T A Chase Lift Your Voice

IFT

OUR

OICE

…Without thinking, Bran reached out and grabbed Don’s hand,

pulling the man down next to him. Don gasped, and Bran couldn’t
help himself. Those plump lips called to him and all his thoughts about
taking things slowly went out the window.

Slipping his hand around behind Don’s head, he tilted his chin

before he brought down his mouth to introduce it to Don’s. He didn’t
take the kiss deeper or further, just rubbed their lips together and
nibbled along the seam, not asking for any more than Don wanted to
give him.

Don whimpered, his hands landing on Bran’s hips as he allowed

Bran to guide their encounter. It was only when Bran’s lungs begged
for air they broke apart, chests heaving, and Don stared at him in
shock.

“I hope you don’t mind. I just couldn’t help myself. I’ve wanted to

do that since I saw you at the door.”

“I don’t mind at all.” Don touched his lips with his fingertips and

blushed. “Can we do that again?”

“Sure.” He wrapped his hand around Don’s arm, tugging him until

he straddled Bran’s lap.

Don tensed for a moment when their erections rubbed against each

other. Bran ran his hands up and down Don’s back, hoping he was
soothing him and not making him nervous.

“What’s going on in your brain?”
The handsome man in his lap ducked his head, and Bran stuck his

finger under Don’s chin, lifting his face until their eyes met. “Are you
a virgin, Don?”

LSO

T. A. C

HASE

Allergies

Bastet

Be The Air For You

Bitter Creek’s Redemption

Duncan’s World

Freaks In Love

Nick Of Time

Nowhere Diner: Finding Love

Revealing The Past

Soothe The Burn

LIFT YOUR VOICE

T. A. CHASE

MBER

UILL

RESS

, LLC

http://www.AmberQuill.com

IFT

OUR

OICE

MBER

UILL

RESS

OOK

This book is a work of fiction.

All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the

author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously.

Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales,

or events is entirely coincidental.

Amber Quill Press, LLC

http://www.AmberQuill.com

No portion of this book may be transmitted or

reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in

writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief

excerpts used for the purposes of review.

ISBN 978-1-60272-737-3

Layout and Formatting provided by: Elemental Alchemy

PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

To C., loving you is the best part of my life.

And to all my readers, thank you

for sticking with me through all the stories.

LIFT YOUR VOICE

CHAPTER 1

The crowd filed into the church, chatting amongst themselves

as they found their usual pews. Bran’s mother led him to their spot,
four pews from the front of the church. Stepping to the side, he let
her slide in first before taking his place next to her. He rubbed his
sweaty palms on his pants, fighting the need to look around and
place all the exits.

Christ! He’d only been back in the States for three months, but

he still hadn’t gotten rid of the paranoia yet. Being in a church
should give him permission to relax his vigilance, yet he couldn’t
forget that a suicide bomber wandered into a mosque on his last
tour and blew up the worshippers there. In this war, nothing was
sacred or holy anymore.

Bran ran his fingers over the scars raised on his left thigh under

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the fabric of his slacks. He touched the socket keeping his
prosthetic leg attached to his stump. It had taken him a month to
get used to the thing and he was still doing physical therapy, trying
to work on walking without too much of a limp.

His mother leaned over and patted his hand. “It’s all right, dear.

If you need to, you can always leave.”

Meeting her sympathetic blue eyes, so much like his own, he

shook his head. Hell, he was a Ranger. He didn’t run from difficult
situations. He dealt with them the best he could. Rationally, Bran
knew he wouldn’t be facing an attack in the small country church
his mother had attended since before he was born. Yet his instincts
were blown, and he hated being surrounded by people, especially
people sitting behind him where he couldn’t see them. How did he
know one of them wouldn’t try to shoot him?

He clenched his hands and pushed to his feet. He laid one hand

on the pew in front of him for support while he got his balance.
“I’m sorry, Mom. I have to go.”

“Brandon?” Her question hid in his name.
“I’ll sit in the vestibule.”
Abandoning his mother wasn’t an option, but he couldn’t sit

there anymore with people staring at the back of his head. Again,
his mind accepted they weren’t the enemy. They didn’t carry guns
or bombs to try and kill him. His gut screamed that not everything
was what it seemed. Danger hid under the guise of innocence.
He’d learned that the hard way.

His mother nodded, letting him go without protest. Bran

pretended not to notice the tears in her eyes as he patted her
shoulder before leaving the pew. He made his way slowly to the
back of the church. One of the ushers eyed him, unsure if Bran
needed help or not.

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“I’m going to sit back here, if it’s okay?” Bran gestured to the

chair just outside the sanctuary.

“Sure.” The man nodded before heading in to take his seat with

his family.

Dropping carefully into the chair, Bran fought the urge to let

his shoulders slump forward. A Ranger didn’t show weakness. He
did what needed to be done, what had to be done; no matter the
physical or mental cost to himself. Too many years of military
training kept his back straight and his chin up.

Maybe he should have faced his paranoia and stayed in the

sanctuary, but he didn’t want to risk suffering a flashback in the
middle of the service. So at the moment, his retreating served
everyone better.

The pastor walked to the pulpit and greeted the congregation.

Sitting in the vestibule, Bran again found himself on the outside,
watching the world happen around him without really participating
in it. For fifteen years, it had been his job to protect people so they
could meet on a Sunday morning and pray to whatever god they
believed in. He never once acknowledged to anyone that he’d lost
faith in a higher being taking an interest in what humans did on
earth. There was too much inhumanity and killing for him to
believe in a loving God.

He kept his eyes open, scanning for trouble, even though he

knew there wouldn’t be any. Bran might not believe in God
anymore, but his mother did and if it eased her to go to church
every Sunday, he would bring her. It wasn’t like he had anything to
do except sit in the house, staring at the backyard and wondering
what the rest of his unit was doing and where they were.

Murmuring caught his attention and he glanced toward the

front of the church where a slender, dark-haired man stood. Bran

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frowned as he tried to figure out why the man drew his gaze. It
wasn’t like Bran knew him. He’d been gone from the town since
the moment he left for boot camp, rarely coming home on leave.
When he did come back, it wasn’t long enough to re-establish
friendships or strike up new ones.

Music rose and suddenly the voice of an angel floated back to

Bran. He jerked as the stranger started to sing. The words meant
nothing to him, but the emotions in the voice, telling of trials and
heartache, touched Bran’s soul. It was like the man sang about
everything Bran had gone through this last tour: the roadside
bomb, the loss of friends and of his leg. The rendering of his heart
and pride when he was discharged from the army. The loss of his
own identity when he returned home and realized he had no job to
do now he was no longer a soldier.

Bran rubbed his aching right knee as the song went on, blinking

away the sudden tears in his eyes. Soldiers didn’t cry. They
accepted the consequences, knowing their lives were on the line
every time they suited up and went into battle. His mind drifted
back to the roadside bomb that took his leg and his career. He
wasn’t the only one to be injured in the blast. Two of his unit took
shrapnel and one died.

Avoidance of deeper feelings had been drilled into him during

boot camp. Emotional soldiers made mistakes. You manned up and
got the job done, so Bran had never mourned the loss of his buddy.

The song continued as pain and sorrow tore through him. Yet,

just when he thought he would lose control and burst into tears in
the vestibule of the church, the words and tone of music changed.

The singer’s voice rose in joy and hope, soaring into the sky

like a bird flying home. Now the tears threatening to fall were
drops of possibilities. The world opened in front of Bran. While he

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might be limited in some ways until he adapted to his loss, he
could see there were several things he could do instead of being a
soldier. That had been his past. What his future held, he didn’t
know, but he did know he couldn’t fear it. He couldn’t cut himself
off from the world because he might miss something far more
important than what he used to be.

Silence reigned for several minutes after the man finished. The

last note rang through the church like a benediction from God.
Bran smiled at himself, laughing inside at his fanciful thoughts.
Exhaustion swelled in him and he leaned his head back against the
wall, closing his eyes for a moment.

A hand shaking him woke him up with a start. He shot to his

feet weaving, trying to find his balance.

“Easy there, young man. Didn’t mean to startle you.”
Bran met the eyes of the pastor and blushed. “Sorry, Father. I

didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

The pastor laughed, his bright eyes twinkling. “Don’t

apologize, son. I’m not arrogant to believe everyone finds my
sermons the highest intellectual experience.”

“Still, it wasn’t very polite, sir.” Bran shoved his hand through

his short hair.

The pastor held out his hand. “I’m Pastor Fred. You’re young

Brandon McCollugh, right?”

“Yes, sir.” Bran shook Fred’s hand.
Pastor Fred nodded. “Thought I saw you with your mother.

Martha’s a wonderful woman.”

“Yes, sir.”
God, he sounded like an idiot, but his brain wasn’t functioning

quite as quickly as it should have. He’d been sleeping rather hard,
which was a surprise since he hadn’t slept well since his first night

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at the hospital.

“Brandon, honey, are you all right?”
His mother pushed her way through the crowd of parishioners

milling around the vestibule.

Bran blushed slightly, feeling like he was twelve again. “Yes,

Mom. I just fell asleep and Pastor Fred caught me.”

“I told him I completely understood. It’s wonderful to see you,

Martha. Are we on for lunch at your house today? Or would you
rather spend some more time with your son, now that he’s back
home?”

“Lunch is on as usual, Pastor.”
Bran stepped back slightly while his mother and Pastor Fred

chatted about friends they knew and committees they sat on
together. His gaze swept the room, searching for danger he knew
would never come. His hands clenched as people pressed closer to
him.

“Uncle Fred, I wondered if you could come out here and tell

me what you think of the flowers I planted yesterday.”

Bran didn’t get a chance to see who it was that gathered

everyone up and herded them outside, but he thanked the man with
all his heart. Taking several deep breaths, he eased his racing heart.
The psychologist at the hospital told him his panic attacks would
ease eventually. He just had to be patient. None of his problems
were fixable overnight, but someday he’d be almost normal again.

He wandered outside, filling his lungs with the crisp autumn

air, and finding a smile for his mother, who studied him closely
before smiling back at him. She stood at the edge of the group
staring down at the brilliant purple pansies springing from the dirt.
Bran moved over to her and slipped his arm around her waist,
giving her a gentle hug.

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“Are you ready to go?” Her low question barely reached his

ear.

“Yeah, I think I better get home and take my leg off for a little

bit. My stump’s getting sore.”

She winced, but Bran wasn’t about to ignore his amputation.

The only way he’d come to accept it was if everyone around him
did as well. His mother tried, even though it was difficult for her to
see him hurting and not be able to do anything about it. As a single
mother, she’d always been the one to take care of him when he was
hurt, but this particular wound could only be taken care of with
time.

“Fine, dear.” She patted his chest before moving over to where

Pastor Fred stood, chatting with another church member. “Pastor
Fred, we’ll see you and Donald around two, right?”

“Yes, ma’am.”
Fred gave a big smile, and Bran saw something flash in the

older man’s eyes. Hmmm…that was interesting. He didn’t say
anything until after they climbed into his mother’s sedan.

“I’m going to have to get a car soon,” he commented as he

started it and pulled out of the parking lot.

“Why? You can use my car when you need to do anything.”

She dug through her purse and pulled out a compact.

He smiled slightly as she powdered her nose. How many times

over the years had he watched his mother do that? No matter where
he was in the world, seeing a woman do that always reminded him
of home, as did the scent of lavender.

“Mom, I can’t take over your car. You need it for all the

running around you do.” Bran stopped at the light. “I can drive just
fine, as long as I don’t get a stick. I don’t want my being back to
inconvenience you at all.”

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“You’re not stopping me from doing anything I want to do,

Bran. Besides, this is your home. Where else would you go to
recover?”

Where else indeed? It wasn’t like he didn’t have friends, but

most of them were still active duty, so they would be gone for long
stretches of time on their tours, and since he was no longer an
active soldier, he stayed behind. He needed to go somewhere he
wasn’t reminded of what he once was.

“I know, but you must have some friends you like to do stuff

with, or a beau who’d like to woo you without your grown son
around to cramp your style.” He shot her a sly grin as he continued
driving home.

She slapped his arm. “Silly boy. A beau? At my age?”
He saw her blush and knew he’d been right.
“Pastor Fred likes you,” he teased.
“Don’t be silly.” His mother patted her perfectly coiffed hair

and glared at him.

“I saw it in his gaze today when you two were talking about

him and Donald coming over for lunch.” Bran reached out and
captured his mom’s hand, squeezing it slightly. “I think it’s great.”

She tightened her grip on his hand and asked, “Do you really?

It’s always been just you and me for so long, Bran. I guess I was
worried you’d resent me finding another man to spend time with.”

He pulled into the driveway, stopped the car, and climbed out

after turning it off. He made his way over to his mom’s side of the
vehicle, opened the door, and helped her out. Before she could say
anything else, he enveloped her in a close hug.

“Mom, you’ve been on your own for so long. Even when I

lived here, you didn’t have anyone who could carry your burdens
for you. You know, if it wasn’t for my injury, I wouldn’t have

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moved back here.” Bran stepped back to look down at his mother.
“I love you, Mom, and you deserve only the best. I don’t resent
any man who can see how wonderful you are.”

Tears shone in her eyes and she brought his head down to kiss

his cheek. “You’re a good boy, Bran.”

“Thank, Mom. I have to admit, I’m glad he’s coming to lunch.

That way I can make sure he really is good enough for my mom.”

She blushed and slapped his arm. “Brandon, you rascal, don’t

be mean to him. He’s a nice man, and I’ve just finally gotten him
to come over for lunch once a week.”

Chuckling, Bran followed his mother into the house. “Pastor

Fred is shy?”

“Just old-fashioned and a gentleman.” She set her purse on the

table in the hallway and headed back toward the kitchen.

“Hey, Mom, who’s Donald?”
He stood at the bottom of the stairs, staring up them, and

wondering if he could just sit in the living room for a while. His
left stump ached from the pressure of the socket it rested in for the
prosthesis. His right leg was sore because of the extra weight it had
to take while he learned to walk without falling over with the new
leg.

“Oh, he’s Fred’s nephew. Been living in town for about ten

years or so. He teaches music up at the high school. In fact, he’s
the one who sang this morning.” Her voice drifted back to him.

“Wow. He’s good.” Bran sighed silently and took his first step

up.

