Legally His

By Shawn Lane

Cade Lamonte has a rather unconventional relationship with homicide detective Sidney Connor, meaning it’s on and off, mostly off recently. They usually get together just for sex.

When Sidney suddenly contacts Cade after a two-month off period, it seems as though Sidney wants to change the parameters of their relationship. He’s looking to make his relationship with Cade much more on.

Cade has been in love with Sidney for a while, so he’s onboard with the change. And it soon becomes obvious to Cade the hunky detective might be looking to for even more permanence. Could Sidney possibly want to make Cade Legally His?

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Jul 10, 2021
• ISBN: 9781646568406

Shawn Lane

Shawn Lane is a multi-published author of gay romance. She lives and works in Southern California. She has been published by Loose Id, Amber Quill Press, Evernight Publishing, MLR Press, JMS Books, and Ellora’s Cave. For more information, visit smlgr8.blogspot.com.

Book preview

Chapter 1

When my cell phone pinged for the third time, my brother, Ruben Lamonte, who currently sat across from me at the dining room table, gave me the side-eye.

Ruben and I were twins but couldn’t really be less alike other than the physical resemblance. And we were fraternal not identical.

My brother kept his dark hair short-trimmed, almost a buzz cut. I kept mine shorn in the back, long in the front, and generally dyed it according to my current whim. It was violet now. Ruben always carried a little more weight than I did and I was shorter by about two inches.  

Besides the two of us at the table, Ruben’s fiancée, Margo, joined us. She looked up from her game piece at the interruption, but then went about her business taking her turn at the board game.

I used that opportunity to ignore Ruben and look at my texts.

Hey Cade.

Followed by, I’d love to see you.

And finally, this last one, Call Me.

I read the texts aloud.

We just ordered a pizza, Ruben spoke. His tone was flat, irritated. And I knew why.

The texts were from my on-again off-again lover, Sidney Conner. Sidney—not Sid, according to the man himself—was a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. What we had, when we had it, could hardly be called a relationship. Certainly not in the sense of Ruben and Margo or even our older brother, Damian, and his new boyfriend, Arthur.

Sidney assured me he had no time for any kind of full-time romantic thing, but he liked sex and he liked sex with me.

This bugged Ruben. He didn’t like the way Sidney was with me. But part of me also thought it bothered him that both Damian and I were into guys. He said it didn’t, but he often got kind of surly about it.

Besides the three Lamonte guys, we had a sister, Pam. We’d lost both of our parents by now, but we were a tightknit sibling bunch.

Oh, give him a break, honey, Margo spoke up for me. It’s not like we can’t polish off a pizza without Cade. She smiled at me. Been a while since you heard from Detective Heartthrob, huh?

This made me roll my eyes. He’s not.

He was, actually. Sidney was gorgeous. Tall, dark, and handsome described him perfectly. Muscular, too. He had that old-fashioned stony ruggedness.

But yes, it’s been a while.

Two months actually. But I knew he’d been working a case and certainly wouldn’t make seeing me a priority. And despite all that, I was excited to see him.

So tell him you’ll see him. That’s what he wants, right?

Yeah, I admitted without looking at my sullen brother.

"We’re playing Life. And having pizza. Can’t you see him another time?"

That from Ruben, of course.

The thing was, Ruben wasn’t wrong. I was busy with them and it would suck to blow them off for Sidney. But Sidney could go another two months with no availability.

Ruben, Margo said gently. We do this stuff all the time. If Cade wants to go…

Fine. Fine. Whatever. Do your booty call.

I made a face at him, but I rose from the table to text Sidney when my cell rang. It was him.

Cade?

"Hey. I was just about to text you back. Was playing Life with Ruben and Margo."

There was only a slight pause. Can I see you?

I glanced at the dining room table where Ruben was pointedly ignoring me. Yeah. Should I come to your place now?

Yes. I’m home. See you soon.

And Sidney hung up.

* * * *

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