Harvest

Kisses

A Gay Romance Novelette

By

Savannah Brooks

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, and events are either products of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any and all resemblances to persons or places, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.

Harvest Kisses

Copyright © 2016 by Savannah Brooks

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the author, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

Books and Stories by Savannah

Short Stories & Novellas

• Falling for his Best Friend • Letting Him In • Never in a Million • Just One Kiss • Cross My Heart • Before You Leave Again • Finding His Forever Guy • Snowed In • Our Family Secret • Whole Again • Moving Forward • Just Maybe • Snowed In Again • Wild Fate • First Times in Old Pickups • Harvest Kisses •

Troubled Hearts Series

• Stay •

• Broken •

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Epilogue

About the Author

Chapter 1

“This is it, Danny. Right here,” my grandma said, pointing toward the dirt road turnoff marked by an old wooden sign with a faded paint job that read ‘Annabeth’s Pumpkin Patch, Open Every Saturday and Sunday in October.’

I pulled into the empty dirt lot and parked my grandpa’s old Chevy pickup nearest the opening in the wood pole fence that surrounded the modest patch of pumpkins. I stepped out of the truck and walked around to the passenger side, glancing down the dusty driveway toward the sprawling single story home. Its brown brick exterior reminded me of the old neighborhood in Arkansas in which I’d lived as a kid, but that was a long way from Grandma and Grandpa’s lakeside cabin here in Idaho and a place I’d likely never set foot in ever again.

I tried not to dwell too much on the past. I’d spent enough time doing that already.

“You sure this place is open?” I asked, resting my arm on the pickup’s open windowsill while my grandma remained seated inside. I guessed whomever lived in the house owned and ran the patch.

“Sun up to sun down every weekend,” she affirmed.

As she spoke, the old wooden screen door at the front of the house slapped shut behind me. I turned to see a man who looked a couple years older than me—thirty at most—walking toward us wearing work boots, a blue and gray plaid button down shirt tucked into worn blue jeans, and a cowboy hat. He dressed like a cross between a farm hand and a construction worker and had the muscles in his arms to be either or both.

“That’s Cooper,” my grandma said. “Jack’s son. He’s a hottie, if you ask me.”

I turned to look at her. “Grandma!” I said, keeping my voice low as my cheeks flushed with warmth. The man was hot, but I couldn’t very well agree with her.

“What? Don’t tell me you don’t think so. If I was a young man like you, I’d be all over that.”

Oh my God, I about died.

“Morning, Adele,” the man said from what couldn’t be more than a few feet behind me.

I turned and stepped back enough for her to see him, unsurprised by the fact they knew each other. Almost everyone knew everyone in this small, rural, farm and ranch community. I hadn’t lived here long myself. Tired of the hordes of people in New York and having no desire to move back home in addition to not being welcome, I’d come out here a few weeks back to live and work, grateful my artistic career allowed me to do so.

“Mornin’, Cooper,” she said. “I’d like you to meet my grandson, Daniel.”

I smiled and extended my hand toward him. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you.”

Cooper shook my hand, his grip firm. It lasted only a second or two, but long enough for the rough warmth of his callused skin to remind me how long it had been since I’d felt another man’s touch, and his felt good.

“Good to meet you, Daniel.”

“Daniel’s come to live with me and Henry for a while,” Grandma said.

“Is that so?” Cooper looked at me, his mouth curving into a grin that left me scatter-brained. Wow.

“Uh, yeah. Yes. Fresh start, sort of.” I cleared my throat, mentally pulling myself back together, and gestured toward the pumpkin patch. “Mind if we pick out a few pumpkins?”

“Not at all.”

“Grandma, you gonna come out and look?”

“Nah. You pick what you want for all your carvings. Just grab me a couple of good pie pumpkins.”

“Okay. Back in a few.”

“Take as much time as you need,” she said.

I headed for the little patch. Cooper fell in step beside me.

“I don’t suppose you know how to spot a good pie pumpkin,” I said, giving Cooper a sideways glance as we passed through the opening in the fence.

“I do. Would you like some help finding a couple?”

“That would be great, thanks.”

Cooper reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of bright blue plastic ties. “When we find the ones you want, I’ll tie one of these on to mark it, then we’ll come back and cut them off the vines and load them into the truck.”

“Sounds good.”

“So, you carve?”

“Yeah. It’s one of my favorite things to do. Halloween is my favorite time of year, so I pretty much spend all my spare time in October carving pumpkins.”

“That sounds cool,” he replied as we stepped over rows of gourds and vines. “So, do you do the more traditional designs or are you one of those really artistic guys?”

“I’m the really artistic guy. I did traditional as a kid. Now I do all sorts of stuff. I never carve the same thing twice. I’ve already sketched about twenty or so ideas for this year.”

“Do you have pictures of the ones you’ve done before?” Cooper paused and turned to look at me, his gaze assessing. “I’d like to see them if you don’t mind sharing.”

I bit my lip, using every ounce of willpower to keep the small smile already on my face from stretching into a wide grin. “Uh, yeah. I’ve actually got a few on my phone if you’d like to see them now.”

Cooper’s smile widened, and I swear my heart went into palpitations, but I seriously could not tell if he was flirting or just being really damn nice.

“Actually, I was thinking maybe you could show me over dinner?”

“You mean, as in a date?”

“Well, yes, if that’s okay.”

“Um, yeah. Yes. Definitely okay.” I blinked then chuckled. “Sorry, I just wasn’t expecting you to ask me out.”

“It’s not something I do regularly. In case you haven’t noticed, not a lot of people live around here. I know pretty much all of them, and they all know me.”

I shrugged. “Makes sense.”

“So, does tonight work?” Cooper asked, looking hopeful. “I can come by and pick you up around six?”

“Sure.” I beamed, no longer concerned about showing my excitement. I looked around. “So, pumpkins?”

“Right.” Cooper laughed. “Pumpkins.”

I couldn’t help my smile as I stepped past him and over another row.

“Here,” I called to Cooper who was a few steps behind me. I knelt down and lifted the roughly eighteen-inch pumpkin, scanning and feeling for any imperfections that wouldn’t mesh with my designs.

Cooper came up beside me.

“Mark this one.”

He squatted down and wrapped a bright blue tie around the vine where it connected to the pumpkin. I continued to search the patch, and Cooper marked the ones I selected, even pointing out a few good pie pumpkins as we went. When we finished, Cooper grabbed a cutting tool from a shed along the side of the house. He cut the vines while I piled the pumpkins in a large wagon.

As I headed for the rear of the truck with the first five pumpkins, the screen door of the house slapped shut. I snapped my head up to see a young girl of maybe six or seven bounding down the steps and toward the patch, her brown hair tied back in a messy ponytail.

“Uncle Cooper!” she yelled as she ran toward him.

Reaching the tailgate, I smiled in Cooper’s direction as I lowered it and began setting the pumpkins on the old blankets I’d tossed in the back to keep them from rolling around too much.

“Uncle Cooper,” she said again.

“Whatcha need, princess?” he asked.

“Mommy said to tell you she needs your help in the kitchen when you’re done.”

“Alright. Tell her I’ll be in in a few minutes.”

“Can I help you?” she asked in her adorable, sweet voice.

“You know what, maybe you can. You see that little pumpkin over there?”

“Yeah.”

“Think you can pick it up and carry it over to that nice man when he comes back with the wagon?”

“Yeah!”

I grinned as I rolled the wagon back to the patch and stopped beside the next pumpkin. Cooper walked toward me with one of the larger ones I’d selected under his arm as if it weighed nothing. His clothing hid the details, but I imagined a strong, powerful body lay beneath. Cooper wasn’t big and bulky. His height matched mine, but where I was lean, Cooper had the build of a man who worked hard physically and regularly, and not in the gym, and by his tanned skin, I guessed he spent a lot of his time outdoors.

“Hi,” a little voice sounded behind me.

I blinked then blushed when Cooper gave me a knowing grin. Geez, he’d caught me staring at him. I turned quickly, clearing my throat, and smiled down at the girl. “Hi.”

“I’m Annabeth.”

“Hi, Annabeth. I’m Daniel.”

“Hi, Daniel.” Annabeth smiled. “Is this your pumpkin?”

“Yes, that is one of the pumpkins your uncle picked out for me.”

