Chapter Eleven

An obvious shiver rolled through Rueben, and the naughty images from his slumber returned to front and center of his brain. He'd ensure the bath from the dream would become a sexy reality, but first, Rueben wanted to show the love language he'd learned at his abuela's side. The tantalizing kisses Seth placed along his neck threatened to ambush his good intentions until the distant sound of an approaching vehicle penetrated Rueben's sluggish brain.

"Let's take this inside." Arousal thickened his voice, so Seth's confusion when Rueben continued toward the kitchen was understandable.

"Bedroom is this way." Seth's pout was adorable, but the semi erection pushing against his jeans made Rueben hunger for something more. It would be so easy to give in. "Tell me you've eaten lunch, and I'll follow you into the bedroom."

"I—" Seth's stomach growled before he could finish the lie. "Well, fuck."

Rueben backtracked to kiss Seth's pouty lips but realized his mistake as soon as brawny arms banded around him.

"Gotcha." The encroaching rainstorm produced dark clouds the same color and intensity as Seth's eyes.

Rueben wasn't afraid of the tempest brewing outside the cabin or inside the man he loved. "Yes, you do, but I'm going to feed my man first." Rueben waggled his brows. "Besides, you'll need the energy if you're going to keep up with me."

Seth's eyes shimmered in a way that said he accepted the gauntlet Rueben had thrown down. "Another age crack?"

"Nope. I'd give fair warning to anyone I planned to—"

Seth kissed him hard before he could finish. "No talk about seducing other men or putting them in a sex coma."

"There's only you."

Seth's hand gripped the back of Rueben's neck possessively but not painfully. "You better believe it."

"Oh, I'm not the one who needed convincing," Rueben said, leaning into Seth's touch. "Are you ready to admit I'm the keeper now?"

Seth canted his head to the right and pursed his lips as if rolling the question around in his mind. When their gazes met again, Rue could tell by the wicked gleam Seth wouldn't give him what he wanted most…yet. He'd coax the admittance from the man's sexy mouth before the weekend was through, or he'd die trying. "Saying I love you isn't enough?"

Rueben accepted the question as the tease Seth's smirking mouth had intended. "For now." He lifted the canvas bags of supplies he'd brought. "And maybe we'll finish faster if you come help."

Seth removed the totes from Rueben's right hand and nodded toward the kitchen. "I'm at your mercy."

Rueben pivoted on his heels and added extra sway in his strut. "Baby, you don't know the half of it." His backside heated under the intensity of his man's stare, and Rueben wasn't surprised to find Seth fast on his heels. They unloaded the contents onto the countertops, and Rueben designated items into two categories—now and later.

Seth hoisted a bottle of bubble bath and quirked a brow. "Now?"

Rueben snorted, snatched it from his hand, and returned it to the counter. "I was wrong. There are three categories, and the bubble bath falls into much later."

"How much later?" Delayed gratification had reduced his big, tough guy into a pouting toddler, so Rueben would treat him as such.

"Clearly, someone needs to eat and take a nap." Rueben turned back to his task. "So, I'm going to feed you and tuck you into bed." A warm body pressed him against the counter, and greedy hands roamed over Rueben's chest.

"I like the bed part," Seth whispered in his ear. He tugged Rueben's T-shirt up and slid eager fingers under the fabric to tease sensitive flesh. "We can skip to the nap." His ploy would've worked if his stomach hadn't protested loudly.

"Eat. Fuck. Nap. Then we're coming back to the kitchen so I can make my abuela's famous chicken enchiladas with white cheese sauce. You'll never taste anything better."

"Oh god," Seth said on a whimper. "I'll do anything you say."

Rueben laughed maniacally. "Now, I've got you under my spell."

Seth trailed kisses along the back of his neck. "Since that fateful moment on the side of the cliff."

The memory of the night threatened to dampen Rueben's mood, but he owned his feelings instead of burying them. He turned in Seth's embrace and looked up at him. "I thought I was going to die. I was scared out of my fucking mind, but then you appeared at my truck door. You looked so confident and in control that you made me believe I was going to be okay."

"I was the opposite of confident, and the situation was completely out of my control."

