“I don’t wantshitfrom you,” Benji told him. “Now move, I’m busy.”
Michael scoffed. When Benji tried to move past him, he grabbed Benji’s shirt and held him still.
“It’s five million dollars,” Michael said, and the shock of it rooted Benji to the spot. “It’s more than you’ll ever get with him. Trust me, he’ll pull his head out of his ass soon. He’s a useless fucking romantic, but he’s actually pretty smart. So, take your money and leave my little brother alone. Alright?”
Benji laughed, incredulous. He gripped Michael’s wrist, thinking about Noah’s wrist inside his hole last night, about sun hitting glass and turning the room gold, about Noah scribblingorange juiceonto a list festooned with cartoon robots. Lastly, he thought about Mrs. Presley and her offer. When he’d checked his emails after getting off the plane, she’d confirmed she had just sent him money for his first piece.
“I don’t want his money,” Benji said instead. “I don’t evenneedhis money anymore. I’m doing just fine on my own, Mikey.”
“You don’t get to call me that.” Michael paused to burp, looking annoyed at his own stomach for putting him through it.
“I can call you whatever the fuck I want,” Benji said. “What are you gonna do, Mikey? Punch me again? Think that’ll get Noah on your side?”
He shoved Michael’s hand off him. He felt like he could fight a hundred Michaels without breaking a sweat. He could gut-punch a million Dillions. He could drag Chet away, no security needed.
“Look,” Benji said. “I’m sorry some girl fucked you over fifteen years ago, but I’m not like that. I love him. I don’t know why that surprises you so much! He’s easy to love! And you better get used to me because?—”
Benji stammered, a triumphant grin spreading over his face. “Because you’re going to be my brother-in-law.”
Michael squinted at him. Then he groaned, his face creasing up in despair.
“Jesus Christ,” he hissed. “That idiotproposed?”
“You bet your fired ass he did,” Benji yelled. “And I’m saying yes!”
A familiar voice rang down the hall. “You’re saying yes?”
Benji whirled.
Noah stood behind him, staring at Benji with wary wonder. Waiting to see if Benji was only saying it to mess with Michael. Which was, Benji acknowledged as his stomach swarmed with butterflies, exactly the kind of thing Benji would do.
Then Benji ran to him, and Noah’s wariness faded to such gorgeous hope that Benji couldn’t do anything but kiss him.
Noah kissed him back hesitantly at first. Then his arms wrapped around his waist, holding him crushingly close.
“Hi,” Benji whispered. “Take me back to your room? I don’t want this to happen in front of your dipshit brother.”
“You can’t be serious,” Michael said. He kicked the suitcase Benji had dropped at his feet. “Noah! What the hell?”
“Shut the fuck up, Mikey,” Noah told him.
He took Benji’s hand and led him back to the room. Benji shot Michael the middle finger and let himself be pulled intotheir rooms, closing the door eagerly on Michael’s incredulous expression.
Noah turned to Benji and took his face in his hands. “Are you sure?”
Benji nodded. “Ask me again.”
Noah smiled disbelievingly. He was disheveled and sleep-rumpled and the most beautiful thing Benji had ever seen.
“I still don’t have a ring,” Noah started.
“You have a collar,” Benji replied.
Noah’s eyes went soft and possessive. He kissed Benji so deeply that Benji almost decided to put off the proposal and see if Noah could really fit inside him with no prep, and then Noah raced over to the bed and picked up the collar from where Benji had dropped it.
Benji’s vision blurred as Noah got down on one knee. He was still terrified, but it was hard to be too scared with Noah looking up at him like that.
“Benjamin Caulfield,” Noah began. “I told you months ago, anything I give you, you keep. I’ve given you my heart. Will you keep it?”
