Page 26 of Jewel in the Rough

“Hang on.” Teagan held onto the condom as Benny pulled himself off and collapsed next to Teagan on the bed, his chest heaving.

Once he’d dispatched of the condom, Teagan rolled back over and, mindful of Benny’s injury, tucked Benny to his side.

“You’re a cuddler?”

Teagan shrugged, spooning Benny, his spent cock nestling against Benny’s ass.

“If I’d known you were a cuddler,” Benny continued with a yawn, “I would have been all over this way sooner.”

“Shut your eyes.” Teagan pulled the comforter up and over their bodies.

“M’kay,” Benny murmured.

Against his better judgment, Teagan shut his eyes too. His last thought before drifting into a contented sleep wasthiswas how it was meant to be. He could only hope Benny decided to stick around.

CHAPTER12

Benny

Epilogue —Benny — Notes to Self: A Life in Twenty Questions (one year later).

"You didn’t actually have to make a sign,” Benny groused. “I waskiddingwhen I suggested that.”

A colorful banner hung across the front of the barn. Teagan and Ciara had put it up earlier, cackling their fool heads off while they did so. It read, “Benny’s it’s-been-a-year-you’re-stuck-with-me-now party”.

“Seriously, you guys are irritating, and I don’t like you at all.”

Teagan crowded him against the side of the barn, caging Benny in with his bigger body.

“You like me.”

Of course, Benny’s cock immediately began to perk up because yes, he liked Teagan. He more than liked him—Benny loved him. And still had no idea why Teagan put up with him—other than Teagan really must love him too. But he wasn’t going to make it easy for his boyfriend.

“I’m gonna name the new ice cream something so bad, I can’t even think of it right now.”

“You are not, and why is that?”

Teagan leaned in and brushed his lips across Benny’s, nipping and then sucking on the aggrieved spot.

“Ugh, you’re so… such a know-it-all.” And so was his cock. It had a mind of its own where Teagan was concerned and right this second it was…reactingto Teagan’s kisses when they had people coming over. “And no erections before the party is done.”

“What do I know?” Teagan pressed, a trail of kisses blazing down Benny’s sensitive neck to his shoulder.

Benny caved. How could he not? “You know I love you.”

Pretending Ciara wasn’t fifty feet away ready to pounce and tease both of them about howshe’dbeen the one to bring them together (when it had obviously been Talache, who had been convicted of tax evasion and was spending the next several years, at least, in federal prison and Benny wasn’t at all sad about that), Benny threw his arms around Teagan’s neck and, with a jump, wrapped his legs around Teagan’s waist.

Teagan grinned, something Benny would never ever get tired of, and pinned him against the side of the barn. Kissing Teagan was no hardship. Benny licked into his mouth, reveling in the taste of him, wanting more and wishing more than anything they weren’t having this stupid party.

Someone cleared their throat. Benny would have ignored the sound, preferring kissing to a busybody, but Teagan pulled his mouth away. Benny blinked over Teagan’s shoulder and spied Tristan (not a big surprise) standing with an older man he didn’t recognize.

A man with a baby goat in his arms.

Benny’s heart leapt and swooped as it tried to crawl out of his chest. A babygoat. A kid, even he knew that.

“Is that what I think it is?” he whispered, lowering his legs to the ground.

“Yes, sir.” The man pointed his chin toward a pickup truck that hadn’t been there a few minutes ago. “Got two does and a wether in the back.”

---