“Yes, he is. Should’ve gone professional, but he’s had a hard

time in his life. I hate revealing someone’s secret, though he
doesn’t hide it, so I guess it won’t be wrong to tell you.”

The hesitation in his mother’s voice made Bran pause. “Tell me

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what?”

“Donald’s gay. I guess the rest of his family disowned him

when they found out. Fred opened his home and arms to the boy
when he hit rock bottom.”

Bran turned and weaved down the hall, taking his time because

his tiredness sometimes made him clumsy. His mother stood at the
sink, peeling potatoes, with a familiar ruffled apron around her
waist.

“Mom, I’m gay as well. Why would it matter to me if Donald

is or not? It would seem to me that his uncle would have a bigger
problem.”

His mother waved a hand at his statement. “Oh, Fred accepts

everyone the way they are, dear. He doesn’t care about silly things
like that.”

Silly things like that? Only his mother would dismiss one of the

biggest issues in the world by calling it silly. He didn’t resist the
urge and went to hug her again. “I love you, Mom.”

“Of course you do, son.” She tapped his hand with her peeler.

“Why don’t you go lie down for a little bit?”

“Do you need any help with lunch?” He bit back his yawn.
“I’m fine. I’ve been doing this by myself for quite a while now.

You can help clean up after lunch.”

A little twinge of guilt hit him. He’d left home when he was

eighteen, ready to see the world and protect his country. In the
fifteen years he served, he rarely came home for more than a week
at a time, but his mother never complained about it. She
understood how confining the small town they lived in could be for
a young man just beginning to spread his wings.

“Thanks, Mom. I’ll make sure I’m up and ready by two.” He

kissed the top of her head and made his way upstairs.

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After unbuttoning his pants, he pushed them down to his thighs

before he sat on his bed. Bran got his shoes, pants and socks off
without falling off the mattress or having to ask for help. He’d
struggled for months, learning to take care of himself like the man
he was. He grimaced and reminded himself that asking for help
didn’t make him less of a man. It made him smart enough to accept
his limitations and know there were people who would help him if
he only asked.

He made sure his crutches were leaning close by and removed

the leg from his stump. The pressure eased as the socket let go. He
set his leg on the floor next to the bed and rolled down the stocking
he used to protect his scars from rubbing on the socket. Tossing the
fabric aside, he took the time to examine the amputation site.

The surgeon who took his leg did his best to minimize the

incision areas, knowing that the rougher the scar tissue, the harder
it was for the amputee to get used to his new limb. He massaged it
for a few minutes, then using his crutches, stood and headed into
the connecting bathroom.

Soaking in hot water would help loosen the tight muscles and

relax him enough to get some rest. He didn’t sleep well at night, so
by the afternoon, he was usually exhausted. Balancing on his right
leg, he stripped off his shirt and tossed it in the direction of his
hamper before shutting off the faucet. With a little twisting and
turning, he settled into the steaming water with a whimper.

The heat soaked into his aching body, soothing knots he didn’t

even know he had. Bran folded a towel and tucked it behind his
head, closing his eyes and resting his arms along the top of the tub.
Every one of his atoms unlocked at the same time and he drifted to
sleep, relinquishing his vigilance for a while.

Someone calling his name drew him out of his slumber and he

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shot straight up, rubbing at his eyes.

“Brandon? Are you okay?”
“Yes.” He cleared his sleep-dried throat and tried again. “Yes,

Mom. I just fell asleep in the tub.”

“Well, Fred and Donald are here, so come down when you’re

ready.” She paused. “Unless you’d like to have lunch in your
bedroom.”

Her words allowed him the opportunity to avoid any

awkwardness about his leg, but if Bran took her up on it, he’d find
it easier next time to stay in his room. Then, before he knew it,
he’d be a hermit, staying away from people because of their
feelings of embarrassment.

“No. I’ll be down in a few minutes.”
Bran listened to her walk down the hallway before he heaved

himself out of the tub. He set a towel on the toilet and sat on it to
dry off without having to resort to gymnastics in order to keep
from falling over.

His crutches encircled his wrists and he stared at them for a

moment before pushing to his foot. God, when he first got them, he
hated what they represented. They were an outward symbol that he
wasn’t whole anymore.

Bran understood that wasn’t what they were. They were

avenues to independence or, at least, that was how he came to
think of them. It helped that he had his prosthetic and didn’t have
to use the crutches all the time.

It took him a little while to get dressed and he pinned his pant

leg up. It brought attention to his injury, but it insured he didn’t
trip on it or get it stuck under the end of the crutch. The stairs
presented a slight problem, but he took his time and got down them
without incident.

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Voices and laughter floated to him from the kitchen. His chest

constricted, knowing his mother was happy. There were so many
things he wished he could give her to say thank you for all those
years she put her life on hold to raise him.

“You all seem to be having fun in here. Can I join?” He

grinned as he entered the room.

Fred and Mother were sitting at the table, holding hands, while

the dark-haired man Bran remembered from this morning served
up the casserole.

“Of course, you can. Just in time as well since we were going

to start eating without you.” Fred winked at him.

Bran settled into the chair closest to him and blinked in surprise

when Donald took his crutches. He watched as the man set them
out of the way, but still close enough for Bran to reach them if he
needed to.

“Fred, Donald, this is my son, Brandon. Brandon, you’ve

already met Fred, but this is his nephew, Donald Frost.”

“Nice to meet you. Please call me Bran.” Bran shook Donald’s

hand, trying very hard not to stare open-mouthed at the man. “You
have a beautiful voice.”

“Thank you. And call me Don.”
Don shook his hand, and if there was any lingering over letting

go, it was all in Bran’s mind, he was sure. A man as gorgeous as
Don Frost was wouldn’t look twice at a scarred, damaged solider
like Bran. Didn’t stop Bran’s cock from thinking he’d like to hear
how nice the man sounded while Bran took him.

Bran was out of practice at flirting with other men. Being in the

military, he had to be very careful how he went about dating. Don’t
Ask, Don’t Tell was still in full force, no matter how ridiculous the
policy was, and losing his career over something that trivial wasn’t

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worth it for him. Oh, he hadn’t been a monk. There were always
fellow soldiers willing to have a little fun, as long as he didn’t
expect more. He would have gotten through with casual
relationships until he could retire, but then that roadside bomb
changed his entire life.

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Bran. Your mother has told us a

lot about you.” Fred accepted one plate of food from Don.

Bran grinned. “I hope it was all the good stuff because I’m

going to be really embarrassed if she pulled out the photo albums
and showed you all of my naked bathtub pictures.”

“No naked baby pictures.” Don’s brown eyes sparkled with

humor.

“Thank God for that. No matter what my mother says, I was

not an attractive baby.”

“Hush, Brandon. You were a gorgeous baby.” Mother beamed

at Fred and Don. “I’ll be sure to pull out those albums after we eat.
I have some very cute pictures.”

Bran groaned, making Don and Fred laugh.
“You brought this on yourself,” Don pointed out.
“I know. I should’ve kept my mouth shut.” Bran shook his

head in mock disgust. Changing the subject seemed like a good
idea. “So, Mom tells me you teach music over at the high school.”

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CHAPTER 2

Don blinked as a pair of stunning blue eyes met his gaze and

Bran’s friendly smile assuaged some emotion hiding in Don’s
heart. He’d thought he’d gotten rid of all the pain his choices
earlier in his life had brought him, but apparently all it took was
one open grin from a stranger for Don to realize he still had
memories he needed to deal with.

“Yes. I’ve been teaching there for six years now. Seemed the

best use of my abilities.” Don took a bite of the casserole and
moaned. “Wow, this is great, Martha.”

Bran shifted slightly, and Don noticed the man was staring at

his lips. He licked them, and Bran closed his eyes, breathing
deeply for a moment. Smiling to himself, Don turned his attention
to his uncle and Martha, filing away the knowledge that Bran was

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gay. There wasn’t any way a straight man would react the way
Bran did to him licking his lips.

“Thanks, Don. It was Brandon’s favorite dinner when he lived

at home.” Martha’s expression when she looked at her son held
worry and happiness that he was back with her.

Don remembered how scared Martha was when she got the

phone call Bran had been injured. How she had cried on Uncle
Fred’s shoulder at the knowledge that her baby boy had lost his leg
in an explosion. Thank God, Fred had been there to support her.

“Ah, Mom, if you aren’t careful, I’m going to get fat with you

cooking all my favorite foods.” Bran leaned back and patted his
stomach, drawing Don’s attention to the flat surface Bran’s T-shirt
covered.

“I don’t think that’s possible, honey.” Martha shook her head.

“I never could get the boy to gain weight. He was always so
scrawny when he was going up.”

Don skated his gaze over the rest of Bran’s body and found he

liked what he was looking at. Though still pale and thin from his
hospital stay, Bran was built like a brick shit house. Broad
shoulders and chest tapering into a narrow waist. The glimpse he’d
gotten of the man’s legs told Don they were muscular like the rest
of him. Soldiering had been good for Bran’s body in many ways;
helped him grow into his manhood, Don bet.

“Well, I can’t run five miles every day like I used to, so I’m

going to have to figure out some other way to get some exercise.
Maybe I’ll get a dog. Walking it would at least get me out of the
house.” Bran pursed his mouth, obviously thinking about his
options.

“We could run over to the animal shelter. They always have

dogs up for adoption. You would probably want a dog already

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housebroken. Pups are a lot of work.” Don bit his tongue.

“Yeah, right now, I’m not steady on my feet or foot as it were.

Maybe an older dog without a ton of energy. Don’t want anything
that’ll drag me off balance.”

“I didn’t mean to imply…” His cheeks warmed.
Bran waved away his concern. “No, you’re right. I only have

enough energy to take care of myself at the moment. A pup needs
more exercise than I can give for now. But maybe in a year or
two.”

Don was happy to know he hadn’t hurt Bran’s feelings. He

really hadn’t meant anything by suggesting not getting a puppy. He
tilted his head and studied Bran. “Do you think you’d be able to
ride a horse? Your amputation is below the knee, right?”

Bran rested his fork on the edge of his plate and took a sip of

lemonade before he nodded. “Yeah. I don’t know. I’d have to talk
to my physical therapist at the clinic to find out if it would even be
a good idea.”

“Well, if they say you can, you could come out to my place and

ride with me. I’ve got a couple horses. I’ve got a bad back and I’ve
found riding them helps me.”

“That’s nice of you to offer. I’ll make sure to check and let you

know.”

Don nodded. A muffled cough drew his attention to Uncle Fred

and Martha, who were watching him and Bran with eager eyes. He
barely managed to keep from rolling his eyes. Were those two
trying to set them up? If they were, he wasn’t going to protest.
Bran was good-looking and nice. They could end up being good
friends, and if something else came from it, he would consider it a
blessing.

“So, Uncle Fred, I saw Alma catch you after the service today.

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How is Jimmy doing?”

After that, he kept the conversation focused on Uncle Fred’s

ministry and Martha’s community groups. Bran helped him along
by asking interested questions of both older people. Bran really did
seem like he wanted to know not only what his mother was doing,
but what Uncle Fred did as well.

Dessert plates scraped cleaned, they leaned back in their chairs

and sighed. A minute of silence in homage to such a great home-
cooked meal, then Bran grabbed his crutches and pushed to his
feet.

“Mom, why don’t you and Pastor Fred take a stroll through the

orchards? The leaves are pretty this time of year.” Bran wrinkled
his nose at the dirty plates on the table before shooting Don an
exasperated glance. “I think I’m going to need help cleaning up.”

Don stood, picking up his plate. “I’ll be more than happy to

wash dishes.”

“Are you sure, Bran?” Martha hesitated at the door.
“Go on, Mom. I told you I’d clean up.” Bran leaned over and

brushed a kiss over his mom’s cheek. “Have a nice walk. Oh, and
let me know if any of the trees need to be trimmed, Fred.”

“Will do.” Uncle Fred gave them a salute while encouraging

Martha out the door.

Bran and Don stood at the sink, watching the older couple stroll

down the walk to where the orchard started. Fred placed Martha’s
hand at the crook of his arm, and she rested her head on his
shoulder as they moved along.

“Thank you.”
Don turned to look at Bran with a questioning look. “For

what?”

“It’s really a thank you to both you and your uncle. You helped

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Mom when she needed someone to hold her up while I was in the
hospital. It wasn’t that I didn’t want her to visit me. I just knew it
would hurt her more to see me struggling and being the asshole I
was while I got used to not having a leg. Then PT was a bitch at
first. There are still days when I come home and all I want to do is
curl up in bed and scream into my pillow.”

Reaching out, Don laid his hand on Bran’s arm. “I don’t

pretend to understand what you’re going through, but if you ever
need to yell at someone and don’t want to do it to your mom, call
me. I’ll be more than happy to let you scream at me. Or just talk.”

Bran blushed, but nodded. “I appreciate it. There just might be

times I take you up on it.”

He turned back to the table, grabbing some more of the plates,

while Bran ran the water into the sink. Bran balanced himself
against the counter. Don wanted to suggest something, but he
wasn’t sure how the man would react. He shrugged. He wouldn’t
know unless he said something.

“Would you like to sit and dry the dishes while I wash them? It

might be easier on you. That has to be tiring to have to balance like
that.”

“Good suggestion. I don’t mind helping, but standing like this

will be murder on my right leg soon.”

Once the table was cleared, they switched places. Bran dried,

while Don washed.

“Have you decided what you’re going to do, now you’re out of

the service?”

Bran was quiet for a moment, and Don wondered if he

shouldn’t have asked.

“I’m sorry. It isn’t any of my business.”
“Oh, no, that’s not it. To be honest, I don’t know. I thought I’d

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be a soldier until I retired. Then I’d find some guy to settle down
with and grow a garden or something.” Bran snorted. “Should’ve
known it wouldn’t work out that way.”

“Maybe, if we think about it, we can find something for you.”

Don rinsed the last glass and handed it to Bran before starting to
put the dry stuff away.

“I glanced through the want ads when I first got here, but I

wasn’t cleared to go to work then. My therapist gave me the green
light the other day.”

“Hmmm…well, I’ll keep my eyes open for you.”
He finished putting everything way, aware of Bran’s eyes

following him as he moved around the kitchen. He avoided the
crutches and managed not to stare at Bran’s empty pant leg.
Finally, he opened the refrigerator and pulled out the pitcher of
lemonade, holding it up to see if Bran wanted any. The other man
nodded, and he filled their glasses.