She watched as I lifted a large pumpkin off the ground and into the wagon. Taking the pumpkin from under his arm, Cooper stopped and set it in the wagon.

“You’re buying a lot of big pumpkins. Are you going to carve faces in them for Halloween?” Annabeth asked in the cutest, most serious voice I’d ever heard come from a kid her age.

“I will probably do that with some and then carve other pictures in others.”

Her eyes lit up. “You can carve other things?”

“You can carve anything you can imagine.”

“Really? Well, I’ve only seen faces.”

I swore, this little girl was actually challenging me. “Would you like to see some pictures of pumpkins I’ve carved before?”

“Yes!”

I pulled my phone from my back pocket and knelt beside her as Cooper placed another pumpkin in the wagon. I scrolled through a handful of carvings and beamed, watching Annabeth’s face light up a little differently with each one.

“Wow,” she said when I’d finished. “Those are cool. Uncle Cooper, have you seen these? You have to see these.”

“I’ll see them soon enough, princess,” Cooper answered, trekking across the patch for another one of my pumpkins.

“I should probably help your uncle load up my pumpkins so he isn’t doing it all by himself,” I said, hoping she would agree with me.

“Can you carve me one?”

“Annabeth.” Cooper’s tone held a gentle warning.

With a smile, I glanced at him and shook my head. “It’s fine.” I returned my attention to Annabeth. “I would love to carve one just for you. Tell me, what’s your favorite animal?”

“A fox.”

“A fox, huh?”

Annabeth nodded.

“Would you like me to carve you a pumpkin with a fox on it?”

“You can do that?” Her face held so much wonder it warmed my heart.

“I absolutely can do that.”

“Did you hear that, Uncle Cooper? Daniel’s going to carve me a pumpkin fox!”

“I sure did,” Cooper replied. He set the last pumpkin on the ground next to the wagon. “Why don’t you run inside and tell your mom while I finish up out here.”

“Okay!” Annabeth giggled, excitement bubbling in her voice. “Bye, Daniel!” She sprinted toward the house and disappeared inside.

Cooper chuckled. “Sorry about that.”

“Really, it’s fine.” I grabbed the wagon handle and pulled it toward the truck. Cooper picked up the last pumpkin and walked beside me. “So, is Annabeth your sister’s or brother’s daughter?”

“My sister’s. Her and Annabeth’s father split up a few years ago, and after that, she and Annabeth moved back in here.”

“Oh. So, is it just the three of you?”

Cooper set the pumpkin in the bed of the truck and grabbed one from the wagon. “My folks still live here too. It’s their house and farm, as small as it is, but it actually works out well right now. Mom and dad retired, so now I handle the farm and Liz, my sister, manages the house and such, and we all help out with Annabeth.”

“That’s nice that you’re all there for each other.”

“Yeah, it is. They’re amazing. I wouldn’t be who I am today if it wasn’t for them.”

I frowned, and for the first time in months, my chest ached and burned. The horrific memories I’d pushed aside came surging back, so forcefully that I had to close my eyes and take a deep, calming breath.

“Daniel?”

With another cleansing breath, I opened my eyes and found his concerned ones locked on mine.

“You okay?”

“Um, yeah. Yeah. I’m fine. Sorry.”

Cooper shut the tailgate. “We still on for tonight?”

“What?” I blinked, clearing my head. “Oh, yeah. Yes. Absolutely.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.”

Cooper smiled, but it was hesitant. “Okay.”

“So, what do I owe you for the pumpkins?”

“No charge. All the pumpkins in the patch are free to anyone who wants them.”

“Oh.”

“Can I ask you a favor though?”

“Sure.”

“When you carve the fox one for Annabeth, will you use the biggest pumpkin for her?”

I beamed, my heart already falling for the guy. “I’ll do that.”

“Thanks.” Cooper grabbed the wagon and pushed it away from the truck, then came back to me as I opened the driver’s side door. “So… I’ll see you at six tonight.”

“I’ll be ready. Oh, do I need to dress any particular way?”

“Nah. T-shirt and jeans should be good. And a jacket.”

“Okay. I guess I’ll see you then.” I climbed in the truck, and Cooper stretched his hands over the open windowsill and shut the door for me.

“Yep. Bye, Adele. Thanks for stopping by.”

“Bye, Cooper. Tell everyone hi for me.”

“Will do.” Cooper backed away from the pickup.

As I pulled out of the dusty lot, I looked in the rearview mirror and saw Cooper still standing there, watching us leave.

“So,” Grandma said. “Did he ask you out?”

“What?”

“Well, he did say something about seeing you tonight, so I’m just wondering if you have a date, that’s all.”

“Yes, he asked me out on a date, tonight.”

“Good. I think he likes you.”

“I just met him. How can you possibly think he likes me?”

“He asks me about you occasionally.”

“And he would do that why?”

“I told him all about you once, long time ago, and that Cooper, well, he has the biggest heart I’ve ever known a man to possess. You should have seen the look on his face when I told him how your biggest complaint was that people just don’t seem willing to love people for who they are.”

“Grandma, you didn’t tell him about what happened between my parents and me, did you?”

“Of course not.”

I puffed my cheeks, blowing out a breath of air. “Okay, good.”

“But, Danny, it may not seem so on the outside, but that man’s been through his own personal hell, so promise me you’ll give him a proper chance at whatever might blossom between the two of you.”

“Of course I will. You know that.” I paused and glanced over at her. I couldn’t help but wonder what he’d been through, but there was no point trying to guess. Either I’d find out some day or I wouldn’t.

She pressed her lips into a hopeful smile.

“Anywhere we need to stop at on the way home?” I asked.

“Nope. Let’s head on back. You’ve got a truck full of pumpkins to carve.”

Chapter 2

The doorbell rang at one minute past six. I jogged down the stairs from the only upstairs bedroom in my grandparent’s cabin. I hit the bottom landing just as my grandma opened the front door and granted entry to my handsome date.

“Hi, Adele. Long time no see.” He hugged her as if she were family. “How’s Henry?”

“Same as usual. Planted in his recliner with a beer and a book.”

“I suppose that’s a good thing,” Cooper replied. He glanced toward me, and I swore his entire face lit up. Geez, no one’s ever looked at me like that before. “Hi,” he said.

“Hey.” The grin already on my face widened without my permission and my heart fluttered in my chest. Just seeing the simple reverence and joy all over him as I approached him made the good feeling I had about him even better.

I crossed the entry and came to stop beside my grandma.

“You ready?” Cooper asked.

“I am.”

Cooper held out his hand to me, and, as if out of instinct, I took it. The moment his hand clasped mine, a warmth travelled throughout my entire body and I lost myself in his hopeful, blue gaze.

“Wow.” The word fell out of my mouth in a quiet whisper, and when I realized a second later what I’d said, my face flushed. I blinked and cleared my throat, hoping that maybe Cooper hadn’t heard me or that maybe I’d whispered it in my head. “Okay, so, let’s go.”

I nudged Cooper out the door.

“You boys have a good time.”

“Thanks, Grandma. I’ll see ya later.”

“Bye, Adele.”

Cooper led me to his truck parked next to Grandpa’s in the dirt. There really wasn’t a driveway or anything. Just a dirt road that led from the highway to the house nestled among the trees. They could have paved the entire thing, but both my grandparents liked the more natural look.

Cooper opened the passenger door and, just as I was about to climb in, he squeezed my hand tighter and stopped me. “Daniel?”

“Yeah?”

His eyes caught mine for a moment then darted downward. “I, uh…”

He scrunched and twisted his lips, and I waited patiently. Whatever he wanted to say, it was obviously making him nervous, which, for some reason made my heart dance and stole the air from my lungs.

“Would it be weird if…” Cooper rubbed the back of his neck and without lifting his head, peeked at me, his brow crinkled and his eyes filled with uncertainty. “If I wanted to kiss you now? Before we leave?” His words tumbled out in a fast whisper.

“What? Like, to get that first awkward kiss out of the way?”

Cooper nodded. “Yes, plus, I’ve just been waiting to kiss you all day.”

“Well, when you put it that way, you make it kind of hard for me to say no.”

“Is that a yes?” Cooper took a tiny step closer.

My turn to nod. “Yes.”

Cooper closed the last bit of space between us, spiking the adrenaline in my system. Bringing one hand up, he cupped my jaw just below my ear and brought his lips to mine, pausing just before making contact.

