“I know,” Elliot said. “I missed you too.”
Elliot had spent the majority of the last four months thinking about Hudson. He hated not being able to see him, but there had been something almost therapeutic about the distance. He’d spent so many years denying himself anything real. Suppressed everything that didn’t fit into his father’s objectives. Tried so damn hard not towantanything or anyone.
But these last four months had made him realize that no matter how hard he tried, he would nevernotwant Hudson. He loved him. Really fucking loved him. And nothing else mattered. Not his father and especially not the military that he had already given so much. Almost his life.
No more.
From behind him, Taylor said, “Okay that was very cute. Time’s up.”
Hudson stepped back and caught her just as she lunged into his arms. She clung to his neck for so long Elliot felt he was intruding. He saw Taylor whisper something in Hudson’s ear that made him grin. His eyes found Elliot’s over her shoulder. The expression on his face was going to require some privacy to address properly.
“What did she say?” Elliot asked, when Hudson was back beside him.
He smirked. “Hot. Dry humor. I approve.”
Elliot snorted.
“Gotta agree with her. Thoseareyour best assets." Hudson wrapped his arm around Elliot and let his hand drop to his ass.
“You’re a dumbass,” Elliot said and kissed his temple.
They waitedfor his luggage while Gloria and Taylor went to get the car. The baggage carousel was loud. Elliot tracked it, managed it and kept his breathing even.
Hudson gazed at him. “You’re all right?”
Elliot gave the smallest nod of his head. “Yes.”
He didn’t look convinced. They hadn’t really had a chance to talk about Elliot’s recovery. He needed to tell Hudson about the, most likely, permanent damage to his hearing. About how things like airports and baggage carousels tested his boundaries. But now was not the time.
Hudson pulled his bag off the conveyor belt and they headed toward the exit together.
Elliot almost missed the departure board in his peripheral, but something made him pause. London. Paris. Amsterdam.Lyon.
He stopped.
Hudson took two steps before he noticed. “What?”
Elliot studied the board. Lyon Saint-Exupéry. Departure 07:45.
“How flexible is your leave?” Elliot said.
Hudson followed his gaze to the board. “Well, it's basically three months of no plans. Why?”
“I was thinking.” Elliot watched the destination scroll past and then scroll back. “We could take a trip. At some point. If you want.”
“A trip where?”
Elliot turned toward him. “France. I know somewhere we could stay.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
HUDSON
The hammock was strungbetween two old olive trees at the far end of the garden, and it was, Hudson had decided, the single greatest thing he had ever encountered in his life.
He’d been lying in it for forty minutes. The afternoon had gone golden and warm around him, bees working through the lavender beds along the stone wall, the trees filtering the light into a soft glow. His eyes were closed. His feet bare. His entire body doing something it hadn’t done in months.
Elliot was in a chair—a low wooden thing pulled into the shade—with a book open on his knee. He’d been reading for twenty minutes without saying anything. Occasionally he turned a page. Occasionally Hudson opened one eye to peek at him.
