Knights and White Satin
August 4, 2008 by Melissa
Lee and Cate are best friends, so when she wants a baby but not a husband in the traditional sense, Lee happily obliges. Now, years later, Cate is dying, and Lee has met the love of his life, but he is a father to Sam and friend to Cate first. Will Mike, his newfound love, understand? And what of Cate? When Mike proposes that they all move in together so that he and Lee can be together and so that a host of drag queen friends can care for Cate and Sam, will she agree to the strange arrangement?
Death is transitory, but love goes on forever, in many forms.
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Excerpt-(c) 2008 Cash Cole
Cate will understand. Lee rolled down his window and took several deep breaths of the cold February air. She’d been hounding him for months about going out more, spending time with his friends. The only times he left her at night was for business dinners or the occasional trip to Robbie’s Hideaway. Cate knew he wasn’t screwing the drag queens or any of the tavern’s patrons, even though she’d encouraged him to have a more active sex life. Still, he felt guilty for leaving her alone with Sam, who could be quite a handful, especially when she’d been so tired lately.
He worried about her. She’d been in remission for months, and she’d assured him everything was fine, but he’d be a fool not to notice the lines around her eyes.
He put his key in the ignition and turned, waiting on Michael to lead them out of the two-lane back street and onto the freeway. He punched the number 1 on his cell phone, and Cate picked up on the second ring.
“Hey!” Her voice was animated, not lackluster as it had been the past few weeks. “Having fun?”
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” Lee paused.
She yelped. “You’re getting laid? I’ll alert the media. About damn time. But does he bring out the beast in you?”
“Woof.” Lee smiled when he said it then followed up by being self-effacing.
“It’s no big deal.” He chewed his bottom lip thoughtfully. He owed her honesty. “Okay, so it is something special…I think. I feel like I’m playing hooky from school, like I should be at work or at home with you and Sam.”
“Surely, you don’t feel like you’re cheating on me.”
Yes, in a way. He knew she’d hate that if he admitted the nonsense. Not like they’d slept together since she’d conceived Sam.
Cate sniggered. “Now tell me…what does he look like?”
“Maybe five-ten—with this really nice head. He looks good bald.”
“Are you picturing yourself holding that head between your palms while he goes down on you?” she kidded.
“Actually, I’m picturing his ass.” Lee felt a wicked thrill of excitement forming. “His name is Mike, and he has the sweetest brown eyes and the tightest little butt you can imagine.”
He was relieved when their talk strayed from sex. Lee didn’t want to contemplate how he might feel being alone with someone he was attracted to. It had been his experience that sex was sex, love was love, and it was rare when the two were one and the same. Besides, who had time?
The BMW he’d been following turned from the freeway, and Lee studied the row houses and quaint shops coming into view.
“Don’t wait up for me, okay?” He looked ahead, wondering if he and Michael were going for drinks somewhere.
Cate’s reply was that she’d finally gotten Sam to sleep and was going to take a long soak in the tub, read a good book, and go to bed. “Just remember if they don’t appreciate and respect you, get the hell out and come home.”
He didn’t feel as guilty after they hung up. Cate always had a way of helping him put things into perspective. Although she hadn’t had more than a few dates with any one man after Sam was born, she encouraged Lee to get out more often. He’d had a couple of long-term relationships prior to marrying Cate, but once they’d had Sam, he’d devoted his life to paying bills, setting aside money for Sam’s education, making sure they all had above and beyond basic necessities. It was as if he was married to her in more than name only, even if that wasn’t the case.
Lee thought a moment as he maneuvered through traffic, noticing the neighborhood they were entering. Wow. Old money, well-preserved, mostly Victorian, two-story homes on the hilly, tree-lined streets of the Adams-Morgan district. His new friend must have major bucks if he could afford a house here.
He, Cate, and Sam had been struggling for space in their northwest brownstone, never enough room for two offices, three bedrooms—one of them a nursery, plus all the combined furniture he and Cate had acquired prior to becoming roommates…and spouses. What he wouldn’t give for a private office, one with a view.
Just the thought that he wanted more than Sam and Cate, a good job, and financial security made him angry with himself. He chastised himself roundly for craving what everyone else seemed to find at some point…true love. What good was that? There was no way he could fit romance, much less love, into his routine.
He parked where Mike directed and turned off the engine, palming the keys and taking a couple of deep breaths. Don’t make too much out of it, just have fun.
Lee couldn’t repress a smile as he climbed out of his truck. Leaning against the BMW, one hand on the ragtop, the other in his pants pocket, Mike looked like a male fashionista. Solid black turtleneck, leather bomber jacket that Lee would bet had never even been close to an airplane, chinos resembling Lee’s, and black Italian loafers. Lee checked Mike’s waist, not surprised to find a thin, matching belt.
To his chagrin, when he looked up, Lee caught Mike’s eyes bright with amusement and his lips forming a wide smile. Busted.
Mike left the car and walked straight into Lee’s arms, kissing him soundly on the lips, one hand sliding into Lee’s hip pocket, the other flat against his chest…and Lee’s body jerked instantly in response, throwing him off guard.
The kiss was passionate but sweet, firm yet enticing, simple yet complex, a teasing familiarity yet a wildly exciting promise.
Mike stepped back and hooked a forefinger into Lee’s pants, tugging him gently. “C’mon, handsome. I have plans for you.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Comments
10 Responses to “Knights and White Satin”
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Great excerpt, I haven’t read this one yet, but love m/m storylines.
Quite an interesting idea for a book. would be great to see how this one plays out.
This sounds really good. I’ll have to put it on my wish list!
Ok, I’ll admit that I’m not a huge m/m fan, but at the same time will admit that I’m intrigued! Very interesting premise. I’ll be checking this one out further, for certain. Thanks so much for being here and sharing the excerpt!
Thanks for the excerpt. I’ve only read one m/m story.
I bought this book the day it was released at Ellora’s Cave. I laughed at quite a bit but I also cried in parts. Overall I really enjoyed it. The scene where the mother-in-law from hell accidentally gropes the priest made me laugh so hard. I will be looking out for any other books of Cash Cole and her many aliases from now on.
This is an intriguing plot! Thanks for sharing the excerpt!
I haven’t been home long from the conference in San Francisco, so first let me say THANK YOU to those of you who popped in here, thanks to Mel for spotlighting me and my writing, and…
Linda, you had me cracking up. I’d forgotten about that scene - lol.
My gay male friends had bugged me for some time, saying that there were few real ROMANCES for them, so that was the impetus for writing this one. Glad some of you are willing to take a chance on the book and the men portrayed. *grin*
more later…ya’ll have a great evening…
Wow I have never thought about two guys
helping to make and help rise a child.
The would be one I would pick up and not put down until I had finished it
good luck in the drawing, Patricia - and to everyone else…looks like it’s “that time”