I closed my eyes. His touch was a warm blanket in the cool, crisp evening air. His body sheltered me from the slight breeze. The way he stood there, just barely holding me, his lips hovering so close to mine that we shared breath, made me forget about the outside world. All I wanted was for him to kiss me.

In his momentary hesitation, I managed a quick breath. Half a heartbeat later, his lips touched mine in a slow press, effectively stopping my heart and maybe even time itself.

When he softened our kiss and eased back, another whispered “wow” fell out of me. Apparently, my brain had gone into reserve-power mode and was unable to access anything more than a single-word vocabulary when it came to him. Either that or it had melted, because that’s what the rest of my body had done.

“I think I’m going to have to agree with you on that,” Cooper said, his voice a little gruff. Biting his lip, Cooper smiled and stepped back. He gave a slight jerk of his chin. “Get in.”

I climbed in. He shut my door then walked around the truck. He settled into the driver’s seat, starting the engine and clicking on the headlights. As he drove down the long, dirt driveway to the street, my head still buzzed from our kiss.

“So, I hope you like what I planned for us tonight,” Cooper said as he pulled onto the rural highway. He sounded a little nervous.

“Can you tell me? Or is it a surprise?”

“Tailgate picnic by the lake.”

“Oh, well, if it includes cozying up under blankets together while we spill life stories, then you nailed it.” I looked over at him and gave him a sincere smile when I saw him biting his lip. “You haven’t dated much, have you?”

Cooper shook his head. “Not really. Like I mentioned earlier, everyone pretty much knows everyone ‘round here. It’s been about a year since my last date, which consequently was also a first date, and one that ended horribly.”

“What happened? If you don’t mine me asking.”

“I was honest, and he couldn’t handle it.” Cooper glanced over at me, and, in the dim orange glow of the instrument panel, I caught the worry all over him.

“Is that why you seem so nervous right now?”

Cooper forced a tight smile and blinked, turning his attention back to the road. “Yeah.” He pulled one hand from the steering wheel and rubbed it on his denim-clad thigh. “Put it this way; I’ve never had a second date with anyone.”

I twisted my lips as I stared at him, wondering what he could possibly have to be honest about that would drive another guy away after a first date.

“I’m hoping that will change with you,” Cooper added, giving me that hopeful look again.

“You never know,” I replied, a little nervous myself.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m already screwing this up.”

“No, you’re not.” I reached over and placed my hand on top of his where it still rested on this thigh. “You’re just being honest, which can be downright terrifying when you’ve done it before and received a less than warm reaction. Trust me, I know.”

I turned to stare out the window, watching the moonlight reflect off the bubbling creek that flanked the road and the golden-yellow trees lining the water pass by. Cooper moved his hand over mine and clasped it. His touch, once again, warmed me to my very soul.

“My parents went from happy and loving to cold as ice when I told them I was gay. They tolerated my presence until I went off to college and didn’t hesitate to tell me how disappointed they were that I’d chosen a Fine Arts degree and that I already looked gay enough with how I dressed that I didn’t need to pick a career that was gay too. They didn’t even show at my graduation. My grandparents did though, and because they still love and support me, my parents won’t talk to them anymore either.”

When I finally stopped spilling my guts, a heavy silence filled the cab.

“Sorry,” I whispered.

“Please, don’t be.”

“I didn’t mean to dump all that. You’re just… easy to talk to for some reason.” I blew out a breath. “Anyway…”

I paused mid-sentence as the dirt road we were now on curved and a view of a small, secluded lake came into view. Moonlight shone across the glass-like surface of the water and lit the golden foliage like a Thomas Kinkade painting. Cooper flipped a U-turn and backed the truck toward the lake before putting it in park and killing the engine.

“Well, we’re here,” Cooper said, opening his door. He stepped out and grabbed a pile of thick blankets and a battery-powered lantern from the backseat. “Would you mind grabbing the cooler behind your seat?”

I took the ice chest from the back floorboard and met him at the rear of the truck. Cooper hopped into the bed, making it seem effortless, and began spreading the blankets out. I set the cooler on the tailgate and watched him move about.

“Well, so far I like it,” I said, hoping to take some of the pressure off. It was the truth too. I liked that he brought us somewhere away from other people. I hadn’t quite gotten used to being openly gay around people, especially in public. I still had trouble ignoring the assessing glares filled with hate and judgement simply because I didn’t fit into their idea of normal. I’d find a way past it someday. I’d accepted myself, even if society hadn’t, but it still hurt when people looked at me as if I wasn’t even human.

“Good,” Cooper answered. Once he’d spread the blankets, he turned the lantern on and set it in the back corner so it cast a warm glow across the entire bed. He crouched near the end of the truck bed and extended his hand. “Come on up.”

Lifting my knee onto the tailgate, I grabbed his hand. Cooper helped me up. Once I was on my feet, I straightened and found myself closer to Cooper than I’d expected. My insides went haywire, electricity jumping from nerve to nerve in a race to touch all of them, and I sucked in a deep breath.

God, he smells good.

“So do you,” Cooper whispered.

My eyes widened, and I blushed. “Oh, geez, I can’t believe I said that out loud.”

Cooper chuckled, placing his hands on my hips. He pulled me closer. “Is it okay if I kiss you again?”

I answered by pressing my lips to his, and though his lips were a little dry, they felt perfect against mine. Cooper returned my kiss, encouraging me to open for him, and I did. He tentatively slid his tongue against mine, and I melted. He didn’t pull me tight against his body or try to grind against me the way most of the guys I’d dated had. His hands didn’t wander in search of skin to grab and squeeze.

All he did was kiss me.

Cooper kissed me as if I was his… and I wanted to be.

In that blissful moment, I wanted to be his forever, and I wanted him to be mine.

I’d never felt this way with anyone before. I could easily imagine a lifetime with this man and we’d only just met. His presence already did funny things to my heart that I couldn’t logically explain. A quiet, strangled moan escaped me as I lost myself in the crazy, wonderful way he made me feel with his mouth alone.

Cooper released my lips but didn’t pull away. He stayed close, resting his forehead against mine, his breathing heavy and a little fast, much like mine. My heart pounded within the walls of my chest and my erection strained within my jeans.

“Don’t stop,” I begged, my voice a hushed plea, hoarse with need and something more that I knew I shouldn’t be feeling already.

“I don’t want to, Daniel,” he whispered. “I really, really do not want to stop, but we have to talk. There’s something I need to tell you before this continues.”

I swallowed hard, my stomach knotting. “Okay.”

Cooper clasped my hand, threading his thick fingers with my thinner ones. Geez, even his fingers had muscles.

“Come sit with me?”

There it was again. Fear mixed with hope. I was beginning to hate seeing that look on him because it told me how much this truth had hurt him in the past, and I didn’t want to hurt him. I hoped that whatever he was about to tell me wouldn’t lead me into causing him the same pain his previous dates had caused.

Cooper sat down in the bed of the truck and leaned against the cab and back window. I joined him, sitting beside him, and waited. He reached between us and linked our fingers together, holding my hand as if it were a lifeline.

Silence hung over us again, broken by the occasional, distant hoot of an owl. The fifty-degree air seeped through my jeans but my coat kept me warm enough still.

“It’s weird,” Cooper said softly.

I furrowed my brow, glancing at him.

“It’s weird because it’s never been this hard for me before.” He snorted under his breath. “You know, so far you are exactly as I had imagined.”

“I am?”

“Adele. She told me about you once. Not sure if she told you. It was actually about a year ago, now that I think about it, because she’d come out to the patch to pick out some pumpkins for her homemade pies. She’d caught me the morning after that horrible first date and somehow, she got me talking. I told her everything and how I didn’t know if I could keep putting myself through the pain of dating anymore.”

Cooper huffed a small laugh. He lifted his head and looked at me, his eyes searching.

“She listened then proceeded to tell me about you and how you’d been through some tough times, but that you still managed to follow your heart. The more she talked about you, the more I wanted to meet you. When she left that day with her pie pumpkins, you were all I could think about, but I never thought I’d actually meet you. Now, you’re here with me and every moment with you has been so amazing that I’m afraid to tell you the one thing I know I have to tell you, because I really don’t want this to end tonight.”

“You’re afraid I won’t be able to handle it.”

