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“I’m not going to buy something if they don’t have the perfect thing.” Did Riley really think he was that impatient? Was he?
Riley grinned. “I’m excited for you.”
“For us,” Thorne insisted.
“For us.”
***
A few hours later, Thorne found The Boat. It wasn’t the model he’d seen online. In fact, it wasn’t even new. It was in the certified refurbished area, which Thorne might have missed if Riley hadn’t wandered over there while Thorne and the sales associate were discussing specs on the models Thorne had been admiring.
“This is the one, isn’t it?” Riley asked.
Thorne grinned. “Yes. I just got all the details. It’s only two years old, but the owner couldn’t keep up with the payments, and it got repossessed. How did you know it was what I wanted?”
“I do listen to you even when you go on and on about boats.”
Thorne flipped him off.
“I heard you describe what you want, and I’ve gotten to know your tastes just a little bit.”
Thorne smiled. Riley really did pay a lot of attention. More than he did. He should work on that. “He’s going through the final paperwork, which should be quick since I’m not financing it. I wish we could take her now, but even if I had a slip arranged for her, I need to have a surveyor look her over and do a sea trial before the sale is final.”
“That doesn’t actually mean you take her on the ocean, does it?”
Thorne smiled. “No, it’s called that no matter what body of water you go out on. It’s like a test drive for a car, except you do it after you commit to buying, assuming all goes well, like the final walk-through before buying a house. I’m going to have a few alterations done at a marine service center on Lake Allatoona. I’ll likely rent a slip for her there, and we can go take her out in a few weeks.”
“That will be awesome. What should we name her?”
“I’ll have to think about that.” Thorne glanced at his watch. “I didn’t realize how late it was. Are you starving? You can go ahead and dig into the basket.”
Riley shook his head. “I can wait. I’ll look up parks near here and find a spot where we can eat.”
“Okay, I’ll go hurry them along.”
Riley grinned. “I bet you will. No one leaves Thornwell Shipton waiting.”
Thorne signed the papers, more than a little impatient to be on his way. He shook hands with the sales center owner, who’d overseen the sale personally, and made arrangements to return the next day for a sea trial. Then, making himself take slow steps instead of running—or worse, skipping—he headed for his car.
Riley leaned against the hood. He looked up as Thorne approached, and his smile made the day even better. He was flying, on top of the world. He owned a boat again, and he was going to share it with his boyfriend, his partner, his… No, don’t rush things.
“I FOUND A park on the lake, about five minutes from here. At least you can think about sailing while you’re there.”
“Let’s go, then.”
“You do realize you’re practically vibrating with energy, right? Even in bed you’re not usually quite so hyped up.”
Thorne gazed intently at Riley. “Get in the car, or I might take you over the hood.”
“So that’s how it is. Do you have a sailboat-buying fetish?”
“Give me the keys,” he snarled.
“I’m not sure you’re in any condition to drive.”
“Then you start driving right now.”
“Ah, today I get to have lunch with everyone-must-do-as-I-say Thorne. I should have expected that would happen after you bought a boat.”
“Ha!” Before Riley had gotten them out of the parking lot, Thorne was reaching for the bag with the food in it. “I’m starving.”
“I ended up eating some of the almond cookies.”
“Did you just?”
“You were buying a boat. I need to keep my strength up.” Riley glanced at him and winked.
“Yes, you damn well do.”
“Why is that exactly?” Thorne was so fun to tease.
“Pull over and I’ll show you.”
“No way. That lunch looks amazing, and the park I found is beautiful. We’re going to enjoy them both. We can fantasize about the boat and what you want to do to me on it, and then you can take me home and have your wicked way with me.”
Thorne opened the bag and pulled out a cookie. “At least I can have a cookie.”
“And you found a boat.”
Thorne laughed. “Yes, that. I can’t wait until we can take her out. I’ll rent a cabin for us, and we can spend a long weekend at the lake.”
“Thorne, I have school, remember? And if we do well with the gala and it leads to other jobs, then I’m going to be even more busy.”
“You can bring your work, and we’ll fit in a trip around your catering schedule. The time away is important for us.”