"Isn't that how life really goes?" Rueben tried to smile, but his mouth wouldn't follow his brain's commands. "I feared your gorgeous gray eyes would be the last things I saw before toppling over the edge of the cliff, but I concentrated on what I wanted after I survived."

Seth chuckled and kissed his lips. "You made me blush more than a few times."

Rueben smiled at the memory. "I refrained from saying my boldest thoughts, but your reactions to my flirtations spurred me on more." He reached up and caressed Seth's freshly shaven jaw. "There are moments with you that feel so damn good that I'm convinced the truck went over the side, and I've died and gone to heaven."

Seth tightened his arms around Rueben. "This is real, baby. We're real." They shared a long, passionate kiss to prove it. Seth was the first to pull back. "What did you bring for lunch?"

Rueben had chosen cold cuts, cheese, and a variety of side dishes from the deli to make a quick meal. He wanted to feed his man for sure but didn't want to spend all his time in the kitchen. Rueben bought hoagie buns and several types of condiments so they could make sandwiches. They took their food to the living room and spread it out on the coffee table. Rueben and Seth sat on the floor with their backs to the sofa and assembled sandwiches. When Seth discovered Rueben didn't plan to eat the potato salad, he ate right out of the deli container instead of spooning it onto his plate.

"How is a simple sandwich so good?" Seth asked once he finally turned his attention to his hoagie after mowing through half the potato salad. "Meat, cheese, pickles, and mayo. I eat this all the time."

"Quality meats and cheese." Rueben then pointed toward himself. "Assembled with love."

Seth leaned forward and kissed him. "Hmmm. That must be the key ingredient." They didn't speak again until they finished eating. Seth settled a hand over his stomach. "We need to do this more often."

"Share a meal or spend the weekend together?"

"Both," Seth replied. "I know it's risky and stupid now that Oliver is onto us, and Martindale will look for anything to use against me. But I need you, and I want you." The sincerity in Seth's eyes stole Rueben's breath.

"I need and want you too, so we will make this work." Rueben nodded to the other side of the house. "What about that outbuilding? It looks big enough for my old truck to squeeze in."

Seth worked his lip between his teeth for a few seconds. "It used to house my grandpa's boat, but now it shelters about three decades of nonsense. Your truck would fit if I cleaned it out."

"We," Rueben said. "Sounds like a Sunday afternoon job for us. Then we'll draw the curtains tight and dare Oliver to become a dirty peeping Tom to get the proof he needs."

Seth snorted. "I wouldn't put it past him." Then Rueben would give that fucker a show and remind him what he gave up. Seth cupped his face and stroked his cheek. "I don't want to hide you away like a dirty secret. I'm proud to love you."

Rueben swayed forward and crashed into his chest. "It's only temporary."

Seth's eyes sparkled with an intensity that made Rueben's pulse leap. He opened his mouth but snapped it shut. He repeated this once more, then released a frustrated sigh.

"What?"

"There's something I want to tell you about the Carsons, but I shouldn't."

"Then don't," Rueben replied simply. He could try to convince himself he said that to preserve Seth's professional integrity, but Rueben knew fully well he was trying to prevent himself from getting his hopes too high. The Carsons were in town, and Lyndhurst had made it clear in his office that he hoped to make a plea bargain that could result in a speedier resolution. Holding out hope that one of those assholes would do the right thing was more than Rueben could bear. It was better to focus on the blessing right in front of him. "I love you."

Seth's eyes darkened even more. "I love you."

Rueben leaned in for a kiss that turned from flirty to dirty in an instant when he slipped his hand between Seth's thighs. He pulled back and smiled. "It's okay to admit I'm the keeper."

Seth's tongue swiped across his lower lip as if he sought remnants of Rueben's taste there. "It's implied."

Rueben tsked, leaned in closer, and called upon the bravado and swagger he'd exuded when he'd issued the stamina challenge. "You're going to say the words before the weekend is out."

Seth arched a brow and raised his arms. "Do your worst, baby."

