When unlikely attraction blossoms between a twentysomething genderqueer tattoo artist and an older, small-town veterinarian, both are forced to face their pasts for a chance at a loving future. Four years ago Padraig Donovan lost his husband, the only man he’d ever been with. Now his life consists of the work he loves, a big empty house, and the possibility of a lonely future. Kaos’s experiments with makeup landed him in the hospital at the hands of his disapproving ex. With nowhere else to turn, he flees to Acker, Wisconsin ... and runs into a sexy widower and the kindest man he’s ever met. Padraig and Kaos know there’s something worth exploring between them, and as they raise a puppy and deal with the ups and downs of their respective jobs, they fit into each other’s lives in ways they never expected. Being with Kaos -- who is so different than the guys he’s always been attracted to -- opens up an exciting new world for Padraig. But can he convince Kaos to trust another man with his body ... let alone his heart?

Four

“Don’t worry, he sleeps pretty deep now. The first couple of nights were different, but it seems like his mind went ‘okay, you need rest’ and he’s dead to the world.” Makai grinned and finished making them egg sandwiches. “This okay?”


“Yeah, thanks. I’m going to bring you guys lunch when I get back from Mercer. Then figure out dinner later too. My turn.” Kaos watched the coffee maker mournfully. Having to wait was the worst, after Trev’s fancy machine that used pods, with its twin sitting on the counter in the tattoo studio’s break room.


Funny how the only two things he missed from that relationship were Trev’s gadgets and Lake.


Kaos smiled. “Better coffeemakers, mostly.”


“Ah yeah, I’ve been meaning to get a really good one. This came with the house and is crap, but you know.” Makai shrugged. It wasn’t a priority—Kaos could understand that.


“We need to look into that, bro,” Kaos murmured, sighing wistfully.


Chapter 18