Chapter Twenty-Eight

“I STILL CAN’Tbelieve it,” Dylan said, adrenaline continuing to surge through his veins as they drove away from Blackstone Financial Technologies.

“I’m sure there will be more fallout, but I know we can handle anything that comes our way.”

Dylan frowned when they turned onto the bridge instead of taking the last off-ramp toward Ryan’s home. “Where are we going?”

“I want to show you something.”

Dylan reached across the center console and brushed his fingers along the hair at the nape of Ryan’s neck. Since he’d arrived at Ryan’s office that morning, there hadn’t been a moment where they weren’t touching each other. There were several times while they were in the conference room when Dylan thought his knees would buckle, his heart was pounding so hard. But he had Ryan at his side, with his arm around him. He’d felt helpless during the meeting, not knowing what to say. Looking at his parents, though, Dylan realized he didn’t have to say anything. He didn’t need their validation or love. Ryan believed in him. Ryan didn’t just love him, he respected him and saw him as his equal. That’s what it meant to truly love someone. It’s what Dylan admired about Kevin and Carl’s relationship and always hoped he’d find one day.

Ryan pulled off the bridge, heading toward Jason and Joy’s house. Dylan stared at Ryan with a raised eyebrow when they pulled onto Jason and Joy’s street. Instead of going to their house, however, Ryan turned into the driveway of a house two doors down. He parked and got out, jogging around to Dylan’s side to open the door for him.

“What’s going on?” Dylan asked, peering up at the large Craftsman-style home. It was a new build but had all the charm of a vintage home, with light gray shingles, white trim and black shutters. Similar to Jason and Joy’s, the house had a sweeping lawn leading down to the lake. Ryan clasped Dylan’s hand and pulled him toward the front door, which was painted a pale sage green. Dylan watched as Ryan removed a key from his pocket and unlocked the front door.

Light hardwood floors and soft white walls reflected the light from a wall of windows on the other side of a massive open-concept floor plan. Instead of a grand staircase, a more modest one along one wall led upstairs.

Ryan gently guided him into a spacious kitchen with white upper cabinets, dark green lower cabinets, and a large island with white countertops. The lower level had its own small kitchen, a bathroom, a den, and a guest room with an en suite. Upstairs, Ryan showed him two more bedrooms, each with their own bathroom.

At the last door, Ryan took a deep breath before he opened it. Dylan walked into the only furnished room in the house. The enormous primary suite was placed at the opposite end of the house from the other bedrooms, so there were windows on three sides of the room. A black metal modern four-poster bed with silver-gray sheets and a blue-and-gray paisley duvet graced the bedroom, which also boasted a walk-in closet. The en suite held a freestanding tub big enough for two and an even bigger shower. The room was already equipped with white fluffy towels.

“Did you rent this for us?” Dylan asked.

Ryan shook his head. “Do you like it?”

“I love it. It’s beautiful.”

Ryan held the key toward him, a slow smile spreading over his face. “That’s a relief because I bought it.”

Dylan’s mouth dropped open. “You did what?”

“Jason mentioned a few days ago that the owners were thinking about selling.”

“But you can’t buy a house in a few days.” Dylan sputtered, his mind still spinning.

“It’s not officially ours yet. But the owners were okay with moving out now and giving me the keys.”

“You gave them a lot of money, didn’t you?”

Ryan gave him a sheepish smile. “I may have sent them on an all-expense-paid trip to Tahiti.”

Dylan threw his arms around Ryan’s neck. “I love it.”

“I want both of our names on the deed.”

“I can’t afford to put—”

Ryan silenced him with a kiss. “You have shares in Blackstone Technologies, and it doesn’t matter. The money isn’t what’s important—what we build here together is. I don’t want to spend another minute living a half-life. I want a whole life with you, Dylan. I want us to raise Leo here. Maybe we can even give him a sibling one day. I want us to wake up in this bed together every morning and fall asleep together every night. I love you, Dylan, and I want to spend the rest of my life loving you. That’s all that matters to me.”

Dylan nodded. The lump in his throat was so big he could barely speak. Ryan was offering him all he’d ever wanted and so much more. “I love you, Ryan. You’re my strength and my happiness. You taught me I’m not a burden. Knowing you love me, you make me feel invincible. I thought I was the match, but you’re my match, Ryan.”

Ryan reached for him and wrapped his arms around him. They held on to each other for a long time. Dylan realized they both needed a chance to finally breathe and live their lives without fear. If that meant their hugs needed to last a little longer while they reassured each other everything would be all right, Dylan was okay with it. Ryan pulled out of the embrace only enough so he could hold Dylan’s face in his hands and kiss him. All the fear and longing they had faced over the last few days was released in a flurry of desperate kisses, their bodies craving each other’s touch.

