Page 122 of Common Goal
Kyle relaxed his arms, and sighed. “I’vetriedto hate you.”
Eric’s lips curved up slightly. “Did it work?”
“No. Fuck, Eric. I can’t hate you. I want everything you just said. I’ve wanted it for months.”
Eric was so close now. His gaze kept darting away from Kyle, and he was making a meal of his bottom lip. Kyle would prefer to be the one doing that.
“I want to be with you, Kyle. I want to be your boyfriend. Partner. For as long as you’ll have me.”
Tears were flowing freely from Kyle’s eyes now. He didn’t care. He smiled wetly and said, “How dare you tell me this in the backroom at work.”
Eric chuckled and stepped toward him. “It wasn’t how I planned it.”
Kyle wrapped his arms around his neck. “You know I have to go back out there and serve customers after this, right?”
And then Eric’s lips were on his, and they were kissing wildly. Kyle’s body sang with relief after too many weeks of not having this. Eric gripped Kyle’s head, his fingers tangled in his hair, making a mess of it.
“We shouldn’t—” Kyle panted, breaking the kiss.
“I know,” Eric said, then kissed him again. His hand slipped under the hem of Kyle’s T-shirt, pushing it up to expose his stomach.
“Oh, fuck,” Kyle gasped. He thrust his hips forward so his crotch could make contact with Eric’s, and then went back to devouring him. He couldn’t believe this was really happening, and he was so overcome with desire that he was considering fucking Eric in this storeroom.
Eric suddenly stepped away. “Sorry,” he said, wiping his mouth with his forearm. His face was flush with arousal, and probably some embarrassment. “I shouldn’t have—I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s okay. Ireallydon’t mind.”
Eric smiled at him like he couldn’t believe he was real. Kyle was sure he had the same expression on his own face.
“I want to go to Greece with you,” Eric blurted out.
“You do?”
“Yes. Soon. When can you go?”
“I—”
“And I was thinking...do you think Gus would sell this place? To me, I mean? And maybe to Scott too. I don’t know. I haven’t talked to him about it. But I think he’d love to co-own it with me, and you could be the manager and—”
Kyle cut him off with another kiss, but it was sloppy because he was laughing at Eric’s uncharacteristic babbling. “That all sounds incredible, but I need to finish my shift right now.”
“Okay. Right.” Eric kissed him again. “We should talk. After.”
“After,” Kyle agreed. “I’ll be done in an hour.”
“Come to my place?”
“It’s way past your bedtime. Are you sure?”
Eric leaned in and kissed him again. “Fuck bedtime. I’m retired.”
EPILOGUE
“I now pronounce you married,” the wedding officiant proclaimed. “You may kiss the heck out of each other.”
Everyone laughed and cheered as Scott and Kip did exactly that. Eric’s heart swelled, watching them. He caught Kyle’s gaze where he stood opposite him, next to Kip. Kyle’s eyes were wet, and he smiled at Eric.
It had been a perfect July day that had turned into a perfect evening, with a cool breeze coming off the ocean. The ceremony was happening outside, just as the sun was setting, on a grassy hill that overlooked the Great South Bay. Scott had done a good job making sure the wedding would be a very private event. He had booked the entire resort, and there was no press allowed. This day was just for friends and family.