“You certainly know your way around Mom’s kitchen.”
Don watched Bran swallow, the bob of the man’s Adam’s

apple suddenly sexier than Don ever thought it could be.
Wow…he’d been attracted to guys before, but never this quickly
or this strongly.

He was naturally shy, which didn’t lend itself to hook-ups or

one-night stands. Heck, who was he kidding? His own introverted
nature and the way he was raised conspired to ensure Don was a
thirty-one-year-old virgin.

“You and your uncle have dinner with my mom often?”
Blinking, Don brought his mind back to the topic. “I only come

on Sundays. I’m sure Uncle Fred has been here other times during
the week. I don’t want to cramp his style. They’re old enough not
to need a chaperone.”

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“What’s your story, Don? Why are you here? I’m sure, with

your voice, you could go professional.” Bran ran his fingers over
the rim of his glass. “The song you sang this morning was great.”

“Thanks. I wrote it this past week.”
“No way? You write music? That’s so cool.” Bran grinned, his

eyes shining bright with awe. “Can you play an instrument?”

“Guitar and piano. I’ve been playing since I was three. Writing

music since I was ten.”

“Why are you teaching music here? You should be in New

York or out in L.A.”

Don rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. “I guess it’s no

big deal if you know.”

“Know what?” Bran reached out and rested his hand on top of

Don’s, caressing his fingers lightly.

“I used to be in a Christian band. Our first single was a number

one hit. We were on our way to the top of the business.” Don
turned his hand over and entwined their fingers, needing Bran’s
touch to make him feel like he wasn’t wrong to feel the way he
did.

“What happened?”
“I fell in love.”
“Not good, especially since I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a girl you

fell in love with.”

A chuckle burst from Don’s throat. “Oh, no, it wasn’t a girl. It

was one of the road crew that traveled with us on our tour. I tried
to ignore my feelings because he never made any kind of advance
toward me to make me think he was interested in me.”

“What did you do?”
“Nothing. I didn’t know what to do. All I knew was that it was

wrong to feel that way about another man. Everything I was ever

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taught said it went against God to have those kinds of emotions for
a guy.”

Bran snorted in contempt. “I’ve never believed that.”
“Obviously.”
Shaking his head, Bran scooted his chair closer to Don. “That’s

not what I meant. I’ve never believed God, or whatever higher
power you believe in, cares one whit who we fall in love with. I
think love is so much better than hate, huh?”

Don met Bran’s gaze and cupped the man’s face with one

trembling hand. “I think you’re right, but it took me a long time to
stop loathing myself. After our first tour, we went back in the
studio to record our second album. I was only sixteen, you know,
and I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t into the girls like all the
other guys in the band.”

“That’s rough. I know what that’s like because I went through

the same thing when I was in high school. Of course, I never had
anyone tell me I’d go to hell for feeling that way. Mom was pretty
supportive once I got my head out of my ass and talked to her
about it. She actually did research and got me information.”

“I wish I had her for a parent when I tried to figure out what

was going on with me. I was attracted to one of the session
musicians, only this time he reciprocated. We were caught kissing
in the backroom and that was it.”

Bran looked puzzled. “What was it?”
“I figured out I was gay and I got kicked out of the band. In

addition to that, my family disowned me and shoved me out on the
street. I was sixteen, on my own, and thinking I was going to hell
for how I felt.”

“Man, that had to suck.” Bran nuzzled into Don’s hand.
“It did.”

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“What about your uncle? He doesn’t seem to believe in all that

shit.”

Don shook his head and smiled. “He doesn’t. Uncle Fred’s

considered the black sheep of the family. He isn’t in contact with
most of them, but my younger sister let him know what happened
to me. He came and got me, dragged me here with him, and
straightened me out.”

“See, I knew there was a reason I liked your uncle. Besides, the

fact he has the very good taste to find my mother attractive.” Bran
winked.

“Yeah. Uncle Fred’s a good man. He helped me get my faith

back and figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I decided
performing in front of sold-out crowds wasn’t for me. Not
anymore, but I still loved music. And when the position for a
music teacher opened up at the high school, I applied. I’ve been
there ever since and I love it.”

Bran stared at him. “I’m sure there’s a story about what you did

between getting thrown out of your home and your uncle making
you a part of his.”

He opened his mouth, but Bran pressed a finger to his lips.
“You’ll tell me when and if you want. It’s none of my business,

really. But I’d love to have you sing for me again someday.”

“Thank you.” Before he could think about it, he leaned forward

and pressed a quick kiss to Bran’s cheek.

Surprise colored Bran’s eyes, but he didn’t pull away from

Don. “Would you go out to dinner with me tomorrow night? If
you’re not doing anything, and if you’re not put off by the fact I
lost my leg.”

He glanced down at Bran’s pinned up jeans. He held out his

hand, but stopped a few inches away from his thigh. Their eyes

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met, and Bran nodded. He rested his hand on Bran’s muscular
thigh, just inches above where the amputation was. Don wasn’t
going to touch any lower without permission.

“I think you’re the sexiest man I’ve met, and I’d be very proud

to go out with you.”

Bran blushed, but happiness shone in his eyes. “Great. Is six all

right?”

“Sure. It gives me enough time to get home and change before

we go.”

“Awesome, though I’ll have to ask Mom if I can borrow the

car. Christ, I thought I was too old for that.”

Don tapped Bran on the leg. “I can drive until you get your

own car again.”

“Thanks. I’ll have to start looking for one, along with a job,

tomorrow.”

“Like I said, I’ll keep an eye out as well. Between us, we

should be able to find you something.”

Bran leaned forward, and Don eagerly awaited his second kiss

ever. Right before Bran’s mouth touched Don’s, the back door
popped open and Uncle Fred escorted Martha back in. Don shot to
his feet and moved to one of the cupboards, taking down two more
glasses. It was easier for him to move away than for Bran to.

He hoped they didn’t notice how close he’d been to Bran. He

wasn’t ready to explain what was going on between them. Heck,
he didn’t even know if something was going on. It could be just a
passing fancy on Bran’s part.

Never having any kind of relationship, gay or straight, he didn’t

know how to read the signs of flirting or if it was more serious than
that. Yet he was too embarrassed to ask. He’d wait to see how their
date went before worrying if he was boyfriend material.

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* * *

Uncle Fred caught Don’s arm and tugged him into his study

when they got home from Martha and Bran’s. Don had told Bran
he’d pick him up at six. Uncle Fred must have overheard.

“Sit down, son. You want a drink?” Uncle Fred went over to

the side bar and poured himself a small glass of whiskey.

It was how they ended the day. Sharing a drink in the study,

talking about what they did during the day. Tonight, though, Don
wanted to go home and think about everything that had happened
since he saw Bran in church.

“Sure.”
Don sat in his favorite chair, balancing his heels on the edge of

the seat and resting his chin on a knee.

“You like him, don’t you?” Uncle Fred handed him his glass

before settling in his own chair with a sigh.

“Bran?”
“What other man do you think I’m talking about?”
Rolling his eyes, Don shrugged. “I know who you’re talking

about. Yeah, I guess I like him.”

“Well, that’s a ringing endorsement. Aren’t you going on a date

with him tomorrow night?”

Don’s cheeks flushed and he groaned to himself. He’d blushed

more that day than he ever had before. “Yes, we’re going out
tomorrow night. I’m picking him because he hasn’t bought a car
yet.”

This was the first date he’d ever been on. Even when he was

younger, he’d never gone on a date with a girl either. He peered
through his eyelashes to study his uncle’s face. “Does it bother
you?”

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“That you’re going on a date with Bran? Or that Bran happens

to be male?”

“Both.” He entwined his fingers, gripping them so tightly his

knuckles turned white.

Uncle Fred snorted before taking a sip of his liquor. He

swallowed and said, “If something like that was going to bother
me, son, I’d never have invited you to come and live with me.”

They had shared Fred’s house until Don finished renovating the

original farmhouse on the land for his own home. It gave Don a
place to retreat to when he wrote his songs or just wanted to be
alone.

“I knew you wouldn’t stay alone all your life. At some point, a

good man was going to come and sweep you off your feet.” Uncle
Fred leaned forward and patted Don’s knee. “You’re due some
good luck.”

Restless energy shot through Don and he jumped to his feet,

pacing in front of the fireplace. He shoved his hands through his
hair. “Good luck? If I’d listened to my parents and all their friends,
I’d believe I didn’t deserve anything except a bullet to the heart.
I’m damned to hell for my perverted urges.”

“Donald Frost!” Uncle Fred snapped.
Don froze. It wasn’t often Uncle Fred used that tone of voice.

Usually, the older man was soft spoken and caring.

“I’ve told you before I don’t ever want to hear you say that

again. You’re not going to hell. I thought we discussed this. While
being gay might not be what God would prefer for you, He’s not
going to send you to hell for loving someone. There are far worse
things you could do than fall in love with another man.”

So many late night conversations held in this very study with

Uncle Fred had finally purged him, for the most part, of his guilt

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and horror at his feelings. Yet it was easy to believe all Uncle Fred
told him when there was never anyone to tempt him from his
celibacy. Now that Bran was in the picture, his inner demons spoke
to him and he struggled with it all.

“I know, but I can’t help worrying. The only time I allowed my

attraction to a man out, I ended up on the streets, trying to survive
without any acknowledgement from my family.” Don braced his
hands on the mantel and glared down at the ashes in the fireplace.
“You were the only one who has ever told me you love me, no
matter what I choose to do. I thought I’d gotten rid of my doubts,
but I guess I just buried them.”

“It’s easy to ignore difficult issues when there’s nothing

forcing you to confront them. How much do you like Bran?”

Listening to Uncle Fred’s calm voice soothed Don’s roiling

emotions enough for him to take a close look at his feelings for
Bran.

“He’s the sexiest man I’ve ever seen. For the first time in my

life, I’m thinking about what it would be like to kiss him. How his
lips will feel on mine and how tight his arms will hold me.” He
blushed, not sure he should be saying these things to his uncle and
pastor.

“That’s lust, and trust me, there’s nothing wrong with feeling

that as long as both of you are free of entanglements. This is your
body’s natural reaction to an attractive man.” Uncle Fred winked
when he shot a surprised glance over at him. “But how does your
heart react to him?”

“Isn’t it a little early to be discussing my heart?”
Shaking his head, Uncle Fred set his glass on the table next to

the chair and folded his hands over his stomach. “No. Those who
say there’s no such thing as love at first sight don’t know what

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they’re talking about. Next to your mind, your heart is the most
powerful organ in your body. It might pump blood to all your other
organs, but it also safeguards your soul, Don. Your heart knows
within seconds of meeting someone what they’ll mean to you.
Whether that person becomes a friend or something more, your
heart will tell you. You just have to listen to it.”

Listen to his heart? He didn’t know how to do that, but he

thought about his reaction the first time he saw Bran. He’d stood
up at the front of the church, ready to sing, when he saw movement
at the back of the sanctuary and the most gorgeous man he’d ever
seen appeared in his line of sight.

Tall with blond hair and startlingly blue eyes Don noticed even

as far away as he was standing. Yet there was something in the
angle of the man’s shoulders that spoke of pain and loneliness,
calling to Don to pull the man close and protect him from the
world around them. Silly, really, considering Bran was a good five
inches taller than him and outweighed him by fifty pounds…or
would when he got back up to his fighting weight.

Don’s penis took notice as well of Bran’s muscles and good

looks, stiffening to half-mast. Goodness, how embarrassed had he
been to sing a song in church while desiring a stranger.

“I want to comfort him. Offer him a shoulder to lean on when

he’s tired and struggling,” Don admitted in a soft voice. “I was
angry he got hurt and I want to protect him, so nothing like that
happens again.”

Uncle Fred didn’t say anything for a minute, and Don worried

that maybe his feelings didn’t mean what he thought they did.

Finally, when he couldn’t bear the tension, he opened his

mouth to say something and Uncle Fred spoke.

“I’d say that, given a little time, you’ll be in love with Bran,

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and he with you.”

Don whirled around, his mouth hanging open. “How do you

know he’ll fall in love with me?”

“Martha and I discussed it while we were out on our walk this

afternoon. She’s never seen Bran react to someone like he has to
you. Oh, he’s not cold or mean or anything like that. He tends to be
distant. Some of it, I’m sure, comes with having to deal with his
handicap and how people treat him because of it. He’s very open
with you and enjoys being with you.”

“You can tell all that from one lunch together?” He frowned. “I

don’t see how you could know that unless you read minds.”

“I’m a pastor, Don. I’ve learned how to read people, just from

their facial expressions and body posture. Bran is relaxed around
you. The lines of pain and tension around his mouth and eyes
disappear when he’s talking to you.” Uncle Fred pushed to his feet
and walked over to Don. He laid a light hand on Don’s shoulder. “I
think he’s already in love with you, just as you are with him. You
need to spend some time together, get to know each other, and
share your first kiss.”

“Ummm….”
“That’s the deal breaker, no matter what your heart says. If

your first kiss doesn’t rock your world, then you might as well
settle for being friends. That kiss always lets you know how good
your sex life will be.”

Uncle Fred left the room, humming softly to himself, while

Don stood, speechless, in the study. Getting advice on his love life
from his sixty-year-old uncle, who was a pastor to boot, was
uncomfortable for him.

He grabbed their glasses and set them in the sink as he went out

the backdoor to his house. Thank the good Lord he’d renovated the

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original farmhouse, so all he had to do was walk to his place. He
didn’t think driving while his mind ran in circles was a good idea.

He shut and locked everything up, then Don headed to his

bathroom where he got ready for bed. After slipping under the
covers, he rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. Was
Uncle Fred right? Did he already love Bran, even though they’d
only met that day? Or was it just wishful thinking by an uncle who
loved his nephew and didn’t want him to be alone anymore?

Don inhaled deeply, trying to calm his racing thoughts.

Nothing could be solved tonight. He’d see how their date went and
then he’d decide if his uncle was crazy or if love at first sight really
did exist.

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CHAPTER 3

Bran stared at his reflection in the hallway mirror. Tan khakis

with one pant pinned up because physical therapy had been
particularly harsh today and his stump ached more than usual. He
didn’t think he could bear wearing his prosthesis any longer. He
wore a rich brown button down shirt that matched Don’s eyes, but
still looked good on Bran. He ran a hand over his hair and
shrugged. Not much he could do about that since he kept it cut in
the same style he’d gotten used to in the army.

