Page 99 of Cherry on Top

“Yes, thanks to you,” Will said, the corner of his mouth quirking up. “That was a risk. But it paid off.”

Enzo leaned over and kissed him, even more thoroughly than he’d done in the bakery earlier today.

He’d gone a bit overboard then, because he’d wanted to convince Will’s parents they were as wild for each other as they claimed.

But it hadn’t felt like too much. Actually the opposite. It had felt right.

“I figured you’d bailed me out, I could help you out right back?”

“Oh yeah?” Will asked in a teasing voice. “That’s all it was? You helpin’ me out?”

Enzo flushed. Caught out. “No,” he admitted.

Yes, he did look tired, but he looked happy, too. And Enzo wondered what he’d have looked like if they hadn’t sent his parents packing, together. If he’d been forced to internalize all that guilt.

“I thought so,” Will said knowingly, leaning back in his chair.

“And I talked to Rocco too—like you probably thought I did. He understands.” Enzo grimaced. “Okay, he mostly understands. But he won’t say anything. I made sure of it.”

“Good.” Will seemed relieved to hear that. That was all Enzo had wanted. To take some of the burden off the guy, some the interminable guilt he was all too familiar with, but he was afraid

“If you’re too tired to deal with the rest of the moving tonight—”

But before Enzo could even get his suggestion out, Will shook his head. “Nope. I’ve just got two duffel bags of clothes left. If you can help me, I’ll be done. Besides, Joy told me she needed the room.” He grinned. “I think the exact words were, I need to sanitize and fumigate it from all the excess testosterone.”

“Excess my ass. I think it was just the right amount,” Enzo scoffed.

“That’s your story and you should stick to it, Honey Bunny,” Will joked, patting him on the arm, his grin widening. “Come on, let’s get going.”

They made quick work of heading over to the Inn, grabbing Will’s duffels. On their way out, they spotted Joy and Giana on one end of the long wraparound porch and they waved but didn’t come over.

“I want to say I’m glad about that,” Enzo said as they walked the few blocks over to his mom’s house—and the garage with his apartment above it. “I should be relieved she’s giving me some room to breathe. But . . .” Enzo sighed heavily.

“How many times has your mom said I told you so?” Will asked casually. But it wasn’t really a casual question.

Enzo glanced over at him, his handsome face shadowed as he unlocked the door. He’d already given Will a key, and he’d felt a whole lot of things as he’d watched him slide it onto his key ring, next to the bright pink keys Will had for Cherry’s.

“Not many yet, but I’m sure there’s more to come,” he said, pushing the door open. “I can’t believe this is all you’ve got.”

Will looked up from where he was setting down his duffel next to where Enzo had dropped his own load. There were half a dozen boxes and the duffels, and that was it. Enzo thought he traveled light, but Will put him to shame.

“Eh, there’s more stuff in my condo in Destin,” Will said. “But I realized I haven’t lived there in months and I’ve never missed any of it.” He glanced over at Enzo. “I don’t know what that says about me.”

“That you know what really matters,” Enzo said, coming up and putting his arms around him. It was so easy to tip his head back and meet his lips with his own. “Welcome home,” he murmured against Will’s mouth. Wondering if he was saying it to his boyfriend—or to himself.

Or maybe to both of them.

Will’s eyes were a serious, contemplative blue, but then they blazed hot when he leaned in and kissed Enzo more firmly. Like he was taking Enzo’s offer and accepting it with both hands.

They stumbled back, Enzo’s butt hitting the little row of cupboards in the tiny kitchen, and for a minute it was enough just to kiss, Enzo’s fingers gripping Will’s shoulders, but the kiss evolved. Turned hot and slippery and passionate.

Will broke off, panting a little, probably because Enzo had found his erection in his shorts and was palming it. “I need to shower,” he said. “I stink.”

“I disagree with the latter and agree with the former,” Enzo said and reached down, pulling his T-shirt over his head. “Come on.”

Will followed him, both of them shedding clothes, and it was glorious to not worry for a minute about who would hear them or interrupt them. Glorious knowing that they would get to do this over and over and Enzo didn’t have to hide his desire for it, anymore.

Didn’t have to pretend to look away when Will lounged, naked, against the bathroom vanity, every inch of him gorgeous and every inch of him belonging to Enzo.

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