“I am.” They walked as they talked, and when they saw the floor-installation guys were nearing the entrance, decided to make themselves scarce to let them finish the job. “Want to go get a coffee?”
“Sure,” Gideon said, and hand in hand he and Jonah followed him out the door.
“You guys never got a chance to tell me how the trip to Boston went. You saw your ex, Ben, and he’s married?”
“Yes.” Jonah’s eyes lit with laughter. “I think Gideon was all prepared to dislike him, but when he met Ben and Nico and saw how happy they were, he realized how foolish he was being.”
“Aww, Gid.” Rico punched his friend in the shoulder. “That’s so cute, you being all jealous.”
“Oh, shut up.” Gideon huffed out a retort. “Imagine if you’d met Adam’s ex, someone who really loved him. You wouldn’t like it either.”
The laughter faded, and he caught Jonah’s eye, remembering how odd Adam had felt about him and Gideon remaining friends. Those days in Florida had all but vanished from his memory, and he could never imagine a life now without Adam in it and by his side.
As if reading his mind, which he’d already proven adept at in many situations, Gideon continued. “I know what you’re thinking. But it wasn’t the same between us. Neither of us was in love with the other. Jonah never had anything to worry about, and neither does Adam.”
“You’re right. Jonah always loved you, and no matter what you want to say, you loved him too.”
“Yeah,” Jonah said, dropping a kiss to the top of Gideon’s head. “There is that.”
“Listen.” Gideon stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and pointed a finger at him. “You forget I was with Adam the first time he saw you. He was hooked. I knew right then he wanted you. Why do you think I pushed you two together so hard?”
“So you’re taking responsibility for our relationship?”
“Yep,” Gideon said cheerfully and started walking again. “Call me matchmaker.”
“I could think of a few other things to call you first.” Rico’s laughter chased away the fake grumbling. Damn. He was too happy now to even pretend to be angry.Guess being in love really did fuck you up.
They turned the corner, and Adam’s firehouse came into view. Rico’s pulse quickened, and he forgot whatever they were talking about at the sight of Adam standing in front of a truck, his hair sparking like copper fire in the sun.Damn.If there was anything sexier than that man in a uniform, Rico didn’t know it. Because it was so warm out, the firefighters wore their short-sleeved shirts, and as they approached, Rico saw the dusting of fine, golden hair on Adam’s arms. His freckles stood out in even greater relief with the exposure to the sun, and a wave of lust rolled through Rico at the thought of how he planned to spend their night together tracing every dot with his tongue.
“Cool it, or they’re gonna need to hose you down,” Gideon murmured in his ear.
Easier said than done, especially when Adam, who’d been busy talking to one of his coworkers, caught sight of them and grinned.
“Hey, guys. Isn’t that great about the TV spot?” He joined the three of them, fitting in so comfortably, so much a part of Rico’s life that Rico saw his future: hanging out with Gideon and Jonah, but no longer a third wheel—waking up and being with someone who loved him, whom he loved back. The winds of change blew sweetly over him now, and he breathed deep. How could his father deny him this happiness?
“Yeah. We spoke with Maryann earlier.” He winked and nudged Adam. “I may have dropped your name.”
“Adam, I don’t think I ever had a chance to thank you for saving our asses.” Gideon stuck out his hand, then laughed. “Oh, fuck it. Give me a hug.”
Seeing his lover and best friend embrace, Rico couldn’t help but grin. His heart was so full, it almost hurt. Jonah slung an arm around his neck.
“We’re lucky, aren’t we? We both found amazing men to love.”
“You know it.”
“Rico?”
Maryann stood off to the side, beckoning him; letting Jonah’s arm slide from his shoulders, he joined her.
“Yeah, what’s up?”
“Can I ask you something? And you can say it’s none of my business.”
Intrigued, he shrugged. “Sure, go ahead.”
“Are you and Adam Barton, um, involved?”
Not long ago he would’ve frozen up and denied it. Now, the thought of rejecting Adam and their relationship would never occur to him.
