Dalton, Tymber - Stoneface (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Read Online Free PDF

me. I couldn’t do this without you.”
    Tim squeezed his hand and tried to lighten the mood. “Hey, you think some stupid snow is going to scare me away from you, think again. I told you, you’re stuck with me, Stoneface.”
    Jack finally managed a faint smile. “I love you.”
    Tim wanted to sit there and talk with him, but the front bell jangled, signaling a customer. Tim turned and waved. “I’ll be right with you.” He stood, and Jack pulled him in for a quick kiss.
    “Thanks for taking such good care of me, babe,” Jack said.
    “You’re my man. What the hell else do you think I’d do?” Tim released his hand after a final squeeze and headed over to the book counter where the customer waited.

    * * * *

    Jack tried not to think about the conversation he’d had with his father on the way to Tim’s store. Nothing would stop the inevitable advance of his mother’s Alzheimer’s. He knew that and accepted it, but it didn’t make dealing with it any easier.
    As he ate, he watched Tim take care of the customer. He knew how damn lucky he was to have Tim. Part of him had seriously expected Tim to reject the idea of moving. Maybe not outright, but to say he’d take a few months to transition things so he could move out and join him and then…not.
    He’d never expected Tim to immediately, that very night in fact, jump into list-writing mode of everything he’d have to do to get them ready to move. It wasn’t until they spent their first night together in their new home in Rapid City that Jack could finally let go of his fear and accept Tim really was there for the long haul.
    Before Tim, after Jack moved to California, he’d had a few relationships, none lasting more than a couple of months. Then there was a long, lonely stretch where he didn’t bother dating. He’d go to Mel’s grave and talk to her, then go home and try to sleep without drinking himself into oblivion first.
    Then he responded to a robbery at a shop in the same complex as Tim’s store. Jack hadn’t missed how Tim, a friend of the victim, didn’t take his blue eyes off him while he took the victim’s statement. When he’d finished the interview and turned to go, Tim had followed him outside.
    “Is there something else, Mr. Ellis?”
    Tim nodded and stepped close, his gaze never wavering, voice low. “Yeah. You busy tonight? If not, would you like to be?”
    From that night on, Tim had made it a point to keep him busy, one way or another, every night.
    Jack finished his sandwich and Tim finished with his customer. Tim walked over and took the plate. “Better?”
    “Thank you.” Jack stood and handed the mug to him, leaning in for a final kiss. “Don’t work too hard.”
    “You stopping by their place tonight?”
    Jack nodded.
    “Look, come get me first, okay? Let me go with you tonight.”
    “You’ve got a ton to do.”
    Tim set the plate and mug down and grabbed Jack’s hands. “Stop,” he softly said. “Let me.”
    Jack took a deep breath and closed his eyes before he nodded.
    “Was that so hard, letting me help?”
    “Smart-ass.” He opened his eyes to Tim’s blue gaze.
    “You love this ass and you know it.”
    “Yes, I do. I damn sure do.”

Chapter Four

    Gwen had decided two thirty might be better if she wanted to pry her mother’s fingers off Liam before their father’s usual return home at five. Sure enough, Liam had packed, but their mother was busy fretting and worrying and wondering if she should also spend the night at Gwen’s. She’d totally freaked out over Gwen taking Liam to the book signing, claiming it wasn’t healthy for him to leave the house.
    Gwen suspected the unhealthy thing was her mom trying to keep him cooped up like a fragile china doll.
    Her mother sleeping over was the last thing Gwen or Liam needed…or wanted. She took a deep breath. “Mom, he’ll be fine. We’ll be fine. You and Dad go out to eat or something. Enjoy having the house back to yourselves for a couple of