They remained tangled together, bodies slick with the remnants of their passion, the blankets bunched beneath them in soft, sweat-dampened folds. The room was quiet except for their slowing breaths and the faint rustle of their bedding as they shifted to get even closer. Colin’s lips found the curve of Joshua’s shoulder, pressing a kiss so gently that it made Joshua smile.
“I don’t ever want to move,” Joshua murmured, his voice soft and thick with satisfaction. His fingers continued to thread lazily through Colin’s hair, and he tilted his head just enough to press a kiss to Colin’s temple.
Colin hummed contentedly, his arms tightening around Joshua’s waist. “Then don’t. Stay right here with me. The rest of the world can fuck off.”
Joshua laughed softly, the sound like music to Colin’s ears. “You say that now, but you’ll be the first one to piss and moan when your arm falls asleep underneath me.”
Colin chuckled, his breath warm against Joshua’s skin. “You’re worth it.”
They fell silent again, the sweetness of Colin’s words settling between them like a toasty blanket. Joshua traced mindless patterns across Colin’s back, his fingers light and soothing. His heart felt full—overflowing with a love that left no room for doubt or fear.
“This,” Joshua whispered after a long moment, his voice thoughtful. “This is what I think about when the world gets too ugly and painful. Just this. Just us.”
Colin leaned in, brushing a kiss to his temple. “Always,” he murmured. “You’ll always have this.” He lifted his head, propping himself up on one elbow so he could meet Joshua’s gaze. His honeyed-green eyes were soft, filled with a tenderness that made Joshua’s chest ache. “And I’ll make sure you never have to reach too far to find me,” Colin said, brushing his fingers along Joshua’s cheek. “I’ll always be right here, waiting for you.”
Joshua turned his face into Colin’s palm, pressing a kiss there before meeting his eyes again. “I love you,” he whispered, his voice low and rich with meaning.
“I love you too,” Colin replied, bending to kiss him once more—soft and slow, with the quiet reverence of someone who knows they’d found the treasure they had always sought. “Think we could manage to do this in a tent?” Colin asked finally, giving Joshua a quick grin.
Joshua nuzzled his face against Colin’s chest and laughed softly. “Depends on how close we are to the other campers.” He peeked up at Colin and winked. “You know how loud I can get.”
“Hey! They’re supposed to be learning about living the gay life, aren’t they?”
Joshua laughed even harder and gave Colin’s butt a gentle smack. “That’s a part of their education that I’d prefer they got from someone else.”
Eventually, they untangled enough for Colin to rise and retrieve a towel from the bathroom. He returned with a teasing grin, tossing the towel onto Joshua’s chest. “For you, Mr. Clean.”
Joshua caught it with a laugh, sitting up just enough to swipe the towel over both of them. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re trying to get me to do all the work.”
Colin flopped back onto the bed, hands behind his head, his grin widening. “I’d never dream of it.”
Joshua rolled his eyes and finished the job before tossing the towel aside and snuggling back into Colin’s waiting arms. “Next time, I’m making you do the after-sex cleanup.”
“Deal,” Colin said, pulling him closer. “As long as there is a next time.”
Joshua’s laughter filled the room, warm and bright. “There will always be a next time, my yedid,” he promised, resting against Colin’s chest, where the steady rhythm of his heartbeat lulled him into sleep.
Chapter 2
Scouting the Horizon
Colin turned his key in the lock and stepped into the living room. His face was lit with a huge smile, anticipating the warm embrace and tender kiss that were always his from the moment he walked through the door. But to his surprise, the living and dining rooms were uncharacteristically dark, and Joshua was nowhere to be seen.
“Josh?” he called, noticing light streaming from the kitchen.
“I’m in here, babe.”
He dropped his briefcase onto the couch and strode to the kitchen, where he stood for a moment, leaning on the doorframe and smiling. “Hey there, hot stuff. Missed your usual greeting at the door.”
“Oh God, Colin, I’m so sorry,” Joshua said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ve been buried in Camp Pride research all afternoon and completely lost track of time.”
Colin waved away his apology. “Baby, it’s fine. Any luck finding a location?”
“I looked at several,” Joshua said, getting to his feet. “But I think we’re going to go with the one you recommended.”
“Verdun?”
“They provide the largest camping area, and, as you mentioned, they have some activities of their own that we might want to add to our program.” He moved to Colin’s side and wrapped both arms around his neck. “I’m so sorry, baby. I didn’t even start dinner.” He pressed a long, damp, hungry kiss to Colin’s lips, then slid his wet tongue slowly along his lower lip before kissing him again. “You hungry?” he asked, carding his fingers through Colin’s thick, sandy waves.
