Page 31

He swallowed hard and forced himself to accept the possibility that Brayden might be gone for good. The airport was almost empty. He felt sure that if Brayden were there, he’d have seen him. Which meant Brayden’s flight had already left.

But it was a very small airport, and Brayden had a window of only a few hours. If Celine had dropped Brayden off here, and if he’d gotten on a plane instead of, say, taking a taxi somewhere else—

A screen above him showed the day’s scheduled departures. One was boarding now, with three more scheduled throughout the day.

Five were marked DEPARTED—ON TIME.

And suddenly Flip knew where Brayden had gone.

Even when he rolled his suitcase under the double bed in his hotel room, Brayden couldn’t quite believe he’d gone through with it.

For the first time since he’d begun traveling, he’d actually followed through on that promise to himself— if I can’t stay where I am, I’ll go back to someplace I loved .

This wasn’t exactly the place, of course.

Brayden couldn’t afford to stay in a glass igloo overlooking a valley, especially not if he were really going to quit his job.

He had a view of a snowy parking lot, and considering the occupancy rate of the hotel around the holidays, he was lucky he had that.

But the room was clean, and the hotel had a package that included ski or snowboard rental.

He’d spent the afternoon on the slopes, losing himself in the hush of snow under his feet and the sting of powder on his face, pushing his body until everything ached.

No one recognized him with his goggles on. It was practically paradise.

He’d have had a lot more fun if Flip were there too.

Maybe he should have just gone home, but his family wouldn’t return until after New Year’s, and he couldn’t face his empty apartment.

At the moment, though, his empty hotel room wasn’t any more appealing. He didn’t want to talk to anyone, but he didn’t want to be alone either, especially not alone and cold and wet.

Fortunately Brayden’s travels had taught him one thing—ski resorts always had a bar. And a strong drink by a roaring fire sounded like heaven.

The bar was a bust. Sitting next to a crackling wood fire with a hot toddy only made him long for the evenings he’d spent with Flip, and the ache inside him deepened.

He’d thought the sauna would present the same issue, but it wasn’t intimate like the one at their glass igloo. The quiet drone of conversation—mostly in Finnish—soothed him. He leaned his head back against the wall and let the heat and steam loosen his aching muscles.

The door opened and a hotel employee stuck his head in and said something in Finnish to the guys sitting next to the door. They exchanged looks and got up to follow.

Brayden closed his eyes and tried to plan for his future.

If he quit his job, what would he do? He could probably find work as a translator, either for the government or privately.

But his heart wouldn’t be in that any more than it was in his current job, and he wouldn’t have the travel benefits to keep him happy enough to fake it.

He could get a teaching degree, but then what?

Teaching jobs weren’t exactly easy to come by, even if he had nepotism on his side.

One by one the other bathers filed out, leaving the room silent except for the occasional hiss of steam. Caught up in self-pity, Brayden didn’t move.

Maybe he could return to his grandmother’s studio. She might consider selling the place to him when she retired, not that Brayden had much saved to give her for it.

Of course, every time he taught the waltz, he’d think of Flip’s sure grip and warm eyes, the steady pressure of his hand on Brayden’s waist, the way their bodies moved together.

It had taken Brayden ten years to get over teenage heartbreak.

How long before he could imagine a future for himself—one he wanted —that didn’t have Flip in it?

He’d been foolish to ever believe he could pretend to be involved with Flip and walk away with his heart intact.

He should have known better from the first time Flip rushed off to be his cousin’s knight in armor.

From the first time he shared that sometimes he ate ice cream for lunch.

From the first time Brayden made him laugh.

He should have known, just as he should have known Flip couldn’t be for him. He didn’t blame Flip for wanting to break it off. Even if all he wanted in the world was to go back to Lyngria right now and beg him to reconsider.

“Brayden.”

The hair on the back of his neck rose. He opened his eyes.

Flip stood in the doorway to the sauna, cheeks flushed, his normally coiffed hair in disarray.

That, paired with his expensive mismatched clothing, lent him a sort of hopeless air.

He looked like a wealthy man who’d just come off a bender—or a prince who’d suddenly discovered his lover absent from his life.

Brayden’s mouth worked without his permission, and he wondered if he was seeing things. “What are you doing here?”

“Coming after you. Obviously.”

That didn’t make any sense. “ Why? ” Not that he was complaining.

Flip went on, just as calmly, as though he didn’t already have sweat beading at his temples, “Tell me you don’t love me and I’ll let you go.”

Brayden swallowed hard. “What does that have to do with anything? You’re the one who wanted to end things.”

“I wasn’t breaking up with you.”

Brayden waited a few seconds for that to sink in. It didn’t. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I wasn’t breaking up with you,” Flip repeated, flushing either with the heat or embarrassment or both.

“I wanted to talk about our relationship, but it wasn’t anything bad.

I was nervous and flustered, and that made me sound…

formal and distant when I meant to be affectionate.

I started badly and it got worse from there, and then I got interrupted… .”

“Started badly.” Brayden rubbed his eyes and looked up again, but Flip was still there.

Unless Brayden had been sitting there long enough to start hallucinating.

“And got worse from there. And then I thought… and I left.” He winced, but his heart was lifting, and he managed half a laugh. “Jesus, we’re a pair.”

“Maybe we can make a New Year’s resolution to communicate better,” Flip offered with a soft smile. “I’ll start now, though. You are far too kind, charming, and good-natured to cause an international incident.”

