I didn’t need the forms. The rings, the vows, and the man were enough. If gay marriage hadn’t been legal, I still would’ve asked him and still would’ve gone through all the motions, because even if the government didn’t recognize it, I did.
Being married to a cop meant an uncertain and uneasy future. That was just how it was. With both of us being cops, things were guaranteed to be tough sometimes. The fact that we were partners meant we’d see each other, so that was a plus, and I was about ninety-nine percent sure we’d stay that way until I retired. I couldn’t see Captain Hamilton inflicting me on anyone else.
But there’d be hard cases, long hours, more injuries, more stress, more things we’d see and experience that we couldn’t talk about with anyone else. I had no illusions that life would be easy just because we were married.
That was okay, though. I wasn’t in it for easy—I was in it for Darren.
On the nightstand, my phone buzzed. It was a little bit of a challenge to get it without jostling Darren, but I managed.
The screen glowed with a text from Erin: Taking Em to Circus Circus. Lunch later?
I smiled. I did want to be there and see my daughters playing the ridiculous carnival games, but I had a feeling they’d be willing to go back for more later on. Right now, I didn’t want to move. Not when I had Darren cuddled up against me, sleeping peacefully with his arm draped over my stomach.
So I wrote back, Will text. Have fun.
Then I put the phone aside and clasped my hands on Darren’s shoulders, encircling him in my arms. We’d go join the family in a while. Our vacation was only going to be so long, and before we knew it, we’d be back to late nights, early mornings, and being dragged out of bed by 2 a.m. phone calls. Long, lazy mornings like this didn’t happen very often.
A long, lazy morning after a long, hot wedding night? Well, we wouldn’t get another one of those.
So I closed my eyes and just listened to my husband breathing. Outside, Las Vegas was bright and awake, and my kids were headed off on an adventure, no doubt with my in-laws in tow, and the world was continuing as if last night hadn’t been anything unusual.
But in here, with the AC keeping us cool and drapes keeping out the desert sun, it was just us. Everything else could wait.
Because this was all I needed.
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Bad Behavior series, with Cari Z
Risky Behavior
Suspicious Behavior
Reckless Behavior
Anchor Point series
Just Drive
Afraid to Fly
Chief’s Mess
Rank & File
Going Overboard (coming soon)
Get a Grip (a Bluewater Bay story)
New Hand (a Bluewater Bay story)
Kinky Sprinkles
Rain Shadow (a Bluewater Bay story)
Starstruck (a Bluewater Bay story)
Running With Scissors
Roped In, with Marie Sexton
Finding Master Right
Static
Writing as Lauren Gallagher
Stuck Landing (a Bluewater Bay story)
Writing as Ann Gallagher
Lead Me Not
All the Wrong Places (a Bluewater Bay story)
Writing as Lori A. Witt
The Tide of War
See L.A. Witt’s full booklist at: gallagherwitt.com
Bad Behavior series, with L.A. Witt
Risky Behavior
Suspicious Behavior
Reckless Behavior
Panopolis series
Where There’s Smoke
Where There’s Fire
Where There’s a Will
Friendly Fire
House Rules (in the Rules to Live By anthology)
Tempest
Shadows & Light
Changing Worlds
Soothsayer
A Blinded Mind
Surviving the Change
Camellia and Camellia: Spring Blossom, with Caitlin Ricci
Perilous
L.A. WITT is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn't lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but don’t tell Lauren. And definitely don’t tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shut . . .
Website: gallagherwitt.com
Twitter: @GallagherWitt
Email: gallagherwitt@gmail.com
CARI Z is a Colorado girl who loves snow and sunshine. She likes edged weapons, prefers books to television shows, and goes weak at the knees for interesting men and exciting explosions (but not at exactly the same time—that would be so messy).
Blog: carizerotica.blogspot.com
Twitter: @author_cariz
Website: cari-z.net
Enjoy more stories like Romantic Behavior at RiptidePublishing.com!
Lock Nut
www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/lock-nut
Wedding Favors
www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/wedding-favors
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