More Than Love

D. K. Sutton

Copyright

Copyright 2021 by DK Sutton

All right reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, excepts for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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

Cover Designer: Cate Ashwood Cate Ashwood Designs

Epigraph

“So that his appearance might be as magnificent as possible, he was covered from head to foot with a coating of gold foil.” ~the gilded-boy story

One

Jax hated disappointing his partner of ten years—and husband of five—and their daughter, but there was no way around it. He tapped his finger against his lips as he walked around them, his mind whirling withossibilities. It was a simple question, but the answer eluded him. And it seemed important that he get it right. “Can you give me a hint?”

“Are you kidding?” Noah waved his hand toward Ceanne. “She is the hint.”

He was definitely blowing this.

Ceanne crossed her arms and tilted her head in challenge. At only ten, she had the attitude of a teenager.

A moment of panic flashed across Noah’s handsome face, but Jax wasn’t sure whether the worry was that she would fall off the chair he perched her on or that she’d disrupt his masterpiece. He gently placed her arms back at her side and grabbed pins from the sewing kit on the kitchen table. He placed them in his mouth, sharp points sticking out, as he walked around her, using the pins to secure any part that dared to stray.

“Just guess, Daddy,” she said, her eyes pleading.

How long had she been up there, standing still so she didn’t get poked? But Jax knew her real concern—shared it even—was disappointing the man now artfully arranging the golden-tipped curls on her head. When Noah was inspired there was no stopping him. So, yeah, Jax had to get this right. Or at least incredibly wrong.

“A Golden Retriever.”

Noah stopped fussing long enough to gape at him, his blue eyes impossibly wide. Ceanne giggled, her face bright with happiness.

He swallowed the lump in his throat. He loved this improbable family he never thought he’d have. His daughter’s sparkling eyes were exactly what he’d been going for. Even at her young age, she’d had a life harder than most. Abandoned by her mother. Her biological father unknown. When her grandmother had suffered a stroke and couldn’t care for her, she found herself in the foster care system at the impressionable age of five. She’d been in a foster home that loved her but just not enough to give her forever. He shook his head at that thought. The foster parents had had their reasons, but that didn’t mean Jax understood them. That’s when they’d met her. A fireball of curly dark hair and even darker eyes. They’d known immediately that Ceanne was meant to be part of their family.

Noah shook his head, trying not to smile. Jax loved teasing that bit of playfulness out of him. Reminding them both that this was the point. Accomplishing things, being successful, was important, but it wasn’t the most important thing. Enjoying the journey, the time with their family they almost didn’t get to have was exactly the point.

When he and Noah had first talked about adoption, they’d come across bigotry and twisted logic. Why would two men want to adopt a little girl or a little boy? That question set his teeth on edge. But he’d learned not to lash out at them. It reinforced their idea that he was the emotional one. As if being smaller and more effeminate meant he was the ‘woman’ in the relationship. What would they think if they knew the muscled, gorgeous man they labeled the macho one liked to cook, design clothes, and wear delicate lace underthings? And he had to squelch that last thought. Especially with his daughter watching him. Especially with Noah trying to hide the hurt in his eyes. He was taking this project way too seriously. Just like he did everything.

Noah glanced over at Ceanne and back to him, removing the pins with a sigh. “Do you know how long we’ve been working on this?”

“All morning,” Ceanne muttered.

Jax stepped forward, ready to head off the impending meltdown. “And she looks amazing, babe.” He grabbed his husband’s wrist, careful of the few pins he held, and pulled him in for a quick kiss. He loved this crazy, obsessive, mess of a man. And the sassy, but wicked smart, girl they got to call their own.

Noah relaxed his shoulders, smiling sheepishly at them. “I just want it to be perfect,” he admitted softly.

Jax rubbed at his own chest, trying to ease the tight ball of emotion lodged right in the middle. He glanced over at Ceanne, to see her reaction. She blinked a few times. Were those tears threatening the golden make-up on her face?

“And it is,” Jax said, trying to lighten the mood. “But hon, I still have the rest of that table to guild.” Making furniture was more of a side hobby. A relief from the day-to-day stillness of working in an office. “Why did you use all of my foil?”

Noah stared fondly at their daughter before answering. “So that her appearance might be as magnificent as possible.”

She was covered from head to foot with a coating of gold foil. And she looked beyond magnificent. Glorious. Heavenly.

Ceanne ducked her head, unable to hide the smile on her face. No matter how her costume was received by her schoolmates or her teacher, that smile was worth everything.

