Page 136 of Melting the Ice

He wanted to help himself. He wanted to help others. And he wanted to help Dean be the best version of himself, too.

“Don’t be ashamed of wanting that,” Ramsey said in a low voice. He pushed off the wall he’d been leaning against. “Embrace it, okay? Because it’s special. It doesn’t come along all that often.”

Brody nodded.

“Brody.”

He looked over and Dean was standing there in the doorway. His heart lifted. Had Dean come looking for him? He was frowning, too, like he hadn’tlikedRamsey flirting.

And Brody got that. Because if anyone else put hands on his man, he’d have been fucking furious.

Because Dean washis, and goddamnit, he was Dean’s.

“I need to talk to you,” Brody said, and Dean nodded.

This time he didn’t hesitate. He took Dean’s hand and led him out the kitchen, down the stairs, and they settled there, same as they had the last time they’d come to a party here.

Dean hadn’t said a word, but the moment Brody sat down and looked over at him, it all spilled out of his mouth.

“I love you, you know? I didn’t think I could love anyone. But I do. I love you. And if you love Ramsey or want Ramsey . . .well, I don’t know how okay I’ll ever be with that. But I want you to be happy, however that happens. If that’s not with me, that’s going to fucking suck, no lie, but I . . .” Dean’s voice cracked. “I love you.”

Brody reached out and gripped his hands, squeezing them hard. “I love you, too. And I don’t want Ramsey. Not now. Not ever. I wantyou. I want you so bad I . . .I don’t just want you this year and next year. I want . . .I want us to build something together.”

“You do?” Dean looked surprised by this, and Brody kicked himself, a little. Or a lot.

God, he’d called Dean hisroommate. And that was so far from the truth, it was a fucking cosmic-sized joke.

“Yes, you idiot,” Brody said and leaned in, kissing him firmly.

The kiss was just getting good—though frankly every kiss with Dean was pretty fucking amazing. Still, this was pretty high up on the scale, considering Dean had just told him he loved him and Brody had said it back.

“What do you mean?” Dean said, trying to clear his head and wrap his head around what Brody had just said. “How can we even build something? I’m gonna get drafted. You’re gonna get accepted to like every medical school you apply to, cause you’re so fucking smart.”

“Oh, you’re cute, I like you,” Brody said, patting him on the cheek. “Iloveyou.”

“Istilldon’t know what that means,” Dean said.

“It means, if it works out the way I hope it will, I’ll take a year after we graduate and get some pre-requisite classes out of theway. Set myself up so every medical schoolwillaccept me. After you get drafted, I’ll know where all those are gonna be.”

“Wait, you’re gonna comewithme to wherever I go?” Dean didn’t look dismayed by this possibility but thrilled by it.

“If you don’t mind,” Brody said. It was stupid to still be hedging his bets at this point. After all, Dean had just said,If that’s not with me, that’s gonna fucking suck, and it wasn’t like that it would suck less in two years.

Probably it would suck more.

“If I don’tmind,” Dean retorted. Then he was being pulled into his big boyfriend’s even bigger, beefier arms and held so tightly Brody wasn’t sure he could breathe.

Or maybe that was the joy rushing through him, one thrilling wave after another, leaving him breathless.

Brody wiggled, trying to get a real breath out. “I take it you like that idea,” Brody said.

Dean’s face told him everything he needed to know.

“I love you,” Dean said, “and I fucking love that idea.”

He kissed him again, and the first time they’d ever done it, on that dirty, dingy couch, had felt like a beginning, but this felt so much more like one.

Like the rest of his life.

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