Cole thought about that and nodded. “But once I found out the truth and knew there was a possibility that my feelings for you…Well…you know.”
“Might be reciprocated? You know they are. But still, we’re just at the beginning of things. Jumping in with both feet…” Gideon looked away, shaking his head.
Cole wrapped his arms around Gideon, saying softly, “That’s what you and Robin did, isn’t it? Well, tell you what. I am not Robin. And you? You’re a very different man from what you were back then. We both know relationships take work. That doesn’t mean I have any doubts about us. If we have problems, we’ll deal with them.”
“I know.” Gideon gazed at him for a moment before they kissed. “Yes,” he said with a happy sigh, “this is real. Is it love? Time will tell. But for damned sure it’s as close as I’ve ever come to it. I know that now. It’s real. You’re real.”
“Very real,” Cole replied with a laugh. “And since we’re both old enough to know what’s what, and that it won’t always be cakes and ale—”
“Quoting Shakespeare? You do go for the classical.” Gideon hugged him. “Speaking of which, I should get you back to work then go talk with the Realtor. The sooner I set everything in motion, the sooner I can move out here.”
“Then get your ass in gear.”
Gideon grinned. “Planning on it.”
Chapter 11
Gideon spent the next two months getting everything organized for the western headquarters. Most of the time he was in New York, although he did fly to Denver when necessary—once to close on the new building, then with the staff members who were coming with him, to show them the building and get their input on what needed to be done with it. He also made it a point to come out when he could just to spend time with Cole—until Cole left for a dig in the south of the state.
While all that was going on, Gideon was also facing the problem of selling his place. It was early June when he finally found a buyer, and mid-month before the closing. Then he began the arduous task of deciding what was going with him to Denver and what to get rid of.
As he sorted through everything, he found an ornate wooden box, stored in the back of a closet, that he didn’t recall putting there—although he must have. On the outside, Robin had inscribed, Memories. Upon opening it, he discovered it contained mementos Robin apparently had collected during their time together. He almost threw it in the trash before deciding that going through them might bring him final closure.
We used to go to movies a lot, when we first met. That thought was brought on by ticket stubs, banded together, that Robin had saved. When Gideon checked the dates, he realized either they had stopped doing that, or Robin had stopped caring about saving them as souvenirs. Both, he concluded, thinking back. By our second year together, we stopped doing a lot of things. Partly because I was working so much but…He nodded. “Partly because you lost interest in our going places together, as time went on, Robin,” he said aloud.
There were other items that Robin had collected from various places. Some were ones Gideon remembered sitting on shelves or their dresser—until Robin had gone on a cleaning spree a month or so before his death, and they’d disappeared. Other’s he’d never seen before. Gifts from his new lover? He supposed that was possible. On the inside of a book of poetry, he found a date and the words To the man I love. Alan. The date was two weeks before Gideon’s final argument with Robin.
If I’d known about this Alan person before that happened, would it have changed anything? If Robin had been honest with me about his feelings and just left, it would have. But he wasn’t. Instead, he lied to me, precipitating our fight.
“Oh, Robin, why?” Gideon knew he’d never have an answer to that question. “Not that it matters, now. He’s dead. I’ve finally come to grips with the fact it wasn’t really my fault. Thank you, Cole. Thank you for helping me to understand that.”
He closed the box, debating whether he should keep it. He decided there was no need to and relegated it to the pile of things he was donating to a near-new shop, after removing the contents, which he put in the trash. That’s where they belong now. Remnants of my past life that I don’t need, or want, anymore, thanks to Cole.
Feeling as if a final weight had been lifted from his shoulders, Gideon moved on with deciding what to keep and what to get rid of, for his move to Denver.
* * * *
Cole was still off at the dig when the big move happened, late in July. It took more moving vans than Gideon liked to think about to get everything—both business and personal—from New York to Denver, then a week spent putting everything in place, with the help of the staff members who were coming with him. His people had their own vans with everything they were bringing to their new houses or apartments, as the case may be.
By then it was the third of August. Gideon and Cole had spent hours on the phone during the intervening months, talking about the dig, on Cole’s part, and the big move, on Gideon’s. Now, sort of settled into his new home in the carriage house, Gideon called Cole again.
“I’m here. Exhausted, but here,” he said.
“I bet you are. I wish I’d been there to help.”
“I wish you were here, help or no help,” Gideon told him.
“Another two weeks and I will be.” Cole chuckled. “Everyone’s deserting me to go back to school, but I told you that already.”
“Thank God. Not that you’re being deserted, but that I’ll be seeing you soon. I miss you.”
“Probably almost as much as I miss you,” Cole replied.
“More.”
Cole laughed. “Let’s not get into that debate again.”
“It’s true, though. I do miss you. Enough that I’m taking you out to a fancy dinner the night you get home.”
“At your place?”
Gideon could hear the amusement in Cole’s voice and replied, “No. That comes afterward.”
“Really? What if I don’t want to go home with you?”
Again, the amusement was evident, so Gideon didn’t feel hurt. “I drag you there, kicking and screaming?”
