Page 65 of Pretty Poison

Rocky pursed his lips while he considered it. “I’m not sure how I like sitting next to a stab wound in the pecking order of priorities.”

Asher laughed. “That stab wound put me on medical leave for six weeks, which meant I had a lot of time to think and think and think.”

“Sounds familiar.”

“I took stock of my life and didn’t like what I found. I’m a miserable son of a bitch without you.”

The admission stole Rocky’s breath. “Same.”

“When the position opened in the Savannah field office, I viewed it as fate sending me to you.” Asher smiled wryly. “I also figured out where I’d gone wrong with you.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong, Asher. I couldn’t have asked for a better husband. I’m so fucking sorry that you spent even a second wondering what you could’ve done differently.”

Shaking his head, Asher said, “You’re wrong, Ford. I was too busy trying to give you what you claimed to want when I should’ve been focused on what you needed. Me,” he added in case Rocky was confused.

Rolling on to his side to face Asher again, Rocky shifted the weight of his husband’s thigh to his hip. “I’m an analytical guy.”

Asher quirked a brow. “You don’t say.”

Rocky chuckled as he tried to parse together the right words. “I could never figure out why the sums of my highs and lows never added up.” He reached out and cupped Asher’s face. “As much as I love the friendships I’ve made since returning to Savannah, you’re the missing piece I need to make my equation complete.”

His husband’s smile was so sweet, he couldn’t resist closing the short gap to taste it for himself.

“That’s a fancy way of agreeing with me,” Asher said. “I can tell you’ve been reading more than just Sam Spade books.”

Rocky snorted. “Marla started a book club, and she’s big into romance these days. I might’ve picked up a thing or two.” He nuzzled his nose against Asher’s. “I love you.”

Asher swallowed loud enough for Rocky to hear it, so he pulled back to look at him. Too much, too soon? The pirate smile slashed through his panic like a rapier.

“I love you too,” Asher said.

They kissed until Rocky barely had enough breath and energy left to yawn. He didn’t care that an erection hadn’t materialized, and for once, he wasn’t worried about falling asleep. But there was something he needed to know first.

“Why me?”

“Hmm?” Asher asked in a drowsy voice. His eyelashes fluttered but his lids remained shut.

“Why was I your first guy?”

Asher slowly opened his eyes and stared at him. “My only,” he corrected.

Rocky smiled. “Why am I your only?”

“We’ve talked about this before.”

“We have,” Rocky agreed. They had similar stories. Both were raised in Catholic homes and hadn’t wanted to upset their families. Like Jonah, Asher had joined the military after school and wasn’t free to be out. The longer he kept his secret, the harder it became to tell the truth. “But you never said what it was about me that coaxed you out of the closet.”

Asher snorted. “You have such a way with words.” Then he took a deep breath. “You might recall that I was part of the task force that took down that douchebag in Vegas.”

“I have a hazy recollection.”

“Well, we didn’t just happen on to the scene. We staked out the place for days.” Asher laughed, then said, “Well, more specifically, I was staking out you, who was staking out the place.”

“And you thought I was cute?”

“Fishing for compliments, are we?” Asher asked.

Rocky shook his head. “Maybe a few.”