“You look nice, dear.” His mother wandered in from the

kitchen, drying her hands on a towel.

Sighing, he turned to smile at her. “Nice isn’t what I wanted to

achieve, Mom.”

“Hmmm….I know that, but I also know you don’t want to hear

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I think you look sexy.” Gentle understanding shone on her face.
“Are you really that nervous about this date?”

He moved into the living room and dropped onto the couch,

letting the crutches fall to the floor. “Yes, I am. Silly, huh? I’m
thirty-three years old. You’d think I’d be used to going out on
dates.”

“But this one’s different.” Mom sat down next to him and put

her hand on his thigh, above where it ended.

Not looking at her, but staring down at the pinned-up leg of his

pants, he nodded. “So different I’m almost petrified about going.
Do you know how many times I’ve reached for the phone to call
and cancel? For Christ’s sake, Mom, I’m a Ranger. One good-
looking man with to-die-for eyes shouldn’t scare me.”

Okay, he didn’t want to admit all of that to his mom. She was

going to think he’d gone off the deep end.

“Oh, my dear boy.” She leaned over and hugged him,

surrounding him in the scent of lavender and freshly baked bread.

He allowed the embrace, wallowing in the love and feeling of

home he got when she was near him. Bran missed her
unconditional acceptance of him, no matter what he did or said.
Well, unless he wasn’t being polite to someone, then she would
smack him upside the head. His mother was the only one who
understood him completely.

Sitting back, she wiped the tears from her cheeks and cradled

his face in her hands. “Now, you listen to me, Brandon
McCollugh. You are a wonderful person and a hunk. Any man in
his right mind would want you. It doesn’t matter that you come
with a few more complications than most people. Everyone has
baggage. Yours is just out in the open for everyone to see.”

She always got to the heart of the matter, and Bran was man

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enough to admit she was right. He worried when Don saw how
people reacted to his injury, the man would decide it was too much
work to be with him. And why it mattered so much that this
particular man not walk away from him scared Bran.

The doorbell rang before he could respond to her. She patted

his shoulder and stood, going to answer the door while he
struggled to get his crutches and get off the couch.

“Hello, Don. Well, don’t you look nice?”
Bran smiled when she said that. He was sure Don would feel

the same way he did about hearing it.

“Hello, Martha. Is Bran ready to go?”
“I’m as ready as I’m ever going to be, I guess.” He grinned as

he said it, not wanting Don to think he wasn’t looking forward to
their date.

He walked into the foyer and his mouth dropped open. Don

stood in the doorway, wearing a tight pair of faded jeans and a blue
v-neck sweater over a white T-shirt. His dark, wavy hair curled
around his ears and barely brushed his shoulders.

Bran swallowed and cleared his throat. “Please, tell me you

don’t dress like that for school?”

Don glanced down at his clothes. “Why? What’s wrong with

what I’m wearing?”

“If you teach while wearing that, you must have students

following you everywhere. I’d definitely have a crush on you if
you were my teacher.”

His cock twitched and pressed against his zipper like it wanted

out to play with Don.

Don’s cheeks pinked and he ducked his head slightly. “Trust

me, I don’t need that at school. You’d have a crush on me?”

Martha laughed softly as she raised her cheek for Bran to kiss.

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“Have a good time, boys.”

Bran got his jacket out, and Don helped him put it on. For some

reason, he didn’t get angry at Don helping him or assuming he
needed someone to take care of him. They made their way slowly
down the front steps. Don didn’t crowd him, just stayed close, in
case Bran lost his balance, but Bran had gotten good at climbing
the stairs at his house.

After getting into Don’s car without embarrassing himself,

Bran heaved a silent sigh of relief. Don glanced over at him with a
smile.

“I was planning on taking you out to a nice restaurant, to show

you off, but I’m beat, man. It was a rough day at school. You
wouldn’t think a music teacher would have to deal with crap, but I
get it just as much as the regular teachers.” Don looked away for a
second before looking back. “Would you be upset if we go to my
house and I cook you dinner?”

Relief swelled in Bran’s heart. He really wasn’t up to being

personable in a crowd. His body ached from therapy and exercise.
Also, the very basic getting around he needed to do still tired him
out.

“I’d love to have dinner at your place. Maybe you can show me

your horses. I talked to my therapist today and she said as long as I
take it easy, I should be okay to ride.”

His cock hardened even more at the image those words brought

to his mind. Shit. He needed to get a hold of himself, and not in the
fun, jacking off way either. Any encounters he had while he was in
the service were anonymous and over with as quickly as possible,
so he’d learned to move fast. Some instinct told him Don wasn’t
into moving fast. Maybe it was the way Don seemed rather shy and
unsure about things that alerted Bran to the fact he had to take his

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time and woo Don. The pretty music teacher wasn’t the one-night
stand type, and Bran had figured out over the course of last night’s
sleepless hours, he wasn’t that kind of guy either anymore.

“Great. How about you come over on Saturday and we’ll get

you started learning how to ride?”

Bran bit his tongue, ignoring all the obvious things he could

say. “I’d like that.”

“Oh, and guess what?” Don practically bounced in his seat as

he turned out of Bran’s driveway.

“What?” Bran happily accepted the diversion.
“I think I might’ve gotten a lead on a job for you.”
“Already? Wow, you work fast.”
Don shrugged one shoulder. “Not really. I overheard one of the

dads talking to another parent, and he said something about
needing another set of hands on one of his crews.”

Bran shifted in his seat, so his back was against the door and he

could look at Don. “What’s his business?”

“Henry Williams is a landscaper.” Don held up a hand before

Bran even thought about protesting. “I mentioned to him that you
had a few physical issues that could slow you down to start with,
but he said he still wanted to see you. I have his card if you’re
interested.”

“Hell yeah, I’m interested. I’m just a little unsteady on my feet

yet, and I can get tired easily, but I’m willing to do whatever needs
to be done.”

Excitement coursed through him. So it wasn’t the career he

imagined for himself when he joined the army, but it would put
money in his pocket and make sure he could pay his bills. Also,
he’d be able to help his mom out with hers as well.

He reached over and laid his hand on Don’s thigh. “Thanks a

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lot, man. I appreciate you looking out for me.”

Don’s muscle flexed under his palm and he didn’t think it was

so the man could step on the gas. Bran started to remove his hand
when Don dropped his own and pressed Bran’s back to his leg.
Bran squeezed slightly, letting Don know he understood what he
was asking without making him say it out loud.

“No problem. Really. I know what it’s like to be at loose ends,

though you haven’t been doing what I did, I’m sure.” Don shook
his head, seemingly not willing to talk about those dark days yet.
“It was just dumb luck I happened to overhear him. Did you have
time to check out cars today?”

“Yeah. Mom and I stopped by the used car lot on the way back

from the clinic. By this time tomorrow, I should be the proud
owner of a used truck. Automatic, of course.”

“Don’t feel bad about that. I never learned how to drive a stick.

I was lucky my parents even let me learn to drive. They were too
interested in exploiting my talents to let me do any sort of normal
teenage things.” Don frowned.

“When did you start performing?”
They pulled into a driveway and past a white two-story house

to a small ranch-style farmhouse behind it. Don parked the car and
got out. Bran opened the door, and Don was there, holding out his
crutches for him. Bran nodded his thanks and got himself set to
push out of the vehicle without braining himself on the roof or
falling back into the seat.

“This is my place. The house up front is Uncle Fred’s. This is

the old homestead and Uncle Fred’s lived here since he was born. I
stayed in his house while I renovated this one.”

Bran didn’t get a chance to check it out until he was on the

porch. The walk was rough, so he had to concentrate on not falling.

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He turned to see Don studying the ground they’d just covered.

“I think I’ll get Henry over here to smooth this out. Maybe put

in some bricks or slabs of cement. I’ve been so caught up in getting
the actual house done I didn’t think about the outside.”

“It’s all right. This place looks nice, and you did the work

yourself?”

Bran was impressed. The floors were polished hardwood with a

few area rugs to warm it up a little. The living room walls were
painted a sky blue with white trim.

“Yep. It was therapy for me, in a way. I was homeless for two

years before Uncle Fred found out about me and came to find me.
He gave me this house and told me I could do whatever I wanted to
it.” Don whirled around in the middle of the living room with a
happy expression on his face. “Oh, there were some things I
couldn’t do because I just didn’t know how to do it, but the
painting and floors I did myself.”

Resting on his crutches, Bran smiled as he watched Don kick

off his shoes and wander down the hall. He couldn’t take his shoe
off without leaning against something, so he went into the living
room and plopped down on the tan couch. Don came back in with
a questioning look, but it disappeared when he saw Bran taking off
his shoe.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot about that.” Don blushed.
Without thinking, Bran reached out and grabbed Don’s hand,

pulling the man down next to him. Don gasped, and Bran couldn’t
help himself. Those plump lips called to him and all his thoughts
about taking things slowly went out the window.

Slipping his hand around behind Don’s head, he tilted his chin

before he brought down his mouth to introduce it to Don’s. He
didn’t take the kiss deeper or further, just rubbed their lips together

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and nibbled along the seam, not asking for any more than Don
wanted to give him.

Don whimpered, his hands landing on Bran’s hips as he

allowed Bran to guide their encounter. It was only when Bran’s
lungs begged for air they broke apart, chests heaving, and Don
stared at him in shock.

“I hope you don’t mind. I just couldn’t help myself. I’ve

wanted to do that since I saw you at the door.”

“I don’t mind at all.” Don touched his lips with his fingertips

and blushed. “Can we do that again?”

“Sure, but what about dinner?”
“I put lasagna in the oven. I made one the other day and froze

it. It’ll be about twenty minutes before it’s done.”

“Good.” He wrapped his hand around Don’s arm, tugging him

until he straddled Bran’s lap.

Don tensed for a moment when their erections rubbed against

each other. Bran ran his hands up and down Don’s back, hoping he
was soothing him and not making him nervous.

“What’s going on in your brain?”
The handsome man in his lap ducked his head, and Bran stuck

his finger under Don’s chin, lifting his face until their eyes met.
“You can tell me. I promise I won’t laugh or get angry.”

“I’m afraid I won’t do any of this right.”
“Any of what?” Bran frowned.
“Having sex. Making love. Whatever you want to call it.”
Bran narrowed his gaze, thinking of how shy Don had been

with him. A thought popped into his head. “Are you a virgin,
Don?”

“God, this is so awkward.” Don struggled to get off Bran’s lap.

“I know I wouldn’t be able to do this.”

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Bran embraced Don, holding him tightly to him, and trying not

to react to the hard body pressing against him. “Don, please wait.
Hold still.”

Don froze.
“Look at me.”
He waited until Don looked at him again.
“I’m not making fun of you. I need to know if you’re a virgin.

It makes how I go about things different. I don’t want to rush or
hurt you.” He filled his voice with earnestness. Bran really needed
Don to understand he meant everything he said. “I don’t think less
of you that you haven’t had sex. Hell, I think that’s totally hot.”

Don’s face was beet red, but he stopped trying to get away. He

stared at Bran like the idea of Bran finding his virginity sexy was
an absolute shock. “You think it’s hot?”

“You know exactly what you want and never settled for

something less than that.” Bran cradled Don’s face in his hands
and leaned forward to whisper a kiss over Don’s lips. “Don’t give
in to me just because you think it’s what I want and I’m the first
gay guy you’ve run across. Let’s start with kissing, and if we get to
the point where you want to go to bed with me, we’ll revisit this.”

“But what if I decide I don’t want to do anything like that with

you?” Don’s question was soft.

“Then it’s my loss. And doesn’t reflect on you at all.” He

winked. “Unless it shows your good taste.”

Don giggled and slapped a hand over his mouth.
“Oh, now you’re laughing at me, huh?” He wiggled his

eyebrows, and Don giggled again. Sweeping the smaller man into a
tight embrace, Bran buried his face in the crook of Don’s neck and
breathed the man’s scent in. “God, I love hearing that sound
coming from you. I think you were made to be happy.”

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And didn’t he feel like a complete sap saying shit like that to

Don, but he couldn’t help how he felt and he wasn’t going to keep
quiet about it either.

A buzzing sounded from the kitchen and Don grimaced as he

climbed off Bran.

“That would be the oven.”
Bran looked at Don’s offered hand and took it to help him

stand. Keeping him steady, Don gave him his crutches as well. He
gained his balance, following Don toward the kitchen.

“How good a cook are you?”
“Guess you’ll have to find out. Sit down. I’ll bring dinner over.

The bread should be done as well.”

He took a seat at the small table and watched Don bustle

around the room, pulling the dish out of the oven along with a pan
of garlic bread. Bran inhaled deeply and drool pooled in his mouth.
The scent of spicy tomato sauce bubbling over noodles and meat
filled his nostrils.

“Oh, man, it smells marvelous.” Bran accepted the plate Don

held out to him and smiled as the man gestured to a bottle of red
wine sitting on the counter. “I’d love some, but I’ll probably be
taking a pain pill when I get home and I don’t like how I feel when
I mix them.”

“Don’t blame you.”
Don filled two glasses with lemonade instead. He bowed his

head and Bran stayed silent, used to his mother praying over her
food. He might not pray anymore, but he respected those who did.
When Don met his gaze, the peace in the man’s face brought a
smile to Bran’s.

“Was PT hard today?”
“To be honest, it wasn’t any worse than before, but my knee

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and my right leg have been bothering me the last couple of days.
The doctors told me it would happen, just a matter of time and
getting used to it.” He shrugged. “I try not to use the pills too
much. I don’t want to lean on them any more than I have to.”

“Good idea.”
Bran took a bite of the lasagna and moaned as all the spices

exploded on his tongue. After swallowing, he grinned at Don.
“God, Don, this is great, even better than my mom’s. If you tell her
I said that, I’ll deny it.”

“Don’t worry. I promise not to say a word to her about it.”
They chatted about Don’s job and the kids he taught at the

school. It was obvious to Bran that Don truly did enjoy teaching
music.

“Do you write music for yourself and the church?”
“Not just them. I wrote all the songs my band sang, and they

still sing today.” He ran his fingers over the edge of the plate.
“Weird, isn’t it? They won’t let me in their band or sing their
songs, but they’ll take what I’ve written and continue to perform
them.”

