“You did this,” Devlin said, his voice choked. He flipped back through those few conversations he’d had with Maddie about the Trans Am and it hit him that she’d never actually said she found the car herself. “Maddie didn’t find the car to refurbish. You did.”
Garrick shrugged. “I brought it in. Your sister knows you well, though. The second she saw it, she said she had a buyer and wanted to do the work herself. I volunteered to lend a hand.” He shifted upright and reached out to caress Devlin’s cheek. “It was a way I could be close to you, even though I didn’t have the nerve to face you yet.”
Devlin turned his head and kissed Garrick’s hand. “It’s beautiful, Garrick.”
The sweetest damned smile--something Devlin got the privilege to see every day now--tilted Garrick’s lips at the edges. “Not as beautiful as your face the second you laid eyes on it,” Garrick told him softly.
Flashes of eating sandwiches while sitting across from a tattooed man in an ugly motel room filled Devlin’s head. “I can’t believe you remembered that silly thing I said that day.”
“I remember everything you tell me. If it’s important to you, it’s important to me.”
“Yeah,” Devlin agreed, his tone a bit gruff suddenly, “me too. So.” He let his gaze wander down the length of Garrick’s enticing physique, pleased to see the man’s cock respond with a visible jump. “What’s with the nakedness? Not that I’m complaining.” He arched a brow as he looked some more. “But you can’t have thought I’d need extra incentive to love this car.”
With a deep breath that expanded his chest, Garrick blurted, “How would you feel about parking this cock-on-wheels next to my battered old truck every night?”
Devlin jerked his attention away from Garrick’s growing prick and shot right up to his face again. “What are you saying?”
Garrick didn’t blink or look away. “I’m saying I want us to live together.”
Oh, Holy Mother.
Devlin grabbed the open car door to his left as his legs went weak on him.
Two months had passed since the night Randy had broken into Grace’s home and changed all their lives. A reporter had indeed come to ask Grace some questions about Randy, about his presence in Redemption, and if Grace had known about it. However, Wyn had also been right in his guess that the reporter wouldn’t have any interest in the tenant above the garage, and Garrick had not even been mentioned in the article that ran a few days later.
Devlin and Garrick had spent almost every night together since then, the only exceptions being when Devlin had gotten the okay to go back to work and had to do his overnight shifts at the firehouse. Garrick’s room was cramped with two people, and Devlin’s place had Maddie, so what exactly was he suggesting?
Maybe... Devlin’s heart leapt right into his throat. No. Don’t get ahead of yourself. Devlin couldn’t help it, his chest started to pound at the possibilities even though he told himself not to hope.
“Damn it.” Garrick smacked his hand against the hood of the car. “You’re looking completely shell-shocked, Devlin, but hear me out.” He grabbed Devlin’s hand and pulled him around to the front of the car. He slid there too and braced his feet on the front fender. “Shit, I’m kind of springing this on myself as much as I am you, beautiful. You know the people who live one house across and to the left of Grace? The Sheridans?” At Devlin’s nod, Garrick went on. “The wife told Grace today that the husband found out his work is moving him to Virginia in two months. She asked Grace if she would list the house for them. Grace was telling me about it,” Garrick took Devlin’s hands in a loose hold, “and I told her to hold off for a day.”
“You did?” So much hope filled those two words Devlin barely choked them out.
Garrick drew Devlin between his legs. “I know it’s a big step and happening very quickly, but what do you think? Do you want to buy it with me?” He fiddled with the buttons on Devlin’s shirt, darting his focus between them and Devlin’s eyes as he spoke. “It’s a bigger step of trust for you,” Garrick said. “We’d have to work it so that yours is the only name on the paperwork. I still don’t feel like I can risk too much scrutiny.”
He looked up into Devlin’s eyes, and his hands went from playing with Devlin’s shirt to grasping it in a twisting hold. “But I promise I love you and want to live with you all the time--in our own place--and this is close to the Fines, so we can still check in with Shawn and Chloe every day. I promise you can trust me with your credit score. I would never leave you ever, period, and I swear I would never renege on my half of the mortgage payment and bills. Whatever you need me to do to make you feel safe taking this risk, I am willing and want to do it for you.” Earnestness shaped every line of Garrick’s being, and his eyes shone with just as much love as Devlin was sure his own did. “Will you buy a house and build a life together with me?”
Oh, Holy Mother. Devlin gulped down a grapefruit-sized lump lodged in his throat. Jesus, Mary and Joseph. He could not break from the brightness in Garrick’s gaze. “I-I...”
Garrick’s face fell as quickly as his hands did from Devlin’s shirt. “It’s too much too fast. I knew I shouldn’t have put you on the sp--”
Devlin clamped his hand over Garrick’s mouth. Snap the fuck out of it, Morgan, before you ruin this moment and kill every damned thing you’ve always wanted with this man. “Yes.” Devlin laughed out loud, filling the garage
