my money. I’m
done listening to that. We’re either a family or we aren’t. That means what’s
mine is yours and”—RJ glanced to Annie and then met Grant’s wide-eyed gaze—“and
vice versa.

“So, our
family
has a nice chunk of money
in savings, plus the signing bonus and moving allowance from Enwright’s. We can
still sell your house or we can take it off the market and make it a rental to
give us some extra income. With the cost of housing in Scottsdale, that rental
income is almost as much as your teacher’s salary. In fact, this is a lot more
house than we could afford if we stayed in Scottsdale. My salary would cover
the mortgage.”

RJ reached across the countertop, the granite cool
against his forearm. Squeezing Grant’s hand, he waited until the other man met
his gaze before he continued.

“Grant, if you decide to go back to teaching,
well, we’re in the Deer Valley District here. I thought you might need the change
and I understand it’s a really good school system.”

“Wow,” Patti said. “You really are a planner. Is
there anything you haven’t thought of?”

“Actually, I’m just an engineer, so I like things
organized. I think linearly and plan for contingencies. You two have no one but
yourselves to blame. You’ve ruined me for anyone else, so now you’re stuck with
my anal retentive ways for life.”

“Daddy, what’s anal retentive?”

RJ closed his eyes and slumped forward to rest his
forehead against the granite, praying for his flushed face to cool. Patti and
Grant roared with laughter.

“Okay…uhm,” Grant said when his laughter had
mostly slowed down. “Annie, what RJ meant was once he has an idea, you know,
like buying this house…he hopes we all like the idea, too.”

“I do, RJ, I like it a lot. Please, Daddy, can
we?”

Hope filled RJ’s heart, and he returned to upright
and watched as Patti and Grant exchanged looks.

“Patti? Grant? What do you say, loves? Please, no
more holding back.”

Patti spoke first. “It’s funny. Never in a million
years did I think I would be the one to hesitate. I always thought it would be
you, RJ. But you really did it. You’ve made this all possible.” She looked
around the kitchen then to the great room, before focusing on Annie and Grant.
“I say yes. How about you two?” Her smile was dazzling and RJ watched with
heartfelt joy as Annie left Grant’s side to climb onto Patti’s lap.

“I said yes, too, Patti.” Annie’s smile matched
Patti’s for sheer wattage.

Grant had been watching too, and when he finally
looked up, his eyes were shiny with tears and his smile was shaky. “I say yes. Let’s
make this place a home for our family.” 

Before he had time to fully process the words, RJ
was surrounded. Patti plopped Annie on his lap before wrapping him into a hug from
the front. Grant pressed against his back, holding him so tight he could barely
draw the breath he needed in order squeeze out what he needed to say.

“A forever home for my family. I love you.”

Laura likes it hot, which helps explain why she
ended up Arizona after living in such diverse places as Japan, New Orleans,
Maine, and Florida. She once enjoyed hobbies such as gardening and travel. Now
the characters in her head compel her to tell their stories to her readers, so
she writes. She shares her home with her husband and youngest son, two dogs,
and a cat. Laura also writes under the name L.E. Harner, and her books can be
found at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, All Romance eBooks, and other online
retailers.

Connect with Laura at:

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