“I get that I’m young.” He gripped the side of Dmytro’s mattress. “I get I can be kind of a pain in the ass and I don’t know what I’m doing with my life and you’re already settled. You’ve already got a family and I’m trying to put mine back together. I’m not even trying to wedge myself into yours. I waited until you had time, to—”
“Wait. You thought I didn’t want to see you?”
Something flickered in Ajax’s gaze before it slid away. “I figured you’d want time to reassure your girls. They’re awesome, by the way. And Liv seems nice. Uncle Zhenya totally digs her, you know that, right? I wish she’d just notice, it’s excruciating.”
“No—go back—tell me why you didn’t come to see me as soon as they let you out?”
“You know how I am.” Ajax glanced at his hands. “I’d try and hog all your time. And I didn’t need you as much as they did just then. They were so worried about you.”
Dmytro let his head fall on the pillow. “You idiot.”
One perfectly shaped eyebrow lifted. “I beg your pardon?”
All the resentment fell from Dmytro’s spirit. He couldn’t be bothered. “Come here and let me hug my boyfriend.”
“Who, me?” Ajax mimed glancing behind and then pointed to his chest.
“Come here.”
Ajax smiled as he sat on the side of the bed. “Hello.”
“I’ve waited too long for this.” Dmytro slipped a hand around his neck and pulled him down. Their slow, languid kiss was homecoming. Warm and sweet. Dmytro splayed his palm over Ajax’s neck to hold him close. After a long moment, he pressed his forehead to Ajax’s. Breathed his air. “Missed you so much, little mink.”
“Me too,” Ajax whispered. “I wanted to come. I just—”
“I thought you had doubts. Or you didn’t want me anymore. That your sanity returned, and you realized I am an old man and not worth your time.”
“And I thought you probably only said the things you did to keep me from losing hope. ‘Chin up, sonny’ and ‘look on the bright side of life.’”
“It’s clear you know me not at all.” He couldn’t, if he thought Dmytro would sugarcoat anything.
Ajax stretched out and curled into Dmytro’s side—the first time Dmytro had the pleasure of holding him like that. They’d only touched like that one time, aboard the Charioteer. Ajax fit perfectly in Dmytro’s arms. Absolutely, exactly right. Dmytro visualized a lifetime holding Ajax just like that. He tilted his head and found Ajax staring up at him.
Dmytro kissed the top of his head. “What?”
“Is this possible?” Ajax asked.
“This thing between us?”
“There’s a lot of noise in the world, isn’t there?” Ajax rubbed cool fingers along Dmytro’s jaw. “There’s all the stuff you think you have to do. Stuff you think you need. And every day, you dig yourself just a little deeper into a rut you don’t even like. Everything you do becomes a matter of habit.”
Dmytro nodded. “That’s… true.”
“That’s why it’s so shocking when something happens to disrupt all that, like Mackenzie Detweiler falling out of a helicopter, or us floating around in the ocean with no observable hope of rescue.”
“It all falls away.” Dmytro saw. He really saw. “And there’s nothing but the certainty of death as a backdrop against which to post all your memories, your trivial desires, your workaday life—”
“Whoa. Slow down there, sunshine.” Ajax giggled. “You’re killing the mood with that death talk.”
“Well, I am unfailingly dark and serious.”
“I noticed that. But perhaps I can help? I’m known for my ebullience.”
Dmytro scoffed. “That soup. Isn’t that soup?”
“That’s bouillon.” Ajax waved a hand in front of his face. “Ebullience is a different word. Er… I think it’s a word.”
“So? Tell me what it means.”
“I know what it means.” He huffed. “Just because you don’t.”
“Right.” Dmytro itched to put his fingers through Ajax’s soft curls. Since they were all alone and Ajax loved him, he indulged himself.
“I believe it means exuberance, but I’ll look it up.” Ajax got out his phone, read the definition, and fell onto Dmytro’s chest with a thud. “Oh no.”
“Oof.” Dmytro rubbed a sore spot. “What?”
“One of the synonyms of ebullience is buoyancy. Oh, ha. That’s rich. Good thing, though, huh?”
“Oh, yes.” He cupped Ajax’s jaw and met his gaze before bringing him in for another searing kiss. “You, my dearest hope, float. And it turns out that’s a very good thing.”