“Is she an angel?”

“Yes, she is an angel…but no, that’s not her costume.”

The smile slid from Jax’s face. He’d thought he had it.

“It has to be from literature, Dad.”

“As we’ve mentioned,” Noah mumbled, fussing over the hem and pinning it where he wanted it. Jax knew he would work for hours more after Ceanne took the costume off to secure the places he’d pinned. Just so it would be ready for Monday.

Ceanne had admitted to being nervous last night when Jax had tucked her into bed. She always said she was too old for the bedtime ritual, but she clung to his hand as he pulled the covers up and kissed her forehead. Was she still afraid, after all these years, that they too would leave her? Some wounds never healed. Not completely.

“What if they laugh at me?” she’d asked.

“They’ll be jealous of whatever your dad comes up with. I promise.” They had kept Jax in the dark about the costume. Mostly because Noah had his own ideas, and this way he wouldn’t have to tell Jax no. They’d been down this road a few times before. “And besides,” Jax continued, “the other kids won’t want anyone laughing at their costumes either. Right?”

“Right,” she’d agreed without sounding convinced. The fourth and fifth-grade classes were all dressing up as characters from their favorite books and lining the hallways. The rest of the school, along with parents and other family members, would walk through, like a reverse parade, and guess what character each student was and the book it was from. The winners received a prize, along with the student voted as having the best costume. Noah lived for things like this. It was a good thing Ceanne had one dad who was creative. Still, Jax taught her how to throw a baseball, and that was why she was the best pitcher in her Little League team.

Ceanne had smiled at him, lighting up his heart. He couldn’t imagine not having her in their life. He wasn’t religious, but it felt right. Like they were meant to be a family. And he couldn’t outright dismiss heavenly intervention.

“It’s my favorite book,” she reminded him, bringing him back to the present and his current dilemma.

“That doesn’t narrow it down much.” She loved to read and had tons of favorite books she read over and over. “Is it a Percy Jackson book?”

Ceanne giggled again as she shook her head. He might have gotten it wrong, but he still counted it as a win.

“It’s a good guess, babe.” Noah threaded their fingers together and kissed him. Then he motioned toward Ceanne with a raised hand. “Voila. She’s finished.”

Ceanne dropped her hands back to her side. She was perfect, from her gold-streaked hair to her golden boots. Every inch glowed with angelic beauty. She even had wings that stretched out several feet from her back when she pulled on the string. Unlike angel wings they were thin and wispy, more like those on a dragonfly.

It did remind him of something—other than a bug—but he just couldn’t put his finger on it. He opened his mouth, not even sure of what he was going to say. He didn’t want to disappoint either of them. Before he could throw out another insulting guess, Noah dropped his hand.

“Pictures,” he said and rushed out of the room.

Ceanne shrugged, mirroring Jax’s thoughts. Where was he going? Noah’s phone was less than a foot away on the kitchen table. But Noah was only gone a second.

He rushed back, carrying a plain white sheet from the linen closet. Ceanne stepped off the chair while he set up his scene. He placed the chair against the kitchen wall they’d painted light blue last summer. Draping the sheet across the chair, he helped Ceanne back up. It took another few minutes to frame the shot as he adjusted their daughter’s pose. He took picture after picture. First turning all the lights on and then turning off the main light so she almost glowed. He moved around the room, getting the perfect shot. Or maybe he just took so many that he had to have a good one, just on chance alone. “Stand up straight, honey,” Noah said when she started to sag.

Should he intervene? Ceanne was becoming impatient if the tapping on her leg was any indication. But as Jax stepped forward, Noah held up his hands, a huge smile on his face. “Perfect.”

“Can I get down?”

“Just a sec. Let me check them.” He scrolled through the pictures on his phone. “Besides, Dad still hasn’t guessed right.”

Jax sighed. He had no clue. His mind was completely blank. He’d tried thinking of all the books she liked, but there were too many. “I thought I was getting an actual hint.”

“I never agreed to that,” Noah said. He slipped his phone in his back pocket, apparently satisfied with how they turned out. “But in all fairness, I already gave you two.”

Jax thought back over their conversations that morning. Was it the book thing? Because that wasn’t much of a hint.

Noah’s eyes sparkled mischievously, and Ceanne laughed. That’s when Jax knew they’d planned this together. They didn’t want him to guess right. The fun was in stumping him. Jax had worried for nothing.