Bran entwined their fingers. “They know quality when they see

it. Are there other songs I might know that you’ve written? Unless
everything you’ve written is Christian. I don’t listen to that.”

Don scooted his chair closer to Bran. “They aren’t all

inspirational songs. Rock bands and pop singers have sung my
stuff.”

He named one song that Bran did know.
“Holy cow! You wrote that?”
Don nodded.
“That’s one of my favorite songs.” Bran didn’t think about it.

He leaned forward and brushed a kiss over Don’s cheek. “Thank

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you.”

A pretty pink tinge painted Don’s skin. “For what?”
“For continuing to share your talent with the world. It doesn’t

matter that they were blind to the jewel they had in their midst. I’m
not crazy enough to pass you by.”

“Oh, you say the nicest things.” Don brought their lips together

in a soft kiss.

He tasted the garlic from the bread and the oregano from the

sauce mixed with Don’s unique flavor. He nibbled Don’s bottom
lip, then sucked on it. Don groaned, slipping his fingers along the
back of Bran’s head to trail over Bran’s nape. Just as Bran thought
his control might break, he pulled a few inches away.

“Why don’t we clean up and we can cuddle on the couch

afterward?”

He didn’t want to rush Don. He wanted the man to make the

decision to offer himself to Bran. If that never happened, Bran
would consider himself lucky to know Don, even if all they ever
ended up doing was kissing or just being friends.

Another quick kiss and Don picked the plates off the table.
“Why don’t you go in the living room and pick out a movie?

I’ll load the dishwasher and be out there in a minute.”

Pecking Don on the cheek, he went back out to the living room

and began looking through Don’s large DVD collection. There
were all kinds of movies. Bran picked an action film he hadn’t
seen yet. Setting it up, he settled on the couch with a blanket over
his lap.

Don joined him and snuggled close, resting his head on Bran’s

shoulder and laying his hand on Bran’s skin under his shirt. He
flexed his abs at the warm touch of Don’s fingers.

“Is this all right?” Don asked, starting to move away.

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Bran covered Don’s hand with his, stopping him from leaving.

“It’s fine. It’s just been a long time since anyone’s touched me like
that.”

“Like what?” Don shifted so he could look up at Bran.
“Personally. Like I matter to them as a person and not a patient.

Seen a lot of doctors, nurses, and therapists since I got back from
overseas. They’re nice and everything, but to them, I’m just
another broken body they need to fix.”

“Oh,” Don murmured, pushing in close, his hand caressing

Bran’s abs and chest. “Then I’ll just have to make up for that,
huh?”

“You’re more than welcome to try, honey.”
He laughed, and Don joined in. They melded together, arms

and legs intertwined as Don pushed play and the movie started.

* * *

Bran stared up at the ceiling in his bedroom later that night. He

hadn’t stayed at Don’s place, knowing the man wasn’t ready for
that yet. It might be a while before they ever did more than kiss,
but he didn’t worry about that. Time was the one thing Bran had a
lot of at the moment, plus it wasn’t like he’d be leaving soon to go
back to his unit or anything.

He rubbed his left thigh as his pain pill kicked in and the

tension in his muscles eased. Things were getting better. Bran
could wear his leg for longer periods of time without pain. He was
getting the knack of walking with it, so he didn’t list or limp as
badly as when he first began using it. Climbing stairs and moving
over uneven ground was still tricky and he had to take his time
with those, but he could do it. He was getting his independence

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back, one day at a time. While things would never go back to the
way they were before the roadside bomb, he was coming to believe
that maybe things would be better than they were. Opportunities he
never would have had while in the army opened in front of him
and he wasn’t stupid enough to let them pass him by. Not any
more.

Rolling over on his side, he wrapped his arms around one of his

pillows and breathed deeply, inhaling the fresh clean scent. It had
taken weeks for him to get used to how quiet everything was at
night. Alone in his own room, not a barracks or a hospital ward,
with no sounds of people talking or snoring. But he found that he
liked the silence. It soothed his mind in a way nothing else did.

He thought about the job interview Don had gotten for him.

He’d always liked working in the soil and getting his hands dirty.
Who knew, it might be the start of a whole new career for him, if
they could work out the logistics of Bran’s leg. It wouldn’t be easy,
but nothing worth having ever was and Bran learned in the army
never to quit while he was still alive. There was no back down in a
Ranger, so he wasn’t going to run from either challenge: finding a
job and loving Don.

LIFT YOUR VOICE

CHAPTER 4

The ringing of his phone brought Don out of the fog he was in

from grading papers. Besides music, he also taught eighth grade
history and had just given his students a pop quiz. Another
insistent ring and he grabbed up the receiver.

“Hello?”
“Hey, Don. It’s Bran.”
Just the man’s voice could bring a smile to Don’s face. “Hello.

I hoped you’d call to let me know how the interview went.”

Sitting back, he glanced down at his groin where a bulge grew

under his jeans. Shoot, he’d never had that reaction talking to a
guy, yet something about Bran turned him on.

“I’ll be happy to tell you, but I thought I could do it in person.

You want to grab some dinner?”

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Don looked at the pile of papers on the table in front of him.

“Sure. I can grab dinner, but that’s about it. I have a bunch of
papers to finish grading.”

“Great. I’ll be over to pick you up in ten minutes. Will that give

you enough time to get ready?”

“We’re not going anywhere fancy, are we?” He pushed to his

feet and headed down the hallway to his bedroom.

Bran chuckled. “No. I thought we’d go to Brown’s Diner. I’ll

save the fancy restaurant and the romancing for this weekend.
When you don’t have to get up early in the morning for school.”

A blush heated Don’s face. “Romancing, huh? I thought big,

tough guys like you didn’t go for romance.”

Bran coughed slightly before chuckling. “I’ll admit it’s never

been my strong suit, but you’re the type of guy who makes me
want it to be.”

“Well, you say all the right things.” He laughed right along

with Bran. “But I don’t need to be courted.”

“Actually, I think you do. Hell, everyone deserves to be treated

special once in a while.” Bran sighed. “I have to finish getting
dressed. I’ll be there in ten.”

“Okay, I’ll be ready.”
He hung up, trying not to imagine Bran naked. Of course,

nothing short of picturing his mother’s disapproving glare made
the erection he sported go down. He went to his closet and studied
his shirts hanging there. Their date wasn’t fancy, but he still
wanted to look his best for Bran since it would be the first time
they were seen in public together.

Everyone in the town knew Don was gay. When he arrived in

Wilton, he swore he’d never hide who he was. If they didn’t like
the fact he liked men, they would have to deal with it. Uncle Fred’s

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approval helped him become comfortable with his own sexuality.
Did the people know about Bran? Had he come out to anyone
besides his mother?

Don grabbed his favorite sweater and tugged his button-down

off. A white T-shirt went under the blue sweater and he slipped
into his dress shoes. He hadn’t changed his pants from school yet,
so those would do.

A quick check in the bathroom mirror showed the average

looks he’d gotten used to over the years. He gave his reflection a
disbelieving smile, unsure of what Bran saw to make him want to
spend time with Don.

Someone knocked on his door and he turned the light off in the

bathroom. Strolling down the hallway, he tucked his shirt in before
opening to Bran with a bright smile.

“I just need to grab my wallet and a jacket, then I’ll be ready to

go.”

“Okay.” Bran rested his weight on his cane to reach out with

his free hand to pull Don to him.

Soft sighs filled the air as he and Bran said hello to each other

the best way Don knew how. He slid his hands over Bran’s
shoulders and edged closer to him, their pelvises teasing with light
touches. Bran laid his hands on Don’s hips, using Don for support.
Don allowed Bran to sweep his tongue in, stroking along his teeth
and his own tongue, drawing a moan from Don.

Easing away, Bran brought their foreheads together while

trying to catch their breath. “That’s the best hello I’ve had in a long
time.”

Bran’s smile gave Don the courage to confess the same. “I was

thinking the same thing.”

He made sure Bran was okay before he went to grab his wallet

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and jacket, then locked the door behind him as they left. Bran led
the way to a large red Silverado 4x4.

“So this is the new vehicle?” Don checked it out. “Very nice.”
“Thanks. Only has about ten thousand miles on it, which is

good.” Bran opened the door for him and then made his way
around the front of the truck to climb into the driver’s seat.

Settling back in his seat, Don watched Bran drive toward the

diner. Every move the man made was confident, and Don found he
felt safe letting Bran have control.

“What happened with the interview?” He crossed his fingers in

his pocket so Bran couldn’t see them.

“Good things. Williams told me he needed another guy on one

of his crews. He seems to think that, even though I’m not the
steadiest, I can help out with planting and things like that.” Bran’s
eyes sparkled with happiness. “I’m supposed to start tomorrow. I
don’t have PT, so I should be able to do more.”

“On the days you do have PT, what are you doing?”
“Williams said I could come in afterward if I feel like it.” Bran

shrugged as he pulled into the parking lot at Brown’s Diner.

They headed into the diner and were seated. Don smiled at the

young waitress, who happened to be one of his former students.

“Hey, Mr. Frost, here for the blueberry pie?” She winked as she

greeted them.

“I should probably eat dinner first, Amanda. But try and save a

piece of it for me.”

“And one for me, unless you have cherry pie.” Bran gave her a

pleading look.

She laughed and nodded. “We do happen to have a couple

pieces of cherry as well. I’ll set one of those aside for you as well,
Mr. McCollugh.”

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“Thanks. I’ll have a hamburger, fries and a soda.” Bran

ordered.

“I’ll have the same thing.”
“Get that ordered right away for you and I’ll bring the sodas

over soon.” She glanced between them and a curious expression
crossed her face, but she didn’t say anything else as she walked
away.

“Well, I’m sure we’ll be grist for the rumor mill tonight.” Don

raised his eyebrow in inquiry.

Bran chuckled. “I’m not worried about it. I’ve only really told

my mom about being gay, but I don’t plan on living in the closet
for the rest of my life. It was hard enough while I was in the
military. I wouldn’t be able to do it here.”

Don stared down at the table between them. “I did pretend for

about a year after I got here, no matter what my uncle tried to tell
me. I knew the truth. There wasn’t one place in the world that
would accept my lifestyle.”

“You don’t have to tell me that. Trust me, I’ve been all over the

world and seen things done to people because of sexual preference,
the color of their skin, or even their religion. A lot of times, it’s
easy just to hide and not risk getting hurt because of it.” Bran
reached across the table and caressed the top of Don’s hand.

He didn’t pull back and stopped himself from tensing. They

weren’t doing anything terrible or wrong. While holding hands
wasn’t bad, his upbringing told him it was wrong. Of course, he
probably wouldn’t do it if he were straight either. Public displays
of affection were frowned upon by his parents as well, even when
they thought he liked girls.

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to jump you in the middle of

town. I’m going to wait until we get back to your house.” Bran’s

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laughter rang through the diner as Don blushed.

A shadow fell over their table, and Don looked up to see the

sheriff standing next to them. Sheriff Tooley Freeman was a big
man, scarred and muscular. Just looking at him would make any
criminal change his mind about breaking the law in Wilton. Yet if
the eyes were truly windows to the soul, one look into Tooley’s
told anyone wise enough to know that the sheriff was a gentle soul.
His dark eyes smiled at them.

“Good to see you back, Bran. Sorry to hear about your leg.”
Bran climbed to his feet and offered Tooley his hand. “It’s

good to be back, Tooley, though I have to admit, I’d rather come
back for another reason.”

“War is hell.” Tooley shook Bran’s hand before turning to Don.

“Looking forward to summer yet?”

Don shook Tooley’s hand as well. “It’s only two months into

the school year, Tooley. I shouldn’t be ready for vacation.”

“Shouldn’t, huh? But some days it seems like it can’t get here

fast enough, I bet.”

“You’re right. I have had days when all I can think about is

how long it is until Christmas vacation.”

They all chuckled. Amanda brought their drinks, and Tooley

took his leave.

“I’ll catch up with you later, Bran. Maybe trade some war

stories.”

“I’m staying at my mom’s for the moment. You can get me

there.”

Bran sat, and Don frowned.
“Was Tooley in the military?”
He didn’t know much about the sheriff, but he wouldn’t have

been surprised. There was something about the way Tooley walked

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and acted that reminded him of Bran. Or Bran reminded him of
Tooley.

“I think so. Not sure which branch, but he told me when I left,

if I ever needed to talk to someone about what happened while I
served, he was there for me.” Bran dipped his finger in the ring of
water from the glass and circled it around the table. “It’s hard for
people who haven’t been to war to really understand what soldiers
have gone through.”

“I get that.”
Don glanced around to see Tooley exit the diner. He leaned

forward and whispered, “I had a little bit of a crush on Tooley
when I first got here.”

“I had a crush on him when I was eighteen and he’d just moved

to town.”

They bonded over their old attraction to the sheriff.
“Do you think?”
“That Tooley’s gay?”
Wrinkling his nose, Don nodded, feeling silly about asking.

He’d never really developed the ability to tell whether another man
floated the same way he did. It took someone like Bran’s very
obvious interest for him to catch on.

Bran paused for a moment, thinking, and Don sipped his soda

while he waited.

“I guess I never really thought about it. Have you ever seen

him with a girl?”

“No, but that doesn’t mean much. I’m not very observant.” He

grinned.

“I’ll have to ask him.”
Horrified, Don stared at Bran until he caught the smile tipping

the corners of the man’s lips. “Thank God, you’re just joking.”

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“Oh, honey, I wouldn’t ask Tooley something like that. You

have seen how big that man is, right?” Bran shook his head. “Dude
could rip me apart if he got upset about me asking him about his
personal life.”

“Tooley Freeman wouldn’t hurt you for asking something like

that. I haven’t known him nearly as long as you have, Bran, but I
do know he’s pretty open-minded about things.” Don paused.
“Unless you’re breaking the law.”

“Here you go.”
Amanda deposited their plates in front of them with a flourish.

“I’ll check on you in a few minutes.”

“Thanks, Amanda.”
They fell into silence as they ate, not speaking again until they

pushed their plates away and sat back with sighs. Amanda swung
by to pick up their empties and left two pieces of pie behind.

