He laughed. “Better not. I have a few emails to send, and I can get those out of the way while you work.”
They settled on the couch, tucked under a blanket. Eli curled sideways into Noah, his head resting on Noah’s shoulder, one hand over Noah’s chest. Noah slipped his arm around Eli’s waist.
It felt so effortless, as though this was a position they’d been waiting to fold into for years.
A warm silence filled the space. The tree’s lights glowed and the flames crackled. Outside, snow continued to fall.
“Do you ever wonder how we got here?” Eli asked in a low voice. “How one ridiculous moment in a hardware store turned into this?”
Noah laughed quietly. “I think about it constantly. It was an impulse I don’t regret for a second.”
Eli expelled a tiny exhale of relief. “I’m glad you asked me.”
Noah pressed his lips to Eli’s temple. “I’m glad you said yes.”
Eli shifted, and their lips met in a warm, lingering kiss. When they finally broke apart, Eli rested his forehead to Noah’s.
“Tell me,” he murmured. “When did you know?”
“Know what?”
“That you wanted this. Us. Forever.”
Noah closed his eyes. “Honestly? The night you came through the whiteout to get to me. I was terrified you’d say no tostaying, or that you’d think I was asking for too much. But you… you made me feel as though wanting you wasn’t stupid.”
Eli’s breath hitched, and he curled closer. “It wasn’t stupid. It was brave.”
“And you? When did you know?”
Eli swallowed.
“When you said you didn’t want to be alone that night, and I realized that I didn’t either. Not anymore.”
Noah kissed him again, leisurely and reverent.
Eli brushed his nose against Noah’s. “We should talk. About the future, I mean. About how this is going to work.” And theywouldmake it work, he had no doubt about that.
Noah nodded. “We will, but not right now.” He smiled. “Right now I just want to kiss my fiancé until we forget the world beyond that front door even exists.”
“Yeah,” Eli said with a happy sigh. “I want that too.”
He melted into Noah’s arms, Noah’s warmth.
He’s right. This isn’t the time to plan or think too far ahead.
It was the time to enjoy being two men in love, wrapped in a blanket in a quiet house, with a future waiting patiently until they were ready for it.
“But before we get back to kissing, there’s something I need to tell you.”
Eli craned his neck to look Noah in the eye. “And what’s that?”
Noah’s eyes were warm.
“I love you.”
Eli stilled, his heart pounding.
“I love you too.”