“What hints?” he asked. Now he wanted to get it right. Stun them both. Noah was an English professor at the local college So naturally, reading was something he shared with Ceanne, and while Jax sometimes felt left out, he was comforted knowing Noah couldn’t shoot a basket if his collection of first-edition Jane Austen books depended on it. They both had their own special time with their daughter, and it worked out well that way. Still, he’d like to surprise them. Just this once.

“The blue background represents the sky. And the white sheet is the clouds.”

That didn’t help in the least. The pleading look was back in Ceanne’s eyes. This time he was sure she wasn’t pleading for him to get it right, but to just admit defeat. That way, she could get back into her comfortable leggings and t-shirt, her favorite Saturday afternoon attire.

“Alright. You stumped me,” Jax said, throwing his hands up. “This costume is amazing, sweetie, but I have no idea what you’re supposed to be.”

Ceanne tried to look serious, but the smile she couldn’t hold back gave it away. “It’s from Harry Potter, Dad. You know I love those books.”

“Which one?” He hadn’t read them, much to his husband and daughter’s chagrin. But he’d seen all the movies a thousand times. He still had nothing.

“All of them,” she said, and then held up her hand. “No wait. The Sorcerer’s Stone.”

Still nothing. Jax glanced from one to the other. Were they going to tell him?

Noah and Ceanne looked at each other, huge grins on their faces that made Jax’s heart swell with love. He was so lucky to have them. To have this. They had so many of these days to look forward to in the coming years: Halloweens, dances, proms, graduations. And maybe even some day, many, many, many years from now—he wasn’t rushing anything—Noah would fuss over their little girl as she patiently let him fix every rose and piece of lace on her wedding dress.

His throat tightened with emotion, and he swallowed, trying to stop any stray tears from falling.

Noah grabbed his hand again and squeezed. Could he tell where his thoughts had gone? Probably. They even—annoyingly, they were told—finished each other’s sentences.

“I’ll give you another hint,” Ceanne said, glancing up and spreading her arms wide. “Although I’m caged at times, thrown into darkness, I’m at my best when I’m free to soar, escaping into the sky and exceeding all expectations. No one can catch me…until someone finally does.” Her eyes returned to them. “Someone brave and fierce and worthy.”

Even as smart as she was, those weren’t the words of a ten-year-old. Jax glanced over at his partner and love. Noah’s eyes shone with pride. This had been his elevator pitch to convince Ceanne that this costume was the one for her. And it was. Jax knew then what she was dressed up to be, even before she said the words.

“I’m the snitch.” She raised her chin. “The Golden Snitch. And I’m so glad you guys were the ones to catch me.”

Two

As Jax waited for Noah to finish his nightly routine, he scrolled through his phone. Nothing interested him except the man taking his time in the bathroom. Yes, skin care was important, but did it have to take so long? Spending time with your husband was important too. Ceanne had finally fallen asleep, and he really hoped Noah wasn’t too tired. It had been a long day.

He leaned back against the headboard and stretched his legs out, enjoying the slide of the sheets against his naked body as he waited.

Noah stepped out of the bathroom wearing gray sleep pants, and Jax’s hopes for more disappeared.

“You’re way overdressed, babe.”

That lightening smile. “Why, sweetie? Did you have something planned?” Noah slid next to him on the bed.

“Don’t tease me. It’s been forever. Either you’ve been too tired or I’ve been too tired. I need you.”

Noah leaned in and kissed him. “It took you way too long to guess Ceanne’s costume.”

“Maybe. But for the record, there are angels in literature.”

“Really? Name one book. I’ll wait.”

He wanted to wipe that self-satisfied smile right off his husband’s lips. Preferably while kissing him. And not just a quick peck either. “Babe, why are you being so mean to me?”

“Poor, baby,” he cooed, leaning in for another kiss. This one more substantial. “I got you a present.”

“Is it the sweatpants? I mean, your ass does look amazing in them.”

“Nope,” Noah said, straddling him. “It’s what’s I’m wearing under the sweatpants.” He guided Jax’s fingers underneath the waistband.

Satin. Lace. He’d been ready—more than ready—a half hour ago. But the sensual feel of the material and his husband’s body had him hard and aching. And it wasn’t just that or how sexy Noah looked in lace panties. The thing that had him ready to come at any moment was how much it turned Noah on to wear sexy underwear. Jax rubbed the satin covered tip of Noah’s cock and the teasing disappeared from his face. “Do you like that?”

“Yes, please,” Noah whimpered.

