Full Circle (15 page)

his hands, but the contact wasn’t enough for Jaylin, who

pulled his lover into his arms.

Max trembled slightly against him, holding him tight,

and Jaylin closed his eyes, allowing Max’s warmth to

surround him.

“What the hell where you thinking?”

“Max….”

“You could have been killed!” Max pulled back, just far

enough to glare at him. “The bullet just grazed you, but

God…do you realize you could have died? If your head had

been angled slightly different or…. There are a dozen

different, tiny little factors and you would be dead now….”

He shook his head, tears coming to his eyes, and Jaylin

pulled him close once again, needing to feel him, needing the reassurance that they were both safe and alive.

“I saw him get the gun away from that guard and I knew

he would kill you. I knew he was just as insane as always

and I wasn’t going to let him hurt you again.” Jaylin

whispered, but the conviction in his voice was undeniable. “I couldn’t stop the bastard last time, but I…I had to stop him this time and I am not sorry I knocked you out of the way,

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because if I hadn’t, you would be dead. And I didn’t finally get you back just to lose you.”

“Jaylin….”

“I won’t say I’m sorry, Max. I’m not. But I am sorry I

scared you.”

Max pulled back again, sighing heavily. “Don’t do

anything like that again!”

“I doubt pushing you out of the way of a bullet will be a

daily happening.” He smiled. “Come on, baby. I’m okay. Let’s not worry about what could have happened. I did what I did

because I won’t ever allow anyone to hurt you again. If I

could get my hands on Trent….” He didn’t have to say it.

Max knew he would happily kill the bastard, but that wasn’t an option and, knowing Max, he was likely relieved it wasn’t.

“The officer I talked to seems to believe Trent will be

facing additional attempted murder charges for his little

stunt.”

“I guess that’s a ‘no’ to his early release.”

“I’m pretty sure he’s proven he hasn’t changed.”

Jaylin nodded, lifting a hand to caress Max’s cheek. “I’m

pretty proud of you, by the way.”

“Why is that?”

“You did a hell of a job with that speech you gave. I

know it wasn’t easy.”

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“It wasn’t easy, but one thing got me through it.”

“And what was that?”

“Knowing you were there, Jay. Knowing I would be with

you when it was over.”

Smiling, Jaylin pulled him close, eagerly kissing him.

Max kissed back, holding on, the passion and need instantly sparking to life. He slipped an eager hand down, cupping

Max’s firm ass, squeezing, as he slid from the bed, and Max moaned, breaking the kiss with obvious reluctance. Jaylin

grinned up at him.

“I’m finished with the doctor and the police said I could

talk to them later….”

“So we really should get you to bed.”

“Plan on being in that bed with me?”

“Baby, you are stuck with me. Any bed you’re in, I

intend to be in it too.” Max grabbed his hand and they

walked from the room, down the hall toward the exit. “As

soon as everything here’s finally settled, I need to go back to Seattle long enough to close out my loft and then, if you

want me, I’m ready to move to New York.”

“Are you sure? If you don’t want to live in New York….”

“New York’s fine. I can get a job there, I’m sure.”

“In that case, I’ll go with you to Seattle while you settle everything.” Jaylin squeezed his hand gently. “I intend to

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again.” He hated the idea of being away from Max for any

amount of time. He didn’t want to miss a minute of the life they could have.

They had already lost seven years, but Jaylin was

determined to make up for that time, by loving Max with all his heart.

As they approached the exit, through the double-glass

doors, they could see a small crowd gathered, made up

mostly of local media and a few from other outlets

throughout the state. It seemed a near shooting during a

parole hearing was a newsworthy event and Jaylin sighed,

glancing at Max, who just rolled his eyes.

“Do you want to give them a statement?” Jaylin asked

and Max shook his head.

“I don’t have anything I need to say to them.”

“Me neither. I guess we just ignore them.”

Max pushed open the door, seeing several security

guards were trying to keep the reporters at bay and he

stopped suddenly, grinning as he turned to look at Jaylin.

“Remember that day in the music room, when I made

you a promise about graduation?”

“Um, yeah. I remember. You said….” He trailed off,

recalling the exact promise.

“I said that once we had our diplomas in hand, once we

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was going to kiss you in front of God and everyone.” Max

stepped closer, easily resting his hands on Jaylin’s hips. “I didn’t get that chance. I’ve always regretted that. It was

supposed to be my way of telling the world that I love you

more than anything.”

“I know you love me. And I know we’re going to be fine.”

“I do love you and I agree, we will be just fine, but I

didn’t get to keep that promise, and I kinda want to make it up to you now.”

Jaylin glanced at the crowd. “So you want to kiss me

now?”

“In front of God and everyone.”

“What’s stopping you?”

Jaylin intended it to be an invitation and Max

understood it as that, pulling Jaylin into his arms and

claiming his lips in a heated kiss. He held nothing back and Jaylin responded eagerly, one hand in Max’s hair, the other resting on his back, as their tongues clashed and stroked

and Jaylin was only vaguely aware of cameras flashing and

voices sounding around them.

When the kiss finally ended, Max grinned, a carefree

grin that made his eyes dance, just as they had all those

years ago, after they had kissed for the first time.

“I think that said it all, don’t you?”

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Jaylin nodded, smiling, amazed by how completely free

and happy he felt. He and Max had come full circle, it

seemed, and they had suffered some hurts and hits along

the way, but they were finally together again and nothing

could come between them.

They were going to make it, Jaylin was certain.

“Since we’re remembering things, do you remember

what you said in the courtroom, about what you want me to

do when we get back to the B and B?”

“Oh, I remember very clearly.”

“Still want that?”

The desire that flared in Max’s eyes made it clear that

he did and Jaylin held out a hand that Max happily accepted as they walked together through the crowd, away from the

past, and toward their future.

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LISA MARIE DAVIS is a Florida girl, born and raised, who

had been writing for as long as she can remember. There's

nothing she loves more than writing. Her mind is always

wondering, creating characters and plots. She's been

accused of daydreaming too much but doesn't see it as a

fault.

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Full Circle ©Copyright Lisa Marie Davis, 2009

Published by

Dreamspinner Press

4760 Preston Road

Suite 244-149

Frisco, TX 75034

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cover Design by Catt Ford

This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines and/or imprisonment. This eBook cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this eBook can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher.

To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press at: 4760 Preston Road, Suite 244-149, Frisco, TX 75034 http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

Released in the United States of America

February, 2009

eBook Edition