Chapter Thirty
Rusty plucked at the strings of Declan’s guitar, gently twisting the keys until each note rang true, smiling as it all came into tune. He’d forgotten how much joy he got out of this. Out of sharing music with other people.
Declan was a quick study, and he’d benefited a lot from Rusty giving him a few pointers.
Rusty had benefited a lot, too, since Declan was a man who knew his coffee. Marcus was great, too, but Rusty liked the warmth and darkness of the book store just a little better than the bakery.
He still went in there for all his bread. Nothing was better than a fresh-baked loaf and a sneaky chocolate doughnut.
He’d gained a pound or two since he’d started living here, but Blake didn’t seem to mind. Not judging by the amount of furniture they’d broken having sex on.
That was their own fault for not buying a sturdier couch or kitchen table in the first place, and they’d learned their lesson now.
The only thing better than the sex was the way Rusty could feel himself glowing when Blake was around. He’d sunk into the feeling of being able to breathe, let himself rest for a while, and was now enjoying the longest break he’d ever taken in his life.
It was nice.
“You gotta teach me how to do that,” Declan said, finishing up the cup of coffee he’d been making for Rusty.
“Get an app on your phone that listens to the notes for you,” Rusty said. “You’ll get used to it eventually, but there’s no replacement for just… doing it a lot.”
“Practice makes perfect?” Declan asked.
“Yeah, that,” Rusty agreed, accepting the coffee gratefully. He passed the guitar over, watching Declan sit down and run through a few chords while he waited for his coffee to cool.
“You’re dropping your shoulder again,” he said after a moment. Declan corrected his posture instantly.
“Sorry,” he said, glancing up at Rusty.
“I’m getting you a corset,” Rusty joked. “You’ll thank me when you’re not lying around whining about your shoulder hurting.”
“I’ll thank you, too,” Ash said, coming through from the store room with an armful of books. “Besides, corsetry could be a good look for you,” he said to Declan.
Declan looked over at him, the tiniest smirk spreading over his lips. “Maybe for your birthday,” he said.
Ash blushed a dark red color, focusing on the shelves in front of him instead of making eye contact with either Declan or Rusty.
“So mean to your poor husband,” Rusty tutted, shaking his head, but smiling at Declan.
He liked these two. He’d been making friends all over town, but Ash and Declan had quickly become two of his favorite people.
Probably because they were the last new additions before him. They’d only been here a little while themselves.
“He can handle it,” Declan said. “I’ll make it up to him later.”
Rusty chuckled, looking over at the door as the bell on it chimed. He waved over at Marcus as he came in, scooting over on the couch he was taking up to give him room to sit down.
He liked Marcus, too. It was nice to be absolutely surrounded by people who got him.
Blake had never quite made it clear how much of a queer haven Hope Springs was, but Rusty was sinking happily into it. He’d never felt more at home in his life.
“I can’t believe you’re cheating on me,” Marcus said, nodding to Rusty’s coffee. He clearly wasn’t serious, since Declan immediately got up to make him a cup.
“We’re in an open relationship,” Rusty said. “Besides, this coffee is free.”
Marcus laughed at that. “You’ll come crawling back to me.”
“I always do,” Rusty said. Between Declan and Marcus, he was pretty happy with his choice of baristas.
He was pretty happy with his entire life.
The bell above the door chimed again, and this time, it was Blake. Rusty grinned up at him, aware that he always looked ridiculously in love when Blake came into a room, but too happy to care.
“I’m heading home now, I wasn’t sure if you wanted to make the walk with me,” he said.
“Let me finish my cuppa?” Rusty nodded to the coffee in front of him.
“I think that could be arranged.” Blake said, walking over and settling himself down.
Directly in Rusty’s lap.
“Get a room,” Declan said, rolling his eyes. He was smiling, though, so he clearly wasn’t serious.
“Says the man who was just offering to dress up in lingerie for his husband,” Rusty countered.
“He was?” Marcus asked with interest.
Rusty glanced over at Ash just in time to see him scurry out of the way. He resolved to drop it after this and not mention it again, since it obviously embarrassed him.
Lace could have been a good look on Declan, though.
“Hey, it was your idea,” Declan defended. “And I’d do anything for Ash. I love him.”
“Would you do anything for me?” Blake asked, leaning back against Rusty’s chest.
“Anything,” Rusty promised. “Including lace underwear, if that’s your thing.”
Blake snorted. “Maybe if I’m in the mood to torture you.”
Rusty shrugged. “It’s pretty comfy, actually. Lace is surprisingly soft.”
“I… do I even want to know why you know that.”
Rusty grinned at him. “There was a bet. I made a hundred bucks out of it and got a free pair of lace knickers, so… no downside.”
“Australians are weird,” Marcus said. “You’re a brave man for keeping him, Blake.”
Blake laughed. “He has redeeming qualities. And I love him, so I’d be sad if I didn’t get to keep him.”
“I’d be sad if I didn’t get to keep you, too. Speaking of, I need you to sign my green card forms, and then I need you to come talk to the estate agent with me.”
“The realtor?”
“That guy,” Rusty agreed. “Time we bought a house, I think.”
Blake’s eyes widened. “Seriously?”
“Seriously,” Rusty said. “Think of it as a wedding gift. Since I never got you one.”
Before Rusty could react, Blake surged forward, kissing him hard. He pulled back, grinned at him, and then wrapped his arms around Rusty’s neck, hugging tight.
“I love you,” he said. “And I would love to live with you.”
Rusty hugged back, savoring the warmth of Blake against his body.
He was looking forward to a lifetime of this.