Epilogue

"Holy shit, look at you!" I stand as my old work friend, Donnie, approaches the table where I've been waiting for him. We were co-workers at one point before he quit the finance bro life and became a spin instructor.

"Hey," he says with a laugh. "You look terrible."

I give him a good-natured shove. "Thanks, asshole. Things have been a little busy, okay?"

"I heard!" He takes the seat across from me and waves down a waiter. "What's this rumor going around about you opening up a gym?"

"Oh god, that's only one part of it. Beau and I are moving too. To Brooklyn. Not far from you and Roger actually."

"Yes! Welcome to the club." Donnie holds up his glass for a toast. "New place, new business. Finally getting out of the rat race, are you?"

"That's the plan. Eventually."

With the amount of work involved in opening Beau's dream gym, I've been running off my feet. Not that I'm complaining, I'll do just about anything for that man—including working two jobs until we finally bring his vision to life. A boutique fitness gym with state-of-the-art equipment and top-quality trainers, a space for gay men to find a community centered around health and wellness.

It's going to be called Mars Fitness after the Roman god of war and masculinity. It was Beau's idea—and he's leaning deep into the theme. The sauna is named Vulcan after the god of fire and the steam room is Neptune after the god of the sea. I think it's a bit much, but it makes Beau grin like a kid on Christmas morning, so who am I to object?

"Beau wants to stock condoms and lube in the showers," I say and wait.

Donnie doesn't disappoint. His eyes grow wide in horror—he's always been rather proper. "Why?"

I chuckle. "Because guys are always hooking up in there anyway, so he wants to promote safe sex. There are going to be health seminars and drop-in STI testing. It's a whole thing."

Donnie's mouth opens and closes a few times before he cocks his head. "That's actually not a bad idea."

"Beau's chock-full of them. Including building out a spin class schedule."

Donnie's eyes light up. "Yeah? You looking for instructors?"

"You're the first person I called."

"Tell me more."

* * *

After we finish our drinks, I walk Donnie down to the gym where Beau's overseeing the construction crew. We show Donnie the plans for the spin room and get his input on the best type of bikes and shoes to stock. Then he heads off with a promise to schedule a double-date sometime soon.

"So, what do you think?" I slip my arms around Beau's waist and press myself flush against him.

"I think maybe I let the work crew off early and we christen the new shower room." He nibbles on the corner of my mouth before dipping his tongue between my lips.

"Hmm, I meant of Donnie," I admonish, even as I fill my palms with Beau's muscular ass.

"Oh, him? Yeah, he's cool. I like him. You know what else I like? Shower sex."

I give Beau a useless shove on the chest. "The water's not even on in there yet."

He smiles mischievously. "It's on. The guys finished it this morning."

My dick twitches at that new piece of information and Beau's smile widens when he feels it pressed against his hip.

"Someone's interested."

"I'm always interested." It's true. Three years and sex with Beau only seems to get better and better. Or maybe it's because I'm falling in love with him more with each passing day. He's the reason I get up in the mornings and the last thought on my mind when I fall asleep. He's my heartbeat and my very breath. He's my everything.

"I love you." My heart swells with how much. I'll never get tired of saying those three little words. And I'll never get tired of hearing him say it back.

"I love you too, G." And when he kisses me, there's absolutely no doubt that he does.

***

BONUS SCENE

I lock the door behind the last gym member to leave for the night and drop my head against the metal frame. We're doing it. We're actually doing it.

We've opened the fitness gym of my dreams and made it through the first week relatively unscathed. No one got injured. Only one treadmill malfunctioned. And we're going through our custom water bottles so fast, we'll need to put in a rush order for more.

"Hey."

Familiar hands settle on my hips from behind, then slide around to my front. A warm, hard body presses against my back, and soft lips brush against the nape of my neck.