“Sally makes the best pies.” Don took a bite and closed his

eyes, moaning low as the sweet flavor burst over his tongue.

A faint cough opened his eyes and he spotted Bran staring at

his mouth intensely. He licked his lips, forcing a groan from Bran
and making him shift in his seat. Don smiled, happy he could
affect the handsome man across the table from him.

“That isn’t very nice, especially since I can’t do anything about

it.” Bran pouted, but he didn’t seem too upset by it.

“Sorry.” He didn’t really mean it.
“I can tell.” Bran rolled his eyes.
Amanda brought their bill, and they headed out after Bran paid

for dinner. They strolled back to Bran’s truck and got in. Don
rubbed his stomach.

“I always eat so much when I go there. I’m going to have to go

for a run when I get home.”

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Bran started the truck and pulled out of the lot. “Do you mind if

I take the long way back to your house? I’m not ready to say good-
night to you.”

Reaching over, he rested his hand on Bran’s thigh and

squeezed. “Sure. Go ahead. I was mostly done with my grading
anyway.”

“Thanks.”
Bran got the vehicle started in the opposite direction to Don’s

house. Once they were on their way, Bran entwined their fingers
together and relaxed.

“How did you manage to survive living on the streets for two

years?” Bran’s voice was low, and Don could tell he wasn’t sure
how Don would react to the question.

He stared out the window for a second before speaking. “I did

everything I could to survive, except sell myself. It was close, but I
found a home for teenagers that let me stay for a while. I managed
to get several different jobs, getting paid under the table for
washing dishes and things like that.”

“That’s rough, man.”
“It was bad because I lived in the same city as my family. I’d

see them out at restaurants or at the movies, doing stuff I used to
do with them. They were living off my royalties, even though I
wasn’t there.”

Incredulity shone on Bran’s face. “You’re kidding? What kind

of man takes his kid’s money?”

“Guess that answers your question right there. He wasn’t much

of a father or a man.” Don pursed his lips, then laughed. “Of
course, they got their butts handed to them when I turned eighteen
and Uncle Fred got a lawyer.”

“Go, Uncle Fred.” Bran joked.

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“He wasn’t interested in the money for himself. All he wanted

was to make sure I got my money.”

Bran shot him an intrigued glance from the corner of his eye.

“How much money do you have?”

“If I didn’t want to, I wouldn’t have to work at the school. Of

course, I continue to compose songs and sell them.” Don rubbed
his thumb over Bran’s knuckles. “I like teaching and it gets me out
the house. Trust me. I could become a recluse without having a
reason to leave the house. That’s part of the reason I have horses as
well.”

“How did your uncle find you if none of your family talks to

him?”

“It seems there was one person who still wanted to talk to me,

but she couldn’t go against our parents. My sister finally contacted
Uncle Fred about me. He searched all over the city, looking in
every homeless shelter until he found me. He opened his house to
me, and I wanted a place where I could lay my head regularly. I
was tired of worrying about my safety and my belongings, not that
I had many.”

Bran tightened his grip on Don’s hand, lifting it to his lips and

kissing it. “Remind me to give your uncle a hug next time I see
him.”

“Why?”
“He had the guts to give you a place, even though your parents

wouldn’t like it. He opened his heart to you when a lot of people
would’ve thought he’d have every right to turn his back on you.”

Don knew that and he thanked God every night for his uncle

and the love the man had for him. If he ever called anyone Father
again, it would be Uncle Fred. Fred had never shown him anything
but caring and love.

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“And your sister seems like a good person. Have you heard

from her?”

He shook his head. “No. She’s still living at home, so she can’t

risk getting kicked out. Of course, if she did, I’m sure Uncle Fred
would take her in.”

“Yeah, he strikes me as that kind of guy.”
Ten minutes later, they pulled into Don’s driveway and Bran

put the truck in park. They turned to face each other at the same
time, lips meeting in a hot, moist kiss designed to drive Don wild.
He unhooked his seat belt and moved as close to Bran as he could
with the console in the way. Bran buried his fingers into Don’s
hair, tilting his head to achieve a deeper angle for their kiss.

Don moaned as his erection pressed against his pants hard

enough to leave zipper imprints on it. He gripped Bran’s shoulders,
wanting more contact, but not sure how to ask for it. Finally, when
he’d used all his air and his lungs demanded to be filled again, he
broke away. Dropping back into his seat, he raised his fingers and
touched his swollen lips. Bran’s chest heaved as he took in several
breathes to try and calm his pulse.

Wide-eyed, he stared at Bran. “I’ve never felt this way before,

not even when I first realized I liked guys.”

Bran caressed Don’s cheek with rough fingers. “I think some of

that is simply because I’m the first guy you could be yourself with.
You know I’m not going to kick your ass or get mad at you if you
try something with me.”

Don nuzzled into Bran’s palm. “It might be part of it, but I

think a lot of it has to do with you, Bran.”

“I’m glad to hear that because you’re the first guy I’ve ever

considered keeping around for longer than one night.” Bran’s smile
was self-deprecating. “I wasn’t interested in more than a one-night

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stand while I was in the service.”

“Well, the policies don’t really lend themselves to a permanent

relationship,” Don conceded.

“True, but I think I was just looking for the right guy. And I

think I found him.”

Don’s heart skipped a beat and hope rose in his soul. “Really?”
“Yes, really. I know it’s sudden and I’m not asking to marry

me or anything like that, but I’d like to see where this is going.”
Bran held Don’s face in both hands, his gaze serious and caring. “I
won’t push you into anything more than kissing and making out a
little. I want to take my time getting to know you before we
complicate it with sex.”

He dropped his gaze, insecurity rippling through him. “Is it

because I’m a virgin?”

“Yes.”
Disappointment welled inside him.
“But not for the reason you think, I’m sure. I don’t want you to

rush into anything, Don. Giving your virginity is a huge step. You
have to be a hundred percent sure I’m the guy you want to give it
to. Nothing would make me happier or prouder than to know you
trust me like that.” Bran leaned forward to whisper in his ear, “And
it excites me so much, I could probably come right now just
thinking about sinking into your tight ass.”

He drew in a sharp breath, glancing at the bulge in the front of

Bran’s jeans before looking back up at the man. “The things you
say,” he murmured.

“I mean them, Don. I’m not blowing smoke up your ass. We’ve

got time. I’m not planning on leaving town and neither are you.”

“It’s a good idea. Thank you for understanding.” He pressed a

kiss in the palms of both Bran’s hands before sliding toward the

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door. “I should head in before I get to the point where I don’t care
about taking my time.”

Bran grinned. “I’ll call you tomorrow night, okay? Let you

know how my first day of work went.”

“I look forward to it.”
Don stepped onto the porch and waved as Bran drove off.

Before he could unlock his door, he heard his uncle call to him.

“Hey, Don, want to come over for a nightcap?”
He smiled to himself, but strolled over to his uncle’s house.

The nightcap was secondary to his uncle’s curiosity. The old man
wanted to know how his date went. Don couldn’t get too upset
about it. At least, Uncle Fred cared enough to find out whether
Don had a good time or not. Plus his uncle probably looked
through the kitchen window and saw them kissing. Dang, it was
like being a teenager and getting caught necking in your parents’
car. Not that Don did that when he was young.

After making his way down the hallway, he joined his uncle in

the study where the older man sat in front of the fireplace. Don
took his usual chair and slumped back with a sigh.

“Have a good time?” Uncle Fred smirked at him.
Don felt his face heat. “Yes, you peeping tom. You know what

we were doing in the truck.”

“Just looked like kissing to me. Those cabs are big, but there

isn’t a lot of room for people to maneuver in them.”

“Uncle Fred.” Don’s voice held a hint of shock.
“What? I might be a pastor, son, but I’m aware of what goes on

between healthy adults who are attracted to each other.”

A wink and Don groaned, covering his face with his hands.
“I think this is worse than any conversation I’d have with my

father,” he muttered.

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“I was just teasing.” Uncle Fred patted his arm and sat back in

his chair. “Did you have a good dinner?”

“Yeah, we just went up to Brown’s Diner. I really like him,” he

blurted out.

Uncle Fred sipped his whiskey and nodded. “Of course, you

do. I knew it the moment you two met. Brandon is a great guy and
one who deserves happiness, just like you.”

Shrugging, he pushed to his feet and paced, hands tucked in his

pockets.

“Uncle Fred, do you know how to get a hold of my sister?”
“Why do you want to get in touch with Linda?” His uncle set

his glass on the table next to him and clasped his hands together.
“She isn’t ready to talk to you yet.”

“I want to tell her thank you for helping me, even if it was just

contacting you. I know it must’ve been hard for her to do that.” He
paused and stared down at the ashes in the fireplace.

“It was very hard for her to call me,” Uncle Fred admitted.

“Not just because she’d get into trouble for talking to me in the
first place. Linda didn’t want you to live on the streets, Don, but
she doesn’t accept you being gay any more than your parents do.”

Pacing again, he waved a hand to acknowledge what his uncle

said. “Doesn’t surprise me in the least. When you grow up in the
society we did, you grow kind of narrow-minded. But still she
could’ve decided I was evil and should die in the gutter. She
didn’t, and I wanted to thank her.”

Uncle Fred sighed. “I guess you have every right to want to say

that to her. I’ll see if she’s interested in talking with you. I can’t
guarantee she will be.”

“That’s all right. If she says no, then at least I can say I tried.

Also, she’ll know the olive branch is there for her to take if she

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ever changes her mind.”

“You’re a good man, son.” Uncle Fred pushed to his feet and

patted Don’s shoulder as he went by. “Don’t stay up too late.”

“I won’t.” He took their glasses to the kitchen on his way out.
When he slipped under the covers two hours later, he closed his

eyes and tried to imagine what it would be like to sleep in
someone’s arms all night long. It was a situation he’d like to
experience in his life.

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CHAPTER 5

Shoving the door open with his shoulder, Bran stepped into the

house. “Mom, you home?”

“Yes, honey.” She came into the front room with Pastor Fred at

her heels.

“Bran, my boy, how are you doing?” Fred held out his hand.
Bran glanced down at his own dirt-covered hands and laughed.

“Don’t want to get you dirty.”

“No problem. Good thing we’re all wash and wear, huh?”
“It is, considering how much dirt I’ve been tracking into

Mom’s house since I started this job.” Bran gestured back to the
muddy boots he left outside the front door. “I need to go take a
shower and change before Don gets here.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll entertain him until you’re ready.” His

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mother waved him upstairs.

“Thanks.”
He went to his room, not hesitating as much as he took the

stairs. The past month of physical therapy and working
landscaping jobs had helped with his balance and his stamina.
He’d didn’t hurt nearly as much as he had when he first started
either.

“I’ll vacuum up when I’m done, Mom,” he yelled down as he

noticed the trail of earth behind him.

“I can do it, Brandon. Just get ready.”
After stepping into his bathroom, Bran turned on the shower

before stripping out of his sweaty clothes. It hadn’t been a
particularly warm day, but pushing wheelbarrows full of dirt over
uneven ground made him sweat, mostly because he concentrated
so hard on not tripping. But he was getting better at using his leg
all the time. There were more and more moments when he walked
with only a slight limp and even rarer times when he needed his
cane.

Ducking under the hot cascade of water, he sighed as he

watched the gray liquid slip down the drain. As he shampooed his
hair, he wondered what Don had planned for the night. It was a
special one, though Bran would never admit he remembered what
day it was. Knowing it had been a month since their first date
seemed a little girlier than he wanted to admit.

Yet it had been exactly one month to the day that they had gone

out for the first time. It was also the night Bran admitted to himself
he could easily fall in love with the other man. Don was everything
Bran realized he wanted in a man.

Washing the rest of the day’s layer of crud off him, he thought

about Don. Sexy enough to make Bran hard from just looking at

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him, Don didn’t realize the effect he had on Bran. There was
kindness and caring in every thought Don had. He laughed at the
surprise he’d felt when Don showed him the seat he’d installed in
his shower for him, so Bran could take a shower at his place
instead of heading home. In so many ways, Don showed how
much Bran meant to him, and it touched a place deep inside Bran
that he didn’t think existed.

They spent every night together, talking and joking. They’d

share a meal together along with a hot and heavy make-out session
on Don’s couch afterward. They never moved beyond that because
Bran didn’t want to push Don into doing something he wasn’t
comfortable with. Yet the last couple of days, Bran had gotten the
feeling Don was ready to start a new phase in their relationship,
but Bran would allow the other man to make the first move.

He finished cleaning up, put his leg back on, and tugged his

pants up. After buttoning them, he grabbed a T-shirt and a dress
shirt. It was the same blue as his eyes and Don’s favorite shirt of
Bran’s.

“Brandon, Don’s here.”
“I’ll be right there.” He grabbed his wallet and keys before

heading down.

Don stood at in the foyer, chatting with Bran’s mom and Pastor

Fred. He turned when he heard Bran’s footsteps on the stairs, and
Bran’s heart jumped at the way the man’s dark eyes lit up at seeing
him.

“You ready?” Don held out his hand.
Bran took it, trying not to notice the few smudges of dirt under

his nails that he’d failed to wash away. He shrugged to himself.
Don had never complained about the dirt or mud. Just accepted it
like he did Bran’s prosthetic.

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“Have a good night, guys.” Pastor Fred winked at them.
He blushed, while Don chuckled.
“God, it’s like we’re sixteen again,” he muttered as they

strolled to Don’s car.

“Did you go on many dates as a teenager?” Don slid behind the

steering wheel, while Bran put his seatbelt on.

“None that were actually dates. I knew pretty early on that I

like guys. Didn’t announce it to anyone except my mom, but I
didn’t want to lead any girl on by asking her out. I hung out with
friends a lot.”

Don started the car and pulled out of the driveway. “The only

people I hung out with were members of the band I was in and kids
from the church I grew up in. None of them were really interested
in having the kind of fun I’m sure you had.”

“We got into our share of trouble, that’s for sure.” Bran

reached over and laid his hand on Don’s thigh. “Where are we
going?”

His boyfriend shifted nervously and cleared his throat. “I

cooked us dinner. I thought we could stay in tonight.”

“Fine with me. You know I love spending time alone with

you.”

“The feeling’s mutual.”
They arrived at Don’s house.
“Go on inside. I have to grab some stuff from the trunk,” Don

said as they climbed out of the car.

