coffee table so Kon wouldn’t see them when he woke. Then, too wired to sleep, he crawled into bed and held the man he loved.
Chapter Seven
It was well past one o’clock when Kon woke and lazily stretched. He would have liked to continue napping in the warmth of Dane’s arms awhile longer, but he had errands to run.
“Good afternoon, darling.” Dane kissed him, and Kon responded in kind. “Feel better?”
He knew what Dane was asking but wasn’t ready to talk about it. Viktor Jäger was dead. As for the rest of that file… “I’m fine.”
“I’ll grab lunch while you shower.”
“I’m only hungry for you.” Kon nibbled at Dane’s earlobe.
“Funny. But you need to eat.”
By the time Dane returned to the room with potato chips and sandwiches, Kon had already showered and was packing a duffel bag. “Are we going somewhere?” Dane asked.
Kon shook his head. “I’m going to drive Eliana up north tomorrow. I’ll be back in three or four days.”
“I’m going with you.” Dane grabbed his duffel bag.
“There’s no need. I’ll get Evan to check on you.”
“I wouldn’t let Evan kiss my ass. And if you think I’m leaving you alone with a woman, you’re wrong.” Dane threaded his fingers through the hair on the back of Kon’s head. He twisted and pulled. “I’m going with you, darling. No arguments.” Dane layered kiss after kiss upon Kon’s bared throat.
“Damn you,” Kon said, but he didn’t really mean it. Resistance soon faded as he gave himself up to Dane’s attentions. “I never could tell you no.”
“It’s a good thing you don’t.” A few more kisses, and Dane released his lover. “Eat your lunch like a good boy.”
Kon submitted, gratifying Dane by finishing everything on his plate. “I need to pick up a few things for Eliana. Clothes, a coat, and stuff.”
“Are you sure you’re up to shopping? I could go.”
Kon glanced out the window at the overcast sky. The clouds weren’t quite dark enough to herald snow. “I won’t know what to get her until I see it.”
“Uh-huh. You’ll have to introduce us. I want to see if she’s worth your fascination.” Dane tossed a couple of shirts and a pair of jeans into his bag.
“She is.”
They cruised both the 16th Street Mall and the Tabor Center before Kon was satisfied. He ignored the price tags, caring more that the clothing suited. Dane didn’t quibble about being laden down like a pack mule. If Kon was happy, he was happy.
They returned to their suite to find a pile of mail on the table. Kon pawed through the envelopes and pointed to a medium-sized box. “Open it.”
“It’s addressed to you. I don’t know where it came from.” Dane used his pocketknife to cut the tape.
Inside the box was a flat metal case. Attached to the top was an envelope reading Konstantin . No one called him that anymore.
Dane opened the card. “It’s in German. It’s—Kon, it’s signed by your father.” He held it out.
Kon set his palms on the table to keep them from trembling. He’d dealt with enough ghosts for one day. “Read it.”
“My pronunciation sucks and I don’t know what most of this means.”
“Please.”
Numb with dread, Kon translated while Dane verbally mangled the note. My son, if you’re reading this, it means I’ve gone to the hell so many have wished for me. I leave you with my last and greatest gift, one which will make up for all the grief I have caused you. No more than one vial a day lest you become overwhelmed. Enjoy. Your father, Viktor Jäger.
Dane looked up. “What did I say?”
“It’s a gift. Open it.”
The latches clicked. Dane lifted the lid. Inside, nestled in gray foam, were several glass vials. Each bore a label in German which said Träume . Dreams.
Kon picked up a vial to examine it. “Don’t tell anyone.”
“But—”
Kon grabbed the neck of Dane’s shirt and shook him. “ Don’t tell anyone .”
“Fine. But you’re not going to try any of this on
Chapter Seven
It was well past one o’clock when Kon woke and lazily stretched. He would have liked to continue napping in the warmth of Dane’s arms awhile longer, but he had errands to run.
“Good afternoon, darling.” Dane kissed him, and Kon responded in kind. “Feel better?”
He knew what Dane was asking but wasn’t ready to talk about it. Viktor Jäger was dead. As for the rest of that file… “I’m fine.”
“I’ll grab lunch while you shower.”
“I’m only hungry for you.” Kon nibbled at Dane’s earlobe.
“Funny. But you need to eat.”
By the time Dane returned to the room with potato chips and sandwiches, Kon had already showered and was packing a duffel bag. “Are we going somewhere?” Dane asked.
Kon shook his head. “I’m going to drive Eliana up north tomorrow. I’ll be back in three or four days.”
“I’m going with you.” Dane grabbed his duffel bag.
“There’s no need. I’ll get Evan to check on you.”
“I wouldn’t let Evan kiss my ass. And if you think I’m leaving you alone with a woman, you’re wrong.” Dane threaded his fingers through the hair on the back of Kon’s head. He twisted and pulled. “I’m going with you, darling. No arguments.” Dane layered kiss after kiss upon Kon’s bared throat.
“Damn you,” Kon said, but he didn’t really mean it. Resistance soon faded as he gave himself up to Dane’s attentions. “I never could tell you no.”
“It’s a good thing you don’t.” A few more kisses, and Dane released his lover. “Eat your lunch like a good boy.”
Kon submitted, gratifying Dane by finishing everything on his plate. “I need to pick up a few things for Eliana. Clothes, a coat, and stuff.”
“Are you sure you’re up to shopping? I could go.”
Kon glanced out the window at the overcast sky. The clouds weren’t quite dark enough to herald snow. “I won’t know what to get her until I see it.”
“Uh-huh. You’ll have to introduce us. I want to see if she’s worth your fascination.” Dane tossed a couple of shirts and a pair of jeans into his bag.
“She is.”
They cruised both the 16th Street Mall and the Tabor Center before Kon was satisfied. He ignored the price tags, caring more that the clothing suited. Dane didn’t quibble about being laden down like a pack mule. If Kon was happy, he was happy.
They returned to their suite to find a pile of mail on the table. Kon pawed through the envelopes and pointed to a medium-sized box. “Open it.”
“It’s addressed to you. I don’t know where it came from.” Dane used his pocketknife to cut the tape.
Inside the box was a flat metal case. Attached to the top was an envelope reading Konstantin . No one called him that anymore.
Dane opened the card. “It’s in German. It’s—Kon, it’s signed by your father.” He held it out.
Kon set his palms on the table to keep them from trembling. He’d dealt with enough ghosts for one day. “Read it.”
“My pronunciation sucks and I don’t know what most of this means.”
“Please.”
Numb with dread, Kon translated while Dane verbally mangled the note. My son, if you’re reading this, it means I’ve gone to the hell so many have wished for me. I leave you with my last and greatest gift, one which will make up for all the grief I have caused you. No more than one vial a day lest you become overwhelmed. Enjoy. Your father, Viktor Jäger.
Dane looked up. “What did I say?”
“It’s a gift. Open it.”
The latches clicked. Dane lifted the lid. Inside, nestled in gray foam, were several glass vials. Each bore a label in German which said Träume . Dreams.
Kon picked up a vial to examine it. “Don’t tell anyone.”
“But—”
Kon grabbed the neck of Dane’s shirt and shook him. “ Don’t tell anyone .”
“Fine. But you’re not going to try any of this on
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