Brayden’s hands were trembling. “The press… they’re so awful to you. And I remember your face when you talked about what happened with Miles. I don’t ever want to be the reason you get hurt like that. My Instagram account could have been so embarrassing for you.”

“Brayden. I was born brown and gay. To the worst of the press, I’m already the scourge of the country. Do you really think I take anything they say to heart? Especially when it’s about the man I love?”

The man I love. Brayden’s throat worked. Flip loved him—now, still, after everything he’d put him through. How had he misunderstood something so fundamental to Flip’s life? “But after the ball… you were upset. I thought….”

“Yes—for you,” Flip said. “You didn’t sign up for that level of scrutiny, and I was angry with myself for subjecting you to it without preparing you. And embarrassed—not of you, but because I….”

Brayden waited. He was still reeling from Flip’s confession and had no idea what he might say.

“Because I knew I wanted to pursue a real relationship with you, and I’d just made it very complicated for myself.”

“Oh,” he said in a small voice. A smile began to tug at the corners of his mouth, but it seemed too early to give in to it. Surely things could still go sour? Brayden had an excellent track record of fucking things up.

Flip kissed the back of his hand. “My dad told me what happened on your shopping trip and that he might have scared you off. He was extremely contrite.” Then he shook his head.

“But that’s partly my fault too. Apparently he was trying to give us a nudge in the right direction. If I’d told him the truth earlier….”

“I mean, let’s not discount the fact that I jumped to conclusions and left the country instead of actually talking to you.” Brayden swallowed hard thinking of what he’d done. “There’s plenty of blame to go around.”

Flip sat next to him on the bench. He had to be sweltering in the heat of the sauna, but he didn’t betray the slightest bit of discomfort. “I’d like to start our conversation over, if that’s okay with you?”

“After making you chase me to Finland, I think hearing you out is the least I can do.” He felt really stupid. “I’m so sorry. I was so preoccupied thinking I’d fuck things up for you. Or that someone would find out the whole thing was fake….”

Flip huffed softly and leaned his forehead against Brayden’s. “You idiot. Not a single moment has been fake.”

Brayden leaned back and let Flip hold some of his weight, the last of the tension melting from his body. “Yeah.” He blinked slowly, enjoying the moment. “Okay. This conversation. You have my attention. I promise I’m not going to run out before it’s finished and get on a plane this time.”

“And I’m going to be casual and affectionate instead of formal and cold.

” Flip laced the fingers of their left hands together and briefly pressed a kiss to Brayden’s knuckles.

“I don’t care what people say about you or about us in the media.

I know who you are. You’re kind, compassionate, and smart, and you make me happy.

Almost since we met, I’ve wanted more from you than I thought I could ask for, but you proved me wrong last time and maybe you’ll do it again. ”

Brayden swallowed, but he wouldn’t let himself look away from Flip’s eyes. He could feel his heart beating in his throat.

“I want you to come back with me—to come home .”

Brayden exhaled shakily, overcome with relief.

“I don’t know how I thought I could stay away.

” He belonged with Flip. That Flip was a prince would occasionally be a minor inconvenience to overcome.

“Though I don’t know what I’m going to do.

I’ll have to quit my job, but I don’t think I’m cut out to sit on my hands all day. ”

“Oh, I can think of a few positions that need filling.” Flip’s eyes were laughing.

For fuck’s sake. They really were a pair. Brayden held back an incredulous laugh. “Was that an innuendo? Right now? I thought we were having a moment.”

“I was thinking the head of the Thousand Lights charity committee,” Flip protested innocently. “Maybe some work developing dance classes and other activities for hospitalized children? Senior citizens’ homes too, if that doesn’t keep you busy.”

Damn him. He had thought of everything. “That sounds like it could be in my wheelhouse.”

Flip smoothed his thumb over the back of Brayden’s hand. “You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that. But I hope that won’t take up all your time, because there’s one more role I had in mind.”

“Oh yeah?” Brayden said, wondering what ridiculous thing was about to come out of Flip’s mouth. “What’s that?”

Flip slid off the bench and knelt on the sauna floor. From his pocket he produced a small jewelry box, which he opened. It held a simple white gold band and an enormous familiar-looking flawed diamond. “My husband.”

Brayden raised his left hand to his mouth.

Flip took his right. “Will you marry me?”

Brayden’s mouth got ahead of his brain. “What if I accidentally tell a dick joke to the Pope?”

Flip shrugged, ignoring entirely the absurdity of the question. “He’s eighty-one years old. You think he’s never heard a dick joke before?”

Brayden managed a watery smile. “Not one of mine.” Flip squeezed his hand again and Brayden remembered his next thought. “I’ve known you for three weeks.”

Flip smiled and slid the ring on his finger.

Apparently he could tell that was not an actual objection.

“So we’ll have a very long engagement. Family tradition.

Anyway, I hear it can take years to plan a royal wedding.

” He curled Brayden’s fingers around his own. “But I’m not going to change my mind.”

Brayden laughed and pulled him to his feet, and Flip wrapped both arms around him and kissed him until all he could do was hold on.

When Flip pulled back, eyes soft and warm and full of love, it was like stepping off a cliff. He knew he couldn’t go back. But that was okay. Life was a gift, and now, finally, Brayden was living it to the fullest.

Besides, he thought as their lips met, Flip would be there to catch him the next time he fell.