“Okay.”
Don’s walk was still uneven, so Bran took his time getting to

the porch. He’d talk to Henry about coming out and smoothing the
ground. Maybe he’d put in new slabs to spruce the yard up. He’d
just opened the front door when Don joined him.

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Glancing down, he noticed the bag Don carried, but didn’t get a

chance to ask him about it. After they stepped inside, Don grabbed
his arm and swung him around, taking care not to unbalance him
or anything. His back hit the door and he grinned against Don’s
lips as the man kissed him until he was light-headed.

Don eased back and panted. “I missed you.”
Bran ran his fingers over Don’s swollen lips. “I missed you,

too, honey. Can’t think of a better way to start the night.”

“We should eat. I just have to get the lasagna out of the oven

and put the cherry pie in.” Don bent and picked up the bag he’d
dropped.

Bran followed him down the hallway toward the kitchen. Don

placed the bag on the counter before gesturing to the table.

“Can you pour us some wine?”
He spotted the bottle sitting next to two glasses on the dining

room table. Bran’s eyes widened as he took in the elegant place
settings and the vase of red roses in the middle of the lace
tablecloth. Two white taper candles waited to be lit. He picked up
the wine and opened it, pouring out their drinks.

Returning the bottle to the ice bucket, he picked up the glasses

and carried them into the kitchen. Don exchanged a glass of wine
for a plate of food with him.

“Is there a special occasion for the food, the wine, and the

flowers?” He nodded toward the other room.

Don’s face flushed red. “I thought it would nice to celebrate

our first date. You know, it’s been a month since we went out.
Don’t you like flowers?”

“I love flowers. Actually, Henry says I’m really great with

flowers and plants, so he’s putting me in charge of planting them
on our different jobs.”

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“Oh, Bran, that’s great. I’m so glad the landscaping is working

out for you.”

Don’s obvious excitement for him shone in the man’s

expression, and Bran couldn’t resist stealing a kiss from him. They
only stopped when Bran’s chest hit Don’s glass and a little bit of
wine splashed onto his shirt.

“Hmmm…maybe we should put that on hold for a little bit and

eat. We can pick up where we left off after dinner.”

Blinking, Don nodded, and Bran motioned for him to come to

the dining room. They sat and proceeded to eat. Bran knew the
food was good, but he didn’t focus much of his thoughts on it.
Most of his attention was on Don and the way the man ate that
built Bran’s desire for him.

The last bite taken and forks set down, Bran stood, holding out

his hand to Don. Without hesitating, Don brought their hands palm
to palm, and Bran helped him to his feet. He embraced Don,
pulling him flush to his body. Their mouths met again; this time
there was no quarter given. There was no holding back in Don’s
kiss or his touch as he tugged the hem of Bran’s shirt out of his
pants.

“Are you sure?” Bran paused, not wanting his desire to

overwhelm Don.

“Yes.” Don stepped back, keeping a hold of Bran, but

encouraging him to follow him.

He kept his gaze on Don, knowing he didn’t have to worry

about tripping over anything on their way to the bedroom. Coming
to a halt beside the bed, Don reached up to start unbuttoning
Bran’s shirt. Bran enfolded his hands with his and smiled.

“Wait, honey. Do you have any condoms?”
Don bit his lip and nodded. “I picked some up on the way

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home, though I don’t see why we need to use them. I haven’t been
with anyone.”

“I know that, but I have and until I get tested, we need to be

safe.” Bran brushed his lips over Don’s knuckles. “Why don’t you
go grab the box while I start getting undressed?”

“Okay.”
Bran undid his belt and button on his pants. He’d started sliding

the zipper down when Don came back in. He placed the box on the
nightstand next to the bed, while one foil packet fell on one of the
pillows. Don shoved Bran’s hands out of the way.

“Let me.”
Hesitating, Bran met Don’s questioning gaze with an insecure

smile.

“Unless you don’t want to do this anymore?”
He shook his head, but didn’t let relax. “That’s not it.”
“What’s wrong then?” Don tugged him over to the bed and

pulled him down next to him.

“You’ll be the first person besides my therapist and doctors to

see my stump. I haven’t even let my mom see it.” Bran stared
down at his left leg. “I guess it just hit me that you’d actually have
to look at it. I mean even if we made love in the dark, you’d touch
it and feel it against you.”

“Are you afraid it’ll disgust me?”
Shrugging, Bran disentangled his hand from Don’s and rubbed

his sweaty palm over his pants. “Rationally, I know you wouldn’t
have a problem with it. It’s not like I’m springing it on you all of a
sudden. But my heart and emotions are saying to be careful. I’m
afraid seeing my stump might freak you out.”

Don started to speak, and Bran put his finger over his lips to

stop him.

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“I don’t want to make love to you in the dark or anything like

that. I want your first time to be perfect.”

“Let’s just take it one step at time and see how far we get. If

either of us feels uncomfortable at any time, we stop. Like you’ve
said before, we have time to deal with all our issues.”

Bran inhaled, filling his lungs and trying to calm himself.

“Okay. How do we want to do this?”

Don’s chuckle hit him, and he glanced up to see Don smiling at

him. He laughed as well. “I know. How wrong is it that the more
experienced one in the couple is asking the virgin what to do?”

“I want your pants off.”
He nodded and gestured toward his shoes. “Can you help me

get these off?”

Don dropped to his knees and removed Bran’s boots, stripping

his socks off as well. They were set aside. Standing, Bran allowed
Don to push his pants and underwear down. When the fabric got
down to his ankles, he sat back down and touched Don’s shoulder.

“Let me get the prosthetic off.”
Rocking back on his heels, Don watched as Bran eased the

socket of his prosthesis off his stump. Don swept the pants away
and took the fake leg from Bran.

“I’d like to take a closer look at this later.” Don asked Bran for

permission with his eyes.

“Sure.” Bran rolled the stockinette off and dropped it to the

floor.

He stripped his shirt off while Don studied Bran’s injury. He

didn’t tense when Don stroked his fingers over the scars at the end
of the bone. The plastic surgeon who did the work on Bran’s
amputation site worked a minor miracle by minimizing the
damage, so there would be less irritation when he wore his leg.

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“It’s not ugly,” Don murmured, his touch soft enough to draw

shivers from Bran’s skin.

Bran studied it, trying to see it through Don’s eyes. The

incision lines were still red, but not as angry-looking as they had
been. The doctor told him they would fade over time, though he
knew they’d never go away entirely. He followed the path Don’s
fingers traced and gasped as Don kissed his stump.

Don looked up and winked before nudging his thighs open

farther. Bran jerked slightly when Don wrapped his hand around
his cock and pumped. The strong grip on his shaft made his eyes
roll. It had been a long time since he’d felt anyone else’s hand on
him. He put his trembling hand out to stop Don before the man
could take Bran into his mouth.

“You don’t have to do it,” he pointed out.
“I know, but I want to, and if I don’t, how will I know whether

I like it or not?”

Closing his mouth, Bran nodded. He needed to treat Don like

an adult. Just because he hadn’t had sex yet didn’t mean the man
didn’t have any idea of what he might like. Bran wasn’t opposed to
being Don’s test subject. It was certainly going to be pleasurable.

“I’m sorry. I’ll try not to treat you like an idiot or a child.”
“You’re just trying to make sure this is a good experience for

me. I appreciate that.”

Bran rested on his hands and let Don do as he wished to him.

He moaned as Don’s moist mouth enveloped his cock, taking it in
a little at a time until Don gagged.

“You don’t have to take it all at once, honey. Use your hand as

well.”

Don hummed, the vibration teasing along Bran’s length. He

licked from the base of Bran’s cock to the flared top, stopping to

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play with the bundle of nerves right under the crown. Bran
shuddered and clasped the blankets under him with both hands.
The feeling of Don’s tongue bathing him shot pleasure over all of
his nerves. Bran’s balls drew tight to his body as Don pumped and
sucked. When Don rubbed the tip of his finger over the soft skin
behind Bran’s balls, Bran’s cock swelled.

“Don, if you want me to fuck you, you need to stop now,” Bran

managed to gasp out.

He whimpered when Don pulled off him to look up at him.

“What’s my other option?”

“I come and you fuck me.”
Don’s eyebrows shot up. “You’d let me do that?”
Chuckling, Bran peeled one of his hands away from the blanket

to caress Don’s cheekbone. “Honey, I like getting fucked as much
as I like taking a guy. As long as no one’s hurt, it’s all good.”

Don continued to handle Bran while he thought, causing Bran

to bite his lip to keep from coming. He didn’t want to climax if
Don wanted him to fuck him. God, the thought of sinking into that
tight ass almost pushed him over the edge.

“I think I’d like to taste you in my mouth and then I’d like to

make love to you.” Don hesitated. “Is that all right?”

“As long as you let me fuck you later, it’s fine.”
His eyes shining, Don nodded. “Oh, I definitely want to feel

you inside me.”

“Great. Let’s get to it.”
Tapping Don’s chin, Bran glanced down at his prick still held

in Don’s hands. Don grinned before bending back down to
swallow Bran down. Now he didn’t have to worry about staying
hard to fuck Don, Bran let himself go. He entwined his fingers in
his lover’s hair and holding Don’s head still, he slowly fucked the

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man’s mouth. The way Don pressed the tip of his tongue into
Bran’s slit dragged a loud groan from Bran.

“God, I’d never have known this was your first time.” His

voice was heavy with need.

The noise Don made sounded proud, and Bran smiled. His cock

grew hard and tiny shocks rippled from the base of his spine.

“Don, gonna…soon.”
Don grunted, and Bran came, shooting his cum deep into Don’s

throat. His lover gagged slightly before pulling back until just an
inch or so remained in his mouth. Bran emptied what felt like
every single drop into Don’s mouth, enjoying the little spasms as
Don licked him clean. When his soft cock slid out, Don joined
Bran on the bed and kissed him.

He savored the flavor of his own seed mingling with Don’s

unique taste. Leaning back, he took Don with him until they were
lying side by side, facing each other. Don rubbed his erection
against Bran’s thigh.

Reaching down, Bran undid Don’s pants. “Let’s get you naked,

sweetheart.”

Don made some sound of agreement, but didn’t seem interested

in helping Bran undress him. He trailed kisses down Bran’s neck to
his chest. Bran shifted slightly, giving Don access to more of his
skin. His back came off the bed when Don scraped his teeth over
one of Bran’s nipples.

“Shit. If you’re not careful, you’re going to get me hard again,

and I’ll be the one pounding into your ass.”

A full body shudder wracked Don, and Bran knew it would

only be a matter of time before he got his chance at the other man’s
ass. But he’d let Don take him first to ease Don’s nerves.

“I’m not sure how we’re going to do this, but maybe if we lie

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on our sides?”

“Sounds good to me.”
With a little bit of shifting and wiggling, the men got situated.

Bran on his right side and Don spooned up behind him. Bran
brought his left leg up and forward, opening himself up to Don’s
touch. The click of the bottle’s cap gave him enough warning he
didn’t jump when Don rubbed the cool slick over his hole. He
relaxed as Don pressed in, stretching his ring of muscles and
preparing Bran for his cock.

He couldn’t move as much as he liked. Not having had sex

since his injury, he didn’t know if any other position would be
better for him. Bran didn’t want to risk ruining the moment by
hurting himself. His tension must have telegraphed itself to Don
because the man trailed his free hand down Bran’s back.

“You’re not hurting, are you?”
Bran glanced over his shoulder to get a look at Don. “Not yet. I

was just worrying about something happening, but I want this. If I
start feeling uncomfortable or anything like that, I’ll let you
know.”

“Okay.”
Even while they talked, Don didn’t stop plunging his fingers

into Bran, nailing Bran’s gland with his knuckles every once in a
while. Bran gasped, pushing his ass back, asking for more as best
he could.

“How did you get so good at this?” He moaned.
“I have a confession.” Don sounded embarrassed, but he

continued. “I’ve fingered myself before. I just haven’t had sex with
another man.”

“Oh…good.”
Bran’s mind was short-circuiting. He quickly reached the point

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where he didn’t care how Don learned anything. All he wanted was
more and harder.

“Don, I want you in me now,” he ordered, reaching down to

grab his own cock and creating a tight ring around the base to keep
from coming again. He didn’t want to do that until Don was inside
him.

“Okay.”
Bran whimpered as Don removed his fingers, leaving Bran

empty. The crinkle of the foil packet alerted him to Don’s actions.
He closed his eyes and concentrated on not coming the moment
Don took him.

“Bran, are you ready?”
The head of Don’s cock rubbed against Bran’s slick hole, and

Bran jerked slightly.

“Yes. Now just take it easy as you ease in. It’s been a while for

me, and even with the stretching, I might be tight.”

“Okay.” Hesitation colored Don’s voice.
Bran reached back and patted whatever part of Don’s body he

touched. “Don’t worry. I’m tough. It’ll only hurt for a second, then
you’ll fuck me until I scream.”

Don chuckled, which was what Bran wanted. He didn’t want

Don to get freaked out or scared about doing it.

“I think I can do that.”
Breathing deeply, Bran relaxed as Don breached his ass. Don

took his time, but Bran couldn’t help rocking a little to take more
of the thick shaft. His lover dropped a kiss on his shoulder once he
was buried balls deep in Bran.

“Are you all right?”
Bran was touched by Don’s consideration. “Yes, honey, I am.”
He clenched his inner muscles, and Don groaned before he

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started thrusting, slow at first, making sure Bran wasn’t
uncomfortable or in pain in any way. Bran entwined the fingers of
one hand in the sheet in front of him while jerking himself off with
the other.

Skin slapping against skin filled the room along with their

grunts. The scent of sex and sweat mingled to create a perfume
Bran inhaled happily. It had been so long since he’d engaged in
sex and just as long for him to really want more from his lover than
one night.

Pressure built in Bran a second time and he knew his climax

was only seconds away.

“Don, I’m gonna come,” he warned.
Don grunted, but didn’t say anything else. He just sped up,

managing to hit Bran’s gland with every inward shove. Bran’s
nerve endings fired all at once and he shouted as hot liquid spilled
over his hand. It wasn’t as much as his first climax, but still it
wasn’t bad for his second orgasm in under an hour.

One. Two. On the third stroke in, Don froze and whispered,

“Oh.”

