Page 10 of Legally Mated
Garrick’s poke at his and Laine’s profession made Laine’s lips twitch, but the self-description that came after squashed all the humor in the reference. “Someone has to be the first.” More surprising words springing from some depth of feeling inside him. “Leges humanae nascuntur, vivunt,moriuntur.”
Garrick snorted. “Yes, laws are born, live, and die, and are replaced by others. We’re not talking about laws here, but fear. We have to eliminate the fear in order to change the laws. And fear grinds away as slow as granite.” He stepped away from the stove and reached out to toy with the top button of Laine’s shirt. “Do we have to keep talking about this? I don’t really want to thinkaboutit.”
“It’s important.” Laine didn’t like the direction this conversation was going, but one of the things that Laine liked about Garrick was that he couldn’t out-argue him in a discussion. “But we can put it off, if you want. Maybe some time to think about it would be good.” Was he being a coward, or smart? So hard to tell sometimes, and days like this, he felt his privilege so hard it was like being helpless. “Want to put on a movie orsomething?”
“Maybe.” Garrick moved in and ghosted his lips along Laine’s jaw. “Or other things.” Abruptly, he stepped back. “Is there anything you need done for next week? I can’t be here—Quin’s been invited to the White House to talk to the President and his advisers and they asked me along. I figure on a day of prep, then the trip, then a day to work on whatever we sort out while we’rethere.”
“Nothing that can’t be handled with a few extra hours,” Laine assured him, and set aside the tiny twinge of jealousy. This would be good for Garrick. “You’re going to talk about thewalls?”
“And a few other things,” Garrick said with a nod. “I’m reallynervous.”
“He puts his pants on one leg at a time, just like the restofus.”
Garrick laughed tightly. “Maybe. Do we know for sure, like empirical evidence that would stand up in court?” He poked Laine in the belly. “Speaking of standing up…” He leaned in for another kiss, soft and welcoming. “Whyarewe?”
“Why indeed?” Well, if they weren’t going to talk about their issues, they could at least enjoy their night together. “You want another drink before we goupstairs?”
Garrick shook his head and laced his fingers through Laine’s. “No. All I wantisyou.”
Chapter8
Laine keptbreakfast conversation light the next morning, and was pleased to watch Garrick’s wariness slowly ease, until it was almost like the conversation the night before had neverhappened.
“You’re going to wear the gray suit?” he asked as Garrick came out of the bathroom, still fiddling with the knot on his tie. Laine walked over to him and tweaked it straight, then settled his collar down over it before disappearing into the walk-in closet to pick outhisown.
“Why not?” Garrick asked, and turned away to pick up his coat. “You’re wearing the blue, we won’t clash. Besides, it’s not like we’re getting married or anything. Or even spending the day together,really.”
“It is legal now,” Laine said absently as he rifled through his ties. There was one in particular he was looking for… The hair on the back of his neck stood up and when he turned around, Garrick was standing in the door of the closet looking like athunderstorm. “What?”
“Just fuck off,” Garrick said, his tone exasperated. “Where the hell did that come from? Did you not listen to anything I said lastnight?”
“I did.” Laine turned to face him more fully, the tie forgotten in his hand. “It was just conversation. Why are you so damn uptightaboutit?”
“Sounded more like a Freudian slip.” Garrick grimaced and disappeared down the hall. Moments later, Laine heard his feet thumping down the stairs and into thelivingroom.
“Fuck,” Laine whispered, and leaned against the door frame for a minute before following Garrick down the stairs. “You broughtitup.”
Garrick looked up at him with a tired expression. “Yeah, I know.Sorry.”
Laine cupped his face in his palms. “It’s a sore point for me too.” There, he’d said it, or at least hinted at it. Not yet, not soon, but as things stood now, yes, someday. Someday he’d like to make this relationship between them more official, real in the eyes of someone other than just the two of them. “Don’t be upset, okay? I’m not trying tohurtyou.”
“I know. I’m not trying to hurt youeither.”
“But it’s a sore point. Let’s table that discussion, then, until a day when we’re both feeling a littlelessraw?”
“That would be good.” Garrick’s expression looked hesitant for a moment, and then he lifted his lips to Laine’s for a kiss that felt part apology, part benediction. “We should get going,” he said as the kiss faded away. “Are you stopping at the office first or just droppingmeoff?”
“Just for a minute.” Laine sighed and stole another quick kiss, then stepped back. “You want to get lunch together before I take you over to the packhouse?”
Garrick shook his head and grimaced. “I’d like to, but I think I’d better get my ass over there as soon aswe’redone.”
“Okay. I’ll drop you off, though. Noarguments.”
Garrick’s smiled reappeared. “No arguments. Except in court.” He bent to grab both his bag and Laine’s. “How are you feeling abouttoday?”
“Shitty.” He believed in pro bono, but he was starting to wonder if the extra pro bono hours he’d been promised were worth the discomfort this case was causing him. “Anyway, we’ll make sure he gets a fair sentence, but I don’t have a fucking clue why the firm took him on. It’s not good publicity, and it’s a waste of my time andyours.”
Garrick shrugged. “Not a waste of mine. Stillgettingpaid.”
