“Lord above, boy, why don’t you dress like that all the time?” Shayleen asked, reaching to poke Joshua’s shoulder.
“Because he doesn’twantall the attention it’s sure to get him,” David remarked.
Joshua arched his brows and nodded, still held tight in Colin’s embrace.
“C’mon,” Colin said, taking his hand. “Time to show off my breathtaking husband.” He glanced around the room. “We need to get to the boat by eleven thirty.” He leaned close and murmured in Joshua’s ear. “Today, you stick to me like glue.”
Joshua laughed and leaned against his shoulder. “You got it.”
* * *
The River Corribcruise took the travelers through the heart of Galway and its surrounding countryside. They relaxed in comfortable lounge chairs, sipping Guinness as they floated past magnificent castles and ancient Celtic ruins nestled among Ireland’s verdant green meadows.
Colin led Joshua a short distance from their family to a secluded spot near the ship’s bow. They sank onto an overstuffed lounge chair and gazed in silence at the exquisite scene unfolding before them. After a few minutes, Colin handed Joshua his Guinness, and they both sipped.
“Good?” Colin asked him.
Joshua nodded, then reached to card his fingers through Colin’s hair. “Baby, I’m glad you like how I look. But… it’s justclothes.” He leaned close to his husband, and his palm cradled Colin’s cheek. “They don’t really make youfeeldifferently about me, do they?”
Colin set his Guinness on the table next to them and bent over his knees, breathless with laughter.
“OK. OK.” Joshua said in weary surrender, elbowing Colin’s arm. “Igetit.”
“Jeez, you come up with the craziest notions sometimes.” He leaned closer to Joshua and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Ilovehow you look in that gorgeous white outfit. It’syou, my love. It’s beautiful and sexy and glorious to behold.” He shot Joshua an exasperated glance. “It is also sobloodyfuckingHOTthat it adds a nuclear-sized fire to the super-huge inferno already burning inside me.” He leaned closer and took Joshua’s hand. “Butfeeldifferently about you because of theclothesyou’re wearing? No, Joshua. I’m reallynotthat shallow.”
“I didn’t mean to suggest…”
“I know. I’m teasing you.” Colin leaned close to him and rested his hand over Joshua’s heart. “What I’m in love with…” he murmured. “… lives righthere.”
Joshua smiled and slid his fingers down Colin’s cheek in a soft caress.
“Though I gotta say…” Colin added. He looked Joshua up and down then blew out a breath and arched his brows, shaking his head in amazement. “I mean,DAYMN, baby!”
“I’ll wear it for you in our bedroom once we get home,” Joshua promised with a puckish grin.
“Not forlong.”
* * *
The sun was settingby the time the cruise ended, and Danny insisted on taking their entire party out to dinner at his favorite Irish restaurant, Dela. They sat in the chic timber and stone dining room, with its dark bentwood chairs and reclaimed timber tables, enjoying a traditional Irish meal of slow-braised lamb with pearl barley, turnips, and carrots.
“Gonna be too damned quiet after you go,” Danny said to Colin. “Only part of your visit I hate: the ending of it.”
“God, Danny, don’t talk about it,” Nate urged. “You’re gonna make me cry.” He turned to Colin, who was seated next to him, and laid a hand on his arm. “I can’t thank you enough, Irish. This has not only been glorious. It’s been exactly the healing I needed.”
Joshua leaned against his husband’s shoulder. “I feel the same way.”
Back at Danny’s house, the weary travelers said their goodnights and drifted toward their bedrooms. Colin walked ahead, but Joshua paused in the bathroom, and when he entered their bedroom, Colin was already sprawled on the bed. As Joshua reached to pull the sweater over his head, Colin set up and held out his hand. “Wait a second, babe,” he said. “Don’t take it off just yet.”
Joshua threw him a questioning look, and Colin patted the bed next to him. “Come sit with me for a second.”
Smiling, Joshua sank to the bed beside his husband. “You want me to wear it tobed?”
“No, I do not. But I do want to look at you for a minute.”
Joshua leaned close to Colin, his lips curved in a soft, sensual smile. He gave his husband a prolonged and sultry gaze through long lashes and then ran his tongue slowly across his full lower lip, leaving it damp.
Colin grated out a frustrated croak and landed several fake punches on Joshua’s shoulder. “Goddammit, that wasdeliberate, Joshua! Don’t try to tell me it wasn’t!”
