“I’m fine. I’m gonna go sit by the pool for a while.” Dean flashed a half-hearted smile, kissed his cheek, and headed upstairs.
Something is totally wrong.Colton thought. Dean had never passed up an opportunity to kiss Colton’s lips before.
Colton took the stairs to the roof and found Dean sitting on the edge of the pool with his feet in the water. Colton kicked off his shoes and sat next to him.
“Dean, obviously something is wrong. Can we please talk about it?”
Dean sighed. “Nothing is wrong, necessarily. Earlier today, this random thought entered my head, and it has infected me ever since. It’s just something that worries me.”
“Well, what is it?”
Dean rested his head on Colton’s shoulder for a moment. “You’re going to think I’m being silly, but this is something I’m genuinely worried about.” He took Colton’s hand. “I love you, and I am having the best time with you. I’ve never been happier in my entire life.”
Colton kissed the back of his hand. “Me too! I’ve never been happier, and it’s all because of you, Dean.”
“But what concerns me is…eventually, a year from now, five years from now, ten years from now…things won’t be as hot, or exciting, or as passionate as they are now. And I’m worried that, when that time comes, you’ll decide that you’d rather go back to being with women.” Dean’s bottom lip began to tremble uncontrollably, the emotion welling inside of him. “And you’re going to leave me.”
“Oh, Dean!” Colton pulled him into his chest. “Your feelings are never silly. I would never leave you. I can’t imagine being with anyone else but you, man or woman.”
Dean sat back up, tears rolling down his cheeks. “But there’s no guarantee it won’t happen.”
Colton stroked away tears with his thumb. “Well, I guess that’s true. There’s also no guarantee that the world won’t end tomorrow, but we keep going on with our lives.”
Colton gently turned Dean to look at him with a finger under his chin. “Look…you have, quite literally, charmed the pants off of me, sir!” Colton smiled, bumping into Dean’s shoulder. “You’re stuck with me now, for a fucking long, long time. I’m not going anywhere. No matter what happens, I’ll always comerunning back to you. You’re it, you’re the only one, you’re my everything.” He smirked. “Besides, I’ll never find a woman with a dick as big as yours, and no woman willeverbe able to fuck me the way you do!” Colton teased and poked Dean’s shoulder.
Dean threw his head back and laughed.
“There’s my baby!” Colton smiled, pulling Dean into a kiss.
Dean rested his forehead against Colton’s. “Thank you. Sorry for being such a drama queen.”
“No problem. And your feelings are valid.” Colton smirked. “But why don’t you leave the drama to your dancers. It’s what they’re good at.”
Dean playfully shoved his shoulder and laughed under his breath. “Hey! They’re good boys. But they do love some drama.”
Colton gently kissed Dean’s neck, at the same time, slowly sliding his right hand into the water of the pool. In one quick motion, he scooped a handful into Dean’s face. Dean yelped in surprise and fell backward onto his back on the pool deck. Colton rolled onto him, straddling his hips, gently kissing the tip of his nose. “I’ll never leave you.”
Dean kissed his Adam’s apple and smiled. “There’s one more thing…” He swallowed hard and looked Colton in the eye. “I think I’m ready to adopt Aiden.”
Chapter 40
Dean
Dean stepped onto the elevator and hummed as he waited to arrive on the second floor. He couldn’t contain his happiness any longer. After his emotional flare-up the night before, Colton had put his mind at ease with words and kisses and a killer poolside blowjob. And, to top it off, Colton shocked the hell out of him by agreeing he wanted to adopt Aiden too…the sooner, the better.
The idea that, in just a matter of weeks, Aiden could be his son, his family, was just too exciting. He needed to talk to Jordan and get the ball rolling. He stepped off the elevator, meandered around the corner with a wave to some of his staff, and rapped his hand on Jordan’s office door.
“Hey, J, let’s walk down to Bump and Grind, grab a coffee.”
Jordan smiled and closed his laptop. “Oh my God, you read my mind!”
They walked back around the corner to the elevators and took the grand glass staircase down to the first floor of retail shops, saying a quick hello to Herbert at the security desk.
Across the back of the first floor was a massive Whole Foods Market. On the east side were three stores: George and Weezy’s Dry Cleaners, Tip It! Wine and Spirits, and Slice Up Your Life Pizzeria. In the center of the first floor stood a large atrium with small café tables and quiet seating nooks among planters of flowers and small trees, with two round fountains framing the security desk at the elevators. And, on the west side was Tuesday’s Taco, The Frisky Biscuit Café, and Bump and Grind Coffee.
As they neared the entrance, the smell of fresh coffee slammed into Dean’s nostrils. “God, I love that smell!” he exclaimed with a big inhale.
Inside the shop, the warm reclaimed wood walls were adorned with framed photos of San Francisco, the space dotted with small and large tables and barrels of coffee beans. At the back of the shop, a glass case displayed delicious pastries and a giant silver espresso machine loomed large in the corner.
