I laugh. “Eager to get your pets back, huh?”
“Just wanting to know who I’m dealing with, that’s all.” Leo releases Jordan after coaxing another kiss from him. “So I don’t piss off the wrong guy.”
“At least I don’t have to supervise the move this time around. Yay, staff!” He winces a little. “Okay, last night was fucking amazing but now I’m wishing we’d done that a long time ago, and on a night before a day I could spend the whole day snuggling with you guys in bed.”
“Are you okay?” Leo asks.
Another laugh. “Oh, I’mfantastic.” He climbs out of bed and stretches. “Just a little achy in good ways. Damned good ways.” He heads into the bathroom as Leo watches him.
I roll over. “He’s fine.”
He finally turns to me and kisses me. “Reminds me of another boy who was eager to test his limits, once upon a time.”
“I still am.”
Leo’s right eyebrow slowly arches. “Oh, reeeeally?”
“Just remember I’m not nearly as bendy as the boy is, huh?” I sit up, knowing I need to get this day moving. Tomorrow will be here soon enough and that’s when I can be lazy.
“Duly noted.”
We grab our showers and get dressed for the traditional morning coffee meeting here at the White House with Ciro and Ily.
Except Jordan’s now part of our household, not just a friend and advisor hanging out on the fringes of the event while trying to stay out of the way and out of the cameras’ views.
Not this time. He’s front and center, seated between us where he can’t escape.
Before we leave the White House to head to the swearing in, Jordan double-checks a few last things with the valet who’s transporting some of our belongings over to Blair House, where we’ll change into our tuxes.
Jordan, in complete work mode, consults a list. “Okay, all of these, and the rest over there gets transported to the house.” He scans the list one more time. “It’s all color-coded,” he adds. “The rest of the boxes in the bedroom go to the house, as do all the clothes still remaining. Everything else goes to storage.”
“Yes, Mr. Walsh.”
I watch, amused. “I thought Mr. Walsh wasn’t on the clock anymore?”
“Yeah, well, Mr. Walsh wants our stuff to end up where it’s supposed to go so we don’t have to go digging through a storage unit for it.” He hands the valet the list. “Thank you.”
“Yes, sir.”
Leo holds out his hands to us and we take them. “Ready?”
“Why am I so nervous?” I ask. “This isn’t evenmyday.”
Jordan takes my other hand and squeezes. “Because thisisyour day. Andourday. It’s the first day of the rest of our lives, as of noon.”
He’s not wrong.
We’re transported over to the Capitol and when we walk out to take our seats we’re greeted by a gratifying wave of cheers and applause from the crowd. It’s a gorgeous day today, sunny and cool, but not so bitterly cold that it’ll make the walk and parade uncomfortable for Ciro and his family.
As we sit there and watch Ansen and then Ciro take their oaths, I close my eyes, suck in a deep breath, and squeeze Jordan’s hand where he’s sitting between us.
Freedom.
My first breath of freedom.
Damn, does it smell sweet.
* * *
