Page 28 of Five for Silver

“I’m sure he didn’t mean it.” Chadwhispered.

“Oh, I know he didn’t, he’s just a dog, butyou … you gave it to him.” Romeo narrowed his eyes slightly. “Youwanted to end up like this?”

Chad attempted a shrug. “So what if Idid…”

Still squeezing Chad’s wrists above hishead, Romeo leaned down and ran his mouth over Chad’s muddy cheek.“You like to play a dangerous game, don’t you, Mr. Fuller.”

Chad smirked. “Mr. Fuller? It’sDetectiveFuller.”

Romeo kissed him hard. Muddied lips pressedagainst muddied lips. Chad breathed in the scent of wet earth, butwhen Romeo’s tongue brushed against him, he chased the taste,lifting his head from the dirt just to keep their mouths together,to part his lips, to have a little bit more.

Romeo broke the kiss and grinned down at himsmugly. Chad scrunched up his face and attempted to wipe his mouthon his shoulder.

“You taste like sweat and dirt.”

“Does that mean you don’t wantmore?”Romeo asked.

Chad’s grimace faded. “I never saidthat.”

“You like the taste of sweat and dirt whenit’s on me?”

“Yes,” Chad nodded, brushing their mouthstogether. “When it’s from you.”

Romeo’s lips shifted against his, smiling athis victory before he pressed into Chad’s mouth and pushed his headback to the mud.

He released his iron grip on Chad’swrists.

As soon as he was free, Chad tangled hisfingers into Romeo’s hair, clutching and releasing until he earnedan impatient growl. Romeo pulled away, sitting back on hisheels.

“I’m covered in dirt, and I need a shower,”Romeo said. “You’re coming with me.”

“And Merc?”

“Is one hundred percent not allowed in thebathroom for the next thirty minutes.”

Chad laughed, and let Romeo pull him to hisfeet.

Merc bounded over with the scraps of teatowel in his mouth and dropped them at Romeo’s feet.

Romeo sighed, grabbing them.

Merc attached his big grey eyes to Romeo,panting up at him as Romeo relented and gave him a pat on thehead.

Chad exhaled hard.

“Rough day?” Romeo asked.

“Yeah, but the last ten minutes has made upfor it.” He glanced down at his feet, then up at Romeo. “I love youso goddamn much.”

Romeo smiled.Thatbig smilefluttered Chad’s stomach and squeezed his heart. If love hadalook, Romeo had just attached it firmly to Chad, andhe basked in it for a few moments.

“Come on.” Romeo took his hand and pulledChad over to the kitchen door. “If ten minutes rolling around inthe mud has improved your day, imagine what thirty minutes in theshower with me will do to it.”

Chad rested his cheek on Romeo’s bicep asthey trudged back to the house.

****

Showered, and fed, Chad flopped onto hisside, using Romeo’s thigh as a cushion.

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