Joshua scoffed, the sound a harsh rasp in his throat, and picked up a stone lying nearby. “What a pain in the ass I am,” he muttered, tossing the stone into the lake. “You had your choice of any guy in Charlottesville, and look who you got stuck with.”
Colin pulled away from him, his eyes narrowed in disbelief. “Are youkiddingme?” he blurted out. “Jesus, Josh. After everything I just went through when I thought I might lose you, you saythatto me?”
Joshua looked at him, his brown eyes smoky with tears. “I—I didn’t mean...”
“Whatdidyou mean, Josh?” Colin asked him. “Stuckwith you?STUCKwith you?”
“Colin, please don’t be mad at me,” Joshua stammered, fumbling for Colin’s hand.
“I’m not mad,” Colin told him. “If anything, I’mhurt.” He tugged on Joshua’s hand pulling him forward until their eyes were inches apart. “You need to get something through that overactive brain of yours,” he said, his voice a rasp in his throat. “Ichoseyou! And I choose you again every single day of my life. Over and over again I choose you! Without a thought. Without the slightest hesitation. Without one instant of doubt or fear. I chooseyou!”
He pulled Joshua forward into his kiss. “And on the last day I live…” Colin whispered, “… with my dying breath, I’ll chooseyou,Josh!”
Wide-eyed with astonishment, Joshua stared at his husband, then startled as Colin pulled him another inch closer, so close he could feel Colin’s breath against his face. “Now you wanna tell me one more time how sad it is that I’m ‘stuck’with you?”
“No,” Joshua whispered. “I absolutely donot.”
“And can we agree that those words—or any words like them—arenevergoing to come out of your mouth again?”
“We can.”
Colin nodded. “Good!” He took Joshua’s hand in his and together they watched the last light from the setting sun disappear behind the Blue Ridge Mountains.
“I love you so much, Irish.”
“You damned wellbetter!”
“Quite a performance you put on just now,” Joshua teased, nudging Colin’s ribs with an elbow. “And they callmea drama queen!”
“I always win, Josh.”
* * *
When they arrived backat the cabin, David challenged Colin to a game of chess, and as they played, Joshua and Nate huddled under blankets in front of a roaring fire. “Y’know,” Nate whispered, tilting his head toward Colin, “for a guy who claims he doesn’t ‘do’ endearments, he sure seems to use a lot of them lately. I’ve heard him call you ‘darling’ at least three times. Colin, of all people! That’sunheardof!”
“Just keep your mouth shut,” Joshua muttered, shooting a sideways glance at his husband who was bent over the chessboard. “Ilikeit! And if you tease him about it, he might get embarrassed and stop doing it.”
Nate lifted his hand in the Boy Scout salute. “Mum’s the word.” He leaned close to Joshua. “Moves me to tears how he cherishes you, Josh.”
“David treats you the same way.”
“We both got lucky.”
Joshua laughed and leaned against Nate’s shoulder. “You’re tellingme!”
Chapter 24
Grand Jury
Colin went back to work the Tuesday after they returned from the cabin, eager to once again fight the good fight for the citizens of Charlottesville. But his thoughts constantly wandered.Is he behaving himself?Is he doing too much?
He was at his desk that first afternoon, trying to focus on the case file in front of him, when Norman Clayton tapped on his open door. “Got a minute?”
Colin nodded and waved him into the room. “Come on in, Norm. I’m trying to get back into the swing of things.” He watched as Clayton seated himself in a chair near Colin’s desk. “And listen, man. I’m grateful to you for handling some of my cases while I was off with Josh.”
“No sweat, Colin. How’s Josh doing?”
Colin puffed out a soft laugh. “Yeah. That’s the question I’m struggling to keepoutof my mind today.”
