Page 65 of Hummingbird and Kraken

“Mmmmm…” Geir hummed in agreement.

So maybe Declan should just take the plunge and straight up ask for what he wanted. He drew up his courage. The worst that could happen was that he’d say no. Or kick him out. Or make him feel like his art wasn’t important. They’d all happened before.

Geir’s arms were still around him and that made him feel safer. “Geir, I was wondering if...”

The sound of an engine coming down their drive cut him off, saving him from what was potentially going to be an awkward conversation.

The sound could only mean one thing, and he wasn’t going to miss it. “Geir! That’s Ro! Let’s go say hello!”

He scrambled out of Geir’s arms, ignoring his comment that Rohahen would wait.

This would be an even better start to Day 6 of Operation: Geir. He could chat with Ro and then they could go over together.

It was a bit of a trek up the hill, and he was breathless when he got to the top. He couldn’t hear Geir behind him, but he figured he’d eventually make it.

He rushed up to Ro, who was setting down a cardboard box on the porch, and gave him a hug. “Hey, I missed you. Can Geir and I come visit today? Maybe tomorrow? Or do you want to come over with May?”

Ro cocked his head to the side, like he was consulting his internal calendar. “I just came to drop off some seedlings today for your garden and I have to get back. But you can visit the demonstration garden any time, even if I’m not there. And I know that the Chief wants to meet you so maybe…”

“Ooh! Please!” The more Declan got to know Ro, the more he was convinced he just needed a little nudge. “Invite him over for dinner for me. It could be like a double date.”

Ro rolled his eyes. Instead of the regret that used to show in his face, now he was just exasperated with Declan. Maybe he was getting used to the idea. “I don’t think so. But I’ll bring him over. Come help me with these boxes.”

They got the other two boxes of seedlings unloaded, and Ro had tucked in a couple boxes of blueberries, too.

Declan munched on a couple while Ro pointed out each of the plants. “It’s too late in the season to plant anything except greens and brassicas. But you’ve got kale, spinach, chard, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower, and kohlrabi here. Here are some peas and beans,” he indicated some plastic bags with tiny green balls, “which are better off if you just start them in the soil.”

“Oh, amazing.” Declan’s new plan for Day 6 was going to be getting these into the dirt.

They wandered back around the side of the truck, when Ro’s eyes traveled up and down Declan’s body, taking in his teeny tiny shorts, and then reading his t-shirt. It was one of Declan’s favorites: “I didn’t choose to be gay. I just got lucky.”

He seemed to read it twice, looked down, and then read it again. “I like your shirt,” he finally managed. “And your skin’s all glowy. Your shorts are very… small, though.”

“I know...” Declan made it an innuendo. The shorts didn’t hide anything about what he’d just been up to. “Geir can’t keep his eyes off me.”

“Really? He likes that?” Ro seemed surprised by things like this every time.

“Yeah, I mean, look at me.” He giggled, then raised his shirt. He was positively covered with small round marks and scrapes.

The larger man’s eyes grew round. “Wow.” He looked impressed and maybe a tad jealous. “Did that hurt?”

Declan winked. “Only in the best way.” He was proud of his marks and thought it would be healthy for Ro to realize it, too.

Ro reached out a hand and gently touched one particularly impressive bruise across Declan’s ribs. “So, you really liked it? Like, it feels good?”

Declan pretended to swoon. “God, it was so hot. It feels amazing.”

He ran his own hands down his ribs, shivering at the memory. Maybe if he gave Ro a little inspiration he’d go home and get things figured out with Tier.

Declan linked his arm through Ro’s, which was a little awkward with the height difference, but he wasn’t going to let that stop him. Ro could easily give Geir a run for his money in the height category, which just made his burgeoning submissive tendencies more adorable.

If Tier didn’t think Ro was hot, he was really missing out.

Declan led Ro to the porch and settled onto the bench. “Let me tell you all about it. Then you have to tell me what you made for Tier today and what he said.”

They chatted until Ro really, really had to leave, with a few parting words about the seedlings.

Declan skipped off to find Geir.