Cooper bit his bottom lip hard and nodded. “Yeah.”

I stared at him, long and hard. “Look, whatever it is, Cooper, I promise I won’t do or say anything to intentionally hurt you. I don’t know that I can promise anything more than that.”

Cooper pressed his lips together and sucked in a sharp breath, holding my gaze.

I shifted around so that I faced him straight on without having to crane my neck sideways and squeezed his hand. “Just tell me.”

He stared at me for a few seconds, words playing on his lips. “I, um… do you…” He sighed as if frustrated. “Have you ever heard of the term FTM?”

I cocked my head slightly to one side. “As in female-to-male?”

Cooper nodded.

“Yes.”

Cooper’s shimmering gaze locked on mine but he said nothing more, and that’s when it hit me.

“Oh.” I didn’t take my eyes away from his, and even in the dark lit only by the full moon above and the lantern beside us, I could see the whirlwind of emotions in the depth of his gaze. Mostly, I saw fear and pain and loss, and I hated it.

I’d had a friend once that was transgender, and I’d learned a lot from her. I couldn’t pretend to understand how it felt to be transgender, but I understood enough to know it was a real thing and wasn’t a choice. The only choice was in how the person dealt with it.

I also knew that to Cooper, he was a man, and to treat him as anything else simply because he was born with female anatomy would only serve to hurt him and invalidate the person he truly was on the inside.

“Daniel, please say something.”

His worried whisper gutted me, but words weren’t enough for this moment. I had questions, sure, mostly because I was curious, but those could wait. I still liked him and I needed to erase the hopelessness consuming him. There was only one way to do that. I scooted closer, leaned forward, and kissed him.

I’d never been more grateful that we’d already gotten our first kiss out of the way; otherwise, this would have been awkward. As it was, however, this kiss felt far more intimate than the others had because now I knew and still, he kissed me with such understated reverence and passion that my heart nearly burst with how strongly I already felt for him.

I pulled back, just barely, to breathe. “You know, no one’s ever kissed me like you do.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“It’s an amazing, wonderful thing.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.” I sat back a little.

“So, you’re… okay with me, you know…”

“Look, Cooper. You know yourself better than anyone, and so far, I like everything about you, so yeah, I am.”

“Does this mean you’ll go on another date with me?”

“Dude, you keep kissing me like that, and you won’t be able to get rid of me.”

I swore the all-out joy that lit his face put the biggest smile on mine, and a low ache unfurled deep inside my gut. I didn’t want him to want to get rid of me, ever.

“But, is it okay if I ask you some questions?”

“Uh, yeah. I guess.”

“I’m guessing, by how you look, you’re on testosterone?”

“Oh yeah.”

“And, have you had any surgeries in order to change?”

“Just on top. I haven’t decided if I want to do the bottom yet.”

“Are you happy?”

That question must have caught him off guard because he stared at me for a few seconds then dropped his head and sighed. My grandma’s words came back to me.

“With who I am, yeah, now,” he finally answered. “There was a time, however, when I was so depressed, I couldn’t stand to look at myself. I even seriously considered killing myself, hoping that maybe I would be reborn the right way. I mean, I literally felt like a guy trapped in a female body. On top of that, I was into guys, which ultimately meant I was gay. Those are two things that many people don’t understand and some even hate, but I loved my family and I had to give them a chance to love the person I’d hidden inside me. When I came out, they didn’t bat an eye. Now, I feel like the person on the outside matches the person on the inside and I literally have my family to thank for it.”

“You’re lucky to have them.”

“I know. The rest of the people ‘round here weren’t all quite as accepting. Some don’t care, like your grandparents, whom I love, by the way. Others still talk to me, but it’s weird and sometimes insulting, especially when they use my birth name or still refer to me as ‘she’. Then there’s the people who look at me as if I’m some sort of monster.” Cooper looked past me toward the lake, taking a deep breath.

Hearing what Cooper had been through hit me hard. Family aside, he’d dealt with far worse than I had.

“Hey,” I said, gently squeezing his knee. “Why don’t you show me what you brought for us to eat and we talk about other stuff for a while?”

Cooper smiled at me. “Thanks.” He grabbed the cooler from the tailgate where I’d left it and slid it closer to both of us. He popped the lid and started pulling out plastic containers filled with food. “I hope you like cold pasta salad. This recipe’s one of my favorites. Mom used to make it when we were kids, and I used to eat all the leftovers. Liz made a batch fresh this morning.”

I watched him, knowing the dopey grin on my face was growing bigger, but I didn’t care. Cooper had gone from scared and glum back to nervous and excited. The man was adorable.

“There’s shrimp to add to the pasta, but I kept it separate in case of allergies.”

That was thoughtful.

He handed me a bottle of water. “I wasn’t sure what you might want to drink, so I just brought water. Also, there’s champagne and homemade pumpkin pie for dessert.”

Cooper sat back, facing me with the food spread between us, and removed the lids from three square containers—two filled with pasta and one filled with shrimp. The tangy smell of Italian dressing hit me almost immediately, and my stomach growled.

“Well, it looks and sounds and smells wonderful. Mind if I start eating, because I’m starving.”

“No, go right ahead. I am too. I haven’t eaten since we talked this morning.” Cooper looked around then rummaged around inside the cooler. “Dangit!”

“What?”

Cooper gave me an apologetic look. “I forgot forks. Figures. I swear, I always forget something.”

“Well,” I grinned, wiggling my fingers in the air. “Good thing we have these wonderful little tools.”

Cooper laughed. “Sorry.”

“Dude, it’s fine.” I dipped my thumb and finger into my pasta dish and struggled for a few seconds to grab a slippery noodle before lifting it and tossing it in my mouth. “Mmm. That is good.”

I licked a little of the dressing off my thumb and caught Cooper staring at me as if he wanted to devour me on the spot. My whole body froze. Cooper got to his knees and leaned forward over the food, bracing his hands on either side of me, and kissed me with that delicious mouth of his.

I grabbed his upper arms to keep from falling backward, pressing my fingertips into the thick cotton of his pullover sweatshirt until I could feel the hard muscles beneath. God, I couldn’t wait to feel more of him. I imagined his hard body pressed against me as he held me tight. A wave of heat rolled through me and my dick hardened again, forcing a low moan out of me.

“Jesus, Daniel,” Cooper growled against my lips. His baritone voice reverberated through my entire body, turning up the heat under my skin. He pulled away, and I forced myself not to follow.

“No kidding.” I cleared my throat, looking down at the food so I didn’t have to look at him. Even so, I didn’t have to in order to feel his gaze on me. “Maybe we should eat before we both starve.”

“Good idea.” Cooper sat back, picked up his pasta salad dish, and began eating. I did the same.

We ate and talked and, before I knew it, the pasta and shrimp were gone and my fingertips were cold and pruney. I gathered the empty containers while Cooper pulled out two pre-sliced pieces of pumpkin pie and a bottle of sparkling wine along with a couple of clear plastic cups. He popped the cork and poured us each a cup.

I picked up my pie container and cup and made my way toward the back of the pickup bed so I could lean against the cab as we had earlier. “Join me?” I asked as I leaned back and crossed my legs at my ankles.

Cooper stretched out beside me. He leaned back, his shoulder just touching mine, and raised his cup. “Here’s to the best first date I’ve ever had.”

“And amazing first kisses I won’t ever forget.”

***

It was nearly midnight by the time we arrived back at my grandparents’ house. With our hands linked as they had been much of the evening, Cooper walked me to the front door. We paused on the porch, and it seemed neither of us wanted the night to end. I knew I didn’t.

“So, um, is tomorrow too soon to see you again?” Cooper asked.

I grinned while biting the side of my bottom lip. “I was about to ask you the same.”

Cooper smiled as he leaned in and kissed me. It was brief, but tender and loving. His lips left mine as he tilted his forehead against my own. “Thank you, Daniel.”

“For what?”

“Accepting me and giving me this chance.”

“I know what it’s like to not be accepted for who you are.”

“Can I ask you something?” He straightened, looking me in the eyes.

“Sure.”

“I know you said it earlier, so I’m sorry for asking this, but you are gay, right? Not bisexual?”

I drew my brows together. “Completely gay. Definitely not bi. Why?”

“Just wondering.” Concern edged his voice and he looked away toward his truck. “It’s late. I should be going.”

