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history and culture. Last night Chay gave him a puppy. Keaton had in turn taken to getting things for Chay. He’d bought him the new mystery book in a series he had read and a new lab coat, because his was, well it was just yuck, stained with God only knew what.
    The night of their “episode”, he had reluctantly agreed to forget the possibility of their relationship not working. In turn, Chay had declared it a done deal, they were a couple. So now Chay was back to wooing—
    which was silly considering the man himself said this wasn’t a trial relationship, but the real thing—and he in turn was wooing Chay. Chay thought it would help them get to know each other and make Keaton less
    “skittish”. It was almost like a real beginning of a relationship, like actual dating, only they knew the outcome already, or he hoped he did anyway.
    Keaton still had his doubts, but he was dealing with them. He truly loved being around Chay and he really, really liked him. Okay, maybe it 58 www.samhainpublishing.com

    Without Reservations
    was more than like. Which bothered him, because Chay could easily become everything to him. Hell, he was halfway there already, but Keaton was trying not to dwell on it. He was following Chay’s example and going with it. He didn’t doubt Chay’s sincerity so much as he doubted outside factors. One thing he’d learned, Chay was honest to a fault, even when it came to telling him his shoes were ugly—which he did the other day—if the man said he was sticking around, well, Keaton was pretty sure he meant it.
    The puppy gave another sharp tug just as the knock came at the door. “It’s open, Chay.”
    The door opened and Chay’s dark head popped in, looking around.
    Trying to find the puppy, Keaton presumed.
    “He’s over here.” He pointed at the dog tugging on his jeans.
    Chay grinned and stepped through the doorway. “Hi, Bit.”
    The puppy let go of Keaton’s pants and bounced across the floor to Chay, immediately grabbing the leg of his scrub pants, growling and shaking his head like a possessed demon.
    Chay laughed and made his way, with great difficulty—due to the tugging, growling pest at his feet—to Keaton. “Does he have a name yet?”
    He gave Keaton a quick peck on the lips.
    Keaton smiled and kissed back. It still amazed him that Chay felt comfortable with him. Most men would be having a major identity crisis in the same situation, but not Chay. Chay was happy as a pig in shit.
    The man seemed so comfortable in his own skin it was almost disgusting. “Pita.”
    Chay blinked. “Peta, as in the ‘people for the ethnical treatment of animals’?”
    “Nope. Pita, as in ‘pain in the ass’.”
    Chay chuckled and peeked down at Pita, shaking his leg a little, playing tug-of-war. “It fits.” Chay pulled out a chair and sat down. “Did he keep you up all night?”
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    J.L. Langley
    “He would have, but I got smart and put him in bed with me.”
    “You’re brave. He didn’t pee in the bed?”
    “Nah, we had a nice long talk about what happens to puppies who go in the house.”
    Chay smiled and ducked his head under the table. The growling had stopped. Was that the smell of…? “Are you sure he speaks English?
    ‘Cause he just went in the house.”
    “Oh damn.” He’d been taking Pita out every hour. Keaton looked at the clock. Shit, he’d gotten wrapped up in reading the Apache book Chay had given him and he’d forgotten to take the pest outside. He glanced down at Pita and pointed. “Bad dog.” He grabbed the pup by the scruff of his neck, showed him the puddle, swatted his behind and took him outside.
    Pita had done all his business inside, because once Keaton set him down outside the little pest took off pouncing after a grasshopper. Keaton shook his head.
    He smelled Chay before he heard the door close. Two hands landed on his shoulders and began kneading. “I cleaned up the puddle.”
    “Thank you.”
    “Welcome. We