Page 112 of Thrill

“Deal.”

They pulled on their clothes and ran down the stairs. It was about seven o’clock and another lovely evening. As they walked to the park, Danny babbled on about all the things he wanted to do to the shop.

Tyler hated that he’d done anything that might have dimmed his light. He reached out and took Danny’s hand.

Danny stopped mid-sentence.

“We’re going to do this,” Tyler said. “I really believe it.”

“No matter what anyone says.”

They carried on walking.

“I don’t think I’ll be going home for Christmas this year,” Tyler said.

“Does that bother you?”

“Yeah, I can’t lie. It’s a tough lesson to learn.”

Danny frowned. “You know there’s a family not too far away that are absolutely gagging to get you into their clutches.”

Heat burst from Tyler’s heart.

“You reckon?”

“Oh, Lisa has been in black for a week. I should probably text her. Put her out of her misery.”

Tyler kissed him. “I meant what I said earlier. I do love you.”

Danny squeezed his hand. “I love you too and I’m going to tell you that every day. Some days more than once.”

“You are quite the romantic.”

“Plus I’m going to teach you how to sand and varnish and stain.”

They were at the park gate now. Tyler stopped. “Not a chance, mate.”

Danny leant against the railing, looking impossibly sexy.

“Think of it. When you do buy a place. What if every piece of furniture had been created by us?”

It sounded like a lot of work.

“When you look at each piece, you remember a silly joke, astolen kiss or even an argument that we make up for in the office.”

Tyler cuddled into him. “Shit, you really are romantic. I thought men like you were an urban myth.”

“Sounds like you got lucky.”

Tyler launched himself into Danny’s arms. “Believe me when I say, I know I’ve got lucky.”

They kissed. It was more than a kiss. It was sealing the best deal Tyler had ever made in his life.

They wandered through the park, hand in hand. The smell of roses would forever be linked to this moment for Tyler.

“I can’t stay up late,” Danny said. “There’s a massive delivery of double enders coming in tomorrow. Stan will be conveniently somewhere else.”

Tyler burst out laughing.