“Hey,” I said, worried I’d said something I shouldn’t have. “What’s wrong?”

Cooper gave his head a slight shake and smiled. “Just, something I thought of, but it’s nothing. I’m good.”

I arched one eyebrow, knowing a fake smile when I saw one. I figured whatever it was had to have something to do with me being gay and not bisexual. Maybe Cooper couldn’t figure out why I was here with him, giving him—or rather, giving us—a chance to see where things might go. I remembered what he’d told me about his surgeries and transition. He could be worried about how I’ll feel about him physically. His body looked all male from what I could see now, but what about what I couldn’t see? And how would I react? Would I still be attracted to him sexually when reality stared me in the face?

I didn’t have all the answers to my own questions yet. I only knew how I felt right now.

“Cooper.” I placed my palm on his chest, feeling the hard muscles beneath his clothes. Trying to think of the words I wanted to say, I slid my hand slowly across one of his pecs and held my breath as I let it drift downward over his abs. His breath hitched when I slipped my fingers beneath his sweatshirt and T-shirt to find skin. I followed the thick trail of hair a little lower and hooked two fingers behind the button of his jeans.

“Daniel…” he whispered, his voice thick with desire and uncertainty.

I forced myself to concentrate and find the right words. “I just want you to know that no other man has ever made me feel the way you have in one day.” I pressed a soft kiss to his lips, unable to stop the content sigh from escaping me. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Cooper smiled against my lips. “I’ll call you.”

“You’d better.”

The joyous glow all over him as he walked away gave me more happiness than I’d felt in a long time.

Chapter 3

As I parked my grandpa’s truck in front of Cooper’s house, Annabeth came running out the front door. I opened my door and stepped out just as she reached me.

“Hi, Daniel!” Annabeth beamed, seemingly unaware of the white, powder on her cheek and chin.

“Hey, Annabeth. Looks like you’ve been helping your mom bake again.”

“Yep! Pumpkin spice and white chocolate chip cookies. I saved one for you.”

“That’s really nice of you.”

Annabeth peered around me into the front seat of the truck. I smiled, knowing exactly what she was looking for. I closed the door, stifling a laugh when she frowned. For a six-year-old, she was doing her hardest not to ask if I’d finished carving the pumpkin I’d promised her a few weeks ago. Her mom had scolded her for constantly asking about it every time I came around. I felt bad at the time that I hadn’t gotten to it, but online orders for the custom carved-wood sculptures I made had kept me busy, and when I wasn’t working, I’d spent most of my free time with Cooper. I’d finally found a little bit of time last night and stayed up late finishing it for her.

“Why don’t you run inside and let your uncle and mom know I’m here?”

“Okay,” she said, her voice soft. She twisted her lips and gave me those puppy-dog eyes that were just adorable, but I wasn’t falling for it this time.

“Annabeth!” came her mom’s voice from inside the house.

“Better go,” I said.

Annabeth gave me an inquisitive look as if trying to figure out why I hadn’t started for the house already. When her mom called again, she ran back inside. “Coming, Mommy!”

Sweet girl, and smart too.

I opened the back door and grabbed her pumpkin with the fox carving, then headed for the door. As I climbed the steps, Cooper opened the screen door with a huge smile on his face. I loved that smile.

“Hi,” he said, leaning back against the door and holding it open for me.

“Hey.” I smiled, pecking him on the lips as I walked past him into the house. I paused in the entry hall as he closed the door, spinning the pumpkin around in my hands so he could see it. “Whatdya think? Think she’ll like it?” I kept my voice low.

“Oh, wow, Daniel,” he said, his eyes darting toward the kitchen. He checked it out as he came toward me. “This is amazing. How long did this take you?”

I shrugged. “About six hours last night.”

“You have an incredible talent, and to answer your question, yes, she’s gonna love it.”

“I feel bad it took me so long.”

“Don’t be. She’ll forget all about it when she sees it.”

I shifted the pumpkin to one arm as Cooper stepped in close. He wrapped one arm around my lower back, pulled me into him, and kissed me as if he couldn’t get enough. God, I loved the way he kissed me. I hoped the crazy, intense sensations the touch of his lips against mine triggered and the sense of security and love I felt whenever he held me never went away.

“Eww, gross,” Annabeth said from somewhere nearby.

I chuckled as Cooper pulled away, his cheeks actually blushing a little.

“Oh my God! Is that one mine?” Annabeth squealed, bouncing toward me. “It is, isn’t it? It has a fox on it, just like you said it would.”

“What is all the screaming about in here?” Liz asked as she rounded the corner.

“Mommy! Look! Daniel carved me a pumpkin with a fox on it. Isn’t it cool?”

“Yes, it is. Very cool.”

“Can we put it in my room?” Annabeth asked.

Liz cringed. “I don’t know, honey.”

“Please, Mommy?”

“I coated it with a preservation spray so it should keep any bugs away and make it last at least until Halloween, if that helps,” I said. I pulled the top piece off and flipped it over. “I also attached a battery-operated light under the top piece so you don’t have to reach all the way down inside to turn it on,” I added, putting the top part of the pumpkin back in place.

“So can I keep it in my room?”

“I guess,” Liz said.

“Yea! I’m gonna go make a spot for it,” Annabeth declared as she ran down the hall.

Liz gave me a gracious smile. “Thank you, Daniel. This really is amazing. You didn’t have to do this, but thank you.” She took the pumpkin from me and headed down the hallway.

“Annabeth adores you, you know?” Cooper said when we were alone. “As a matter of fact, my whole family loves you. And speaking of family,” he added, dropping his voice. “I need to go into town to pick up a necklace I had made for Mom for her birthday. I thought you could come with me—it won’t take long at all—and then maybe we could have lunch at Bertie’s.”

I shrugged. “Sure. You ready now?”

“Uh, yeah. I can be. Are you sure?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

“No reason, I suppose,” Cooper said, but his sudden face-splitting smile told me otherwise.

“Uh huh.” I arched one eyebrow.

“What?” he asked.

“You look way too happy for there to be no reason,” I smirked.

“I just didn’t think you’d want to go with me, or that you’d have the time, so you surprised me when you said yes. That’s all.”

“I do have a lot of work to catch up on, and I still have a bunch of pumpkins to carve, but I’d rather be with you. Maybe tonight, if you’re not busy, you can come over and hang out with me while I work?”

“Sure.”

“Cool. By the way, I’m driving this time.”

We arrived in the heart of downtown Willow Springs about thirty minutes later. Though the area had gone through a major facelift a few years back—according to my grandma—the original parts of the large town still held their original 1940s charm. Willow Springs had sprung up after the war and the population along with new homes and business had grown rapidly until the interstate went through about fifty miles south. After that, some businesses and people left, but the town otherwise continued on. Now, it’s one of those rare gems that make the ‘Best Small Towns to Live In’ lists.

A bell rang above us as we entered the quaint little jewelry store. I had no interest in shopping, so I hovered near Cooper as he spoke with the storeowner and looked over the custom piece for his mom. It took only a few minutes, as expected.

We left the jewelry store and walked across the street to Bertie’s Café. I couldn’t help but notice how Cooper walked with a bit of distance between us, and it was then I realized this was the first time we’d be out in public as a couple. Funny thing was, usually that would bother me, but with Cooper, it didn’t. I almost wanted people to see us together.

Cooper opened the door and held it for me. As I walked into the small diner, a homey warmth and the delectable scent of pumpkin spice hit me. It reminded me of my grandma’s house, especially with all the harvest-themed decorations. Whoever decorated hadn’t focused on Halloween, but rather the entire autumn season. Scarecrows, pumpkins, and leaves of red, gold, brown, and orange adorned the walls. Even the tables had a little scarecrow or pumpkin sitting by the napkin holders.

A man about my age in an orange and brown flannel shirt with short brown hair greeted us. He beamed brightly at me. “Hi. Just one?”

“Two, actually,” I said.

“Oh.” His smile faded as he glanced between Cooper and me, his eyes assessing. “Hey, Cooper. Are you together?”

“Hi, Andrew. Yeah. Do you have a booth by the window?”

“Yeah.” Andrew grabbed two menus and two sets of silverware rolled in orange cloth napkins. “This way.”