Jax kissed him, one hand on his head pulling him as close as he could get. The other hand rubbed against his swollen cock. “Sweat pants off.”

“Bossy.” But he rushed to get undreassed. Then they were naked except for the small strip of pink satin and lace.

“A thong? Were you wearing this all day?”

“I’m not telling. It’s your responsibility to check—”

His words stopped when Jax switched their positions. Once he was on top, he slid down until he was eye level with the shiny pink material.

“Jax…”

The satin was darkened with precum and he couldn’t wait any longer. He licked at the spot tasting the salty goodness and then mouthed the tip, sucking in lace and the hard dick underneath. Noah fisted his hair and pushed his head down, encouraging him to go further.

Although Jax loved when his husband took control, he could resist teasing him. He traced the outline of his cock with his mouth and enjoyed the needy sounds Noah was making. Finally, he couldn’t wait anymore. He pushed the material out of his way and took him all the way in. He knew exactly what his husband liked. Noah thrust into his mouth over and over. Jax considered changing their positions again. He loved having Noah fuck his mouth.

Noah’s hand in his hair tightened, a warning that this could be over way too soon. As Jax released him with a pop—his jaw aching but still wanting more—he rubbed the barely there lace against Noah’s hole, eliciting a filthy moan.

“What do you want, babe?”

“You. In me. Now.”

“Good plan,” Jax said, reaching over them both to grab the lube.

Noah stripped the panties off and started to throw them on the floor when Jax grabbed them.

“I need those.” Jax leaned up to kiss him, swallowing his breath. He coated his fingers in lube and prepped him, first one and then two fingers.

“I’m ready, Jax. Come on.”

“Waiting is torture, isn’t it? A lesson you need to learn.”

Noah clenched against his fingers, and Jax gasped at the feeling. Prep time was over. He coated his cock with lube, lined up, and pushed it in. He had to stop for a moment. It had been way too long. He wanted this to last, but Noah squeezed his leg impatiently, encouraging him to move.

Jax slammed into him. And then over and over finding that spot that turned his usually articulate husband into a blubbering mess.

“Jax, ahh, more…”

He rubbed his thumb over Noah’s stubbled jaw, relishing in the fact that he got to be the one to see this normally put together man fall apart—that he got to be the one to tear him apart like this. He loved him so much. Then he grabbed the discarded panties and used them to stroke Noah’s cock. The delicate material in his hand and his husband’s throbbing cock underneath pushed Jax over the edge. Noah wasn’t far behind.

They collapsed against each other, and Jax waited for his heart to slow and his breath to catch up. “I’ll clean us up.”

Noah kissed him. “Stay there, love. I’ll do it. I’m sorry I was being mean earlier.”

After they were cleaned up, they snuggled for a bit. It wouldn’t last long. Jax needed his space when he slept. That didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy these moments.

“Do you forgive me? For torturing you today?” Noah asked.

“Yes. And I get it. Reading is something you guys share. Just remember, I taught her how to hold a bat. And hit the ball. I have skills.” Jax tried not to sound defensive.

“You’ve proven that,” Noah said with a smirk. “Seriously, babe. We tease you a lot, but there are things you guys can do together that have me feeling totally inadequate. And that’s okay.”

Jax nodded, curling into his husband’s body. “That costume is seriously amazing.”

“Thank you. But I have to admit. I do enjoy watching you teach her sports. Because no matter what you’re teaching her, you look good doing it. Tight baseball pants. Short basketball shorts. Yes, to all of that.”

“You’re supposed to focus on the game.”

“Oh, I’m focused.”

“Perv.” Jax slapped his chest. “I was thinking earlier about all the times you’ll be helping her dress up. Proms. Graduations—”

“Don’t say it.” Noah put his hand over Jax’s mouth. “Let’s just enjoy our time now. I’m not sure I can handle more than that.

Jax pulled his hand away and held it. “You can handle anything, babe. You’ve got me and Ceanne. And together, we can handle anything.”

“Even a hard-headed elementary school English teacher?”

“What do you mean?” Was Ceanne having trouble with her teacher? Jax leaned back to see his face.

Noah bit his lip and shrugged. “Ceanne was supposed to dress up as a fictional character. The snitch is technically not a person. It’s a thing.”

Jax studied him for a moment. The tightness of his jaw. The opposing smile in his eyes. “And you have a whole five-page email written up to convince her otherwise.”

“No. It’s only two pages. They’re admittedly two good pages. But I think our little girl will be the one to convince her.”

