He leaned forward, daring to touch Bing on the leg. The muscles jumped under his fingers, but Bing didn’t push him away.
“Thank you,” Walter said. “And since we’re both still here—”
“I don’t know!” Bing said, frustration making his voice loud. “I was an actor, then I wasn’t. I was Red Wolf, and now I’m not. I was part of a wolf pack defending the world, and now….” He lifted his hands in a confused gesture. “I don’t know what I am—whoI am.”
“Except for the part about it feeling right being with me.”
Bing looked back, and this time he dropped his hand on top of Walter’s. He left it there and then squeezed. “Yes. Except for that part.”
Walter’s heart squeezed too, his entire body tightening and releasing as the two connected, one hand over the other. “I can work with that,” he said softly.
“Yes,” agreed Bing. “Me too.”
“Is that enough for us to fearlessly face the future for now?” He waggled his brows. “Should we lose ourselves again in the bed?”
Bing’s smile was camera-worthy. It built slow and landed in that megawatt gorgeousness that always dazzled Walter. And best of all, it was just for him.
“Yes.”
They stood up together, their bodies connecting every place possible. But then Walter glanced at his phone. Even though it lay facedown, he knew there were messages, emails, and news. Lots of news about the world outside this motel room. Was it irresponsible of them to just ignore it?
Bing saw his look but touched his face, drawing it back. “We’re out of the fight now,” he said firmly. “I’m not Red Wolf, you’re not Monkey. We’re the regular, oblivious population of civilians now.”
“But we’re not oblivious.”
“But we don’t have skills anymore. We’d just be a liability.”
Walter felt the truth of that, but it was one thing to go on with life when he didn’t know about the dangers around him, and another thing to know there were paranormal dangers nearby and be relaxed.
“Wulf, Inc. is very good at their job,” Bing said. “They’ll keep things under control.”
“Without you?”
Bing’s entire body seemed to relax. “Yes. Without me.”
Walter arched his brow. “Aren’t you a little young to sound so world-weary?
“I’m an actor, Walter. Real life scares me.”
“I’m a writer. It scares me too.”
Bing started to smile, but Walter didn’t give him a chance. He kissed him. Then they found much better uses for their mouths, their hands, their whole bodies.
When they lay gasping in the bed, the sheets a tangle at their feet, Walter felt Bing snuggle against his side. He felt whole in a way he’d never experienced. And for the first time in his life, he didn’t care so much about the future. What he had now was so wonderful, there wasn’t room to worry about tomorrow.
That was another gift from Monkey, he thought as he pulled the covers up over them both. Stay in the now. Tomorrow will be here soon enough.
And it was.
It came with an insistent buzzing. Walter rolled sideways on the bed so he could reach his phone.
“Wha?” he asked, too asleep to properly form the word.
“Get over here now. We have a problem.”
It took a moment for Walter to identify the voice—Taide, his director. “What time is it?” he mumbled. The sky was just starting to lighten.
“Time for the world to end,” Taide said grimly. “Get. Here. Now.”