I tossed a quick questioning glance over my shoulder at Cooper as I followed our host to a table by the window overlooking the street, but with his face down, he didn’t see me. I slid into the booth as Cooper took a seat opposite me. Andrew handed us each a menu.

“Can I get you started with something to drink?” Andrew asked, his tone rigid and scripted.

“I’ll have a water with lemon, please,” I said.

Andrew nodded then looked at Cooper. “Sweet tea?”

“Yes. Thanks,” Cooper answered, a wary smile on his lips.

“Great. I’ll get those started and give you a moment to look over the menu.” Andrew walked away into the half-open kitchen area.

With his thumb pressed to his chin, Cooper stared out the window, unusually quiet and distant.

“Hey,” I said. “Everything okay?”

Cooper blinked and looked at me. “Uh, yeah. I’m good.”

“You’re such a bad liar. It’s that guy, Andrew, isn’t it?”

Cooper’s eyes darted toward the kitchen.

“Cooper, if you’re not comfortable being here—”

He shook his head. “Nah. I’m fine. I was just hoping he wouldn’t be here.”

“What happened between you two?”

Cooper’s gaze wandered before he looked at me again. He dropped his voice. “First date.”

“And?”

“And… I told him about, you know, and he basically told me that he needed a real man then drove off and left me alone in the middle of the woods at night. That was a couple years ago.”

“What a jerk.”

“Yeah, well. It’s long done and over with.” Cooper shrugged then snorted quietly. “He’s the reason I always drive on first dates now.”

“At least we’re past that part.”

“Yep.”

“And you know what?”

“What?”

“He missed out.”

Cooper blushed a little as he smiled again, the first time since we left the jewelry shop.

“So.” I cleared my throat and glanced down at the menu. “I haven’t been here before. Any suggestions?”

“Oh, man. All of it?” Cooper said with a small laugh.

I rolled my eyes. “That’s helpful.”

“Hey, you asked. I can’t help it if it’s all good.”

“Is that why you still eat here, despite some of the staff.”

“Well, that, and the owner is my mom’s best friend.”

“I thought that was you I saw walk in a few minutes ago,” chirped a woman as she approached our table with two glasses in her hands. She set the water in front of me and the tea in front of Cooper. “I’m Tammy,” she said to me, pushing the rolled-up sleeves of her white and orange plaid shirt above her elbows. “And I’m gonna guess you must be the boyfriend, Daniel.”

“I am,” I said, unable to stop the wide grin taking over my face. She called me ‘the boyfriend,’ and I had to admit, it felt really good. I looked at Cooper, my eyebrows raised.

“Sorry. My mom talks and she likes you,” Cooper said.

“I’ll say she does,” Tammy chuckled, tucking a strand of graying brown hair behind her ear. “Well, I better get back to the kitchen. It was nice to meet you, Daniel.”

“Same here,” I said, still smiling as she retreated. “She seems nice.”

“Yeah. She is. She’s been really supportive too.”

Andrew returned, with the same aloof attitude, to take our food orders, for which I wasn’t at all prepared. I signaled for Cooper to go first while I scanned the menu for something I knew I would like. I settled for a turkey-bacon-avocado sandwich and shoestring fries with honey mustard dipping sauce. Cooper ended up ordering a burger topped with a fried egg and a side of onion rings.

We ate, talked, and even laughed a little. Cooper finished eating long before I did, practically inhaling his food. He was no nonsense when it came to eating. He always ate like he was starving and couldn’t shovel it in fast enough.

“Did you even taste it?” I laughed.

“Every bite, and it was good.” Cooper placed his rolled up napkin on the table. “I’m gonna run to the restroom real quick.”

“Okay.”

Cooper disappeared into the men’s bathroom and not five seconds later, Andrew slid into the seat Cooper had just vacated. I narrowed my eyes at him.

“So what’s your deal?” Andrew said.

“Excuse me?”

“Are you just friends or dating or what?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“I was hoping maybe I could take you out sometime.”

Wow. Arrogant and a jerk. “Not happening.”

“So you are together.”

“That’s really none of your business, but yes. Why?”

“Just looking out for you, bro.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” This guy was really getting under my skin. I had half a mind to get up and walk away, but I wasn’t going anywhere without Cooper, and I wanted to know what Andrew’s intentions were.

Andrew looked around and lowered his voice. “The dude’s not a dude, if you know what I mean. Now, if you want a real man—”

Okay, that pissed me off. “I have a real man,” I snapped, keeping my voice down. My jaw clenched, I took a deep, steadying breath. “And you have no fucking right going around saying shit like that to anyone. He told you the truth in confidence and you abandoned him. Cooper is the most amazing boyfriend I’ve ever had and I don’t plan on giving him up any time soon, so you can take whatever issues you have with him and shove ‘em up your ass.”

“What’s going on?” Cooper said from behind me. He stopped and stood by the table, glaring at Andrew.

“Nothing. He was just leaving,” I growled, my irritation fading now that Cooper was back.

Andrew pushed to his feet and walked away in a huff.

Cooper sat down, concern etched in his face. “What did he say to you?”

“He basically tried to get me to dump you for him. Pfft. Like that would ever happen. The man’s a douche.”

“Sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?”

Cooper looked down at the table and let out a heavy sigh. He grabbed the base of his almost empty cup and started spinning it.

“Daniel, I have to live with who I am; I don’t have a choice. You do. I don’t want you to endure the same shit I do because you feel sorry for me. If it’s too much to be with me, just tell me and we can stop seeing each other. I won’t hold it against you.”

“Are you kidding?”

Cooper lifted his gaze. “What?” he whispered, his eyes and voice strained.

“You know, I think it’s time to go.”

“Okay.”

I slid out of the bench seat and stood. Cooper did the same. The moment he was on his feet beside me, I clasped his hand and held it as I tugged him along with me to the register at the front counter. Tammy finished up with a customer sitting at one end and came over to us.

“You boys all set?”

“Yes, thanks. Can I get the check?”

“Oh, of course.”

As she flipped through a stack of yellow papers, I pulled Cooper closer to me and kissed his cheek, letting my lips linger for a couple of seconds as I inhaled his musky scent.

“Here you go,” Tammy said.

My heart danced in my chest when I saw the smile touching Cooper’s eyes as I pulled away. I looked at the total and handed her enough cash for the bill and a tip. As annoyed as I was with Andrew, I wasn’t going to be an ass and not tip the guy at least a little.

“Keep the change.”

“Thanks. Come back again soon.”

“We will,” I said. “Thank you again.”

I led Cooper out to the truck and leaned back against the driver’s side door, looking at him. “I want you to kiss me.”

“Right here? People might see us.”

“That’s the whole point, Coop.” I hooked my fingers through the front belt loops of his jeans and tugged him closer. His breathing deepened as he leaned in to me, his face not more than an inch from mine. “Now please, just kiss me, because I’ve been waiting all day for it.”

“Well, when you put it that way,” he breathed and captured my mouth with his.

I sighed and melted into him as he wrapped his muscular arms around me, taking charge and kissing me just the way I wanted him to. God, I loved the way he held me and kissed me, as if he was claiming me every time. He sucked and nipped my lips, licking and doing insanely wonderful things to my mouth, triggering that tingling heat at the base of my spine that only his kiss had ever given me.

Cooper released my lips, his breathing hard and heavy, and rested his forehead against mine. Between us, his heart pounded a hard, fast rhythm within his chest. He brought his lips close to my ear and whispered, “Daniel… you have no idea how much I want you right now.”

Heat surged straight to my groin. “Jesus Christ, I’m taking you home,” I breathed, almost panting. “Get in the truck.”

I did my best not to speed on the way back to my grandparents’ house, but it was hard, because I was hard. It didn’t help either that Cooper chose to sit in the middle seat of the bench and rubbed one hand over my erection and the other over his crotch the entire way. I parked in front of the house, praying no one was home when I noticed the SUV not in its usual spot. I could deal if someone was, but I’d rather not.

We hopped out of the truck and slammed the doors simultaneously. I unlocked the front door and let us in. The house was quiet, but I checked anyway to be sure.

“Grandma? Grandpa? You home?”

No answer. Perfect.

Cooper waited just long enough to confirm we were alone before taking the lead, and I was more than willing to let him. He grabbed my hand and practically dragged me up the stairs to my room, knowing exactly where to go from previous visits.

