“Shh, shh.” Devlin put two fingers to Garrick’s lips, and masterfully shut him up. “Save it for tomorrow. I’m not going anywhere. No matter what you tell me,” more of that strength coated Devlin’s voice, “I’m still going to love you and want you in my life. You don’t have to get it all out in one night.” He rolled onto his back and pulled Garrick with him. Devlin tucked Garrick into his side, and tilted his head back with a fistful of his hair until their gazes connected. Softness and full acceptance shone clear and bright in Devlin, turning the color of his eyes silver. “You have to be exhausted. Why don’t you try to get some sleep?”
“Yeah?” Garrick croaked the word. He didn’t think he could get another out just then.
Devlin put Garrick’s head against his chest, kissed the top of his head, and brushed his hair as he whispered in return, “Yeah.”
Maybe Garrick actually could close his eyes for more than a few minutes at a time tonight. Devlin held him so tightly, and he continually grazed his hand back and forth over Garrick’s hip and ass, soothing Garrick and settling his breathing more completely than Garrick had experienced in ... years.
He won’t leave me. He won’t spill my secrets. I can trust him with my life.
Shit.
I just did.
The truth of everything Garrick had just spilled punched him right in the chest ... and it didn’t speed up his heartbeat or make him sick to his stomach one iota.
Everything is going to be okay.
Garrick snuggled in closer to Devlin’s warmth, blanketed by their bond, and comforted himself with the steady beat of Devlin’s heart pumping under his ear. “’Night, beautiful.” He pecked a kiss to Devlin’s chest. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Devlin squeezed him in return. “You absolutely will.”
Chapter Twelve
Devlin stirred, roused by a siren somewhere in the distance. Police car, not a fire truck. Not that he would get a call if it were a fire.
Soon, Morgan. Soon.
Heat rode Devlin’s front, not quite a crackling blaze but still damned toasty. He smiled against the shoulder of the man in front of him, pleased to see that Garrick was still asleep.
He needs this peace.
Devlin scooted in somehow closer to Garrick and kept his arm wrapped tightly around Garrick’s waist. He attached himself to his man from top to bottom, closed his eyes against the moonlight peeking in through the edges of the curtains pulled across the window, and drifted back to sleep...
*
...The softly lit airport and smattering of people milling about reflected the lateness of the hour. His hand linked in Gradyn’s, Devlin felt his legs grow heavier with each step that got him closer to his flight ... and to a goodbye. Devlin’s stomach twisted, and he crushed Gradyn’s fingers, as if fusing their hands together would change the outcome of this weekend fling.
I don’t want this to be the end.
Devlin took another step, and met with resistance. He glanced back, and a foot away, Gradyn stood motionless, their hands twined in the middle.
Gradyn’s lips flattened to a thin, pale line, and his tattoos suddenly seemed stark and prominent, as if they took over his whole face and head.
“This is the stopping point for me,” Gradyn said. He looked up, over Devlin’s head, and Devlin followed his stare to the sign PASSENGERS ONLY BEYOND THIS POINT. “I can’t walk with you any farther.”
The end of this weekend punched Devlin fully in the gut, right where he stood. Damn it, Morgan. Devlin forced his back straight. Don’t you dare pussy out and cry.
Gradyn tugged Devlin to him, speared his fingers into Devlin’s hair, and tilted his head back. “We had fun, beautiful.” He grazed his thumb back and forth along Devlin’s jaw, and a softer smile took over the hard lines previously shaping his lips. “At least, I know I did.”
“Me too.” Devlin’s voice caught, and he covered it by throwing his arms around Gradyn and burying his face in the man’s chest. The feel of muscular arms immediately circling him sucked Devlin back into the raw places he had gone with this man this weekend, and he tried to drown the goodbye with levity. “It’s going to take weeks before the imprint of you inside me goes away,” he murmured with a thick chuckle. With just speaking those words, Devlin’s ass throbbed. His sore passage reached for Gradyn again, and his chest constricted with loss. “I wish I could feel it forever.”
Gradyn exhaled, and his breath washed over Devlin’s ear. “Don’t do this, Devlin.” Even as he said that, Gradyn clutched Devlin to him in a suffocating embrace. “Please.” He dug his chin into the top of Devlin’s head, and his voice sounded rough. “I can’t handle tears.”
Suck it up, Morgan. Quit being a needy little bitch.
Devlin took a couple of deep breaths, and pulled away. “I apologize.”
Gradyn’s face fell, and he reached for Devlin. “Devlin, I didn’t mean--”
“No.” Devlin lifted his hand. “I’m fine. I promise.” He took a step backward, prepared to leave this tryst in the unspoken way they’d somehow agreed it should end, but he couldn’t make himself move another inch away from this fierce, harshly-attractive, sweet, funny, generous, patient, kind man. Devlin’s body would not process and act on the commands his brain sent his limbs to move.
It’s because this isn’t right. You don’t turn your back on an amazing weekend and an incredible person just because it’s not supposed to become something special.
Devlin’s entire being rejected the idea of never seeing Gradyn Connell again. That was why he could not move.
No guts, no reward, Morgan. Sometimes you have to step onto the ledge and
