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“You wear my clothes,” Cash countered. “Better than I do, I might add.”
“Not possible,” Nick said as he opened the passenger door.
He got buckled in while Cash stowed the bag and climbed behind the wheel. The sun was barely peeking over the mountains when they pulled out of the ranch’s long drive and onto the county road. Cash could navigate the twists and turns with his eyes closed, and the looming darkness wouldn’t slow him down. He just wanted to be in the air to catch most of the sunset with Nick. Cash signaled and turned off the main road onto a narrower, less traveled one.
“What the hell are you up to?” Nick asked.
“You’re about to see in three minutes.”
Nick sat up straighter when the sign for the county airport came into view. “Where are we going?”
“Not telling,” Cash said when he turned into the drive.
A sleek black helicopter was waiting for them on the helipad. Cash pulled Nick’s swanky sedan inside an empty hangar the airport reserved for VIP parking. He wanted nothing to happen to Nick’s baby while they were away.
“Ready?” Cash asked when he turned off the car.
Nick grinned with unabashed excitement. “Is that chopper for us?”
“It is,” Cash said.
“I won’t ask where we’re going again. I’m just going to enjoy the adventure.”
Cash kissed him quickly. “That’s my guy.”
The whining whir of the helicopter’s rotors was deafening as they approached the helipad. The pilot, Derrick, shouted his introductions before shaking both their hands. He reached inside the black beast and pulled out two sets of headphones for them and mimed putting them on. Cash and Nick climbed inside the aircraft and placed the headphones on their heads. They not only allowed them to communicate with the pilot but muted a lot of the noise from the engine and rotors. Derrick shut their door, climbed into the cockpit, and cycled through a series of equipment checks.
“You gentlemen ready?” he asked them.
“Yes, sir,” they replied.
“We’ll be just in time to see the sun disappear behind the Rockies,” Derrick said as they lifted off the ground.
Nick reached over and took his hand. Cash lifted it to his mouth for a kiss before turning his full attention out the side window. The sun looked like it was melting into the mountain, making the snowy caps look like molten lava. The view was so breathtaking Cash couldn’t speak.
“Incredible view, isn’t it?” Derrick asked.
“Stunning,” Cash replied.
“Indeed.” Nick’s voice sounded as thick as molasses. Cash turned his head and caught Nick looking at him instead of the sunset. Nick pointed at him and mouthed, “You are stunning.”
Cash suddenly didn’t care about Derrick’s comfort level with two men kissing in his aircraft. He leaned forward and kissed Nick hard. Soft lips parted, inviting him in, but Cash kept it chaste. Mostly. He slid the tip of his tongue in just enough to make Nick tighten his grip. Their gazes and smiles held when they broke apart.
“You guys been together long?” Derrick asked.
“Twelve years,” Nick replied. The answer rolled off his tongue too fast to be rehearsed.
Cash quirked his brow but didn’t contradict him. He’d given his heart to Nick that first weekend together. Maybe Nick had done the same to him. They still had a lot to discuss, but this weekend would be perfect for it.
“About the same time I met my husband,” Derrick replied. “We’re incredibly lucky tonight because we’ll have calm winds when flying into Denver.”
Nick’s right brow shot up, and his mouth curved into a wicked smile. He might know where they were going, but that didn’t tell the full story. Cash winked and turned his attention back out the windows as the world around them grew darker. They flew in companionable silence until the city lights of Denver appeared on the horizon. At first, they looked like a million fireflies flickering in an inky black sky, but the cityscape took shape as they got closer. The helicopter’s lights bounced off the buildings’ glass as they weaved among them.
Derrick spoke with air traffic control to identify his aircraft, his flight plan, and landing destination. Cash watched Nick’s face for his reaction and was glad he did. The twinkling in Nick’s gaze threatened to outshine the dazzling lights around them. A few minutes later, Derrick smoothly landed the helicopter on top of Cash’s apartment building.
Nick removed his headphones and hung them on the hook in front of his seat. Cash did the same, and they unlatched their seat belts. Derrick exited the cockpit and held open the back door for them. They thanked the pilot for the ride before ducking and jogging toward the door on top of the building. Cash entered a code into a keypad and the red light turned green. He pulled the door open and guided Nick inside with his hand on his lower back. Nick whirled on him as the lock reengaged.
“You paid to have a helipad added to the roof?” Nick asked. “I can’t believe the owners allowed it.” He tilted his head and said, “Wait. You bought the building, didn’t you?”