Epilogue
ALMOST EVERY detail of the new house was finished, but Ajax still ran from one room to the next, ticking off the items on his checklist. Flooring done. Paint completed. Towels and toiletries, check. Pottery Barn Kids raided successfully—pink for Penelope and purple for Sasha. Did their rooms resemble sparkly butterfly sanctuaries? Yes.
Check.
Had he ordered enough food for the newly remodeled kitchen? Was there enough closet space? Did Liv’s private guest house sparkle inside and out?
Check, check, and check.
Now he was only waiting for his guests.
Grandpa tied flies at his desk in the family room while Ajax poured himself another cup of coffee.
“You trying to set a record?” Grandpa asked. Ajax had refilled his favorite Rick and Morty mug too many times to count. “You’re not nervous, are you?”
“Of course I’m not.” Except… he was. He really was.
What if Liv decided St. Nacho’s was too far from the city, or the girls didn’t want to leave their schoolmates behind, even for the summer?
What if Dmytro had changed his mind and he no longer wanted to bring all the separate pieces of their lives together for a few months under the same roof to see how things would work out between them?
The doorbell rang.
Grandpa’s herd of Maltese dogs—Rachel, Monica, and Phoebe—barked madly around their ankles.
“I’ll get the mutton.” Grandpa winked, scooping them up and dropping them into the large padded basket on the front of his scooter. “You go answer that.”
Though Ajax had already started toward the door, Grandpa’s ride whipped past him, whirring like a sewing machine on steroids.
Ajax’s grandpa was almost as excited to have Dmytro and his family there as Ajax was. He liked children. He’d never said, but he’d seemed a little sad when Ajax came out as gay. He probably believed he’d never have great-grandkids. But Ajax wanted kids. His own or Dmytro’s. He wanted lots of them.
Grandpa acted all growly, but Ajax knew he was glad they were going to have some kids roaming the house. He often said kids made him feel young.
“’Bout time we get to meet Mr. Magic’s little family. Hope they like dogs.”
“Who doesn’t like dogs?” Once Ajax was standing right there with his hand on the doorknob, he hesitated.
“What’s the matter?”
Ajax wiped his damp hands on his jeans. “What if this doesn’t work out?”
“What if it does?” Grandpa beeped his tragic little scooter horn impatiently. Meep. Meep.
Hands shaking, Ajax opened the door wide. Dmytro’s girls gasped and ran inside, all propriety thrown out the window over his grandpa’s dogs. It was as if they didn’t see anything else.
Ajax understood that only too well.
His eyes locked on Dmytro, who stood on the doorstep with his hands jammed into his pockets, wearing an uncharacteristically nervous expression.
Liv charged in after the children, which left the two of them and Zhenya standing at the door.
After clearing his throat, Zhenya teased, “Apparently Mitya’s a vampire now. Invite us in and put him out of his misery. We’ll bring in the luggage later.”
“I’ll help. Please. C’mon in.” Ajax motioned for them to enter.
He’d planned for this moment. He’d practic
ed what to say a thousand times. But he had never believed it would actually arrive.
Still, Dmytro was here. So were the girls and Liv and Zhenya. He’d worked so hard for this moment, he was struck dumb.
“I have never seen you this quiet,” Dmytro said warily. “Are you—is everything all right?”
“It is now.” Ajax gave Dmytro a small smile that he answered with a wide, wolfish smile of his own. Months had passed since their brush with disaster. Even though they’d been in constant touch, if it was enough time for Ajax to build a life in St. Nacho’s, it was also enough time for Dmytro to change his mind. “You okay?”
“Yes, thank God. I was beginning to think you’d chickened out.” He held his arms out.
“Not a chance.” Ajax met him halfway, wrapping his arms around Dmytro and burying his face in his shoulder. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
As soon as they made contact, he felt Dmytro’s sigh of relief. “I have missed you so much, little mink.”
Grandpa beeped his horn again impatiently. “Hello, you have more guests than just the one.”
“Wow. Where are my manners? I should show you to your rooms.”
“Your grandfather can do that,” said Zhenya. “He knows the way, yes?”
“I can do that.” Grandpa rolled forward a little. “Want to see what we did for the girls?”
Ajax glanced toward Liv. “Grandpa, I can—”
“That’s an excellent idea.” Liv took pity on them. “You two can see to yourselves while the girls and I explore. If this is to be our home for the summer, the sooner we learn our way around, the better.”
“Okay.”
