Page 151 of Hard Rain

“So…” Whip turned his head and gazed at him. “What’s your plan, Bain?”

“Plan?” He cocked his head, meeting Whip’s gaze.

“What do you want out of life?”

Life? Seriously? He locked his gaze with Whip’s. It took him exactly ten seconds to understand that this wasn’t about what he wanted out of life, but rather what he wanted for them.

“Well…” he began by lifting Whip’s hand and toying with his fingers. “I’ve been eyeballing that set of golf clubs on eBay.”

Whip snorted and laughed. “Ass.” He tried to pull his hand away.

“But… if you’re asking about us. Then I want…” he paused just a beat. “Everything.”

“What’s that look like?”

“A home, years, our job, you and me.” He frowned, trying to put it in words.

“Kids?”

“Well yeah, we aren’t getting any younger. But maybe we can start with a puppy at Christmas.”

Whip’s eyes lit up. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. And ah…” he softly gripped Whip’s ring finger, “marriage.”

He hadn’t planned on bringing that up. Not tonight anyway.

Oh well, too late now.

And really?

He wasn’t one to mince words.

He never would be.

Whip had to know that about him by now.

“I want what I want.”

“Me too,” Whip agreed.

“So, after the dust settles, we’ll pick a date.”

“Axel?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m all in.”

“Me too.”

He dipped his head and took a kiss, tasting coffee, the cold wind, and Whip.

He couldn’t ask for more.

HARD RAIN

The next night…