Mel instantly shook his head. “It’s not for sale.”
Something unclenched in Silas’ chest, and he smiled. Though he couldn’t say why, relief filled him. “Good. This one’s special.”
Mel grunted in agreement. He turned back toward the painting as he tugged Silas tighter against his chest. “I know it’s silly, but somehow, it reminds me of us.”
Silas blinked, startled. A laugh bubbled out of him, and he stepped away from Mel, turning to find his husband scowling athim. “Really?” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. “Am I the Celestial or the Infernal?”
“I don’t know.” Mel shoved his hands in his pockets and glared at the painting as though this was all its fault. “I told you it was silly. There was just something about it—two opposing sides coming together in defiance of all odds—that spoke to me, I guess.”
Fuzzy butterflies fluttered through Silas’ belly. “You mean like howwecame together?” he asked, his voice softening.
Still not looking at him, Mel nodded. “For a while there, it seemed impossible. You with your unending supply of books, constantly following me around and getting underfoot…”
“Excuse me!” Silas shoved Mel’s shoulder with an aggrieved laugh. “I don’t remember you ever telling me to get lost. You liked having me around, even back then—admit it!”
Mel shrugged. “There were worse ways to pass the time than your obnoxious stories. You wore me down eventually, what with the incessant stalking—”
“Stalking! Isthatwhat you call courting?”
“We were nine, Silas,” Mel said dryly. “Neither of us knew the first thing about love.”
“Not true.” Silas stepped in close, resting his hands on Mel’s hips. Mel swallowed, his throat bobbing as Silas painted kisses along the sharp edge of his jaw. “I knew I loved you from the first moment I saw you. It was like fate.”
Mel shuddered, his own hands coming up to grip Silas’ sides. “Fate, huh?” He nuzzled Silas’ neck. “Then, I guess the universe got at least one thing right.”
As their lips met again, their hands questing beneath their clothes to map each other’s bodies anew, Silas couldn’t help but agree.
