Page 86 of Harvest Heat

Had Rhys really heard him right? “You do? You forgive me?”

“I know you were scared. I was too. It is a big deal to announce that we’re together. I understand that. I just wanted to be able to talk to you about it.”

“Sometimes talking isn’t easy for me.” Rhys took hold of Caleb’s shoulder and pulled him down so he could place a soft kiss on Caleb’s lips. Caleb sucked in his breath and stepped back as a round of applause went up around them.

Rhys smiled, and they both began to laugh, but he buried his face in the side of Caleb’s neck. Caleb held him there, shielding him from all the people staring at them.

“When you decide on something, you go all in, don’t you?” Caleb asked.

“I guess I do.”

“Maybe we should get out of here now.”

“Yeah. That sounds good.”

Caleb waved to the crowd, then took Rhys’s hand. They walked out of the square with everyone watching them. Rhys didn’t like it, but he did like Caleb’s hand in his, and he felt better than he had in days. He had a chance with Caleb, and that made being stared at worth it.

“Tessa and Finn didn’t really need to meet me here, did they?” Caleb asked.

“No, they said that so I could find you here. I wanted to talk to you in public so you’d know I was serious.”

Caleb squeezed his hand. “You did a lot of planning for this.”

“I did, and I hope we can test our drink again and still do the festival together.”

“We can. I never wanted to do the festival alone. It’s not the same without you.”

Cloud Nine was closer than Frost + Foam or Rhys’s house, so they headed there, holding hands the entire way. Once they were inside, Caleb pulled Rhys into the back and turned to face him, not sure what to say. Nothing had felt real since Rhys had called out to him. Was he actually about to get everything he wanted: Rhys, a festival win—he had every confidence in their entry, a chance at a real relationship? The world felt bright again, even though the sun was setting.

Rhys smiled at him. “Kiss me.”

“Anytime.” Caleb pulled Rhys into his arms and devoured him the way he’d wanted to in the square. That reserved brush of lips hadn’t been nearly enough. He wanted so much more. They were interrupted by angry meows that seemed far too loud to come from an animal as small as Mallow.

“Is that a cat?”

Caleb nodded. “It’s Mallow.”

“Who is Mallow?”

“A kitten I found in the alley behind the shop.”

“Are you keeping her?”

Caleb nodded. “I am. I hope you like cats.”

Rhys smiled. “I do. Can I meet her?”

“Really? You want to?”

“Of course I do. You remember when we were with the rabbits, I told you I wanted to get a pet eventually.”

“I know, but I…”

Rhys took Caleb’s hands in his own. “What’s wrong?”

“I found a cat when I was with Adrian, but he wouldn’t let me keep her. He took her to the shelter while I was working.”

“Without you even saying goodbye? That’s horrific. If he ever comes near you again, I’ll make sure he regrets it.”