“Really?”

“Yes, because the snitch is more than just a shiny ball. More than a plot device. It symbolizes dreams and possibilities. Just like us. Together we’re more than we appear to be: two gay guys and an adopted foster child. We are…”

“Love?” Jax grinned at his husband. Noah loved big words and fancy speeches. And Jax loved listening to him.

“More than love.”

“What’s more than love?”

Noah smiled, and his eyes were bright. “The three of us are completely different, but that’s why it works. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

“Are you in professor mode?”

“You like me in professor mode.”

“That I do.” Jax sighed appreciatively and gave a slight wave of his hand. “Go on. Tell me what we add up to.”

“A family,” Noah said, threading their fingers together. “The snitch symbolizes the lost child who finds their way to their true home.”

Jax squeezed his hand. “And if Mrs. Watson marks her down?”

“Doesn’t matter. Her grades are fine. And the costume makes her happy. That’s all that counts.”

The smile on Jax’s face grew. “I’m going to remind you of this when—if—things don’t go the way you want.”

“Hm. You should have got it in writing.”

“I have an excellent memory.”

Noah laughed at that.

“Rude.”

“Babe, you went to get milk from the store the other day and bought everything but milk.”

“Okay, whatever.” Jax shrugged. “But this, I’ll remember.”

“I’ll write it down for you,” Noah said pulling him closer. “And make an apology email to Mrs. Watson, if you want.” He kissed his nose. And then his chin. And then his lips.

Noah’s kisses were intoxicating, and Jax found it difficult to think. But not impossible. “That might be taking it too far.”

“I’m just that certain—”

“Hold up.” Jax sat up and studied his husband. “I know you. You’re brilliant, creative, and you plan things down to the last detail.”

“Babe.” Noah reached for his hand, but he pulled it away.

“You already pitched your idea to Mrs. Watson. And she okayed it.” Jax shook his head. “And you used our daughter to sell it.”

“What can I say? I noticed Mrs. Watson had a romance novel under her textbooks,” he said, not looking ashamed at all. “And Ceanne might have shed a few tears.”

“Unbelievable.”

“I think they were real tears.”

“That doesn’t make it better.”

Noah laughed and pulled him back into his arms. “She looked happy and enchanting in her costume. All her classmates will be jealous. And we’ll be the best dad’s ever.”

“We? It was your design.”

“It was your gold.”

“Remind me again about the sum of our parts,” Jax said stretching out on top of his husband. “Or maybe we could focus on just one part.”

“Really, again?”

“I do love professor mode,” Jax said with a smirk. “Teach me your ways. I’m ready and willing to learn.”

And so he did. Afterwards with Noah’s snores—that the man would never admit to—as background noise, he thought about the day and his frustration at not knowing the answer.

This was bound to happen again. And again. He wouldn’t always have the right answers. But the important questions, the ones that counted, the ones that involved Noah and Ceanne—keeping them happy and safe—those were the ones he’d always get right. Because those questions always had the same answer. Love them with everything he had and encourage them to soar, like the golden snitch, as high as they could go. He’d enjoy every moment of this life they traveled together wherever it led because his family was the most thing of all.

The End

Read on to find more from D. K. Sutton or go to my website at dksuttonwrites.com

About the author

DK Sutton is a full-time author of contemporary gay romance. She has a background in social work, which is helpful in creating flawed characters you can’t help but love. As an introvert, she has always been a little awkward (and a lot geeky). Turns out, those are handy traits for an author. She loves writing books with a slow burn, low angst, and a hefty dash of humor. Her Broken Series is more on the angsty side, and it challenges the rhetoric around being gay and religious. All her books have a HEA or HFN. She writes YA Gay Romance under the name Addison Lloyd. For a list of all her books, please turn the page.

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Also by DK Sutton

A (Not So) University Series:

My (Not So) Slutty Professor

My (Not So) Grumpy Professor

Trials of Love Series:

Trial & Error

The Virgin Pirate

Chasing Santa-A Trials of Love Christmas Novella

Sweet Regrets and Other Holiday Stories

Sloan Brothers Series:

Talk to Me

Equal Opportunity Player-A Sloan Brothers Short

Broken Series:
Broken Sidewalks

Standalones:

Accidental Detour

AS Addison Lloyd

Y/A LGBTQ ROMANCE

Dublin High/Westbridge Academy

Merry Little Lies

Invincible Me

Waiting for Her

When September Comes

Starr Struck

Follow Addison Lloyd on Amazon