Page 37 of At His Wife's Behest

“Why are you divorcing now?”

“We’d promised one another five years when we got married and it’s been ten. We stuck with it for Abby. Now that Emma’s father is gone, she no longer has a reason to hide who she is.”

“Neither of you should’ve had to hide. You canbothcome out.”

Kellan shook his head. “Me coming out would interfere with my father’s re-election.”

“You say that as if it’s a bad thing. Maybe heshouldlose.”

“Not as if the next man to fill his shoes would be any better. You know where we live.”

“Youcould always run,” Kellan said, grinning. “You did work for him in Washington. Helped shape his policy and ran his re-election bids.”

“Noooo…I could spend the rest of my life never stepping foot in Washington, DC again and die a happy man.” He chuckled. “Even if I did run, my father has too much dirt on me to allow that to happen.”

“Besides you being gay?”

“No,” Kellan replied. “That’s enough, though.”

“Come out. Run against your dad. I bet you have a few dirty secrets of his to use to keep him quiet. Maybe that and the other side would carry you to victory.”

“I wasnotcut out to be a politician. It’s bad enough being a politician’s son.”

Connor rubbed Kellan’s cheek lovingly. “I bet… but you aren’t beholden to him. You should be allowed to be free.”

Kellan met his stare, silent.

“We could see one another when we got back to the real world,” Connor murmured, trailing a fingertip down Kellan’s arm. “What do you think?”

Kellan didn’t respond, and Connor grew worried.

“I’m sorry,” Connor said, moving his hand away. He rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. “I must’ve misunderstood the signals.”

“You didn’t,” Kellan said, rocking to face him. “I’ve enjoyed our time together more than you could ever know.” He drew in a deep breath and released it. “I’m just not… I can’t.”

“You can,” Connor corrected, eyes trained on one of the painted cherubs on the mural above. “But youwon’t.There’s a difference.”

“Maybe once my father retires…”

“He’s only in his sixties. He’s young compared to many senators. Do you think I’ll wait forty years?”

Kellan growled, rolling back and punching the bed with his fist.

Connor sensed he’d get nowhere. Pushing would only lead to an argument. He scooted out of bed and rose.

“Where’re you going?”

“To bed. We have a busy day tomorrow.” Connor grabbed a few bits of his clothing from the floor. Sadness filled him. The thought of remaining would only make it worse.

“You’d really leave me alone?After…?”

Connor turned to eye him in the dark. Wounded, he’d wanted distance and a moment to quiet the thoughts in his head, but Kellan was right. He couldn’t walk away after what they’d shared. Kellan had trusted Connor, offering a piece of himself no one had ever touched before. He couldn’t leave in the wake of it. He dropped the clothing to the floor. “I don’t want this to end,” he whispered.

“I don’t want it to end, either.”

Connor crawled back into the bed. “Then don’t let it.”

“Ican’t,”Kellan repeated.

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