Kicking the door closed, Cooper pulled me into his arms and crushed his mouth to mine. Grabbing my hips, he walked me backwards toward the bed, toeing his shoes off as he went. I fumbled with mine, unable to get them off as he hurried me along. The backs of my knees hit the mattress. I started to fall, but Cooper caught me with one strong arm around my back.

His hands flew to the buttons of my shirt, quickly undoing them and then continuing downward to my pants, unbuttoning them and pulling the zipper down. I removed my shirt and flung it to the floor as Cooper crouched down and yanked my shoes off then swiftly slid my pants and underwear down and off, casting them aside.

Cooper ran a rough hand up my leg and along the inside of my thigh, letting out an appreciate growl that made my blood run hot. He cupped my balls then wrapped his perfectly callused hand around my shaft and stroked twice. Only twice.

“Jesus, Cooper. Hurry up and fuck me. Please.”

Cooper tore his clothes off and kicked them aside. My eyes never made it lower than his muscled, hairy chest before he was on me, his warm, wet mouth devouring mine as he pushed me back onto the bed. With one arm around me, he guided me backward, crawling over me, until he had me laid out entirely on the bed beneath him. He pinned me to the mattress with his hard body, letting his weight settle on me.

I sought as much skin contact as I could, wanting to feel him everywhere against me. Heat emanated from our bodies as I opened my legs and hooked my ankles behind his ass. Cooper found the edge of my jaw with his lips and kissed his way down my neck to my shoulder as he rocked his pelvis, grinding against my hard length. He blazed a trail of hot, wet licks and kisses across my collarbone, the scrape of his unshaven scruff on my skin adding the perfect reminder of where his lips had been.

The scorching path ended with a tender kiss on the spot where my neck and shoulder met. He licked the sensitive skin. My breath hitched. Then he bit me, and I swore every erogenous zone in my body went into overdrive.

“Jesus fuck…” I couldn’t take it anymore. I pushed on his chest with both my hands and rolled him over. I knelt back and soaked in the view.

Cooper’s chest rose and fell with labored breaths, and I caught the flicker of panic in his eyes as his body froze. It occurred to me then why he’d rushed with the clothes. He feared what would happen when I actually saw him.

I leaned forward, running my hands over his pecs, noticing for the first time the scarring around his nipples and along the lower ridge of his pectorals. I traced the faded lines with my fingertips, imagining the emotional pain that had come with them, or maybe it was freedom, because the tan line along his waist just below his navel signified time spent in the sun without a shirt. My mind wandered to visions of Cooper working on his parents’ farm, stripping his shirt off and using it to wipe the sweat from his face before stuffing part of it just into the waistline of his jeans, his sweat-dampened skin glistening in the afternoon sun.

A low moan fell out of me, and some of the tension in Cooper’s body eased.

I let my hands drift downward over his chiseled abs and followed the dark trail of hair all the way down to between his legs. My gaze riveted to what looked like a small, semi-hard penis, and I realized then that I’d hadn’t any idea of what to expect. I waited for my brain to process, but through the fog of lust in my head, all I saw was dick, and I wanted to taste it. I dipped my head and licked the tip, then sucked him into my mouth.

Cooper’s low, guttural moan resonated deep inside me, and when he pushed his hand into my hair, I grabbed my cock and stroked it as I sucked his. I lost myself in the amazing sounds he made, his heady scent, and my own impending orgasm.

Cooper’s grip on my hair slowly tightened until he finally whimpered, “Stop. Daniel, stop.”

I pulled my mouth off him and looked up the length of his body, meeting his wild, dark, uncertain gaze. I lunged forward, claiming his mouth with mine the way he always did to me, and thrust against him. “I really want to be inside you,” I breathed into our kiss.

“God, yes,” he growled, grabbing my hips and forcing me down against him as he pushed up from below.

I braced myself on my hands on either side of his head. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.” I ran to my dresser and dug out a condom and lube. “Have you done this before?” I asked, jumping on the bed between his thighs.

“Not with the real thing.” Cooper pulled his legs open and back, exposing himself to me completely.

I groaned, the vision of Cooper fucking his ass with a dildo making my already swollen erection even harder. I lubed my fingers and rubbed them over his hole, then pushed inside. His tunnel stretched easily, thank God, because I was desperate to feel him around me. As soon as he felt ready, I slid the condom on and slicked it up quickly. Resting the tip of my penis against his anus, I looked up and found his eyes, and realized just how significant this moment was for both of us.

This was my complete acceptance of him in his entirety—inside and out—and this was him trusting me while at his most vulnerable.

Holding my breath, I pushed in, slipping easily past the ringed muscle, and watched my dick slowly sink into him until I bottomed out. My eyes slipped closed and my mouth fell open as I pulled out and slid back in again. I fell forward on my elbows and dropped a kiss on his lips. Cooper brought his arms around me, holding me against his chest, and lifted his head for another kiss as I continued with increasingly faster thrusts.

Cooper maneuvered his hand between us and began fingering himself. I hunched my back to give him more space, stealing the occasional kiss.

“Daniel, I’m so close,” he panted.

“Yeah?” I knelt back and slammed into him.

“Oh, God,” he yelled, his voice growly. “Fuck me hard.”

I hooked my arms under his legs and pounded him, watching him stroke himself. “Jesus, Cooper. So fucking hot. I’m gonna come.” I thrusted wildly, my orgasm rising up my thickening shaft.

Cooper came with a loud, wordless yell. The tight heat of his tunnel clenched around me, pulling me right over the edge. I grunted and panted as I fell forward, catching myself on shaky hands. A couple more deep thrusts and I stilled inside him. Out of breath and strength, I collapsed on top of Cooper and buried my face in the sweaty curve of his neck.

Cooper put his arms around me again, pressing a kiss into my hair, and held me tight. I closed my eyes, enjoying the warmth and comfort of his strong embrace. Neither of us moved for a couple minutes. I didn’t want to pull away, but I was slipping out and needed to discard the condom anyway. I kissed his neck and pushed myself up. Cooper let his arms fall away, watching me intently.

“Not going anywhere,” I assured him, quickly slipping the condom off. I leaned over, tossed it in the trashcan sitting beside the nightstand, and hurried to lie down again.

Cooper gathered me in his capable arms from behind and kissed the back of my shoulder. “Thank you,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.

I rolled onto my back, his arm under my neck, and looked into his eyes. “For what?”

“For being you, and being amazing. I never thought I’d actually find someone who could see the real me and accept me.” Cooper propped himself up with his elbow, gazing down at me. “What do I need to do to keep you?”

I beamed. No one had ever asked me that before. “Two things.”

“Name ‘em.”

“First, just be you.”

“Okay.”

“And second, from the first time you did it, you’ve always kissed me like I’m your whole world. Don’t ever stop doing that.”

“You mean, like this?”

His eyes searching mine, Cooper pressed his palm to my cheek. He lowered his face, and I closed my eyes in anticipation. His lips brushed mine, and it was like chocolate and a glass of wine after a long, stressful day. He made me forget about everything but him. I relaxed further in his embrace. He worshipped my mouth with his lips, his tongue leisurely exploring and tasting, drawing uncontrolled moans and happy sighs out of me. He pulled back, sucking my top lip into his mouth, and when he let go, I had barely a moment to take a breath before he captured my mouth again with a noisy, wet kiss.

With one more tug of my lips, he finally let go, but didn’t back away. He lingered close, his lips almost touching the corner of my mouth.

“Wow,” I whispered, my brain tossing out the default response. “Jesus, Cooper. Yes. That. How do you do that?”

“I think it’s you. When we kiss, nothing else matters. I could lose myself in you for hours just kissing you.”

My heart swelled and lodged in my throat. “And they say guys can’t be romantic.”

Cooper laughed. “I didn’t mean to, I swear.”

“Don’t worry. Your secret’s safe with me. Besides, you may not be, but I tend to be a hearts and flowers kind of guy, at least on occasion.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“You’d better. Now, shut up and kiss me again.”

He did.

Epilogue

One year later…

I parked my compact hybrid SUV in the gravel driveway of the little farmhouse Cooper had bought about six months ago. I moved in with him shortly after and together, we’d worked to remodel the mid-century original to the way we liked it.

Today, we were having our families over for dinner and showing them the finished product. We’d kept them all away for the last couple of months just so we could surprise them. I couldn’t wait to show off what we’d done to our new home.

