City planner Remy McIntosh is looking forward to spending the holidays with his lover, architect Lane Anders. For the past six months, he’s been planning the perfect getaway -- two weeks in a forest cabin at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains. Remy also has a special gift he can't wait to give Lane on Christmas Day: a wedding ring. But Remy's ex-wife changes her Christmas plans at the last minute, and asks him to take care of their eight-year-old son, Braeden. Remy loves spending time with his son, but balks at the idea of taking a child along on vacation. The main problem is that Braden has never met Lane, and doesn't know his father is gay. Lane is ready to take his relationship with Remy to the next level, and has a secret Christmas gift of his own. Having a young boy along will put a crimp in their plans, to be sure, but Lane wants to be a part of every aspect of Remy's life, and that includes Braden. How will Braden deal with meeting the "other man" in his father's life? What happens when Remy’s romantic holiday for two must also include his son?

Just the Three of Us

There went whatever peace he had hoped to hold onto for a while.


He held his breath, listening, waiting. But he didn’t hear anything else, and when Braden didn’t come banging on their bedroom door, Remy relaxed. Maybe his son had just gotten up to look for something to do, or maybe to use the bathroom. The cabin wasn’t too big, and even though he’d been asleep when Remy carried him in late the night before, Braden would be able to figure out where the bathroom was on his own. Nuzzling closer to Lane, Remy kissed the tip of his lover’s nose and whispered, “You awake?”


Lane moaned softly in reply. It was a cozy sound without meaning, and he didn’t open his eyes.


Chapter 25