He put his elbows on the table, chin on his hand. “So… So what do you want to be doing in ten years, Laird?”
Was that too weird? Didn’t matter, it was out there now.
Laird blinked some more. Then he snorted. “Some days ten years from now seems…impossible. It feels like I’m too busy and tired to think, but…”
“But?”
Laird shrugged, his cheeks pink, which meant he felt strongly about what he was going to say.
“I want to get my master’s degree and go into training and maybe recovery work. Physio wise. Not necessarily general PT, but serious trauma recovery.”
“Oh, wow!” Devon’s eyes went wide, and he grinned. “That’s amazing. Seriously. I can totally see that. I think that’s a great plan.”
Laird tilted his head. “You think so?”
“Absolutely, it’s an amazing plan. It’s got a timeline; it’s got a furthering of your career and your interests. I think it’s a fab idea. You can also be flexible with it if you need to. It’s a win-win.”
He knew all about this. He had done the going to get his master’s. In fact, he had his MSN and his master’s in midwifery. At some point he would get his doctorate and move to doing teaching and hire more midwives for the birthing center.
Maybe that wasn’t on his ten-year plan, but it was definitely on his twenty-year plan. He thought that was a wonderful thing to do up until he retired.
“Thanks. My folks think it’s silly. Most advancement in EMS is supervisory. But I suck at doing evals and giving people notes to work on and shit.” Laird rubbed the back ofhis neck. “And I see so much terrible injury. I’d like to be involved in the recovery from it.”
“There’s nothing silly about education. Any time that you’re educating yourself and learning new things, it’s good. If that’s your goal, then that’s great. I vote you do what makes you happy. And recovery is…” How should he put this? “You know what you do is super important because you’re saving lives. The recovery part is what saveslife.”
Devon was all over the idea of learning and following your passion. Not only because he had an interest in Laird, even though that was part of it, but mostly he just thought people should do the things that they loved and should learn new things all the time. It made for happier people.
Laird reached out for his hand, and Devon gave his over. “Thanks. That means a lot, Devon. I could use a cheerleader.”
“Then I’m your guy.”
Laird gave him a sizzling glance. “I sure hope so.”
Okay, so that was taking it up a notch. Hello. “I—We’re going to my place after this, right?”
“Hell, yes, honey. Shit, we might get the food to go.”
His whole body heated, and Devon nodded. “Let’s.”
Laird grinned, the expression wicked, and then he waved at the server.
Hoo yeah. He was in.
Chapter
Seven
Laird couldn’t wait to get Devon home, and he grabbed the food that they’d put in boxes for them. He hustled Devon out of the restaurant. “I can drive if you like. We can come back and pick up your car in the morning.”
“That would be great.” Devon took his hand, the one not holding the food, and Laird tingled everywhere they touched. He was totally into Devon, but he held back because he just got this sense of reticence from the man. But maybe it was time to move it up to the next level.
By the time they got to Devon’s house, he was hard as a rock and thrumming with excitement. And he tugged Devon into the kitchen just long enough to deposit the food in the fridge before towing him to the bedroom.
Devon was laughing, but his cheeks were pink and his eyes sparkled. “You seem like you’re in a big hurry, Laird.”
“I am. I want you, Devon. Is that crazy? I want you so bad tonight that I can’t hardly wait.”
“It works perfectly for me.” David dragged him downthe hall to the cozy little bedroom, and it was like a den of hygge. They weren’t going to take it slow.
