It Takes Two to Tumble (Seducing the Sedgwicks, #1)

by Cat Sebastian

The general sentiment among Alton Sedgwick’s disciples was that the Sedgwick children were beautiful and picturesque, much like the sheep that dotted the hills. Ben and his brothers had a handful of mortifying poems written about them, not that anyone had seen fit to ask for their permission.

Ben, for all he had spent his life in proximity to sheep, never got tired of watching the lambs. Alice always told him he had the aesthetic sensibilities of an infant: he liked summer, and baby animals, and fruit tarts.

“You can leave it to me to decide what I think a sin is. Everybody’s a damned theologian on this topic. I’m so tired of it. If we can all quietly agree that eating pork and shaving aren’t sinful, I don’t see why we can’t extend that same grace to men like us.”

“You make me want to hold you all night and into the morning. You make me think I’ll hate getting back on my ship. You make me wish I could stay here and give you what you deserve. That I could be what you deserve.”

He had always thought the expression falling in love to be a mere idiom. He knew how to love—he loved his brothers, he loved Alice, he loved the Dacre children, and he loved many other people besides. God commanded him to love, and he did it with his heart and with his actions. He hadn’t realized that this other kind of love, the kind he felt for Phillip, had so much in common with falling off a cliff. He couldn’t stop loving Phillip any more than he could stop gravity.

“Is that what we did? Join our souls?” Phillip was slightly startled. Ben propped himself up on his elbow so he was looking down at Phillip. “I think we’ve been doing that for weeks.” For a moment Phillip could hardly breathe. “Benedict. God. I don’t want to let you down. You deserve so much better—” Ben silenced him with a lazy kiss. “Don’t you dare tell me I don’t deserve this. Don’t you dare.”

“And then there are David and Jonathan.” Phillip had always been a lax student and couldn’t immediately place the reference. “We’re told that their souls were knit together. Jonathan gave David his robe and his sword, his bow and his belt. They loved one another and had a covenant. Not water to wine, but a different kind of miracle. “Friendship and love,” Ben went on. “Vows and covenants. It’s the only kind of miracle most of us will experience, whatever shape it comes in.” Perhaps some of the other churchgoers were confused or disturbed, but Phillip would never know because he couldn’t take his eyes off Ben. He knew Ben was saying this to him, and that it was important, and he didn’t want to miss a word.

That night we first were together, you mentioned the marriage vows. I didn’t understand then, but I do now. It means something to you. So tell me.” “I don’t have any worldly goods to endow you with,” Ben whispered. “I’m not rich but I have enough for both of us to be comfortable. And you’ll accept it? Will you, Ben? Not just as an investor in your school, but because what’s mine is yours. You’ll understand that it’s nothing to do with freeloading or whatever it is your father did?” Ben swallowed. “Yes. I understand.” “Now keep going. I want to hear the good part.” Ben laughed despite the tears in his eyes, and looked away. “No, look at me when you say it.” “With my body, I thee worship.” “And I do too. Benedict, Benedict. The words may not mean the same to me as they do to you, but I’d swear it on anything you liked. I love you and never ever want you to doubt that. You’re mine and I’m yours and . . .” He squeezed Ben’s hands. “This is all new to me. I’m in a new world without a map or a chart, but you’re my compass, Ben, and I know we’ll find a way.”

“A month ago,” Phillip whispered, “I was dreading going home, and now, well, I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life here. With you.” Phillip brushed a kiss across his lips, and Ben could tell he was smiling. “Take me home, Phillip. Please.”