“Yes,” Ryan moaned when Dylan wrapped his hand around his cock. Ryan lifted his head and nipped at Dylan’s shoulder. “Need you now,” he said, his voice strained with urgency.

Their bodies writhed together, trying to get closer, touching everywhere. They didn’t make it from the floor to the bed. Dylan joined their cocks together in his hand, slick with precum, and they both cried out their release. They lay panting on the floor, exchanging soft kisses and murmured words of love. Gentle kisses soon became heated again, and they moved to the bed, where Ryan’s dick pressed against him as he peppered Dylan’ s face with kisses before moving down his body, tasting every inch while he told Dylan how beautiful he was and how much Ryan wanted him. By the time Ryan pushed into him, Dylan was moaning and begging.

“Open your eyes, baby,” Ryan whispered.

Dylan obeyed his command and looked at Ryan, his eyes dark with desire, beads of sweat on his forehead.

“There you are,” Ryan smiled, easing himself the rest of the way in.

Dylan groaned. Nothing would ever feel as good as this, and it wasn’t just the physical closeness. An invisible thread tied them together, connecting his heart to Ryan’s.

After round two, Dylan lay in the tub, his back against Ryan’s chest, surrounded by tendrils of steam. Dylan sighed, his body finally sated. Ryan kissed the shell of his ear, his fingers gently running up and down Dylan’s chest.

“I think we’re off to a good start making memories in this house,” Dylan said.

Ryan chuckled, the sound vibrating in his chest and going straight to Dylan’s heart.

“I know I should have waited, and if you want, we can look for something together. When Jason told me about this house and we walked down to see it, I knew I wanted us to live here as soon as I saw it. I could picture us here as a family.”

Dylan turned his neck and kissed Ryan’s jaw. “It’s perfect. It’s exactly the type of home I pictured for us.”

“But?” Ryan said, sensing Dylan’s unease.

“I miss Leo. Can we go back and get him? We could bring the tent and have a campout in the living room.”

“I love that idea. Let’s go get our son.”

Dylan turned so quickly water sloshed over the side of the tub. “What did you say?”

Ryan cupped his cheek, brushing away the drops of water from his face with his thumb. “I said ‘our son.’”

Dylan’s breath hitched. Ryan said out loud what he’d secretly wished for but thought was too selfish to hope for.

“Thank you,” he said, pressing a kiss to Ryan’s lips. “I already think of Leo as more than a nephew, but let’s let Leo decide who he wants me to be in his life.”

“Uncle Dylan or Daddy Dylan, he’s ours.”

They got out of the bath, dressed quickly, and went back to the stark white mansion.

“Would it be okay if I never came back here?” Dylan asked when they pulled up to the house.

Ryan reached for his hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. “I was thinking the same thing. Let’s pack up both cars and go home.”

Mrs. Lieu welcomed them with a big smile and hugs. Leo came running into the kitchen a minute later, flinging himself into Dylan’s arms. “Uncle Dylan, I missed you,” he said, wrapping his arms and legs around him when Dylan picked him up.

“I missed you too,” Dylan said, kissing the top of Leo’s head.

They sat down at the kitchen table and shared their plan with Mrs. Lieu and Rebecca. Mrs. Lieu was eager to move into the guesthouse that came with the house, and Ryan offered the apartment over the garage to Rebecca, who had decided to stay in Seattle. Rebecca had applied for a job at Seattle Children’s and was thrilled to move closer to the hospital.

Dylan reached across the table for Ryan’s hand, and their eyes met, silently communicating their happiness.

When they told Leo they were going camping at their new house, he ran upstairs and started filling his backpack with his favorite books and toys. With Rebecca’s help, they packed more practical items. They’d have his bed delivered the next day.

Dylan found Ryan in his room, packing a bag. “Is there anything else you want to bring? Have you decided what furniture you want to keep?”

“I don’t want any of it,” Ryan said, shaking his head. “I’m keeping my desk and that’s it. I want to start over with you and have rooms filled with color.”

They packed clothes, toiletries, the tent, sleeping bags, and pillows in their cars, along with enough food from Mrs. Lieu to feed them for a week.

Dylan noticed Ryan standing by his car, looking up at the house. He went over and put his hand on Ryan’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

Ryan gave him a wistful smile. “Just saying goodbye.”

“We can come back if you need to.”

“No, I don’t need to come back. I was never really here. I lived in this house, but I wasn’t really living. Not until you came.” Ryan pressed his shoulder against Dylan’s. “Home is with you and Leo. That’s where I’ll always feel alive.”

“Love you,” Dylan said, kissing Ryan’s cheek.

“Love you too. Let’s take our family home.”

They both had tears in their eyes watching Leo explore his new home. They spent their first night in their tent set up in the living room, taking turns reading books to Leo. When Leo fell asleep, Dylan held Ryan’s hand across Leo’s sleeping form, smiling in the darkness.