Page 145 of Men in Shorts

Andrew gave a throaty chuckle. “We can cure your skepticism by trying this again some time.”

The thought made Colin’s eyes cross. He stared up at the ceiling, which was still a bit spinny. “I should definitely do more yoga. Gotta keep up with you.”

“You’ve plenty of your own talents.” Andrew shifted over to lay his head on Colin’s shoulder. “Don’t be stealing mine.”

Colin put his arm around Andrew, his fingers still tingling. “So we’re actually doing this. Moving in together, for real and all.”

“For real and all. Unless you don’t want to.”

“I do. I’m just not used to gettinganythingI want, much lesseverything. I’m still trying to work out what I did to deserve you.”

“Something dreadful, I imagine.”

Colin turned his head to breathe in the scent of Andrew’s hair. “Aye,” he whispered, closing his eyes. “Pure dreadful.”

* * *

Andrew could have easily tumbledinto slumber then and there, lying in Colin’s arms and reliving the hotness of what they’d just done. But he knew if they waited until morning to start searching for a flat, Colin would wake wondering if Andrew had changed his mind.

Besides, he was absolutelydyingfor another piece of birthday cake.

“Be right back.” He kissed Colin’s chin, then dragged himself from the warm bed. The night had turned cold again, so he hurried to pull on a pair of thick pajama trousers and a long-sleeved T-shirt. “I’ll raise the heating and bring us tea.”

Colin made a drowsy but affirmative noise.

As he waited for the water to boil, Andrew slowly strolled over the polished parquet floors of his reception room. His heart ached at the thought of leaving this flat, the first place he’d made completely his own. Perhaps one day he and Colin would return, when memories of their suffering had faded, when they could see it as something other than a sanctuary.

What they needed now was a home.

When the tea was ready, he carried it and two slices of cake on a tray to their room, where he found Colin sitting up in bed, huddled beneath the covers he’d pulled to his chin.

“Cake! You read my mind.”

“I read my own mind. Luckily we think alike about such important matters.” Andrew set the tray atop the duvet, retrieved his laptop from a drawer, then climbed onto the bed.

As they tucked into the birthday cake, Colin asked, “What will you do with this flat after we leave?”

“I’ll find a tenant, ideally someone who understands saltwater aquariums. It’s best not to move fish if one can help it.”

“Won’t you miss your wee wet friends?”

“I will.” Andrew took a sip of tea, thinking about his fish. He’d named them, talked to them, wept over their deaths. “But it might be good for me, just for a short time, to have no one to fret over besides myself. And you, obviously.” He held up his mug, which featured a parade of Scottish terriers wearing red scarves. “Or perhaps we’ll get a puppy.”

Colin laughed. “Aye, right. And who’ll look after it?”

“Me, of course. I need something to do during my sabbatical besides discover delicious, nutritious cures for unhappiness.” He rolled his eyes to show he was joking—though he wasn’t, not completely. “But you’re right, a dog’s a big commitment. Might be a bit much for me just now.”

“Let’s keep an open mind. We’ll get a flat which allows pets, then see how you feel.” He brightened. “Maybe we could start with a foster pup.”

“Ah, you’re an absolute genius.” Andrew slid under the covers, shivering at the wave of heat from Colin’s body, then pulled the laptop to rest on their adjacent thighs.

Colin slipped an arm around Andrew’s shoulders. “You warm enough?”

Andrew considered the question, taking a moment to feel the blood humming through his veins. It flowed out to his fingers and toes, down to his bones and back again, bringing life to every inch. “I am.” He gave Colin a determined kiss, then opened his laptop. “Shall we begin?”

And then…

I hope you enjoyedPlay Dead! Colin and Andrew had a bit of a rough go at times, but their mad love grows ever stronger.

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