Page 94 of The Shots You Take

“Then he said that letting myself be happy now, being who I really am, doesn’t have to mean I regret Maggie, or the amazingkids we raised. People might think it does, or that I’m freeing myself from my family, but it doesn’t matter what they think. Because I’m not. I would never do that. I wouldn’t want to.”

“I know,” Riley said quietly.

“But,” Adam continued, “I think I’ve been caring too much about it seeming that way. Maggie has been seeing someone for a while now, but I’ve been…stuck. I live in the same neighborhood—which I don’t mind, I do like being close to Maggie and the kids, but it’s probably not necessary. Honestly, we barely see the kids these days, either of us. But it felt like, if I really do this, if I fully come out and, I don’t know, move downtown to a swanky condo, and live my new gay life, I’ll look like an asshole.”

“To who?”

Adam sighed. “I don’t even know. I just don’t want that gossip, y’know? Did you hear Adam Sheppard left his family and now he’s having gay orgies every night in his penthouse?”

Riley’s eyebrows shot up. “Every night?”

Adam laughed. “I’d take Mondays off, probably.”

Riley snorted. “Maybe there’s something between living next door to your ex-wife and nightly penthouse orgies.” He glanced at Adam and saw him smiling as he stared straight ahead.

“Maybe,” Adam said.

Chapter Twenty-Five

“Did Toronto win?” Riley asked as he returned from upstairs.

“They did,” Adam said, and set his phone on the coffee table. “I told you it was just nerves. They’ve got this.” He stood from where he’d been sitting on the couch. The living room was dimly lit by a single table lamp, and Lucky was asleep on his bed in the corner. The room felt very peaceful and cozy.

Riley still looked incredible. He’d removed his jacket, and now wore only a snug black T-shirt, tucked into those sexy pants. His hair glowed like embers in the golden lamplight.

“So,” Adam said. He bounced on his toes, once, then commanded his body to be cool.

Riley crossed the room to the record player and crouched to flip through his LP collection. He selected something, then put it on the turntable. Adam waited, wondering if he should sit again. Wondering what would happen next.

A few seconds later, soft, twangy guitar began playing, followed by a female voice that Adam recognized but couldn’t place. Not Dolly.

Riley set the album sleeve on the coffee table. Emmylou Harris. Right. He’d gone with Riley to see her perform once,in Toronto. Riley had been mesmerized by her, and Adam had been mesmerized by him.

“I remember that show,” Adam said. “When we went.”

Riley smiled. “I loved that night.”

“Me too.” Then, feeling brave, Adam extended his hand. “Dance with me?”

“Dancing is not one of my gay superpowers,” Riley warned, even as he tugged Adam closer.

“Riles, I don’t care. I’m just trying to get your hands on me.”

Riley laughed, and now they were so close that Adam could feel his breath on his temple. “How’s this?” He placed one of his giant hands on Adam’s hip, and tangled the fingers of his other hand together with Adam’s.

Adam closed his eyes. “Perfect.”

They didn’t do much more than slowly rotate together in the space between the coffee table and the record player, but Riley was nuzzling Adam’s hair, making Adam’s heart race and his legs melt. He wanted to respond somehow, without it being too much, so he let his hand slide up Riley’s back, on top of his T-shirt, following his spine until he could press his palm against the back of Riley’s neck. He was being so careful, knowing that Riley needed to be the one to ask for more, but trying to make it clear that the answer would be yes.

Then Riley dipped his fingertips under the hems of Adam’s sweater and undershirt. Adam shivered as Riley teased the skin he found there with exhilarating featherlight touches.“Keep going,”Adam wanted to say.“You can touch me anywhere.”

“Shep,” Riley whispered. He kissed Adam’s forehead, then the knuckles of the hand he held.

“Yes,” Adam replied, as if there’d been a question. He kissed Riley’s temple and waited.

Riley exhaled, then kissed behind Adam’s ear, and thenagain. The second time, his tongue flicked against the sensitive skin there, making Adam shiver again.

Riley pulled back, but only enough so their gazes could meet. His gray eyes didn’t hold the exhaustion or sadness Adam had seen in them all week. Instead they were intense, and questioning.

---