“That,” Cole replied softly, “would never happen. I’ll come willingly.”
I truly hope so. Gideon didn’t voice that thought aloud, saying instead, “Two weeks, and counting.”
“It can’t come too quickly.”
* * * *
Things didn’t go quite according to plan, as Cole found out when he called Gideon on Saturday—the night before he was due home. When the call finally went through, after three times of being sent to voice mail, Gideon told him that he had just landed at La Guardia. “Something came up that I have to handle personally. I should be back in a couple of days.”
“I’ll be here,” Cole replied. He chuckled. “We seem to be doing zero for ten at connecting face to face.”
“Tell me about it,” Gideon replied dryly. “It will happen, though. I promise. Then I’ll go all caveman on you.”
“Dragging me into your lair? I can hardly wait.”
They bantered some more as Gideon made his way, he said, from the gate to baggage claim. When they hung up, Cole shook his head. “This is going to be one interesting, if frustrating, relationship—as soon as it really takes off.”
* * * *
Once again, Cole left the gallery in James and Bert’s capable hands, telling them it should be the last time until the following spring that he’d need to do that. Then he drove out to the airport to pick up Gideon, whose plane was due to arrive around five.
While he waited at baggage claim, as planned, all Cole could think of was how nervous he was. Despite the fact they had been in touch regularly by phone, it had been over two months since they’d been together. A lot can happen in that length of time. What if, despite everything he’s said, when he sees me Gideon realizes he might be making a mistake? I know I’m not, but that’s me. I’m more than half in love with him. He said he feels the same, but two months plus…He stopped pacing when he heard someone s
ay, “You’re going to wear a path in the carpet.” With a wry grin, he acknowledged the woman’s comment and leaned against the wall across from the carousel.
He pushed off the wall five minutes later when it was announced that Gideon’s plane had landed and the passengers would be disembarking momentarily. He knew it would be a few minutes more before people began arriving to get their luggage. That didn’t stop him from looking at everyone in sight. Slowly the crowd around the carousel grew. Then he saw Gideon—at the same moment Gideon saw him.
If this were a cartoon, there’d be sparks flying between us.
* * * *
They started toward each other, Gideon totally oblivious of everyone else around him. When they met, Gideon wrapped Cole in a tight embrace, gazing at him for a second before giving him a kiss so heated that he was certain the floor would melt under them. Cole returned it just as passionately and, in that moment, Gideon knew he was holding the one man who made his life complete.
When the kiss finally ended—only because Gideon knew they were impeding traffic—he whispered, “Damn.”
“A good damn or a bad one?” Cole replied with a grin.
“If you have to ask…” Gideon kept his arm around Cole, steering him to a vacant space by the carousel.
“I don’t. I feel the same way.” He looked at Gideon. “Truth be told, I was worried you might change your mind, once you saw me. It’s been way too long.”
Gideon kissed his temple. “I worried too. First that you wouldn’t be here, then that you would—but only long enough to tell me you’d give me a ride into the city then—” He shrugged.
“That will never happen,” Cole replied. “Not in a million years. Mr. Monahan, you are stuck with me, like it or not.”
“Believe me, I like it, Dr. Newell. More than I can ever put into words.”
“Then grab your bag and let’s get out of here. If I remember correctly, you promised me a fancy dinner.”
Gideon grinned, his pulse quickening as he remembered the second part of his promise. “That I did. And I try to never break a promise.”
* * * *
“I don’t think I’ve eaten so well since…Well, since we had dinner at FIRE,” Cole said as they left the restaurant. A ‘real’ restaurant, since it was still early, compared to when he usually ate. He put his arm around Gideon’s waist. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Now, do you mind if we head back to my place so I can”—Gideon winked—”change into something comfortable.”
Cole laughed. “Somehow I don’t see you in a sexy nightgown, which is usually what that line implies.”
“Good Lord, no.”
A few minutes later, Cole was parking in front of Monahan Enterprises—according to the sign to the side of the front door. Gideon retrieved his bags from the trunk of the car then led the way to the carriage house.
“This looks like a home, not a large, vacant apartment,” Cole said when they were inside.”
“Apartments. Plural. Remember?”
“Right.” Cole realized there was a wide arch between what had been the downstairs apartments, opening the area up. One side was now the living room, with, he discovered, a home office in what had been the former bedroom. The bathroom was now a storage area, from the number of boxes he saw there. The other side had become the dining room, kitchen, and bathroom. “You’ve done a lot of work on this.”
“Well, the construction people I hired did, once I told them what I wanted. The upstairs was easier, since it was only one apartment. Come on. I’ll show you.”
When they got to the second floor, Cole saw what he meant. The former living room was now a master bedroom, with a hallway between it and what Gideon said were now two guest bedrooms. The large bathroom was accessible from both Gideon’s bedroom and the hallway.
“Do you like it?” Gideon asked, setting his bag on the floor beside the mahogany dresser that looked as if it had to be at least one hundred years old. Across from it was a king-size bed with a matching mahogany headboard. Double doors led to a small balcony overlooking the main building.
