Page 103

“It’s strange. Spending this past week worrying and then suddenly I’m just in there talking to her. She didn’t know what to say. Neither did I. I’m not sure how I didn’t start blubbering. We muddled through it. I held her hand.”

“I’m amazed you’re not angrier.”

Adam sighed. “I let go of my anger years ago. It was killing me.”

“I’d have a hard time doing that. I’m not good at forgiving.”

Adam traced the contours of Ben’s lower back with his finger. “You seem to have forgiven me.”

“Eh, guess so,” Ben said.

“You guess so, huh?”

Ben chuckled and moved in to kiss him. “You know I have,” Ben said against his lips.

“I’m glad. I couldn’t do this without you.”

“You could.” Ben reached over and turned the lamp off before pulling Adam close. “We need to head to your place in the morning. You’re out of clothes.”

“Then I say we stay here and I just don’t wear any.” They kissed again, and Adam took a chance and said, “I do want you to think about us living together. Just say the word when you’re ready.”

Ben eyed him, a faint smile on his face. “An open invitation to come live in a mansion. Hmmm. Never thought I’d get one of those.”

“If it’s too big, we’ll move. I’ll sell it. Donate it to a charity. Whatever you want.”

“You. I just want you. And I have you, so let’s enjoy these moments without worrying about that stuff.”

Adam pressed his lips together. “I’m used to arranging things. Getting everything in order.”

“Well, I’m a person. You can’t do that with us.”

At that moment, Latte jumped back up on the bed and climbed onto Ben, balancing on his hip as she cleaned her face.

“Or with cats, it seems,” Adam said.

Ben wiggled his ass and rolled to the side, which made Latte hop off and settle in her usual place on the bed. His expression serious, Ben said, “I will think about it. Crazy as all this has been, I’ve been pretty happy this past week.”

“That’s what I want.”

Ben smiled and kissed him before rolling over to spoon against Adam, who wrapped his arm around Ben and rested his cheek against his shoulder.

“Night,” Ben said, brushing his fingers over Adam’s arm before putting one of the spare pillows between his knees and settling down.

“Night,” Adam said. Sleep didn’t come right away, and he simply enjoyed holding Ben and listening to his soft breathing as it blended with a gentle purr, and occasional nose whistle, coming from the foot of the bed.