As Ross climbed into Puck’s car, he said, “It looks like nothing happened. Did they get the dents pounded out of the side?”

“They did that and replaced a panel. It was a couple of grand, but the insurance paid it all. I’ll pay it back and then some over the next ten years when I pay my insurance premium.”

“Aww, but at least you weren’t hurt, and Addie wasn’t with you, so she wasn’t hurt either.” Ross stretched across the seat and gave Puck a quick peck on the cheek. Then he looked in the back seat at the bags piled on either side of Addie’s car seat. “What’s all of that?”

“It’s the stuff for Addie’s weekend while we’re away. I kept packing things up and telling myself I had it all done, but then I threw something else in just in case, and another just in case, and now she has a lot more luggage than I do. Baby world is a crazy place. My dad says his mom only carried a diaper bag. How was that possible?”

Ross reached over and ruffled Puck’s hair. “I’m sure Dak and Brody could figure it out if there was something you forgot. After all, they have a baby, too.”

Dak held the door open for both Puck and Ross as they carried Addie and all of her supplies into the house for the weekend. “Hurry up, guys, it’s cold out there.”

By the time they dropped everything on the living room floor, Brody was laughing. He reached out and gave both Puck and Ross hugs in turn while Dak took Addie in the carrier. Brody asked, “Did you change your plans? Are you going away for a month? It looks like there’s enough stuff there to take care of Addie for at least six weeks.” Brody turned to Dak and said, “I told you we should add on a room just for baby stuff, and I’m not talking about a nursery.”

“Man, you know I’m still new to this. I couldn’t decide what I could leave home, so I brought almost everything.”

Dak shook his head. “Why don’t the two of you get going? I’m sure we can handle everything from here until Sunday night.”

Puck said, “I need to give Addie a kiss.” He carefully pulled the blankets back from her face and kissed her softly. “Daddy will be back in two days, sweetheart. You be good for Uncle Brody and Uncle Dak. I’m only a couple of hours away if you need me. I can be here right away.”

Dak put his hand on Puck’s elbow. “Okay, that’s enough. The first time is always the hardest. We’ll call you if anything of any consequence happens, and you have your phone, so you can call us.” Dak glanced over Puck’s shoulder, “Ross, will you get him out of here? I hope you have tissues in the car. Brody was a basket case the first time.”

“C’mon Puck, let’s go. Addie will be great. This is good practice for when you have to let her live her life later.”

Puck yelped. “Damn, don’t tell me that!” He pointed at one of the bags. “Her favorite toys are packed right in there. If she starts to cry, play with…”

Brody said, “We already take care of her during the week. I think we know all the little tricks.”

“Okay, yeah, but it’s tough.”

“We know. I wasn’t the only basket case. You should see Dak. It’s painful to see such a big man cry.”

Ross laughed and tugged on Puck’s elbow again. “Okay, that’s enough. If we don’t get on the road, we’ll be getting to Minneapolis at midnight. Let’s get going.”

Five minutes after he pulled the car onto the interstate highway, Puck sighed heavily and said, “It’s really hard. I feel almost like I should turn the car around.”

“Because of Addie?”

“Yeah, I’ve never been away from her longer than a workday, and definitely not on the weekend.”

Ross reached across the seat and rubbed his hand on Puck’s thigh. “I know it has to be tough, but there’s nowhere better for her. She is in excellent hands, so let’s concentrate on you and me.”

Puck took a deep breath. “Damn, that makes me nervous, too.”

“Yeah? Why?”

“Because we’re sharing a room, and I bet we’re sharing a bed, and…”

“Isn’t that exciting?”

“Fuck, yes, I’m already hard, but I’m nervous, too. I know it won’t all happen like a porn video, but what goes wrong when things go wrong? It sounds fucking embarrassing.”

Ross rubbed Puck’s thigh kneading at the muscles with his fingertips. He leaned against Puck’s shoulder and said, “Relax. It’s okay. There’s nothing to be nervous about.”

Puck groaned and grabbed Ross’s hand while he kept one hand on the steering wheel. “Fuck, no, I’m sorry, you can’t do that. We’ll end up in the ditch for sure.”

Ross chuckled softly and pulled his hand back. He asked, “Do you know how damned sexy you are right now?”

