a half an hour for the—”
“So yes.”
Brady didn’t let Ken catch his eye as he carried him back to the loft and into the brightly decorated living room. He knew he was surprised when Brady dropped him on the couch and stepped away. Knew he’d been expecting him to head straight for the bedroom for round four.
But there were other things on his mind.
When I ask you to marry me…
Naked and still fully aroused, he walked over to the Christmas tree and bent down to find the package he’d wrapped last week. The one he’d hidden underneath all the rectangular clothing boxes that Ken had teased were, “Just black t-shirts, because that’s all you wear.”
So many thoughts were swirling in his head when he picked it up. How he’d almost lost it when Ken pushed him away for his own good. How wrong he’d been about the kind of person the wealthy and unapologetically kinky Master Tanaka was, and what he wanted from a man. About how many times he’d been thankful that he was only the best man, because Finn weddings were insane.
“Not that I don’t like the view, Marine, but you’re not supposed to be shaking the presents. That’s our rule.” Ken sounded hesitant. Curious.
Brady stood and moved to the couch, pulling Ken easily onto his large lap as soon as he sat down and handing him the small box. “Here.”
“But Brady—”
“You gave me an early Christmas present,” he insisted, noticing how dry his mouth was and how loudly his heart was thrumming in his ears. “It’s only fair.”
He watched Ken in silence as he carefully undid the wrapping paper. When he opened the box, they both stared at the contents in silence. It was a ring. A wide titanium band delicately engraved with an image of a koi fish swimming around a dragon. Brady had taken a picture of Ken’s back tattoo a few months ago for the jeweler. It seemed like a great idea at the time. The perfect gift for the man who had everything. A symbol to show him how serious Brady was about their relationship, in a way Ken couldn’t help but understand.
When he’d picked it up he’d had second thoughts because, well, it looked like a wedding ring, and he wasn’t sure Ken would go for that yet. It wasn’t something Brady let himself hope for back when he was serving in the military. In his heart, he’d never believed someone would want him enough to make that kind of commitment. He’d gone back and forth about it until he’d finally wrapped it and put it under the tree so he wouldn’t be tempted to take the damn thing back to the store.
Ken wasn’t moving. Wasn’t looking away from the ring or making a sound. It made Brady nervous. “It’s—do you see the design? You told me that to you it meant becoming more than you were yesterday. Moving forward.”
Ken reached for the ring and placed it on the tip of his forefinger, turning it so it glinted in the light. Brady couldn’t stand the silence. “That’s how I feel. With you, I’m more than I was. The nightmares are rare now. I’m not living in limbo or beating myself up about the past. I have my moments and I know I’m not perfect, but I’m happy. I wake up and you’re there and…”
Silence. Shit had he gone too far? “I know it’s early days and I wasn’t sure—it doesn’t have to mean—”
Ken gripped his face and kissed him. It was a soft kiss. Tender. It made Brady breathless. “So that’s a yes?” he demanded, pinning Brady with his bright golden gaze.
“I thought you wanted to wait.”
Ken made a sound of impatience. “Will you marry me, Brady Finn? I need to hear you say the word.”
“Yes.” Brady’s smile was impossible to conceal. He liked the ring. “After we tie up our loose ends and single Finns.”
Ken maneuvered him onto his back on the couch and straddled Brady’s calves. “I wasn’t married to that timeline.”
Married. Jesus. Brady bit his lip when Ken lowered his head and planted an open-mouthed kiss on his cock. “It’ll be an
“So yes.”
Brady didn’t let Ken catch his eye as he carried him back to the loft and into the brightly decorated living room. He knew he was surprised when Brady dropped him on the couch and stepped away. Knew he’d been expecting him to head straight for the bedroom for round four.
But there were other things on his mind.
When I ask you to marry me…
Naked and still fully aroused, he walked over to the Christmas tree and bent down to find the package he’d wrapped last week. The one he’d hidden underneath all the rectangular clothing boxes that Ken had teased were, “Just black t-shirts, because that’s all you wear.”
So many thoughts were swirling in his head when he picked it up. How he’d almost lost it when Ken pushed him away for his own good. How wrong he’d been about the kind of person the wealthy and unapologetically kinky Master Tanaka was, and what he wanted from a man. About how many times he’d been thankful that he was only the best man, because Finn weddings were insane.
“Not that I don’t like the view, Marine, but you’re not supposed to be shaking the presents. That’s our rule.” Ken sounded hesitant. Curious.
Brady stood and moved to the couch, pulling Ken easily onto his large lap as soon as he sat down and handing him the small box. “Here.”
“But Brady—”
“You gave me an early Christmas present,” he insisted, noticing how dry his mouth was and how loudly his heart was thrumming in his ears. “It’s only fair.”
He watched Ken in silence as he carefully undid the wrapping paper. When he opened the box, they both stared at the contents in silence. It was a ring. A wide titanium band delicately engraved with an image of a koi fish swimming around a dragon. Brady had taken a picture of Ken’s back tattoo a few months ago for the jeweler. It seemed like a great idea at the time. The perfect gift for the man who had everything. A symbol to show him how serious Brady was about their relationship, in a way Ken couldn’t help but understand.
When he’d picked it up he’d had second thoughts because, well, it looked like a wedding ring, and he wasn’t sure Ken would go for that yet. It wasn’t something Brady let himself hope for back when he was serving in the military. In his heart, he’d never believed someone would want him enough to make that kind of commitment. He’d gone back and forth about it until he’d finally wrapped it and put it under the tree so he wouldn’t be tempted to take the damn thing back to the store.
Ken wasn’t moving. Wasn’t looking away from the ring or making a sound. It made Brady nervous. “It’s—do you see the design? You told me that to you it meant becoming more than you were yesterday. Moving forward.”
Ken reached for the ring and placed it on the tip of his forefinger, turning it so it glinted in the light. Brady couldn’t stand the silence. “That’s how I feel. With you, I’m more than I was. The nightmares are rare now. I’m not living in limbo or beating myself up about the past. I have my moments and I know I’m not perfect, but I’m happy. I wake up and you’re there and…”
Silence. Shit had he gone too far? “I know it’s early days and I wasn’t sure—it doesn’t have to mean—”
Ken gripped his face and kissed him. It was a soft kiss. Tender. It made Brady breathless. “So that’s a yes?” he demanded, pinning Brady with his bright golden gaze.
“I thought you wanted to wait.”
Ken made a sound of impatience. “Will you marry me, Brady Finn? I need to hear you say the word.”
“Yes.” Brady’s smile was impossible to conceal. He liked the ring. “After we tie up our loose ends and single Finns.”
Ken maneuvered him onto his back on the couch and straddled Brady’s calves. “I wasn’t married to that timeline.”
Married. Jesus. Brady bit his lip when Ken lowered his head and planted an open-mouthed kiss on his cock. “It’ll be an
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