His lover jerked once and Bran felt the warmth inside him as

Don filled the condom. Don’s forehead rested on Bran’s shoulder
and his arms wrapped around Bran, holding him tight while their
breathing evened out. Bran caressed Don’s hands, sighing as Don’s
softened cock slipped from him.

Don rolled from the bed and padded to the bathroom. Bran

closed his eyes, listening as Don took care of the condom and ran
some water. He smiled when Don re-joined him and cleaned him
up. He rolled onto his back, meeting Don’s inquiring gaze with a
wink.

“You did pretty good for your first time, love. Of course,

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practice makes perfect, so we’ll have to try it again later.”

The blush painting Don’s cheeks was adorable, and Bran

pushed up on his elbows to brush a kiss over the man’s mouth.
Dropping back onto the pillows, he covered his yawn with his
hand.

“You’ve worn me out. How about we take a nap before you

drive me home?”

“Why don’t you just stay?” Don plucked at the sheet covering

them.

Reaching out, he placed his finger under Don’s chin and lifted

the man’s face until their eyes met. “Are you sure about that?”

Don rolled his eyes. “Yeah. I mean I’ve already made love with

you. There’s nothing more intimate than that. Why not go all the
way and have you sleep in the same bed with me?”

Bran blinked. Shit, he’d never spent the night with a lover

before, though doing it with Don seemed right and just a natural
progression of their relationship.

“Thanks. I didn’t relish sneaking into the house. I know Mom

would hear me and she’d want to know all about our date.” He
grinned. “But I should call her and let her know I won’t be home.”

“Won’t that just encourage her?” Don asked, grabbing his

cordless off the night stand and handing it to Bran.

“Oh, sure it will, but this way I can avoid it until after work

tomorrow. She won’t be up when I get home in the morning to
change.” Bran shot a look at Don. “You don’t mind having to get
up early to take me back, so I can get ready for work.”

Don shook his head. “I have to get up for school anyway. It’s

no big deal to wake up a little early to drop you off on my way.”

“Thanks.”
He called his mom and let her know he wouldn’t be home that

LIFT YOUR VOICE

night. The teasing tone in her voice proved his point that she would
try to get the facts from him the next time they saw each other.

After the phone call, Don turned the lights off and they settled

together, wrapped in each other’s arms. For the first time in a long
time, Bran didn’t toss and turn while he tried to fall asleep. He
absorbed Don’s warmth, happy in his own skin after months spent
adjusting to his loss and new body.

LIFT YOUR VOICE

CHAPTER 6

Dinner plans occupied Don’s mind as he pulled into the

driveway. He passed his uncle’s house, noticing Uncle Fred’s car
wasn’t in its usual place. He laughed softly. Uncle Fred had really
amped up his wooing of Bran’s mother. He and Bran were taking
bets on when Fred was going to pop the question.

Bran didn’t seem too upset about his mother getting married.

When Don asked him about it, he’d explained he’d never known
his father and he was thrilled to see his mother so happy. There
would be no argument from him when it came time to give his
mother away.

Don parked his car and climbed out, grabbing his bag before

turning to head toward his house. Stopping in mid-stride, his
mouth dropped open, and he stared at the rainbow of colors spread

LIFT YOUR VOICE

out in front of him. Bran was smack-dab in the middle of the riot
of flowers.

“Bran, are you okay?” Don set his bag down and raced over to

his lover who sat on the ground, covered in dirt.

Bran looked up with a huge grin on his mud-streaked face.

“Hey, you’re home.”

“I just pulled up. Didn’t you hear me?” Relief rushed through

him when he realized Bran was on the ground on purpose, not
because he slipped or fell.

“I wasn’t paying attention. Got caught up in planting these last

few bunches.” Bran gestured to where a clump of purple flowers
listed to one side. “Need to finish putting them in, then we can go
inside.”

“Where’s your prosthetic?” He looked at the pinned-up left leg

of Bran’s jeans.

“Over there.” Bran waved vaguely toward the porch. “Got tired

of moving it out of the way while I was planting. Easier just to take
it off and scoot along the ground, getting the soil ready and
everything.”

Don shook his head. “What are you doing? Did you buy all

these flowers?”

Bran nodded and dusted off his hands. “Help me up, though

I’m covered with dirt, so you might want to get me my crutches.
Don’t want to get your clothes dirty.”

Snorting, Don held out his hands, ready to help Bran stand.

Bran’s wicked grin met his gaze, and Don found himself in Bran’s
lap after Bran jerked him down.

“Hey.” He grunted and wiggled, Bran’s hands not helping

much until he gave up and let Bran situate him where he wanted
Don.

LIFT YOUR VOICE

He straddled Bran’s lap, ignoring the black handprints on his

shirt and the back of his pants. Leaning forward, he buried his face
in the crook of Bran’s neck and breathed deeply. Musky, freshly
turned earth mingled with Bran’s honestly earned sweat. God, he
loved how Bran smelled when he came home from working
outside in the dirt all day. He didn’t care that Bran didn’t always
get the dirt out from under his fingernails.

All Don cared about was Bran’s happiness, and Bran was

happy working the landscape jobs Henry Williams sent him on. It
had been four months since they’d started dating, and Don never
wanted to go back to the way his life was before Bran came home.

Their lips met in a hungry kiss. Don opened, granting Bran

access. His lover swept his tongue in, and Don sucked on it. Bran
moaned low in his throat, his hips rocking. They ground their
groins together.

Bran fumbled with Don’s belt. The brush of his warm fingers

over Don’s stomach caused him to break their kiss. He glanced
around and blushed.

“We shouldn’t do this here,” he protested.
“Why not? Your uncle isn’t here and won’t be pulling in any

time soon. Your neighbors can’t see us.” Bran nibbled along Don’s
neck. “I’ve been thinking about fucking you all day.”

Don’s cock twitched at Bran’s crude words. As difficult as it

was for Don to talk like that, it turned him on when Bran used dirty
words when they made love.

“Tell me you haven’t given it one thought today. You have

remembered how your ass feels after I ream it good and hard,
haven’t you?”

He jumped to his feet and stripped quickly, not giving himself

time to think about how wanton letting Bran take him in his front

LIFT YOUR VOICE

yard seemed. By the time he was finished, Bran had managed to
strip his own clothes off as well as set out a condom and a single
use packet of lube.

“You were planning on seducing me all along, huh?”
Bran shrugged. “It doesn’t hurt to be prepared.”
“I’m glad you are.” Don settled back on Bran’s lap and opened

the slick, squirting some on his fingers. “I’ll get myself ready.”

His lover’s eyes almost crossed. Don knew how much

watching him stretch his hole turned Bran on. He angled his hips
so Bran could see Don stretching and lubing his butt.

“Christ, Don, you’re so hot when you do that.”
His cheeks heated and he fought the urge to hide, but Bran

wouldn’t let him turn away.

“Don’t hide from me. I love that you’re willing to do things

like that for me. Look at what it does to me.” Bran motioned to the
erection he sported. It throbbed with the blood pulsing through it,
leaving a wet trail of pre-cum over Bran’s stomach.

Seeing proof of Bran’s desire built Don’s confidence and he

kept plunging his fingers into his inner channel, rubbing his
knuckles over his gland often enough to build his own pleasure.
Bran stroked his penis in the same rhythm Don kept up.

“Love, I can’t wait much longer. I want to be in you when we

come.”

Don handed Bran the foil package and grabbed the rest of the

lube while Bran rolled the rubber down over his cock. He pooled
the slick in his palm and wrapped his hand around Bran’s latex-
covered shaft, coating him.

Bran rested his hands on Don’s hips, helping balance him as he

straddled Bran’s thighs. He reached behind him and gripped Bran’s
length, positioning the flared head at his opening.

LIFT YOUR VOICE

“Ready?”
Nodding, Don started to slide down and impale himself on the

ridged flesh. His head fell back and he closed his eyes, savoring
the fullness that came when he took Bran all the way in. They
stilled, letting Don get used to the invasion. When the burn eased
and turned into desire, he lifted up until only an inch or so of
Bran’s cock remained in him. Bran didn’t do anything and let Don
set his own pace.

He slammed back down and cried out as the head of Bran’s

prick nailed his gland.

“Fuck. You’re so tight, baby. I love how your ass fits my cock

like a glove. I adore how hot you are, like warm silk embracing
me. God, I could fuck you all night.”

“I’d let you, but I don’t think I’m going to last.”
Up and down. Up and down. Bran joined in, thrusting his hips

up to meet Don on the down stroke. His balls grew tight and he
lost his rhythm, riding Bran with abandon. Bran palmed his balls,
fondling them and gripped Don’s cock as well. All the sensations
hit Don at the same time and he cried out, spilling his seed over
Bran’s hands and stomach.

Bran plunged into him, stilled and groaned as he filled the

condom. Don slumped over, resting his head on Bran’s chest. Now
the musky earthy smell mixed with the scent of cum and sweat to
create an erotic aroma Don never thought he’d enjoy. Yet he did
and it was sexier than he ever dreamed it would be.

Sighing, Bran rubbed his chin over Don’s hair. “We should

think about heading inside and cleaning up. As much as I love
fucking you outside, I don’t think you want to be out here when
your uncle comes home.”

Don whimpered in protest as Bran slid out of him as he stood.

LIFT YOUR VOICE

He took care of the condom by tossing it in the garbage bag Bran
had out to take care of the plastic containers. He held out Bran’s
leg.

“Do you want to put this on or can I help you?”
“You can help me. I don’t feel like putting it back on, just to

take it off when we get to the bathroom.”

They made it inside without mishap and their shower eased any

aches their vigorous love-making might have caused. Bran crawled
into the bed, and Don was about to join him when the phone rang.

“Hello?” He sat back on the pillows, smoothing his hand over

Bran’s shoulder.

“Donald?”
He frowned at the unfamiliar female voice.
“Yes. This is Donald.”
“This is Linda. Uncle Fred said you wanted to talk to me.”
Excitement raced through him, but something in the tone of his

sister’s voice told him she wasn’t happy about talking to him.

“Yes. I wanted to thank you for calling him about me. It saved

my life.”

“It might’ve saved your life, but I’m afraid it hasn’t done

anything for your soul.” Her words held disgust.

“Doesn’t matter what you think of my life. I’m happy and in

love for the first time and your scorn has no effect on me.” Don
smiled down at Bran who had rolled over on his back to look at
him.

“Then our conversation is done. Don’t try to contact me again,

Donald, unless you chose to repent for your sin. Mother and Father
might even choose to allow you back.”

Don shook his head. “That’ll never happen, Linda. I’ve chosen

love instead of dishonesty. Whether I go to hell or not, I’ll be

LIFT YOUR VOICE

happy until I get there.”

A loud sniff assaulted his ear before the dial tone buzzed. He

grimaced as he hung up, setting the phone down on the nightstand.
Bran held open his arms, and Don dove into them. No matter how
tough he talked, it was hard to accept he’d never be welcomed by
his family again. He’d thought he’d come to terms with that
knowledge when they kicked him out, but somewhere deep inside,
he believed they would change their minds and allow him back.

“I love you,” Bran whispered against his lips.
He pulled back slightly to meet Bran’s serious gaze. “I love

you, too. I hope you don’t think you need to say that because of
what my sister said.”

Bran shook his head. “No. I’ve been wanting to say it for a

while now, but kept getting scared.”

“Scared? Why?” Don asked.
Shrugging, Bran said, “I don’t know what really stopped me.

God knows, I have issues. One-and-a-half legs. Still some PTSD
from the bomb, yet I’m getting better…and you’re the reason. I
want to be whole for you, or as whole as I can be.”

“I never thought you were broken in any way,” he pointed out.
“I know, love. I didn’t say my issues were logical.” Bran

chuckled.

Don joined in. “You’re right. They aren’t logical, but I guess

neither are mine. We all have our own baggage, don’t we?”

“That’s true.” Bran kissed him hard. “Don’t doubt that I do

love you.”

“Move in with me,” Don blurted.
Bran blinked in surprise and seemed speechless for a moment.

Just as Don got worried that Bran would turn him down, Bran
broke into a big smile.

LIFT YOUR VOICE

“Of course, I will.” Bran winked. “I’ll admit my mother asked

me when I was going to move in with you. I think I’m cramping
her style.”

Their laughter mixed together, and Don realized that was what

he wanted. He wanted to lie in bed, laughing and loving with Bran
for the rest of his life.

Bran might have lost his leg, but he didn’t lose his will to live,

and Don thanked God for that. Don might have lost his family, but
he learned those who would turn him away for who he chose to
love didn’t deserve his loyalty. Together, they were stronger in
their love than they were apart.

He pressed Bran back and rose over him, meeting Bran’s

loving gaze.

“For the first time, I feel like I’m home, and it’s all because of

you.”

Bran’s kiss promised a future full of joy, desire, and love.

T. A. C

HASE

T. A. Chase lives a life without boundaries. Being fascinated by
life and how different we all are, he writes about the things that
make us unique. He finds beauty in all kinds of love and enjoys
sharing those insights. He lives in the Midwest with his partner of
twelve years. When he isn’t writing, he’s watching movies, reading
and living life to the fullest.

* * *

Don’t miss Nowhere Diner: Finding Love

by T. A. Chase,

available at AmberAllure.com!

Leaving Minnesota, Timothy Gapin doesn’t have any plans except
getting as far away from all the memories as he can before his
money runs out. His secret lover has married, breaking his heart
and making him chose a life in the open rather than a relationship
built on lies.

Little does Tim know that four days later he would grab dinner at a
diner and find a place to stop. Somehow this diner in the middle of
nowhere becomes his home and the people who work there his
family. In addition to the workers at the diner, Tim meets Bernie
Capley, a long-haul trucker who isn’t all he seems to be.

Falling in love with Bernie is easy for Tim, but the past has a way
of barging into the present, forcing decisions that affect their
future…

MBER

UILL

RESS

, LLC

OLD

TANDARD IN

UBLISHING

UALITY

OOKS

OTH

RINT AND

LECTRONIC

ORMATS

CTION

DVENTURE

USPENSE

HRILLER

CIENCE

ICTION

ARK

ANTASY

AINSTREAM

OMANCE

ORROR

ROTICA

ANTASY

GLBT

ESTERN

YSTERY

ARANORMAL

ISTORICAL

IRECT

AVE

www.AmberQuill.com

www.AmberHeat.com

www.AmberAllure.com

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