Page 16 of At His Wife's Behest

He couldn’t get the word out. After twenty years of hiding himself, he simply couldn’t.

“It’s okay,” Connor murmured, inching closer. “You can say it. You’re safe.”

Kellan’s gaze whipped to his. “I’m… gay.”

Connor’s lips curled up at the corners.

“Is that amusing?”

“No,”Connor murmured. “I’m just happy to hear my suspicions were correct.”

“Your suspicions?”

“Have younotnoticed me casually flirting when you bring Abigail to school?”

Kellan licked his dry lips. “I thought… you were just being nice.”

Connor moved a fraction of an inch closer. “I wasn’t.”

“I thought you had rules about not crossing lines with parents?” Kellan asked, breathless.

“An early mistake I wish I’d never made. You’re the first one to tempt me since.” Connor lifted a hand and caressed the side of Kellan’s cheek.

Touch deprived, he gasped at first contact. Kellan closed his eyes, lips parting, as he reveled in the man’s touch.

“Have you ever been with a man?” Connor asked, sliding a hand down Kellan’s shoulder.

Kellan barely nodded, unconsciously leaning into the faint caress. When he realized what he’d done, he straightened, face warming. “It’s been a long,longtime.”

“That must be hard. Going so long without intimacy.”

Kellan nodded, unable to speak.

Connor whispered a question. “Can I hug you?”

Breath shuddering, Kellan fought tears at the backs of his eyes.“Yes.”

Connor wrapped his arms around Kellan, drawing them closer. He leaned into the man, overcome with emotion. A sob rose in his throat. He tried to hold it back but failed. Another came following it, a tear slipping down his cheek.

“It’s okay,” Connor murmured, sliding one palm along his back. “Let it out.”

Kellan didn’t know where the tears came from, but they came. Silent tears fell as Connor held him tight, gently kissing his forehead.

“I can’t imagine how hard it is to hide who you are,” Connor said, his voice soothing.

Kellan backed away, wiping his eyes. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Why not?”

He wiped more of the wetness away. “Men don’t cry. Or so my father always told me.”Usually right before a beating for being too ‘girly.’

“Fuck him,” Connor spat. “Emotions are genderless. We all have them. And if you can’t express them, you’ll explode.”

“Thirty-six years of programming is hard to undo.”

“Thirty-six? I thought you were younger.”

He chuckled. “Should I take that as a compliment?”

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