They locked eyes but didn't move, each one sizing up the other. Then they burst into action, shoving the coffee table out of the way and tackling each other to the rug. Seth was bigger and stronger and landed on top, but like most people, he underestimated Rueben's determination and wiliness. He had to admit his prospects of winning didn't look so good when Seth pinned both arms over Rueben's head with one hand, then used his body to press Rueben's slighter frame against the rug. Rueben could either fight against the hold or reel the sexy fucker in and take him down when he least expected it.

"Surrender," Seth said smugly.

"I already gave you my heart and body," Rueben replied. "What more could you possibly want?"

Seth's grip around Rueben's wrists softened, as did the expression in his gray eyes. His guy was such a softie at heart, and Rueben vowed never to betray it. Seth lowered his forehead to rest it against Rueben's. "I think I've waited my whole life for you."

"You think?"

A soft chuckle danced over Rueben's lips, followed by a sweet and too-short kiss. "I know." Seth's mouth curved into a smile. "I also know that you've restored my trust and made me want to tear down the walls around my heart. You've introduced a future I never dreamed possible before. Do you really want to have kids with me?"

Rueben nodded.

A wondrous expression washed over Seth's handsome face. "Wow." He swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "And I know other things too."

"What?"

"I know that you're waiting for a sign of weakness so you can strike out and work your magic on me." Seth dug his fingers into Rueben's ticklish ribs, and the games were on.

The two of them exuded a lot of energy vying for dominance amidst taking off their clothes and jockeying for position. Rueben was so fucking turned on that he'd nearly forgotten the original mission until he got Seth slicked up and on his back. He mounted those muscled thighs in a reverse cowboy position so his man could watch his dick disappear in Rueben's tight channel. He took his sweet time sinking down on that glorious cock, soaking up every whisper of adoration and worship coming from Seth's mouth. After a few inches, Rueben braced a hand on the floor and used the leverage to rock back and forth in short, fast bursts, never going deeper than halfway. The position pegged his prostate and nearly made him come, but he didn't want to do that before he got his admission. Besides, he was having too much fun turning his man inside out.

Seth landed a hard slap on his ass cheek that reverberated throughout his body. Rueben groaned needily and temporarily ceded control to Seth, who gripped Rueben's waist and bounced him up and down on his cock. "Fuck, your greedy hole looks so sexy when taking me deep. You were made for me, baby."

With Rueben's back to him, Seth couldn't see the proud smirk on his lips. When it seemed like Seth was about to shoot, Rueben reached between those thighs and gripped his balls with a firm hand. "Don't you dare." Then, he rocked and swiveled his hips to push and pull Seth's slick dick in and out of him. Rueben pressed his ass flush against Seth's pelvis and worked him over good, feeling his delicious length stretching him wide and filling him deep. The pleasure stole Rueben's breath but not his determination. He stilled his hips, eliciting a complaint from the man he held captive in a seductive spell. "Say. It."

Seth's entire body tensed, and then his cock jerked and emptied inside Rueben. Before his next breath, the big man sat up quickly and maneuvered Rueben onto his knees. Seth guided Rueben's upper body to the rug with a hand between his shoulders and kept him there with a gentle but firm grip on the back of his neck. "Christ, I've never felt or seen anything so damn good," Seth said as he continued to rut in and out of Rueben. His free hand dipped around Rueben's waist and worked his throbbing cock. "I won't say those words to you until I'm no longer forced to keep our love a secret."

Rueben's breath caught in his throat as his orgasm swelled to a fierce crescendo, and then the air escaped on a sob with his release. Seth placed tender kisses on his back as he eased free of Rueben's tight clench and emitted a soft growl as he caressed Rueben's sensitive opening, smearing cum around the rim. "Mine."

"Yours."

Rueben eased down and stretched out on the rug, and Seth curled around him. The first drops of rain landed on the metal roof overhead, a slow pattering that turned into a fast staccato in only a few seconds.

"Want to know the best place to experience a rain shower or thunderstorm?" Seth asked.

Rueben rose up enough to look over his shoulder. "Can we do it naked?"

Seth grinned and sat up. "That would be a first for me, but absolutely."

"I like the idea of being your first."

Seth stopped suddenly and cupped his face. "You'll be my first and only in the most important ways."

