Their Reason

Their Reason

By Jessie G

May you live all the days of your life.

— Jonathan Swift

Their Reason
Copyright © 2015 Jessie G, Amazon Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Special thanks to:
Jessica McKenna, Literary Editor

https://www.facebook.com/JessicaMcKennaLiteraryEditor

Andrew Reyna, Dynamic Craft Studios, Cover Art, Posters
http://www.dynamiccraftstudios

My heartfelt thanks to the wonderful beta readers who provided awesome feedback.
Linda, Denise and Jodi
, you have been there for me from the beginning and the support you continue to show me, and my work, is more than I could have ever imagined. These books would not be published without your commitment, your feedback, and your love of my guys. Thank you.

Published by
: Jessie G Books

All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher, Jessie G Books,
[email protected]
. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without permission from Jessie G Books.

Warning:
The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (
http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/
). Please purchase on authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material.

Their Reason is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used factiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Licensed material is being used for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted in the licensed material is a model.

Trademark acknowledgement
Disney (Mickey, Minnie, Mouseketeers, Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, Disney’s Beach & Yacht Club, Sea Breeze Point, Crescent Cove, IllumiNations, Epcot, Disney Weddings, Elsa, Cinderella)
Rascal Flatts (Everyday)

Joe Satriani

Limerick Strand Hotel

King John’s Castle

Guinness Storehouse

Dublin Castle

Blarney Castle / Blarney Stone

Special Dedication

When I published my first book, the only family who knew were my husband, my kids, and my best friend, Michelle. I knew it wasn’t her genre of choice, but that didn’t stop her from supporting me 100%. Her encouragement of my life-long dream has been as invaluable as the last eighteen years of her friendship has been—unwavering and full of acceptance.

She’ll be the first to tell you that it was your love of my guys—especially Bull and Red—that inspired her to finally give my books a try. Even knowing she was way behind, she joined the For A Reason Group Read and dove in. As of the time I’m writing this that event is still going on, but she loved my guys so much she finished it AND all the others!

Thank you, Michelle, my “sister from another mister,” for your friendship and support. When you drove across the state with a birthday cake eighteen years ago, I don’t think either of us imagined how far we’d go together and I can’t wait to see what the next eighteen years brings.

And thank you to my awesome fans for inspiring my best friend to give my guys a chance!

From the Author

In December, I jokingly posted on Facebook that if Florida allowed gay marriage, then I would write a Sizzling Miami wedding...based in Disney! Crazy? Apparently if you say it on Facebook, you must follow through, or so my readers tell me. So this goes out to everyone who liked and commented on that post, this one is definitely for you.

On January 6, 2015 Florida became the 36th state to allow gay marriage. On January 5, 2015
Miami-Dade County became the first place in Florida to allow same-sex couples to marry, 10 hours before the gay-marriage ban that had been ruled unconstitutional was lifted in the rest of the state.

When I think about my guys and who I think marriage would mean the most to, I always think about Red. Growing up in foster care and spending his first twenty-five years just trying to survive, the concept of family is a dream he never thought would become a reality. He found a family with Bull, the Connors and our favorite guys in the garage, but marriage would really make him a Connor. Not just the piece of paper, but the vows in front of all their loved ones, the promise of forever...it’s everything Red deserves.

If you’re new to the Sizzling Miami series, you’ll want to know where Red and Bull began.
For a Reason
, book 2 in the series, is their story and a definite must read before diving into this.

While writing this story, I was on a trip to Europe. As fate would have it, we were in Ireland the week leading up to their own country-wide marriage equality vote. It was quite encouraging to see all the “Vote Yes” posters everywhere, to hear the taxi drivers and tour bus drivers talking about the upcoming vote, and to be handed more than one flyer encouraging citizens to “Vote Yes.” I was worried that we would leave before we found out the results, but just before our plane took off on May 23, 2015, we got the news. Not just YES, but a HELLS YES by an overwhelming vote. I was so honored to be there.

As we toured the country, with its beautiful rolling hills and historic landmarks, the idea of a honeymoon began to take root. Could there be a more perfect place for our beloved Red and Bull to spend the first days of their married life? I can’t think of one and I hope, when you get to the end
,
that you’ll agree.

Obviously I need to travel more often, as when I landed in New Orleans on June 26, 2015, I got a call from my oldest son to tell me that the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality for all by a five to four vote. These major rulings are just another step in the fight for LGBT equality. Unfortunately, the hate that has been directed at our LGBT brothers and sisters will not go away overnight, and they need our support now more than ever. Get involved, show acceptance, spread the love. We’re winning the battles, but that’s the only way to win the war.

