Page 41 of The Primary Pest (Iphicles Security #1)
Ajax
Almost every detail of the new house was finished, but Ajax still ran from one room to the next, ticking off the items on his checklist. Accessible suite with a separate entrance.
Flooring done. Paint completed. Towels and toiletries, check.
Pottery Barn Kids raid successful—pink for Penelope and purple for Sasha.
Did their rooms resemble sparkly butterfly sanctuaries? Yes.
Check.
Had he ordered enough food for the newly remodeled kitchen? Was there enough closet space? Did Liv’s private guest house sparkle inside and out?
Check, check, and check.
Turned out his dream bungalow would never be big enough, so he’d created his own McMansion from a run-down 70s monstrosity on the bluffs overlooking St. Nacho’s.
Now he waited anxiously for his guests.
Grandpa tied flies at his desk in the family room while Ajax poured himself another cup of coffee. Ajax had refilled his favorite Rick and Morty mug too many times to count.
“You trying to set a record?” Grandpa asked. “You’re not nervous, are you?”
“Of course I’m not.” Except… he was. He really was.
What if Liv decided St. Nacho’s was too far from the city, or the girls didn’t want to leave their schoolmates behind, even for the summer?
What if Dmytro had changed his mind and he no longer wanted to bring all the separate pieces of their lives together for a few months under the same roof to see how things would work out between them?
They’d spent time together over the previous year, dating, testing things out between them.
They’d spent romantic weekends in Napa wine country and taken the girls to Disneyland.
Now that the house was finished, Dmytro had decided to bring his family down for the summer to see how they worked together.
If they liked being together as a family…
If this thing between them was real… They planned to make it permanent.
The doorbell rang.
Grandpa’s herd of Bichon Frises—Rachel, Monica, and Phoebe—barked madly around their ankles.
“I’ll get the mutton.” Grandpa winked, scooping them up and dropping them into the large, padded basket on the front of his scooter. “You go answer that.”
Though Ajax had already started toward the door, Grandpa’s ride whipped past him, whirring like a sewing machine on steroids.
Ajax’s grandpa was almost as excited to have Dmytro and his family there as Ajax was. He’d never said a word, but he’d seemed a little sad when Ajax had come out as gay. He probably believed he’d never have great-grandkids. But Ajax wanted kids. His own or Dmytro’s. He wanted lots of them.
“’Bout time I get to meet Mr. Magic’s little family. Hope they like dogs.”
“Who doesn’t like dogs?” Once Ajax was standing at the door with his hand on the doorknob, he hesitated.
“What’s the matter?”
Ajax wiped his damp hands on his jeans. “What if this doesn’t work out?”
“What if it does?” Grandpa beeped his tragic little scooter horn impatiently. Meep. Meep.
Hands shaking, Ajax opened the door wide. Dmytro’s girls gasped and ran inside, all propriety thrown out the window over Grandpa’s dogs. It was as if they didn’t see anything else.
Ajax understood that only too well.
His eyes locked on Dmytro, who stood on the doorstep with his hands jammed into his jeans pockets, wearing an uncharacteristically nervous expression.
Liv charged in after the girls, which left the two of them and Zhenya standing at the door.
After clearing his throat, Zhenya teased, “Apparently Mitya’s a vampire now. Invite us in and put him out of his misery. We’ll bring in the luggage later.”
“I’ll help. Please. C’mon in.” Ajax motioned for them to enter.
He’d planned for this moment. He’d practiced what to say a thousand times. But he had never believed it would actually arrive.
Still, Dmytro was there. So were the girls and Liv and Zhenya. He’d worked so hard for this moment he was struck dumb.
“I have never seen you this quiet,” Dmytro said warily. “Are you… Is everything all right?”
“It is now.” Ajax gave Dmytro a small smile that he answered with a wide, wolfish smile of his own.
Months had passed since their brush with disaster.
Even though they’d been in constant touch, if it was enough time for Ajax to build a life in St. Nacho’s, it was also enough time for Dmytro to change his mind. “Are you still okay with this?”
“Yes, thank God. I was beginning to think you’d chickened out.” He held his arms out.
“Not a chance.” Ajax met him halfway, wrapping his arms around Dmytro and burying his face in his shoulder. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
As soon as they made contact, he felt Dmytro’s sigh of relief. “I have missed you, little mink.”
