“Feel like celebrating?” I offer him one of the glasses.
“What are we celebrating?” he asks, taking the glass from my hand.
“A successful event?” That familiar tightness in my throat returns. I pull him toward the edge of the room.
“Maybe the fact that the two of us managed to work things out after all these years?” I’d drink to that. I clink my glass against his and take a long sip as he does the same.
“Do you think we could step outside for a little air?”
“Are you feeling faint again?” Maybe I shouldn’t have gotten him a drink. I don’t know how long the drugs they gave him last night might last or whether they mix with alcohol. I grab his arm, hoping to steady him, and look around for the closest chair.
“I’m okay,” Nathan says, putting a hand over mine. “I just need some air.” I take both our glasses and set them on one of the trays before leading him toward the hotel lobby. It’s not an easy task since I keep one eye on his face, looking for any signs of trouble.
“Is this okay?” I motion toward a nook in the lobby with a couple of chairs. “Or would you rather go outside?”
“This is perfect.” I help him settle in one of the chairs before sitting down across from him.
“Are you sure you’re okay? I could go find some water or get my car so we can go home?” He didn’t look pale again, but there was a restlessness to him that bothered me.
“I’m fine. I just wanted a chance to talk to you without any interruptions.”
I swallow hard. That doesn’t sound good.
“Not talk like that.” I must have done a poor job of schooling my expression if he’d picked up on my discomfort. “God, I’m already screwing this up.”
“You aren’t screwing anything up. Take your time. I’m right here.” I lean in and grab his hands, pulling them up to kiss the backs of his hands before letting them rest on my knees.
“I know I’m the one who said I wanted to take things slow, but I think I only have one speed when it comes to you, Colt.” He pauses, and I open my mouth before I think better and snap it shut. “I love you, and before you say anything, you don’t have tosay it back. I couldn’t wait any longer, though. I love you, Colt. I think I always have and always will.”
I get out of my chair and kneel down on the floor between us. “Oh, Nathan. I don’t know why you would ever think I wouldn’t say it back. I love you, too. So much.” He leans down and captures my mouth. I kiss him slowly, savoring the taste of champagne on his lips. His hand finds the back of my head and pulls me into him. It’s a good thing we have space between us, or the whole lobby would be getting quite a show right now. As it is, I expect we have a bit of an audience.
“Think they can get by without us for the rest of the night?” Nathan asks.
“Oh, I know they can. Want to get out of here?” I’m already calculating how long it will take the valet to get the car and what traffic will be like at this time of night.
“I have a better idea.” I groan. I’ll do anything he wants, but right now, all I can think about is stripping Nathan down and showing him how much I care about him. He pulls a keycard from his pocket and looks at me with a twinkle in his eye. “What do you say to a short elevator ride?”
“I say, lead the way.” He grabs my hand and starts toward the elevators. “Hey.” I pull him back for a minute. “I love you.”
“I love you, baby.”
Epilogue
One year later
NATHAN
“Oh my god.How long does it take to get ready?” I know I’m being a bit of an asshole, but I’m nervous.
“Give me five more minutes. We have plenty of time,” Colt calls from the bathroom. Our bathroom.
Five minutes, I can do five minutes. The ring in my pocket has been hidden in the back of the dresser for the last month, waiting for the perfect time. I almost pulled it out about a hundred times. Hell, I thought about scrapping the plan and doing it last night when we were cuddled up after sex. The way he’d held me close and whispered in my ear while he filled me up completely destroyed me in all the best ways. By the end, I was begging him to let me come. When he finally gave in, the orgasm rolled through me endlessly. When I came down, he’d held me close and kissed me until I was completely breathless.
Lying there, I almost tore myself out of bed to grab the ring and propose right then and there. Somehow, I held back. I had planned for today, and I was finally going to make this a more permanent thing. I pace around the kitchen, stopping to fidget with anything I can find on the counter. If he doesn’t hurry, I’d have the whole kitchen rearranged.
“Okay. Are you going to tell me where we’re going now?” Colt appears in the kitchen, and my breath catches. I’d picked out his outfit, so I knew what he was wearing, but wow. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of drinking him in.
“Absolutely not.”
