Page 95 of Dead & Breakfast
“Sal! What are you doing?” Arthur batted at Dr.Young’s other hand, unprepared to manage both on his own.
“Sorry!” Sal rushed to contain Trip’s other hand. “I did not get the memo on what maneuver we were doing here.”
“Apparently!” Arthur glanced up as Sal contained the dentist’s other hand. Trip stood with his khakis pooled at his ankles, sporting boxers in a cowboy hat and spur print fabric. “You pantsed him?”
“How dare you!” Trip shuffled forward, trying to extricate himself from their restraints, only managing to stumble on his pants and fall to his knees.
“I tripped Trip!” Sal bounced on his toes gleefully.
“Don’t get excited yet. We need to cuff him and explain all this to the sheriff.”
Rumble, recovered from her altercation with Trip, scampered into Brody Young’s room and returned with a pair of silver handcuffs in her mouth.
“Good girl!” Sal exclaimed. “Daddy’s proud of you.”
Arthur rolled his eyes but didn’t bother to voice his disapproval. For now, all he had in him was relief. It was done. They’d caught the killer. He only hoped McMartin and the FPI would believe them.
While Sal cuffed Trip to a handrail just outside the room, Arthur bent to examine the sheriff. McMartin was still unconscious, sprawled on the floor and snoring. There would be plenty of time to wake him up and explain things, but Arthur had more pressing matters.
When Sal returned, Arthur pulled him into an embrace, holdingon to him for a long, wonderful moment. He smelled like the outdoors and a bit like campfire and…
“Did you eat a hot dog recently?” Arthur asked.
“Is that really how you greet your husband after he saved you from a deadly dentist attack?” Salvatore said into his hair. “But yes—I met some lovely campers along the way who were kind enough to share their meal. They were roasting them over the fire. It was all quite charming, actually. The little tents, the marshmallows, the hiking shoes. Did you know they make entire stores full of cute camping outfits? There are so many types of hats!”
“Sal! If you suggest we become the sort of people who camp, I may have to consider divorce like Dr.Weissman.”
“Dr.Weissman? Who’s that? Are you going to leave me for him? I will fight him, you know—I’m good at that now, apparently.”
“Never mind—it doesn’t matter.” Arthur ran a hand down Sal’s back and held him closer. “You came back for me.”
“Of course I did.” Sal pressed his nose against Arthur’s throat, his tone shifting immediately. “You’re the only one who knows how to make a Bloody Mary the way I like them,andyou’re a wizard when it comes to folding laundry. I mean, seriously, the way you fold socks? Downright spellbinding.”
“Really? That’s why you came back? My domestic prowess?”
“That’s not all!” Sal pulled back and began to count on his fingers. “You’re sharp as a tack, you little smarty-pants, solving this murder all on your own! Funny, too. That line about me making a dramatic entrance—how droll!”
“Okay, I get it.”
But Sal still wasn’t finished. He pressed a finger to Arthur’s lips to quiet him before saying, “And you care, Arthur. You care about me, but you also care about other things—a truly Herculean feat, ifI’m being honest.Icertainly could never. All my undeath, I’ve simply done what I liked, and if things went sideways, oh well. It’s a lot harder to get hurt when you don’t care, you know.”
“Would you rather I were different?”
“Certainly not!” Sal took Arthur’s face between his hands and squeezed ever so slightly. “My way has only ever gotten me…well, it’s gotten me all over the world, I’ll admit, but I was just running instead of living. I may be undead, Arthur Miller, no relation, but you make me want to live again. So, let’s live. Together. Here in this town.”
Arthur cracked a grin, too giddy to remain stoic. “I can’t believe you made that whole speech and no one was here to witness it except the dentist.”
“I really wish I hadn’t,” Trip grumbled from just outside.
“Arthur!” Sal whined.
“Fine, fine. That was very nice, Sal. Very nice indeed.” He took Sal’s chin in his hand and kissed him.
“Making out over an unconscious man,” Sal said when Arthur finally pulled away.
Arthur straightened and took a step back. “Right. That’s inappropriate.”
Sal grabbed his wrist and pulled him closer. “I love it when you’re inappropriate—it happens so rarely!” And he kissed him again.
