Welcome Home

Excerpt From: Welcome Home

Devry Fincher moved swiftly around his kitchen, chopping vegetables and tossing them into a skillet, savouring the sizzling sound that floated through the room. It was Sunday morning—the only day of the week he was able to cook breakfast for himself and his lover of two years, Holden Reid. Devry was an investment banker who found, more often than not, he had to work on Saturdays while everyone else he knew were able to enjoy the day off. Sundays were set aside for just him and Holden to relax and do nothing except enjoy each other’s company.

Devry stepped back over to the cutting board then swept the bits and ends of unused vegetables from the surface into his hand and turned towards the trash can. He lifted the lid and, as he dropped the pieces into the black plastic container, he squinted his eyes at a semi-crumpled piece of paper, the words ‘Family Reunion’ clearly visible. He grabbed the paper and quickly straightened it as best he could. He read the typed letter then frowned and turned his gaze to the ceiling.

Devry climbed the stairs to his bedroom. He stopped in the doorway and smiled at the man sleeping soundly on his stomach. The light grey top sheet covered him just to his waist, leaving the broad expanse of his bare, muscular back available to view. Inhaling deeply, he walked into the bedroom, wanting to wake Holden, but not wanting to scare the living hell out of him in the process.

"Holden," he murmured, crinkling his eyebrows when Holden didn’t even move an inch. He walked to the end of the bed and lifted the sheet from the sleeping man’s left foot. With a grin, Devry tickled it.

Holden groaned and lifted his head from the pillow, not opening his eyes. He inhaled deeply before speaking, "I don’t smell coffee." He rolled onto his back, both feet disappearing beneath the sheet. He looked amused as he opened his eyes.

Devry held up the piece of paper. "Why’d you throw this away?"

"Because I’m not going and it’s trash."

"You don’t want to see your family?"

Holden folded his arms beneath his head, hazel eyes not leaving his lover. "Not especially."

"But what if I do?"

"Why would you?" Holden shot back.

Devry crawled onto the bed, straddling Holden’s lap as he looked down at him. "Maybe because you’ve met all my family and I’ve yet to meet yours. You’ve seen where I come from, but you haven’t afforded me the same courtesy. Or maybe it’s because—"

"All right, all right, I get the point," Holden interrupted with a smile on his face.

Devry raised an eyebrow. "So we’ll go?"

Sighing, Holden nodded. "Yeah. We’ll go see my family. God help us." He willingly accepted the kiss Devry gave him. He drew in a deep breath. "What’s burning?"

"Oh shit!" Devry shouted as he got to his feet, before taking off out of the room, leaving his lover chuckling to himself.