Rueben knew Seth was thinking about their future again. He could almost feel the weight of a phantom band on his ring finger and hear the patter of their children's footsteps. They'd come a long way in a short time, so much so that it made him both giddy and dizzy. "I can't wait."

They shared a few kisses, then did a rush job of cleaning up after sex. Seth snagged a throw blanket off the couch and led Rueben to the screened porch on the back of the house. Dense trees surrounded the property, but the land opened up to offer a gorgeous view of the lake. The skies had opened up, and rain soaked the world around them. The air smelled of earth and wildflowers. High wind whipped the lake water into whitecaps and periodically blasted the guys with a mist of chilly rain, but Rueben was warm tucked beneath the blanket with Seth.

"I think I could sit here forever," Rueben said.

A blinding white flash ripped through the sky and struck a nearby tree. Bark exploded in the air, and a thick limb crashed to the ground at the same time rolling thunder shook the earth.

Seth leaped to his feet and tugged Rueben with him. "Let's get inside."

Rueben leaned against the counter and pressed a hand to his chest. "That was too close. I never knew lightning had a smell. Like hot electricity. I think it singed my nose hairs."

Seth held him close and kissed the top of his head. "I've got you."

The sentiment calmed Rueben's racing heart, but it did nothing to quell his doubts. As strong as Seth was, he couldn't prevent a fallen tree from crushing them both. This wasn't the first harrowing incident they faced, and it wasn't likely to be the last. "Yes, you do."

The storm had nearly swallowed the daylight, so Seth turned on some lights to counter the gloom. They put their clothes back on in case of an emergency, and Rueben resented each piece of fabric that covered his man's sculpted body. Seth opened a hall closet to reveal a variety of games they could play to take their minds off the lightning and thunder raging outside. Rueben chose Clue and proved that he could be quite the detective when necessary. He bested Seth two games out of three, then washed up to get started on cooking the chicken for the enchiladas.

Seth followed him to the kitchen and scrubbed in too. Rueben mixed a combination of spices and had Seth sprinkle them on both sides of the chicken breasts while the oven preheated. He'd bake and shred the meat ahead of time before turning his attention to making homemade tortillas. It had been years since Rueben had attempted those, but a phone call with his abuela made him feel better about it. Of course, she'd wanted to know who he was making them for, and he'd told her it was a treat for poker night. He hated lying to her, but she wouldn't understand the truth. Rueben took comfort in the knowledge that she would absolutely adore Seth when he could finally introduce them.

Seth's phone rang in the living room, and he stiffened beside Rueben. He glanced at his watch and frowned. "I better get that." Something in his posture set off alarms in Rueben's brain, but he tried to quell them.

The oven beeped when it reached the preset temperature, and Rueben slid the cookie sheet with the chicken into the oven.

"What do you mean he's dead?" Seth's voice was a mixture of confusion and anger. "What the fuck happened?"

Rueben's body went still at Seth's tone, but his heart and mind galloped like they were trying to outrace each other. Who was he talking about? Rueben hurried to the living room and found Seth sliding his feet into his boots.

"Daniels, tell me you're fucking joking."

Seth stood up, closed his eyes, and inhaled deeply. It felt like time stood still in that moment, but Seth reopened his eyes, and the world resumed. He looked frantically around him while Daniels, whoever he was, rattled on. Rueben couldn't hear the individual words, but the tone induced instant anxiety. And what was Seth searching for? Rueben's gaze landed on a set of keys peeking out from under the moved coffee table. He rushed over and picked them up off the floor and extended them to Seth.

"I'm on my way," Seth bit out as he accepted the keys. "Lock everything down, and don't let anyone in until I get there." He disconnected the call, tipped his head back, and yelled, "Fuck," loud enough to rival the thunderclap that had sent them fleeing into the cabin. Seth's muscular body trembled with fury.

Rueben crossed to Seth and gripped his biceps. "What's wrong?"

The color had drained from Seth's skin, leaving him ghostly pale. He swallowed hard and opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Seth cleared his throat and tried again. This time, his words came out in a choked whisper. "Mick Carson is dead."