“Things have worked out pretty well for us, I think.”
“I’m still mad that you lied to me but not that mad.” Nigel moved to stand next to me, and he bumped our shoulders together. “He’s cute. Does he really do porn?”
“He really does.”
“And that doesn’t bother you?”
“It doesn’t bother me.”
“But what about… he sleeps with other guys, Rex.”
“Nigel, I love you, and I’m sorry I lied to you, and while I promise to tell you the truth going forward, please stop asking questions before I give you more honesty than you’re prepared for. Okay?”
He was quiet for a second. “Yeah, uh. Sorry. I just… I never was good at sharing things. I don’t know how you do it.”
“Because he doesn’t share his heart with anyone else, and that’s the part of him that matters the most.”
As Simon and Perry approached, the wedding guests dispersed, the officiant gone, I looked at Perry and wanted to be alone with him. I wanted to tear that mulberry jacket off him and leave marks on his body that would show everyone that he was mine.
“I think we should go,” I told him as he walked right up to me and slid his arms around my waist.
Perry pressed his mouth against mine in a chaste kiss. “I agree. Besides, I think these two have a lot to talk about.”
He stepped over to my side and tugged me away from Nigel.
“The two of us should have breakfast next weekend,” I said to Nigel. “Bennett’s, Saturday at nine.”
Simon smirked. “I’ll make sure he shows up on time.”
There was no mistaking the fact that Simon was head over heels in love with Nigel, not with the way he looked at him. Italmost made me feel guilty for not telling Nigel the truth about Trevor sooner. Still, things seemed to be working out the way they were supposed to.
“Let’s see the gardens before we leave,” I told Perry. “We’re here anyway, seems a shame to just go home.”
He smiled up at me. “It’s a date.”
We said our goodbyes to Nigel and Simon, who weren’t going to stick around, and made our way down the path. We stopped to look at the different flowers and plants and read the information cards on them. Perry seemed to love the garden, and I loved watching him explore.
We kept our conversation light, both of us content to unwind after a hectic non-wedding.
“It is a shame that there’s no reception tonight.” He stood up from stooping over a particularly brightly-colored flower. “I had planned on asking you to dance.”
“We can still go dancing.” I swept him close. One hand pressed against the small of his back and the other searched for his, grasping it like we were dancing for real as I swayed us from side to side. “We can dance right here if you want.”
Perry laughed and leaned in, resting his head on my shoulder. “A few weeks ago, I was sure that this would be our last date.”
“I have been hooked on you from the very beginning,” I confessed. Today was a day for truth. Having been reminded what lying and withholding information could cause, honesty came a lot easier. “I’ve wanted to ask you for a while, Perry.” I waited until he looked up at me, until our gazes met and I could see his affection swimming in his eyes. “I want you to be my boyfriend. For real. Not for pretend. No expiration dates.”
“I’ve never had a boyfriend before,” Perry reminded me. “What if I’m bad at it?”
“Then we’ll learn together. I’ve been a boyfriend before, but maybe I’m not a very good one.”
“Impossible. You’re the best boyfriend ever.”
“If I’m the best, then you have to be the best by default, because the best boyfriend has excellent taste in boyfriends.”
He kissed my cheek. “You think you’re so smooth, but I see right through you.”
“Then what am I thinking right now?”