Jessie G.

Chapter 1

You promised me forever

It was still dark when Bull abruptly opened his eyes, his body on full alert. He remained still, listening, trying to decide what woke him. When he didn’t hear anything outside of their room, he eased away from Red and grabbed his shorts. Red stirred, mumbled, and Bull waited until he settled before going to search the house. After going room by room and checking the locks, he found himself back in the bedroom, still confused by what woke him.

“What’s wrong?” Red looked at him in concern.

“I don’t know.” When Red lifted the sheet, Bull shucked his shorts and slid back in his lover’s arms.

“Were you dreaming?” Red asked as he wrapped around him protectively. Bull considered the question carefully. It had been months since the dreams had been vivid enough to wake him. He knew they were there, but so was Red. With those long limbs providing safe haven every night, the dreams didn’t hold the same power over him as they used to.

Finally he shook his head, pretty positive that it wasn’t a dream that woke him. “No, I don’t think so.”

Red hummed softly and continued to shift until he lay on top of him. Bull could only smile when Red rubbed his face over his chest. Of all the ways Red showed affection, having him rub that gorgeous face anywhere on his body made his heart swell. “Maybe it was the phone?”

It wasn’t his week to be on call for the FTR, but he reached over to check it anyway. “No, not that either.”

Red flashed him a sleepy smirk. “I’d think you were horny, but you usually have a more pleasurable approach when you want me.”

“I always want you,” Bull corrected, but knew Red was right. It wasn’t uncommon to wake up wanting and he never had a problem seducing his lover into consciousness. This wasn’t that at all, but he’d happily take it as a side benefit.

Red’s sleepy laughter filled the room. “Let’s figure out what woke you first. The last few weeks have been crazy and we really haven’t had time for ourselves. The new project I’m working on is taking a lot of time and every time we think we have time off, something else comes up.”

“You’re right.” Bull nodded slowly, thinking back over the last six months. One of Red’s marketing pieces for a popular local band caught the eye of a major marketing firm, prompting them to offer him a job. The offer had been hard to pass up, but the job was based out of New Jersey and Red refused to even consider it. That seemed to be the end of it until another piece caught their attention again, and they were willing to take him on as a remote employee. On top of that, he continued to work in the garage and for Owen, so the only time he really had to devote to the marketing position was at night. It was an impossible schedule he wouldn’t be able to maintain, but Bull knew he was so thrilled to be working that he would agree to anything and everything.

But the crazy schedule started long before that. The months between their Labor Day trip to New York to see Craig and Tommy and Christmas had been filled with drama and danger. First from Saul and Javi, then from Ty and Chase. Helping their friends was all fine and good, and they could say it was major wins all around, but things hadn’t settled like they expected. The New Year rolled around and it became one obligation after the next. Friends, family, work...it all kept them running and prevented them from just enjoying each other. Prevented them from fulfilling the promise they made to each other.

Why the hell were they putting that off? “What’s on your schedule this morning?”

Red blinked at his abrupt question. “Uhm, I’m in the garage this morning. Why?”

“You promised me forever,” Bull reminded him. “You should have been a Connor by now. Florida gave us that right months ago and we’ve let everyone else’s obligations get in the way. Why are we doing that?”

“I also promised that I would never try to change you and I know how important it is for you to help others.” Red peered up at him nervously.

“Ian, you are the most important person in my life. You. Only and always you.” Bull honestly didn’t know any other way to say it. “We need to make a deal right now. No matter what, no matter who, we take time for ourselves each week. That means we make plans and we stick to them, even if it means saying no to someone or turning off our phones.”

Red nodded quickly, eagerly, and Bull wished he’d thought of it sooner. His lover deserved better from him. “Deal. Done.”

“And no more waiting. I’ll do whatever it takes to make you Ian Connor before the month is out. We’re going to start planning it now, this morning. I’ll get Billy or Saul to open the shop.” In fact, the more Bull thought about it, the more he wondered if it was that directive that woke him. “Any objections?”

“No objections.” Red’s whisper shook with emotion. “Just one request.”

Bull didn’t need Red to elaborate. Their needs were always in sync even when the demands of others prevented them from acting on it. As Red rose over him, that gorgeous mouth covering his in a tender kiss, Bull’s resolve grew stronger. No one and nothing would stop him from making Red an official part of the Connor family. Family was something Red had been denied for too long and even though Red had come to believe he was part of the whole extended family, Bull knew he needed more. Bull needed to give him more. A real place of belonging.