me. That you’re a mad axe-murderer? A serial poisoner? A sex maniac. Oh yep, I think I might have hit the nail on the head there.”
Tay caught hold of Ink’s other hand and stood facing him. “My heart is pounding, my mouth’s dry and my stomach’s churning.”
“Are you coming down with something?” Ink whispered.
“Yep. I’ve got it bad.”
“It must be catching because I feel the same.”
Tay’s exhalation was shaky. “I know this is fast, but what seemed more than lust and less than love has become love.”
Ink tensed.
“I know you,” Tay whispered. “I don’t know everything about you, but I see the man you are, the man you’ll be. Not perfect. Neither am I. But you’re perfect for me.” Oh God. “I love you.”
Tay kissed him and the world shattered around them like glass. He always felt as if he could kiss Ink forever. Then they ran out of air.
“I love that you were the first and will be the last man to kiss me,” Ink whispered. “Even though when you said you could keep going all night, I didn’t think you meant snore.”
“What?”
“I just wanted to be sure this was a moment we remembered.”
Tay laughed. He felt as if a weight was lifting off his chest, though he was aware Ink hadn’t actually said those three words.
“I’m going to make you see stars,” Ink whispered. “But not until we’re off the beach because I really don’t want to get arrested.”
THEY WERE LATE SETTING OFF for Devan and Jonty’s. They’d barely been able to wait to get back to the house. Once they were in bed, Ink wanted to stay there and Tay had to work hard to convince him they needed to go out and stay over.
“Did you bring your swimming trunks?” Jonty demanded as he yanked open the front door.
Dog bounded in.
Tay sighed. “Yes, you told us to. Yes, we’re staying. Yes, I’d like a drink.”
They followed Jonty into the kitchen and Ink put Dog’s bed in the corner. It was a lovely house, the sort of place Tay would like for him and Ink. There were decisions to make, but his parents weren’t back for several weeks so they had time.
Jonty hugged Tay, then hugged Ink for a lot longer.
“Don’t think I didn’t notice that hug,” Tay said. “I timed it.”
“Ink needed it. I hugged you all the time when you were unconscious. I even kissed you on the lips once, but disappointingly you didn’t magically come awake and thump me.”
A fleeting expression went across Jonty’s face then and Tay wondered what he was thinking. That Tay might have welcomed his kiss? What if…?
Devan hugged Tay, then wrapped his arms around Ink. “I’m glad for you,” he said.
“Champagne!” Jonty pulled a bottle from the fridge. “Devan is so mean. He wouldn’t let me open it until you arrived.”
“Because I’d have had to open another bottle and you’d have spent the evening asleep on the couch. I regret ever having let you taste it. It’s not remotely like slightly sour but exciting lemonade because it gets you drunk as you keep describing it. I didn’t think our sommelier was ever going to speak to you again after you told him that when we did the staff wine tasting. And you need to slow down when you drink it.”
Devan poured four glasses and held his up in a toast. “To Ink. To justice finally being done. To your outstanding bravery. To your future happiness. To our lasting friendship. And to Tay, for all you’ve had to put up with, especially Jonty. You’ve both been on long journeys, but you’re almost home now. Welcome back.”
They touched their glasses together.
“Can I make a toast, too?” Tay asked. “I’d like to thank Jonty for sticking by me when I was sick. He didn’t know he was making me smile, making me want to fight to get well, but he was. I’d like to thank Devan for seeing what I see in him, for seeing even more than I see. Jonty’s kind heart, his eternal sunshine, and his steadfast loyalty make him a very special person. And lastly, thank you to Ink, for making me see the man I could be and helping me along the way.”
“Oops, I’ve emptied my glass,” Jonty said. “Don’t look at me like that. One gulp for Ink, then one for Tay, then one for me, and then one for Devan, and another for Ink.”
“Sip not gulp,” Devan said.
“Oh yeah. I forgot.”
THE BBQ WAS DELICIOUS. Chargrilled burgers, vegetable