Grandpa beeped his horn again impatiently. “Hello, you have more guests than just the one.”
“Wow. Where are my manners?” Ajax whirled around. “I should show you to your rooms.”
“Your grandfather can do that,” said Zhenya. “He knows the way, yes?”
“I can do that.” Grandpa rolled forward a little. “Want to see what we did for the girls?”
Ajax glanced toward Liv. “Grandpa, I can—”
“That’s an excellent idea.” Liv took pity on them. “You two can see to yourselves while the girls and I explore. If this is to be our home for the summer, the sooner we learn our way around, the better.”
“Okay.”
“Come, girls.” Liv held her hands out and turned to meet Zhenya’s gaze. “You too. Grandpa Fairchild will show us around.”
“What about Daddy and Ajax?” Pen asked.
“Daddy and Ajax need some grown-up time.” Liv gave Dmytro an unvarnished leer. “Will we see you for dinner?”
“Yes,” Dmytro laughed. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
“Now, let’s go see if Ajax got your colors right.” Grandpa took off in his scooter, girls and dogs following along after. “Sasha, you’re the one who likes puce, right?”
“No, I don’t!” she said, aghast. “What’s puce?”
Dmytro laughed. Ajax watched them disappear down the corridor at the back of Ajax’s spacious home where the girl’s bedrooms were located. His suite was on the other side, overlooking the water. Nerves built up as Ajax opened the door and let Dmytro lead the way in.
“This is the master. Bathroom, dressing area, and closets are behind those doors.” The room was spacious and simple, decorated in shades of gray with blue, black, and amber accents.
The furniture was sturdy and well made, the lines classic.
He’d laid down soft rugs, set up a music system, and added a small fountain and some plants.
There was no television. His room was a sanctuary.
Ajax only hoped Dmytro would feel at home there too.
“It’s beautiful.” Dmytro took in the sweeping view of St. Nacho’s and the ocean beyond. “Far finer than anything I’ve ever had.”
“You—” Ajax corrected himself. “ We deserve it. I think we do.”
Dmytro stood beside him, staring out. “Are you certain you want this?”
“Yes.” Ajax took his hand. “There has to be a point at which you’ll stop asking me that, right?”
“I’ll always need to know how you feel.” Dmytro looped his arm around Ajax’s shoulders.
“Do you think what I want changed between the time you called this morning and now? Or are you worried because you still perceive me to be young and fickle?”
“That’s not entirely true,” Dmytro admitted.
Ajax leaned against him. “Right now, I feel lucky to have you in my life. Will that change? I don’t know. It might. Should that stop me from being with you? From loving you right now? No.” Ajax shook his head. “Not even if I’m going to get hurt. I want this.”
“What if I get hurt?” Dmytro asked. “What about when I’m old and my children have come to love you. What if you change your mind then?”
“No one knows the future.” Ajax reached up to trap Dmytro’s face between his hands. “Do you believe I’d hurt you on purpose? That I would betray your trust?”
Dmytro shook his head slowly. “Do you trust me?”
“With my life,” Ajax said fervently, “yes. With my heart. With everything, Mitya.”
Dmytro’s body stiffened faintly.
“I’m sorry.” Ajax winced. “You never gave me permission to call you that.”
“Of course you may call me Mitya. It’s just an old family nickname.” He relaxed again. “It was a surprise is all.”
“Are we okay?” Ajax drew Dmytro’s head down and brushed a kiss over his lips. “Are we going to try?”
“Yes, we will try. I believe we will succeed.” His arms tightened around Ajax’s body. “Welcome me home, Ajax.”
Ajax smiled against his lips. “Welcome home, Mitya.”
“You can do better than that.” He pushed Ajax into the softness of the bed behind him. Ajax stretched out beneath Dmytro, loving the feel of Dmytro’s cock against his growing length.
It had been far too long since Dmytro had held him like this, the few times they’d been together were always hurried or in motels where he was acutely aware of neighbors on the other side of tissue thin walls.
Ice-blue eyes met his. “Welcome me home properly, little mink.”
“Oh, I will.” Ajax winked up at him. “I will.”
For a FREE special, bonus scene featuring Dmytro and Ajax’s romantic trip to Napa, click HERE .