Page 133 of The Shots You Take

“Thought we could have a bonfire,” Riley said mildly, though his stomach was full of butterflies.

“Riles!” Adam exclaimed. “That’s so fucking romantic.”

Riley smiled. He liked being romantic. He’d been trying to be romantic the first time he’d brought Adam to this beach, nearly a quarter century ago.

“I was really charmed that first time,” Adam said, as if reading Riley’s mind. “Obviously I didn’t deal with my feelings very well at the time, but, yeah. I was swooning.”

“It was one of my favorite nights ever,” Riley admitted.

“Mine too. But tonight will be better.”

“Will it?”

“Yeah, because tonight I can swoon openly. I’m gonna swoon all over you.”

“I think you swooned all over my hand last time.”

Adam laughed. “God, and then you made me go in the dark, scary ocean.”

“It’s a shallow cove, Shep. And I didn’tmakeyou.”

“You lured me with your naked body.”

“Well. I can’t promise I won’t do it again tonight.”

“Does that mean you plan on shoving your hand down my shorts?”

Riley laughed. “Honestly, I mostly wanted to do this because there might be shooting stars tonight.”

“Oh,thisstar will certainly be—wait, really? Shooting stars?”

Riley nodded. “Meteor shower.”

“You’re a master of seduction, Tuck.”

They reached the beach and struggled to carry the supplies Riley had hidden in the back of the truck over the rocks to the sand. Had the climb down always been this steep, or was he just getting old?

“Here,” Adam said, reaching out to him. “Give me the cooler. You’re carrying too much. Let me use my bionic shoulder powers.”

Riley scoffed, but he handed Adam the cooler. Adam’s shoulder had been pain free since his replacement surgery, and he loved opportunities to use it. Adam still had issues with his back, and his right ankle complained sometimes, but overall he was in decent condition now for someone who’d played pro hockey for twenty years.

When they reached the sand, Riley began digging a firepit while Adam laid out the blanket. Once the fire was blazing, Riley joined him on the blanket and accepted the cold Avery River Brewing Company nonalcoholic beer Adam handed him. They clinked their cans together and Adam said, “Happy anniversary, gorgeous.”

“To my husband—the World’s Most Beautiful Man.”

They both laughed and then drank.

“This is nice,” Adam said, after they’d both watched the fire for a few minutes. “Thank you.”

Riley gazed at his profile in the firelight. Jokes aside, he truly was the most beautiful man in the world to Riley. And now he could admire his husband as much as he wanted, not having to quickly look away whenever Adam noticed.

“I love you,” he said, because that was something else he could do now.

“I love you too, Riles.” Adam smiled mischievously. “Wanna make out?”

He ended up underneath Riley as they kissed each other breathless.

“Are we too old for this?” Adam asked giddily as he pressed his erection against Riley’s.

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