Page 70 of Pretty Poison

“Stop reading my mind,” Rocky groused.

“Stop being so predictable.”

Rocky rolled onto his back, prepared to argue with his husband some more, but ended up just watching Asher work through his stretches. Fuck, his husband was stunning. Beneath all the masculine beauty beat the heart of a romantic warrior. Someone bold and brave and loyal. Most importantly, Asher was all Rocky’s. He swallowed down his disappointment when his dick didn’t join the I-love-Asher fan club. Then his eyes fell to the scar on his husband’s lower back. He could’ve died. Rocky took a few deep breaths, loosening the pressure in his chest before it could take hold.

“And if I want breakfast in bed?” Rocky asked, trying to command his thoughts instead of letting them control him.

Asher paused halfway through pulling on a pair of shorts. “Weren’t you the one fretting about getting to work?”

“That was then.”

His husband chuckled and resumed the awful task of covering his private parts. “Up and at ’em.”

“Fine,” Rocky said as he threw back the covers. “Rain check on breakfast in bed.”

Instead of lingering in the shower, Rocky rushed through his routine. The smell of crisp bacon made his mouth water when he stepped into the hallway.

“I didn’t know we had bacon,” Rocky said.

“Because you didn’t buy it. I did.”

Unlike the first morning when they made breakfast together, Rocky didn’t resist the urge to touch and kiss Asher. The sun streamed through the windows, bathing the table in cheerful light as they ate and worked on a Sudoku puzzle together. Something stronger than protein and caffeine fueled Rocky’s brain, and something warmer than sunshine filled his soul.

Hello, hope,myold friend.It was so good to see her again.

Rocky tapped the newspaper. “The four can’t go there. See?” he said, gesturing to where the number appeared in the same column a few rows down.

“Damn it,” Asher grumbled as he scribbled out the four.

“That’s why you use a pencil for these puzzles.” They’d had the same debate over theNew York Timescrossword puzzles that had become their Sunday morning ritual. Asher’s dogged determination and Rocky’s broad vocabulary made for a potent combination. Still, neither of them were smart enough to avoid the need for an eraser.

Asher smirked up at him. “You don’t need a pencil if you’re good enough.”

Rocky looked at the messy puzzle, then back at Asher. No words were needed.

Asher chuckled and set the pen down. “While you were in the shower, my landlord called and said my house will be ready for me to move in this weekend.”

“A little early for him to call you, wasn’t it?”

“Nah,” Asher replied. “It’s just how he operates. He inherited the early-bird trait from his mother.”

Rocky narrowed his eyes as jealousy crept in like a storm cloud. “You sound like you know this guy pretty well.” How many times had they discussed the rental contract or set a move-in date?

Asher laughed and leaned forward to kiss the pout from his lips. “I should know him well since I’m married to his son.”

Rocky flopped back against his seat. “You called my dad to let him know you were moving before you told me?” And why had his father kept Asher’s secret?

“Don’t look so betrayed,” Asher said. “We weren’t conspiring against you.”

Rocky ran a hand through his hair. “Since when does my dad have rental properties?” How had he not known this?

“Ford,” Asher said calmly. “Before I accepted the position in Savannah, I phoned your parents and asked for both their forgiveness and their blessing.”

“What? Why?” Rocky wasn’t offended. It just seemed like such an antiquated practice—one Asher hadn’t followed the first time around.

“I’d vowed to love you and put your needs above all others, including myself, and I didn’t do that. I’m deeply sorry.”

It felt like the invisible hand was wringing Rocky’s heart again. The anguish in Asher’s voice and the pain etched on his face rendered him speechless. Rocky’s lips moved, but no words came out.