“Come, girls,” Liv held her hands out and turned to meet Zhenya’s gaze. “You too. Grandpa Fairchild will show us around.”
“What about Daddy and Ajax?” Pen asked.
“Daddy and Ajax need some grown-up time.” Liv gave them an unvarnished leer. “Will we see you for dinner?”
“Yes,” Dmytro laughed. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
“Now, let’s go see if Ajax got your colors right.” Grandpa took off in his scooter, girls and dogs following along after. “Sasha, you’re the one who likes puce, right?”
“No, I don’t!” She asked, “What’s puce?”
Dmytro laughed. Ajax watched them disappear down the corridor on the north side of Ajax’s spacious rambler, where the guest bedrooms were located. His suite was on the other side, overlooking the water. Nerves built up as Ajax opened the door and let Dmytro lead the way in.
“This is the master. Bathroom, dressing area, and closets are behind those doors.” The room was spacious and simple, decorated in shades of gray with blue, black, and amber accents. The furniture was sturdy and well made, the lines classic. He’d laid down soft rugs, set up a music system, and added a small fountain and some plants. There was no television. His room was perfect for relaxing at the end of a long day.
Ajax only hoped Dmytro would feel at home there too.
“It’s beautiful.” Dmytro took in the sweeping view of St. Nacho’s and the ocean beyond. “Far finer than anything I’ve ever had.”
“You—” Ajax corrected himself. “We deserve it. I think we do.”
Dmytro stood beside him, staring out. “Are you certain you want this?”
“Yes.” Ajax took his hand. “There has to be a point at which you’ll stop asking me that, right?”
Dmytro looped his arm around Ajax’s shoulder. “I need to know how you feel. If this is truly what you want.”
“Do you think what I want changed between the time you called this morning and now? Or are you worried because you perceive me to be young and fickle?”
“That’s not entirely true,” Dmytro admitted.
Ajax leaned against him. “Right now I feel tremendously lucky to have you in my life. Will that change? I don’t know. It might. Should that stop me from being with you? From loving you right now? No.” Ajax shook his head. “Not even if I’m going to get hurt. I want this.”
“What if I get hurt?” Dmytro asked. “What about when I’m old and my children have come to love you. What if you change your mind then?”
“No one knows the future.” Ajax reached up to trap Dmytro’s face between his hands. “Do you believe I’d hurt you on purpose? That I would betray your trust?”
Dmytro shook his head slowly. “Do you trust me?”
“With my life,” Ajax said fervently, “yes. With my heart. With everything, Mitya.”
Dmytro’s body stiffened faintly.
“I’m sorry.” Ajax winced. “You never gave me permission to call you that.”
“Of course you may call me Mitya. It’s just an old family nickname.” He relaxed again. “It was a surprise, is all.”
“Are we okay?” Ajax drew Dmytro’s head down and brushed a kiss over his lips. “Are we going to try?”
“Yes, we will try. I believe we will succeed.” His arms tightened around Ajax’s body. “Welcome me home, Ajax.”
Ajax smiled against his lips. “Welcome home, Mitya.”
“You can do better than that.” He pushed Ajax into the softness of the bed behind him. Ajax stretched out beneath Dmytro, loving the silken steel of Dmytro’s cock against his growing length.
It had been far too long since Dmytro held him like this, the few times they’d been together always hurried or in motels where he was acutely aware of neighbors on the other side of tissue thin walls.
Ice-blue eyes met his. “Welcome me home properly, little mink.”
“Oh, I will.” Ajax winked up at him. “I will.”
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Z.A. MAXFIELD started writing in 2007 on a dare from her children and never looked back. Pathologically disorganized and perennially optimistic, she writes as much as she can, reads as much as she dares, and enjoys her time with family and friends. Three things reverberate throughout all her stories—unconditional love, redemption, and the belief that miracles happen when we least expect them.
If anyone asks her how a wife and mother of four can find time for a writing career, she’ll answer, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you give up housework.”
Z.A. Maxfield loves to hear from readers. You have advance permission to drop her a line.
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By Z.A. Maxfield
PLUMMET TO SOAR
Plummet to Soar
Hawaii Five Uh-Oh
Three Vlog Night
Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Published by
DREAMSPINNER PRESS
5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886 USA
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Three Vlog Night
© 2019 Z.A. Maxfield
Cover Art
© 2019 L.C. Chase
Three Vlog Night Page 21
