Page 37 of Suddenly Single

“Remember when we first got married, and you’d wanted us to buy a house somewhere else, Asher?”

I dropped his hand and fished my phone out of my pocket. “Yes. And I still think it’s a good idea. But I know how much you love the cottage, and I don’t want us to make any rash decisions. Plus, the ladies are getting older. Us being nearby is probably a good thing.” I found a romantic playlist online and turned on the music. After setting the phone down on a nearby rock, I bowed before Carter and held my hand out. “May I have this dance?”

Carter said nothing, just stared at me a moment before taking my hand. I pulled him into my chest, and we started swaying to a Madonna song, Crazy For You. “I love this song.” Carter breathed, then began humming along to it.

My hands dropped to Carter’s waist, and I tightened our embrace. This felt so right, having him in my arms. My pulse ticked up, and euphoria raced through my body. God, this was so much better than an alcohol and magic brownie fueled evening with my family. If they could bottle up the intense emotions I was feeling now and sell it to the world, we’d be billionaires millions of times over.

“Love is the drug.” I whispered in Carter’s ear, and I felt him trembling. “Nothing is better than this, my love.”

Carter stopped moving, then looked up at me. “Do you feel it too? Like, what we have is the best thing on the planet, and all we’ve done is mess things up by being stupid?”

I sighed. “We are stupid. But I’d rather be stupid with you than ever be away from your side again.”

“I love you.” Carter whispered, and our feet slowly began to move again. “I love you more than all this, the beautiful homes and luxuries. If I had to give it all up just to be by your side, I would in a heartbeat.”

The song changed, and Endless Love by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie began. Carter squeezed me even tighter, and I thought I heard a small sob come from him.

“This should be our song, because it’s how I feel about you, Asher. A love so enormous it fills the sky, from one horizon to the other.” Carter’s voice was thick, and a tear slipped down my cheek.

“I love you too, Carter. For now and for always. Now, will you do me the honor of coming home with me? To our home?”

“Wherever you are is home for me.”

Chapter 22

Carter

We strolled back to my car, and Asher sat on the silly gift I got for us again.

“Ouch.” He moved forward and pulled the box out from behind him. “So, what is this gift for?”

Suddenly, I felt embarrassed by it. The moment by the river had been magically romantic. Did I want to spoil the mood with some pointless sex game? But there was no getting away from it now. “You can open it when we get back to the cottage.” I started the car, and we headed back up the driveway. “It’s nothing important. Actually, it’s quite silly.”

Asher laid his hand on my knee, and a couple of minutes later, I pulled up in front of the cottage and cut off the engine. Asher and I got out of the car, and a smile split my face. This was home, where I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Asher.

When I opened the door and turned on the overhead light in the kitchen, Asher began tearing at the gift wrapping. Seconds later, he was staring at the box with a look of amusement stamped on his face. “Kinky Truth or Dare? This is going to be fun.” He waggled his eyebrows, then took my hand and dragged me up the stairs to our bedroom. Asher threw open the door, then launched himself on the bed and opened the box.

“Hmm, so I want to go first.” He toed off his shoes and let them drop to the floor. “Truth or dare, Carter.”

I perched on the side of the bed and took off my shoes. “Truth.” I wasn’t quite prepared for any dares yet.

Asher picked a card and read from it. “What do you remember about the first time you had sex?”

I giggled, then started unbuttoning my shirt. “It was awful. Me and this girl named Douglas, who is a very masculine lesbian, had our first time experience with each other. Neither of us knew, or would admit to being gay. Honestly, it was all one big fumble in the dark. I didn’t get off, and she didn’t either. But what made it interesting is that we did the deed at Lakeside Presbyterian Church.” I reached for the box and pulled a card out. “Your turn Asher. Truth or dare.”

“You did it with a lesbian inside a church? Damn, you’re kinkier than I thought. Truth.”

I read the question and blushed. “Give me another card. I don’t like this one.”

“No baby, just read it. I promise not to think any less of you. Hell, these might be questions we should’ve answered a long time ago.” Asher nudged me with his foot. I sighed, then read the question.

“Would you ever want to watch me have sex with someone else?”

“Hell no.” Asher frowned. “Why on earth would I want to do that?”

“I was just reading the question.” Inwardly, I was pleased at his answer. “Your turn.” I stood and pulled my shirt off, then unzipped my slacks.

“Truth or dare, Carter.”

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