I climbed out of the car and grabbed the handful of groceries from the back as Cooper walked out the front door, wiping his hands on a rag towel. His gray tank, damp with sweat, clung to his muscled chest and abs and his jeans hung low on his hips.

My eyes locked on Cooper, I barely noticed the pumpkins I’d carved earlier in the week sitting on the edges of the porch steps or the ones lining the driveway. Cooper greeted me with a smile I never saw him give anyone but me and one of his signature, short kisses that turned me into a pile of goo in two seconds flat.

To say I was in love with him was an understatement.

“Hey,” I said, a big dopey grin on my face.

Cooper just grinned back. He knew full on what he did to me. “Hey. Did you get everything?”

“Yep.”

“I put your pumpkins out.”

“I saw. The ones lining the driveway are a nice touch.”

“Yeah. Kind of a last minute idea I had.” He held the screen door open for me.

I walked in and headed straight to the kitchen. I set the bags on the table and started putting away all the perishable items. Cooper helped, and when we were done, he pulled me into his arms, pressed me back against the butcher-block countertop with his hard, sweaty body, and kissed me. Fucking heaven.

“I love you,” he breathed.

I tried to answer, but he shoved his tongue in my mouth and palmed my growing erection through my pants, forcing nothing but incoherent whimpers out of me.

“Upstairs. Now,” Cooper said, his raspy voice rolling like sinful waves through my body.

I couldn’t get there fast enough.

***

I was just pulling the casserole out of the oven when the doorbell rang. As I set it on the stove to cool, I heard muffled voices from outside followed by Cooper’s voice.

“Hi, Adele. Henry.”

“Hi, Cooper. The house looks beautiful. Where’s my grandson?”

“Kitchen.”

“Hey, Coop,” my grandpa said, and I imagined them shaking hands as they always did whenever they saw each other.

I turned off the oven and started pulling out dishes.

My grandma walked in. “Need any help?”

“Nope. I got it.” I smiled and set the plates on the counter. I heard crunch of gravel under tires and the roar of an engine. “I think the rest are here.”

I made my way toward the entry with my grandma following, pausing to lean against the wall between the foyer and the dining room. The noise stopped and next thing I heard were car doors shutting, then the most precious little voice. “Uncle Cooper!”

“Hey, sweetie! What’s that you got there?”

From where I stood, I couldn’t see the item about which Cooper had asked Annabeth.

“I made it for your new house. Do you like it?”

“I do. It looks awesome!”

“Where’s Uncle Danny? I want him to see it.”

I about fell over. She’d never called me ‘uncle’ before. It had always been Danny.

“Shh. I think he’s in the kitchen,” Cooper said.

“No, I’m here.”

Cooper looked over at me, his eyes wide as if he didn’t expect me there. I stepped toward them.

“Danny, look at what I made!” Annabeth held up a pumpkin with a cat and moon carved into it. It looked like she’d used one of those patterns you can print online, but hey, she was seven.

“Wow. You made this?”

“Yep.”

“No way. Are you sure? This is the work of a highly skilled artist.”

She beamed. “No, really. I made it for you. Do you like it? It’s not as good as the ones you make, but—”

“Annabeth. I love it. After dinner, you can help me put a light in it and we’ll set it outside with the others.”

She couldn’t have smiled bigger if she tried.

Cooper and I gave everyone a quick tour of the house. We wrapped up in the dining room where we all sat around the huge farm table and ate our first joint family dinner in the new house.

I looked around. Everyone important to me was here. My grandparents—the only blood relatives I had that hadn’t shut me out of their lives simply because I was gay. Cooper’s parents, Jack and Beth, his sister, Liz, and her daughter, Annabeth. And, of course, Cooper—the man I loved more than life itself.

“Hey,” Cooper said, clasping my hand beneath the table. “You okay?”

I pressed my lips into a smile, my heart expanding against the walls of my chest. “You have no idea.”

“Come ‘ere for a minute.” Cooper stood, still holding my hand. “There’s something I want to show you.”

I let him lead me away from the table and toward the front of the house. A hushed conversation continued and chairs scraped across the wood floor back in the dining room, but I thought nothing of it since we’d all finished dinner.

We stepped out into the cold, night air, and I shivered. Cooper pulled me into his warm embrace and pressed a slow, tender kiss to my lips. I shivered again, but this time, not from the cold.

“I still don’t understand how you do that,” I whispered. I felt his smile against my lips. “But it doesn’t matter, as long as you keep doing it.”

“Forever?”

“If you can put up with me for that long.”

Cooper spun me around and walked me backwards to the porch railing. Bringing his hands to my cheeks, he held my face and kissed me again. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

He pulled back, gripped my upper arms, and turned me around to face away from him.

I almost cried.

All those pumpkins that lined the driveway—seven on each side. Well, they were all carved and lit, facing the house so I hadn’t noticed earlier, and spelled out four little words.

WILL YOU MARRY ME

My mouth fell open, but I couldn’t find the words.

Cooper hugged me from behind and pressed a soft kiss to my neck just below my ear. “Will you?” he whispered.

I turned in the circle of his arms. “Yes.”

“Good, ‘cause I don’t want to ever stop doing this,” Cooper said, and with all our family watching, he kissed me.

*** The End ***

Thank you for reading!

If you enjoyed Harvest Kisses, please check out more of Savannah’s stories, all available on Amazon.

Snowed In

When David was eighteen, his older sister died in a car accident, leaving him the sole guardian of her young son, Ethan, and setting David on a life path he never anticipated. But he loved his nephew and spent the next fifteen years of his life devoted to raising him like his own. Now, with Ethan soon graduating from college, loneliness and the desire for intimacy is starting to catch up with him.

Alex, Ethan’s best friend, is expecting to spend the holidays alone. When Ethan invites him to stay with him and his dad for the two week winter break, he’s hesitant. His attraction to older men has gotten him into trouble in the past and he’s sworn off dating anyone more than a few years older than him. But with Ethan’s insistence, he goes anyway.

The moment Alex and David meet, a bond begins to form. David doesn’t see how a guy like Alex would be interested in him, and Alex is afraid he’ll get hurt again. When David kisses Alex for the first time, they both decide to give in and see what happens.

Things between them heat up quickly as a winter storm moves in just days before Christmas. Being snowed in together might be exactly what they both need…

Snowed In Again

In the last year, Ethan has watched his friend Alex and his dad fall deeper in love with each other and get married. Now, it’s Christmas time again and Ethan still hasn’t found that perfect person to share his life with.

During their annual charity event, Ethan runs into his best friend, Ryder, from elementary school, whom he hasn’t seen in over fourteen years. The attraction is immediate and undeniable, and while Ethan is open to exploring an intimate relationship with the guy he’s always loved, he’s nervous. He’s never actually been attracted to another guy before.

Ryder is worried too. Having his long lost best friend back in his life is a dream come true and terrifying all at once. After all these years apart, Ryder is still in love with Ethan. He isn’t sure Ethan feels the same and is afraid of how much it will hurt if he attempts to find out.

A grab of a hand and a tentative kiss are all that’s needed to ignite the love they’ve always held for each other. When a fast-moving storm buries the cars and streets in a couple feet of snow, Ryder has no choice but to stay the night with Ethan, giving them both a chance to explore the amazing things that can happen when snowed in together.

About the Author

Savannah Brooks spends her days as a reporting analyst, which is extremely difficult when her imaginary friends are constantly pestering her to come out and play. One of these days, she plans to leave the world of numbers and spreadsheets behind in order to write full-time but for now, late evenings and weekends with the voices in her head will have to do. Even then, her attempts to play in her fictional worlds are often thwarted by her husband, son, or daughter dragging her back to reality.

Aside from reading and writing, Savannah loves video games, football, superhero movies, dragons, coffee, dark chocolate, and all things Disney. She dreams of having a castle on the water, be it ocean cliffs or a mountain lake, and traveling to historic places around the world.

Savannah currently lives in Arizona with her very supportive husband, two children, and ghost dog (the family beagle who passed away a couple years ago, but whose spirit is kept very much alive by her son and daughter).

Connect with Savannah:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savannahbrooksauthor

Twitter: @SavBrooksBooks

Website/Blog: http://savannahbrooks.blogspot.com