Page 158 of All The Things: The Last Thing He Needs Omnibus

“No, just… You sure?”

There were a lot of things in life Ben regretted, a lot of things he’d probably grow to regret in the future. But not this. “You’re the only thing I’ve ever been really sure about, Gav.” Ben dipped his head again and started to draw Gavin’s name out. He took his time, just as he had earlier, wanting it to match, wanting it perfect.

Gavin didn’t take the opportunity to remind him about him kicking Gavin out, so, maybe they’d made even more progress than Ben had realized. Or maybe Gavin was saving it for another time.

Within a few quiet minutes, though, Ben had etched Gavin’s name into his skin. A promise between the two of them, sealed for the world to see.

Maybe Gavin had the right idea. Rings could get lost or stolen; they could fall down the toilet, slip off and go over the side of a boat into the ocean. Or even be discreetly tucked into a pocket if they became inconvenient. Not that he worried about that. But still.

He rubbed some salve over his new ink and then passed the pot to Gavin. There was something almost reverent in the way Gavin touched Ben’s name.

“You always said a tattoo should mean something,” Gavin whispered, as if confessing. “This was the only thing I could think of that really meant anything to me.”

Jesus. How was it that Gavin was the sledgehammer to Ben’s heart, and the only thing he needed to keep it beating? He didn’t know what to say to that, so he simply leaned in closer, threaded his fingers into Gavin’s hair, and pulled him into a long, slow kiss.

Less than an hour later, they had a little celebration in the kitchen. Tony came over to see Gavin. Anna called on Skype so she could be there with Gavin while he opened a few small presents. Her kids climbed all over her, said hello to everyone, and then went to bed before the end of the meal.

They ate dinner together, laughed, and joked. Gavin and Tina managed to find a few good memories worth bringing up. Ben didn’t like those bits of conversation, but he didn’t break the wineglass in his hand, so he called it a win.

Gavin let out a loud bark of laughter when he saw the cake Nora and Tina had made. A giant unicorn stretched across the top, crafted out of fluffy, sparkly frosting. A well-endowed male unicorn, to be precise.

“Oh, look, it’s your spirit animal,” Tony said.

Tina blushed, but she laughed too. “Nora did the, um. Detail work.”

“Well, someone had to do it,” Nora said with a laugh.

“Not really, Mom.” Ben lit the candles and set the cake in front of Gavin.

Before he blew them out, he looked around at the family, looked long at Ben and then at Tina and her round belly.

Afterward, Nora asked him what he wished for.

“I gave it to the bean,” Gavin said. He’d been calling his future niece or nephew that for a while. With a small shrug, he added, “I’ve got everything I want.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Gavin

Gavin had been twenty-two for less than three weeks, but he already felt like an old man. Tina’s due date loomed over all of them. Her doctor had told her she would probably be later rather than early, but it could happen any day now and be considered on time. They were almost ready, just in case. Every time they turned around, though, there was another thing they wanted to fix or replace or repair in the house. Gavin had a running list. He and Ben worked on everything in their spare time, which was limited at best.

And maybe that’s why he couldn’t fall asleep. He’d spent hours the night before, tossing and turning, thinking of everything he still had to do. By the time Ben’s alarm went off that morning, Gavin felt like he could sleep for another year. He was groggy, bleary-eyed, as Ben rolled over to hit the clock on the nightstand.

“You don’t have to be to the shop till ten,” Gavin grumbled, his voice muffled against his pillow. “Why is the alarm set for seven?”

Ben shifted next to him, wrapped his arm around Gavin, and jerked him close, playful and obviously in a good mood. “So I can enjoy a few minutes in bed with you before we have to get up.”

“Couldn’t those few minutes be enjoyed asleep?”

“Yeah…” Ben skimmed his hand down Gavin’s side as he pressed his face to Gavin’s neck. “But we gotta get up soon. Tina has her appointment today, and Mom’s probably been up for hours.”

Ben was right. Knowing Nora, she had probably already finished unpacking the rest of the house for them and had moved on to making breakfast. The woman survived on five hours of sleep a night and one short nap in the middle of the day.

“If she’s been up for hours, one more won’t hurt,” Gavin whispered as he pushed back against Ben’s body.

“Good point.” Ben paused, nipping Gavin’s ear with his teeth. He ground his hips against Gavin’s ass, and Gavin could feel Ben’s erection pressing against him. “But we should probably move this to the shower if we wanna get anything done today.”

Gavin couldn’t help his whimper as Ben reached around and slid his fingers over Gavin’s cock. Sex in the shower sounded good too, but not nearly as good as warm, sleepy, morning sex. “I have a counteroffer,” Gavin said as he started to turn around, teasing and playful.

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