“Of course. It’s you.”
“Meaning I’m old?” Gideon replied with a grin.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Cole shook his head. “No. Meaning it’s perfect…like you.” He arched an eyebrow. “I thought you were going to change into something more comfortable.”
“Well, I’m definitely getting out of what I’m wearing,” Gideon said, beginning to unbutton his dress shirt.
Cole watched, a burst of lust inflaming him. Not unexpected. He knew why they were here and he had no objections. None at all.
When Gideon had his shirt off, he looked at Cole. “Your turn.”
“I’m enjoying watching you strip,” Cole said with a sly grin.
“Colten,” Gideon growled, although he seemed more amused than anything else by Cole’s words.
“Yes?” Cole replied innocently.
“If your shirt isn’t off in ten seconds or less…”
“You take it off me?”
“No. I’ll send you home.”
“Well, in that case.” As fast as possible, Cole took it off, tossing it on a chair by the balcony doors. “Better?”
“Much.” Gideon came over, pulling Cole to his feet, then into a tight embrace. “You’re fantastic,” he murmured. Their lips meshed in a fiery kiss. It deepened, if that was possible, when Cole opened to Gideon’s demanding tongue.
“Ho-ly hell,” Cole whispered when they finally parted. He was more aroused than he ever remembered being, and that was just from the kiss. His cock strained against his slacks, begging to be released. Gideon took care of that problem a moment later. Then he ran his hand slowly up Cole’s throbbing member until Cole stopped him, saying huskily, “My turn.”
In barely no time at all, they were both naked—and kissing again as they tumbled onto the bed.
* * * *
“I never…” Gideon murmured much, much later.
Cole grinned, tapping Gideon’s nose. “Couldn’t have proved it by me.”
“Cole. Honestly.” Gideon shook his head. “I was going to say that I never thought making love could be this wonderful.”
“Neither did I,” Cole admitted, giving Gideon a gentle kiss. “What happened tonight takes those words to a whole new level.” He kissed Gideon again.
Gideon smiled against his lips. “You know…I hope you know, that I’m helplessly in love with you.”
“I definitely got that impression. All I can say is, I love you in return…more than I thought it was possible to love any man.”
Gideon grinned. “What about any woman.”
“Good lord. Are you kidding? I’ve never even looked at a woman as a potential…well, anything. Okay, I take that back. I do have female friends, but that’s it.”
“That’s good to know. I do as well, and you’ll get to meet a couple of them, now that my team has moved out here. The ones that will be working here with me.”
Resting on one elbow, Cole looked down at Gideon. “Is it going feel strange, having everything split into two places?”
“Probably. At first. Still, it won’t be all that different for me, personally. I always keep my finger on everything that’s going on, no matter where I am. I have to, whether I’m here, or in New York, or anywhere in the world.” He frowned. “At least I do it the best I can.”
“What?” Cole asked, tracing circles on Gideon’s chest.
“Oh. I was just remembering. I was in Europe when one of my people was murdered, so involved in what I was doing that I didn’t check on him until I got back to the States. He was undercover, so he was only supposed contact me personally, and only if he learned something important. It actually happened here in Denver, not that the location matters. I couldn’t get in touch with him, so I called his family.” He sighed, shaking his head.
“Does that happen often?” Cole asked with concern.
“Thankfully, no. What we do can be da
ngerous. Hell, you know that from personal experience. But since I began doing this—retrieving stolen art—then put together my team, we’ve only lost a bare handful of operatives. And that’s been over the span of fifteen years.” Gideon eased Cole down to rest on his chest, grumbling, “Why the hell are we talking about this, anyway?”
Cole chuckled. “Got me. There are much better things we could be doing. Like showering, for starters. We’re hot and sweaty and—”
“We will be again. So why shower?” Gideon asked with a grin.
“Because it’s nice to start fresh? One of us has to get up anyway, to get rid of these,” he added, stripping off their condoms.
“Well, when you put it that way. After you, Alphonse.”
“No, after you, my dear Gaston.”
“Damn, are we showing our age?” Gideon said as he got up.
“We’re not that old. Beside which, that cartoon was from the early nineteen-hundreds, and neither of us was around then.”
“Thankfully.” Gideon hugged him as they headed to the bathroom. “I doubt I’d be in any shape to perform even once, if I was that old.”
Cole laughed. “To say the least of doing it twice in one night.”
Gideon’s eyebrows arched. “Only twice?”
“I gather you’re going to be insatiable.”
“My love. When it comes to you, I definitely will be.”
Epilogue
“Where are you off to this time?” Cole asked. They had just finished dinner at his place and were having coffee in the living room, when Gideon made his announcement—two months after Monahan Enterprises had officially opened its western headquarters in Denver. “And for how long?”
“Cleveland, and only for a couple of days. The man wants to meet with me face to face. Me. Not Alex or anyone else.”
“What’s missing? Or did he say?”
“Two Giovanni Battista Castello miniatures, stolen from his private collection. He’s notified the FBI and Interpol, but he wants me on it too.”
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