“What about the others you sleep with?”
“What others?”
“I saw you with that couple that one night, remember?”
Norma Jean jumped onto the bed and Shane quickly pulled the covers up over them both, probably to protect them from her claws. “I ended that arrangement with them that night, Quinn. I didn’t know I was in love with you at that point, but I knew I didn’t want to be with them or anyone else. Besides, what I had with them was casual.”
Quinn couldn’t stop his grin. “They were so hot, I may or may not have had a few really great fantasies about you with them.”
Shane tugged him closer and slid a leg between Quinn’s. “Oh yeah? I like fantasies so I want to hear all about those. Later. Right now, I need to know that we’re on the same page.”
“Do I look like I want to go anywhere?”
“No,” he answered with a laugh. “But you also look pretty fucked out.”
“I am. I don’t think I still have legs.”
Shane rubbed his hairy thigh between Quinn’s. “Oh, you do. Sexy, sexy legs. Fuck, Quinn, you looked so hot under me.”
He stared at him for several long moments. “I really like being under you. And over you. And I’ll probably love being behind you.”
Shane’s eyes rolled back as he groaned. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll accommodate you anywhere you want to do that.”
He scooched as close as he could, tucking his face against Shane’s chest. “Later. I only slept a few hours here and there on that trip from DC.” Because Shane couldn’t see him, he felt brave enough to admit, “I was so sad at the thought of not being like this with you again. Not being here. I hated it. Hated feeling like that.”
Arms tightened around him. Shane pressed his lips to the top of Quinn’s head. “I felt the same way and I hated it, too. Just so you know, I’d rather you sleep here the nights you don’t want to be in your apartment. Here instead of at the Ward office.” His body shook as he laughed. “I um, bought you some things, hoping to lure you back here to my place.”
“What things?”
“Game systems.”
Quinn pulled back to look at him. “Systems? Plural?”
The shrug he gave was pretty cute along with that sheepish grin. “I didn’t know which one you preferred, so I got them all.”
Quinn sat up. “Wait a second. You bought all of the game systems? There’s no way.” He jumped out of bed and headed toward the living room.
The growl behind him made him grin as he heard Shane grumbling. “I shouldn’t have told him until tomorrow. Come back to bed!” The last sentence he yelled.
But Quinn was too busy standing in his living room and looking at the boxes. He had gotten them all. The newest Xbox, PlayStation, a Nintendo Switch…there was even a small Nintendo NES—one Quinn knew was damn hard to find. There were more. Also games, most of them currently being shoved around the room by a curious Norma Jean. She patted one close to his foot and sat back to look up at him.
“See?” Warm arms came around him from behind as Shane propped his chin on Quinn’s shoulders. “She’s welcoming you to our home, too. I knew that was a smart cat the first time I saw her in the shelter. So, what do you say?”
“To what?” He hugged Shane’s arms close. “You know I have the systems already, right? You can take these back, because I know you spent a fortune here.”
“Nope, they’re staying. That way you don’t have to worry about moving them from your place to mine. You can stay here and play when you want. You can even teach me. I’ve always kind of wanted to learn to play.”
Quinn slumped against him. “It’s too much. You’re too perfect now. Something’s gotta be bad about all this.”
“Let me think.” He licked into Quinn’s ear. “Yeah, I suppose there are some things. I drink out of the cartons in my refrigerator. I forget clothes in the washer and sometimes end up having to wash them three or four times by the time I remember to put them in the dryer. Norma Jean’s litter box can occasionally be a toxic waste dump, but I’ll remember to clean it a lot if it means you come around more.”
“I’ve never even smelled it once since I’ve been here.”
“That’s because I’ve been working hard to impress you. I’ll probably still do that, but I may slip up now and then so just be warned. Oh!” He kissed his shoulder. “There is one other thing you’ll have to get used to. My dad. He’s going to be really happy about this and will probably squeeze the life out of you in one of his crazy-long hugs.”