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“This is the best.”
“Definitely.”
Ehren had never been one for trying to sleep with someone touching him. They were always too warm, too restrictive. But right then, with his body completely relaxed and sated, Ehren didn’t want Stephen anywhere else. He felt safe and cared for. He felt precious, and no one had ever created the feeling in him before.
“Can I put in a request for when we return home?” Ehren asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.
“Hmmm?” Stephen hummed, snuggling just a little bit closer and making Ehren smile even wider.
“Occasional sleepovers.”
“I think that is an excellent idea.”
Ehren didn’t remember drifting off that night. It was as though he’d already been living in a dream with Stephen pressed so close.
And it didn’t matter what Charlie and his team discovered. He and Stephen would be able to face it together.
Chapter Eleven
Stephen watched Ehren as he inspected some dates at a stall in the open market. He spoke easily with the vendor, laughing at something in their exchange. The heavily wrinkled older man nodded several times and grabbed a small brown paper bag, which he loaded with an overflowing scoop of dates. A delicacy Stephen hadn’t realized he enjoyed until he’d come to Ankara.
But he’d learned a lot about Turkish culture and food in the past five days.
He’d learned even more about Ehren.
Brave and resilient were the first words that came to mind. Every two steps forward in the search for his uncle’s lost treasure had been met with one step backward, but Ehren held on to his smile and positive attitude. Always optimistic and curious. It was more than a potential fortune in art. This was Ehren’s chance to uncover lost truths about his uncle. Things that his own mother might not know about her brother.
“Stephen?”
He blinked, realizing he’d gotten lost in thought and smiled at his lover. “Sorry. Daydreaming.”
Ehren’s smile softened and it felt like a kiss. “I asked if you were in the mood for apricots.”
“I think the dates are enough. Edison was planning to track down a great place for some Greek tonight. I don’t want to ruin my appetite.”
Ehren nodded and said something to the vendor as he handed over a few bills. When Ehren moved to his side, it was everything Stephen could do to keep from wrapping an arm around his waist. Public displays of affection in Ankara were…tricky. If the wrong people were to see them, a little touch could get them killed, and Ehren had enough trouble in his life already.
Stephen glanced up at the darkening sky. The sun had nearly set, and streetlamps were popping on. Ankara was beautiful at night, but it wasn’t safe for them to be out after dark. The same men who’d been spotted watching Ehren in Denver had recently been seen watching them in Ankara. And they were growing bolder.
They’d traveled out one afternoon for some sightseeing while Kairo continued working through his hacking and searches. A man had tried to grab Ehren right off the sidewalk and shove him into a car. Luckily, West had been a step behind Ehren with lightning-fast reflexes. The attacker had escaped, but only after West had destroyed his nose and likely broken his arm.
This evening’s short stroll had been Charlie’s idea. He claimed that if they continued to hide in the hotel, they’d never draw out their quarry. Stephen was not a fan of turning his boyfriend into bait.
Boyfriend…
Just thinking the word had left him with a silly, bubbly feeling in the pit of his stomach. They were dating. They had to be dating, even if their current activities didn’t fall under the typical date categories. Did Ehren think of him as his boyfriend?
“What’s that look for?” Ehren inquired.
“What look?” Stephen’s voice jumped, making him sound guilty.
Ehren pointed a finger at his face. “That look. What are you thinking?”
Stephen shook his head. “You’ll laugh.”
“Well, now I definitely want to hear it.”
Stephen grimaced and then sighed. “I was thinking that I don’t care for my brother turning my boyfriend into bait.”
“I don’t see what’s so funny about—oh!” Ehren’s eyes went wide and his mouth formed an adorable O as the word clicked in his brain.
Stephen chuckled at his expression, but he fell silent as Ehren continued to look stunned. Okay, that wasn’t exactly the reaction he had been expecting, and it certainly wasn’t heartening.
“Too soon?” Stephen asked softly.
Ehren’s head immediately popped up. “No!” He broke into laughter, his shoulder bumping into Stephen’s as they continued to walk along the lightly crowded street. Reaching out, he squeezed Stephen’s biceps and slowly drew his fingers away as if he didn’t want to release him. “No, not too soon at all. I guess some part of my brain thought we were already there when you canceled all your appointments and jumped on a plane for Turkey, but I just hadn’t really consciously considered it.”
