“You are.” They locked gazes for a moment, and it hit Rico then that he wasn’t alone anymore. Different even than having Gideon in his corner, having Adam gave him someone who’d hold him if and when his life went to shit. Adamgothim, knowing when to be hard and push him to the limit, yet possessing an innate ability to let Rico lean on him and not have to pretend to be strong all the time. “That was the problem.” He made room for Adam to sit next to him.
“I was right.”
“Oh brother,” muttered Adam at Patrick’s smug tone. Confused, Rico nudged his arm.
“What? What’s wrong with what he said?”
Adam hesitated, then directed his comment to Patrick. “Do you mind? I’d like to talk to Rico in private.”
“Nope. I got things to do anyway.” Once standing, Patrick stuck out his hand. “I guess we’ll be seeing more of each other. One day you’ll come with Adam for dinner and meet my son PJ and his boyfriend.”
The smile he gave Rico beamed genuinely bright, and Rico gave a faint smile in return. He didn’t begrudge Patrick and his son their relationship. He only wished he could be certain of one like that for himself.
“Sure. Happy to.” He downed the cup of coffee Adam had placed in front of him, staring into nothing while spinning the empty paper cup in front of him.
“Wanna talk about it?”
Adam’s strong thigh pressed against his, and Rico wanted nothing more than to sink against him and let all his problems float away. But here and now wasn’t that time. He had obligations more important than himself. He owed it to Gideon, Judy, and everyone else depending on him to pull this party off tomorrow night. He refused to let them down.
“Later. After this party. I promise.”
“Okay.” Adam rubbed his back. “I like that you can say it now. Later. Like you know we’re gonna see each other.”
Adam’s happiness demanded a kiss, so he gave him one that because of their separation, turned heated. Their lips slid together, tongues hot and deeply searching while every breath he took now filled him with hope; every synapse in his brain fired his blood hotter and brighter. He fell into that kiss, needing the solid support of Adam’s arms around him to keep him steady as the world reeled beneath his feet. Adam tasted like coffee, chocolate, and all the sweetness Rico missed these weeks. He slid his palms over Adam’s face, needing to touch his skin to convince himself this was real.
He’d been lonely, and so alone, for so very long.
“I love you, Rico. I know you probably don’t want to hear it, but—”
“I do.”
It was the truth. Having shared his bed with Adam all those weeks had made him long for it every night they’d been apart. Solitude had been fine until Adam burst into his life, challenging him to take a chance.
“And I love you too. Took me long enough to figure out what I was missing in my life.”
“Yeah?” Adam’s smile beamed bright, and Rico couldn’t look away from its brilliance, glowing like a shooting star across the night sky. “What?”
“Hope.” Rico kissed him, content in knowing they had so much more to say to each other and all the time to make it happen. “You. The one right thing in my life. By hurting you, I hurt myself.”
“I’m glad you’re giving us a second chance. I never want to hurt you. I’d rather love you instead.”
This moment needed to last, to be inscribed like a tattoo on his heart, or a crystal frozen in time, its beauty forever captured at its most raw and elemental. Words seemed superfluous, and so he held on to Adam and kissed him, giving him his heart in the touch of their lips, the sighs of their mingled breaths, and the slide of their hands together.
Breaking apart, Rico suddenly felt shy, but Adam’s wink and quick squeeze of his hand let him know it was all okay.
“What did Patrick mean when he said he was right before? You cut him off and said you’d explain but never did.” All this was said as he began pulling out bowls and jars of spices to prepare for marinating the meats.
“Oh, that? Uh, nothing.”
“Don’t bullshit a bullshitter. Spill it.”
Turning red, Adam focused his gaze on the floor. “Well, Patrick said he knew he was in love the minute he saw his wife, Ellie, and that I had that same look when I talked about you.” The red stain spread from his cheeks to his neck, and Rico’s heart did a funny dance. He grasped Adam around the neck and kissed him hard, then pushed him away a few steps.
“Okay. I gotta get the beef and chicken in their marinades and make the cupcakes; then maybe I’ll catch a few hours of sleep. Tomorrow the guys’ll be back here early, and we have to make the side dishes we couldn’t make earlier, like the rice and quinoa and some of the hors d’oeuvres.”
“Can I help, or do you want to do this alone?” Adam stepped close to him again, setting his pulse fluttering.
The touch of Adam’s hand on the small of his back might be gentle, but Rico felt it to the marrow of his bones. It spoke of solidarity and late nights together. A promise of hope and a future. And never being alone anymore.
