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

They spent the evening watching TV on the couch—Padraig with a book in his lap, and Kaos with a sketchpad—with Hestia studiously ignoring the dog bed nearby and whining until one of them gave in and helped her up onto the couch. Then she curled up between them and fell asleep for a moment, before popping back up like a jack-in-the-box.


“Pop goes the weasel,” Padraig stated dryly when once again Hestia woke up. “Do you want to take her outside or should I? It’s getting late.”


Right, Padraig had work the next morning. It had been an easy day off for him, with only two calls for advice and no emergencies that would’ve required him to leave the house.


Because the show Kaos had sort of been watching just ended, he put his sketchpad and pencil case on the coffee table and stretched. “I’ll do it. We need to figure out where she’s going to sleep, too, so think about that while we’re outside.”


Chapter 37