Chapter 20

“I meant at work, honey.” Luca leaned in and kissed Gus’s stubbly cheek, letting his lips linger, reveling in the contact. “I’ve never doubted even for a second that you love me,” he mumbled against Gus’s skin.

“Oh.” Gus deflated and laid his head back on Luca’s shoulder. “Yes, it’s been…stressful.”

That admission from Gus probably meant it had been hell at the hospital, worse than Luca had imagined. Gus never complained and always tried to be positive, so this acknowledgment was alarming

“Tell me what you want to do,” Luca urged.

“I don’t know.”

Luca knew his husband well enough to tell when he was being evasive. “The truth, Gustav.”

Gus was quiet for a long time. Luca reached for the wine, gave a glass to his husband, and took a sip of his own while waiting for Gus to talk.

“You know the clinic down in The Projects?”

“Yes?”

“They’ve gotten a grant and plan on expanding. They’re going to offer health care to the homeless…”

Gus raised his head so he could drink the wine. A content moan slipped out, and Luca tried to remember when they’d last had a glass of wine together. He had no idea. Gus drank some more before retaking his place on Luca’s shoulder.

“So…the homeless?” Luca prompted when Gus didn’t continue. He used his free hand to draw patterns on the soft skin on Gus’s stomach. A circle. A heart. He even wrote his own name, branding Gus as his in invisible ink.

Gus hummed, and his breathing calmed and became more regular. His voice lost its strain, and he sounded relaxed when he continued. “Yes. The director called me and offered a job, but—”

“Take it!” Luca interrupted before Gus had time to tell him any details. “It sounds perfect for you.”

And it did. Gus had the biggest heart of anyone Luca knew and was unhappy about the fact that he worked too much to have time to volunteer and help the less fortunate. And Luca knew the clinic Gus was talking about: they offered daytime services only. No more night shifts. No more weekends.

No more exhausted husband. Luca was on board.

“It would mean less money,” Gus said.

Even though Gus argued against the idea, Luca could hear a spark of hope in his voice, an alertness he hadn’t heard in weeks. Maybe months.

Luca narrowed his eyes as irritation bubbled up inside him. It was clear Gus had given this a lot of thought but hadn’t even mentioned it to him. All because of the money?

He slammed his glass down. Then he grabbed Gus’s and slammed that, too, for good measure. He let go of his husband and squirmed out from behind him, positioning himself in front of Gus, with arms crossed over his chest.

“Gustav, what the hell?” Luca hissed. “Money? That’s your excuse?”

“But—”

“Your mom bought this house for us. Sure, she claims it’s a good investment, but we both know the truth! We pay her peanuts. The café does incredibly well, you know that. And we have savings if something happens.”

“But—”

“Shush!” Luca untangled his arms and made a zip-it-gesture in front of Gus’s mouth. Gus chuckled, and the happy sound defused Luca’s annoyance. He’d missed that sound. “Oh, honey,” he said and crawled over to Gus, straddling his husband’s hips. He gripped Gus’s chin and looked him straight in the eyes.

“Let me get this straight. And you answer with yes or no only. No buts. Understand?”

Gus nodded.

“Good. The director offered you a job?”

“Yes.”

“Not a volunteer position?”

“No.”

Luca rewarded Gus’s obedience with a kiss.

“You will get paid?”

“Yes.”

Another kiss, one lingering a little longer. Luca didn’t break it until Gus whimpered.

“So you’ll have an income, I’ll have an income, and your mom will still refuse to let us pay real rent?”

Gus nodded and leaned in, clearly expecting a kiss for being a good boy, but Luca held off.

“And you’ll work shorter hours?”

Gus hummed in confirmation, but it was an impatient sound. He leaned in even more, closed his eyes, and puckered his lips. Luca had to bite back a giggle at the sight of his husband wordlessly begging for a kiss. He relented and gave Gus what he wanted. It was a ghost of a kiss, but enough to coax a happy sound out of his husband.

“Do you know what would be great about you working less?” Luca asked after breaking the kiss. Gus shook his head. “You’d have more free time. Time to spend with our kids.”

Gus’s eyes flew open, and he yelped. “Really?”

Luca nodded. “Take the job.”

“Okay,” Gus whispered without hesitation.