“Well, that’s good, because I don’t feel like it. I feel like the inexperienced country bumpkin on his way to the big city for the weekend. There’s a lump in my throat from missing Addie already, and my jeans are too tight because of you.”

“It’s like going to Kansas City in Oklahoma.”

“What?”

Ross asked, “Don’t you know the musical Oklahoma? I was in it during high school. I was one of the dancing and singing cowboys.”

“No, the only guys I knew in the musicals in high school probably were gay. Nothing against them, but my buddies would have laughed at me if I sang and danced on stage.”

“And…?”

“Oh, God. This is so fucking confusing. Can I say I like you and want to see if I really like you in bed and forget all of those labels?”

Ross smiled. “No labels are necessary. We’re two guys who dated wanting to see if there’s more. We’re going to have a fun weekend, and I won’t let anything get in the way.”

“You don’t think I’m a total fool, then?”

“Like I said, I think you’re sexy as hell. You don’t let being nervous get in your way. That’s amazing. Most guys can’t do that. I can’t wait to get to the hotel.”

“So, um, let’s change the topic. When’s the last time you were in the cities? I went there to the airport for my honeymoon.” Puck swallowed hard. “But that doesn’t count. In high school, I spent a weekend there with Dad, and we went to a Twins game.”

Ross said, “It seems like I go every couple of months. I need to go for art supplies, and I like to wander around in cooking stores. I bought one of those spiralizer things the last time I was there.”

As Puck pulled into the hotel parking lot, Ross said, “The next time we’ll stay downtown. Thanks for letting me pick, but I didn’t want to break the bank for either of us. It’s another fifteen or twenty-minute drive to get downtown. We can do that this evening.”

Puck stepped out of the car, closing the door behind him and looked up at the ten-story glass-and-steel all suites hotel. “I think this is amazing. Do we have to leave the hotel?”

“Not if we don’t want to.”

Checking in was quick and easy. The desk clerk asked if a king-sized bed was okay. Puck started to interrupt, but Ross said, “Yes, that’s great.”

“And how many room keys, Sir?”

“One is fine.”

When the elevator door closed behind them on the way to the seventh floor, Puck asked, “Don’t I get my own key?”

“We’re sharing it like everything else this weekend. We’re a couple.”

Puck laughed nervously. “Like we’re sharing the bed.”

Ross followed Puck into the room and smiled as he heard a series of, “Wows.”

Puck made his way through the living room space and into the bedroom. He reached a hand down to push on the bed checking the firmness of the mattress just before Ross tackled him from behind.

Puck landed flat on his back, and Ross scooted up beside him. “I never was good at football. Nobody taught me how to tackle properly.”

“You did a pretty good job this time.”

Ross stared down into Puck’s dark brown eyes. “It’s just the two of us now for two whole days. What will we do?”

Puck smirked and feigned innocence. “Eat…and sleep. Maybe watch TV.”

Ross tugged at the top button on Puck’s shirt. “I have a lot more than that in mind.”

“Oh, shit, you don’t waste time, do you?”

“Hotel rooms make me horny. Didn’t I tell you that? It’s almost a fetish for me. You’re in trouble now.”

Puck laughed nervously while Ross continued to unbutton his shirt. He whispered, “We’ve never…” His voice trailed off as the desire to see Ross naked swept over him.

Ross tugged the tails of Puck’s shirt out of his jeans and kissed his lightly hairy chest. Underlining the words with a growling moan, he said, “Even better than I ever imagined.”

Puck reached out and fumbled for Ross’s buttons. He’d never undressed another guy before. He felt like his fingers were twisting themselves into knots as he fumbled with the buttons. With part of Ross’s smooth flesh exposed, Puck slipped his hand inside and pressed his palm flat against the warm skin. Ross’s pecs were firm and strong. Puck’s heart began to pound in his chest.

Ross kissed a nipple, swirling his tongue in a circle and then began sucking. He whispered, “I love a furry chest.” While he kissed, his hand worked its way down over Puck’s muscular abs to the top of his jeans. His fingers crawled over the denim before rubbing the hard cock underneath.

“Oh, damn.” Puck’s breath caught in his throat as Ross’s shirt fell from his shoulders.