Page 26 of Find Me Again (KRK Security #3)

A few months later

"Noo," Ryan moaned when the covers were unceremoniously tugged off of him. "We're staying in."

Neil snorted. "No, we're not."

"I'll blow you if we stay in."

The few seconds of silence let him hope he might have won, especially when his partner pressed himself against his back a moment later.

"Tempting, I have to admit." Neil dropped a kiss on the back of Ryan's neck. "But I'm pretty sure I can convince you to blow me anyway. Missing your friends' engagement party, though, you might not forgive me for, even if it would have been your idea."

"What if I sign a waiver that says otherwise?" Ryan asked, leaning back into Neil's embrace. This was how he should've been woken up in the first place.

"Nope," Neil told him after sucking what would end up being a mark on the top of his shoulder. "I may, however, be willing to blow you in the shower as long as you get up on time. Which means right now."

Ryan sighed, hopefully making it clear how much of a sacrifice it was. Then he sat up, disentangling himself from Neil.

"Fine. Come on, then."

After the prolonged shower—where they both got to come, because Ryan was nice like that—they still had time to eat their breakfast in peace, as they always tried to.

It had become one of their things, a custom established months ago—whenever they were in the same place, breakfast was their time and their time alone. Only later could they go out and spend time with other people.

And with this being the first weekend since Neil had come to DC for the prolonged stay, it was doubly important to make it right.

Logically, Ryan knew they were now going to have a lot of mornings like this one, but for now, it was all still new.

Neil had unpacked his suitcases this time, for one. And there wasn't going to be a goodbye later tonight.

"You're smiling at those eggs harder than you did at me after I gave you a blowjob," Neil complained, dragging him back to Earth. "Something is terribly wrong here."

Ryan grinned. "Well, now that you mention it—"

"Don't you dare."

"—you make excellent eggs."

"That's it, romance is dead." Neil sighed, even though there was a smile tugging at his lips.

"I wouldn't say so, well-prepared eggs are a clear sign of romance to me." Ryan laughed at Neil's face. "Fine, fine, your skills in both sex and cooking are very much appreciated and applauded. Happy now?"

"Happy-ish."

"For what it's worth, these eggs aren't giving me an orgasm, so—"

"Okay, okay, forget it," Neil cut him off. "I'm happy, full stop."

"Yeah. I'm happy, full stop, too," Ryan told him, more honestly than their joking required.

Neil's smile turned gentle, and he nodded. "Good. That's good."

And it was good. Great, even. They'd been making it work, and while it hadn't always been easy, they'd hung in there, flying back and forth, brushing off the media attention, and talking every day. And now, here they were—Neil with another Stanley Cup victory to his name and Ryan with his partner home with him for the entire post-season break. All they had to worry about was how to handle all the small stuff, like the fact that Neil still hadn't learned to put the milk back in the fridge after taking it out, or that Ryan refused to go running with him in the morning.

Problems like that, Ryan could deal with any day.

"Hey," he said, and when Neil looked up to meet his gaze, he winked at him. "I love you."

And there it was, Neil's most beautiful smile.

"I love you, too."

For that, Ryan could deal with anything.

THE END