"Yeah. Ro?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
Ronin smiled. "Love you too. See you tomorrow in Century."
With the thought his brother was coming, Ronin left dinner and jogged up the stairs. He spent the next little while putting new sheets on the bed in one of the guest rooms as well as restocking the towels and everything in the private bathroom. When he was satisfied, he changed his clothes and grabbed his wallet and car keys. If his brother was coming he probably should get some groceries.
Since he was heading into town anyway, he might as well stop and grab some food at Anatolis.
Reaching for his phone again, he dialed and waited.
"Hello?"
"José… Did Savaro pick up Leroy?"
"Um—this morning. Why?"
"Can I steal you away tonight?"
"Well, that all depends. Are you propositioning me, Mr McCall?"
"Yes. And to sweeten the deal, I will give you full access to my body in every naughty way you can possibly think of."
The sound of José's groan on the other end of the line aroused Ronin quickly and he smiled, rubbing a hand over the bulge in the front of his pants. "What do you say?"
"Pick me up."
"I'll see you soon."
With the conversation over, Ronin changed again.
This time he pulled on a black pair of jeans, a white dress shirt, and black shoes. He reached once again for his cell, wallet, and keys, and hurried out the door. When he pulled up outside José's, José was standing outside, leaning against a car speaking with a man. Ronin blinked as his heart did a lurch, but then he smiled and shook his head. He was the cowboy from the first night he'd arrived in Eros—
Race Something-or-other, Laird's man.
He turned off the ignition and eased from the front
seat to join them.
"Race." Ronin extended a hand. "It's good to see you again."
"What's going on?" Race took his hand in a hearty squeeze. "You two have plans for tonight?"
Ronin looked over at José who was staring at him in that hungry way. "Something like that. I was thinking I could steal José here for dinner at Anatolis."
"Sounds like a plan. Savaro's team baked some fresh honey buns for tonight so make sure you snag some of those," Race explained. "I should head back. Laird gets home tonight and I want to make him some dinner."
"You going to see Winston any time soon?" José wanted to know.
"Yeah. He asked me to visit. I think he's having issues with the horses again."
José laughed. "Well, I'm going to have dinner with my man. I'll talk to you later."
"Your man?" Race cocked a brow. "Oh my. When did this happen?"
"I'm not sure," Ronin replied.
Race patted Ronin on the shoulder. "We're planning on having a dinner when everyone is back in Eros. Maybe on the weekend. You guys want in?"
"Ronin?" José asked.
"Yeah sure. But there will be a third, if you don't mind."
"Who?" Race questioned.
"My brother is heading in from New York tomorrow morning. He's going to be here a while since he's on leave."
"Yeah sure. I don't think it will be a problem. I'll see you two later."
After more handshakes and Race's taillights disappearing in the distance, Ronin did what he'd wanted to do all day. He pulled José into his arms and kissed him.
This kiss was different than the others. It was soft and all-consuming. When he pulled away, it was reluctantly. "We should go now."
José laughed. "All right. But I want my reward later."
Ronin kissed him again and they walked to the car hand in hand. Ronin released José long enough that they could get in the car. But when they were driving toward the restaurant, he took José's hand again. While he drove, he absentmindedly caressed José's hand with his thumb. There was something about the connection he had with José that left him breathless and feeling quite empty when it was broken.
"Are you okay?" José asked.
Ronin hauled in a shaky breath and smiled. He glanced at José quickly before looking back at the road.
"I'm fine."
"You're worried about your brother meeting me, aren't you?"
"Not really."
"Does he know you're gay?"
Ronin nodded. "He was the first person to know. I just—I've never taken a guy home before. I don't know what the proper etiquette is."
"Really? Never? Why am I different?"
"José."
"It's a valid question."
Ronin flipped on his signal and pulled over into the parking lot for the restaurant. When he turned the ignition off, he shifted in his seat to face José. "You just are. You do things to me—with you I actually want things to work…"
The smile José gave him caused his breath to catch in his throat and his body to burn sweetly. "Thank you,"
José whispered.
Ronin kissed him.
"For the record, I told my mom about you."
"And?"
"She wants to know when we're coming to Spain."
Ronin laughed and eased from the car. "Well, we can go anytime you want."
"You're yanking me."
"José—" Ronin took José by the hips and pinned him gently against the hood of the car. "I thought you'd know by now when I'm really yanking you." To stress his point, he reached down and caressed José's cock through his pants. He then caught José's penis and yanked it a few times until he felt it stiffen.
"Damn, Ronin. Do we really need to eat right now?" José wanted to know and snaked his arms around Ronin's neck.
"We won't stay long. Just in and out—because I have to get some groceries before I pick up Mack tomorrow."
"Can I go with you to get him?"
"Yes. And if you want to come you have to spend the night at my place."
José smirked. "I can live with that. Now, we should get inside because I'm sure there are laws against doing what I want to do to you in public."
With a final pull of José's dick, Ronin let it go and together they walked inside. The moment they came through the door, however, Ronin knew they weren't going to be leaving any time soon. Xavier and Rajan were
