A Fighting Man (15 page)

“Small Irish Dick.” Ramos smiled broadly.

“Why you—” Tiernan moved forward and Michael grabbed his bicep.

I could have sworn I saw a smirk on Michael’s face, but it was gone in a flash.

“Even though we’re in a parking lot, we really shouldn’t be acting like this. Especially today, isn’t that right, Sergeant Cassidy?” Michael extended his hand to Slater.

“You’re right,” Slater shook Michael’s hand.

Michael dragged Tiernan toward the graves and Ramos snickered.

“Bye-bye, Officer Asshole.” Ramos wiggled his fingers at Tiernan.

I caught Michael’s low words to Tiernan.

“Jesus, Tiernan, you were going to start a fight with a guy on crutches?”

“I’d kick his ass with one damn leg!” Ramos called out.

Tiernan’s head whipped around and Michael corralled him. I pulled Slater’s hand to get him moving.

“Come on, let’s go home.”

* * * *

A month later, I stood on the bow of a cruise ship with the wind whipping through my hair. Slater was next to me; his eyes closed, just breathing in the sea air. He’d moved in with me and was working not only with the Wounded Warrior Project, but still doing modeling work and commercials for Rush. Matthew had promoted me after the idea I’d come up with for Rush, and we’d had a huge office party. I’d invited Wanda and Drakon, but Drakon had been out of town with his parents.

I did get a bouquet of flowers from him that said, ‘You did.’

I smiled at that, because I did. As scared as I was at what would come in the future, I knew I’d have Slater to walk with me to face it. I stared out at the ocean and thought about life. It was funny in a way, you never knew what was just around the corner and I was so thankful Slater had come into my life when he did. Even though he had annoyed the shit out of me in the beginning. It was the soldier in him that fought for me.

The ship stopped at a remote island for the day and Slater and I took the tender boat out to it. Beautiful white sand and crystal water greeted us. We walked hand in hand for miles just taking in the scenery and picking up shells. Slater threw a towel out and I sat down, digging my toes into the sand.

“How do you like our gay cruise?” he asked.

“I didn’t even know they had gay cruises.”

“Now you do,” Slater leaned back on his elbows, adjusting his sunglasses.

I smiled and ran a finger across his abdomen.

“You’re getting some sun.”

“I need it, I’m so pale and ghostly,” Slater snickered.

“Oh, ha, ha. How long were you saving that one?”

“Not long.”

Slater pulled me down and kissed me. I relaxed against him and melted into his arms. He just had a way of relaxing me until I became this pile of nothingness. I loved that about him. The man who had driven me crazy with his outlandish behavior was now mine.

Sometimes surrendering to love is worth the fight.

Trademark Acknowledgement

The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

Twinkies: The Hostess Company

Vera Wang: V.E.W., Ltd.

Facebook: Facebook, Inc.

Myspace: Myspace LLC

iPod: Apple, Inc.

Casper: Harvey Entertainment, Inc.

YouTube: Google, Inc.

Amaretto Disaronno:

Nerf: Hasbro, Inc.

Magic Mike: Nick Wechsler Productions, Iron Horse Entertainment, Extension 765

Trump Taj Mahal: Donald J. Trump

Skype: Skype Limited Corporation

Boat Basin Café: The West 79th Street Boat Basin Café on the Hudson River

Sandrine Gasq-Dion

Sandrine (Sandy) was born in Inglewood, California. Raised by “Old School” French parents, she later moved to Tucson, AZ. It was there that writing became a hobby. Always told she had a great imagination, Sandy wrote short stories for her friends in High School. In college, she took more writing classes while working on her Criminal Justice degree, but it wasn’t until a soap opera caught her eye that she got involved in male on male romances. On the advice of a friend, Sandy dipped her toes into the world of M/M Romance. Sandy takes the writing seriously and has had countless conversations with gay men as well as hours of research. She’s been involved with the military in one way or another for over twenty years, and has a great deal of respect for our men in uniform. She’s traveled the world, but is currently enjoying the South.

Also by Sandrine Gasq-Dion

A Betting Man

A Marrying Man

A Marked Man

Alaska with Love

By the Light of the Moon

Half Moon Rising

Best Laid Plans

For the love of Caden

The General’s lover

Russian Prey

An Ignited Passion

Reflash

The Red Zone

Irish Wishes

Pleading the fifth

Betrayed

Summer of Awakenings

Into the Lyons Den

The Nik of Time

Second Time Around