Luca remembered that morning some ten months later, as he lay in bed watching the day’s first light stream in through their bedroom window. As usual, he’d woken early, Theo sprawled on his stomach next to him. Now summer had arrived, they slept with the windows wide, and Luca smiled happily as he watched the sky brighten on what promised to be a beautiful June morning. And another first for them.
He could barely contain his excitement and nerves, but made himself lie still and watch the sun rise. Theo would appreciate a few extra minutes’ sleep—he’d been up late last night, and Luca had been asleep when he came to bed, stirring only enough to register a warm presence at his back and the soft pressure of a kiss against his shoulder. They’d both been working so hard toward today, and although the hard work would continue afterward, today was a landmark: the Majestic’s grand reopening.
His heart filled with pride, and with love when he looked at the man sleeping next to him. He owed Theo so much. Turning away from the window, he shifted onto his side and let his gaze linger on Theo’s face. His dark hair had grown out over the winter and he’d given up trying to tame it, so it now framed his face with thick, dark curls Luca adored and Theo ignored. His lips, still a little chapped from the cold he’d picked up a couple weeks ago, were parted in sleep and his dark lashes fanned out over his winter-pale face. Luca intended to get him out into the sun now that summer was finally here, get him more confident on a bodyboard—they’d tried a couple more times before it got too cold, and he’d been getting the hang of it. Kinda sorta.
Overwhelmed by a sudden pang of affection, he leaned in and kissed those lips. Theo made a soft sound of protest and Luca kissed his forehead, his cheek. “It’s morning,” he whispered. “It’s today.”
Theo’s eyes blinked open, lips curling into his killer smile. “So it is.”
Reaching for him, Luca pulled him close so Theo’s head came to rest on his shoulder and Luca could get both arms around him. He loved holding him close, and Theo was so compliant in the mornings, heavy and sleepy. Luca kissed his tangled curls, just because he could.
“We should get up,” Theo said, snuggling closer. “What time is it?”
“Not six yet, we’ve got time.”
“Mmm,” Theo said, and for a moment Luca thought he was drifting back to sleep. But then his hand skimmed over Luca’s stomach, up to his chest with very deliberate intent. Smiling, Luca let his own hand slide down Theo’s back, dip under the hem of his t-shirt and onto the soft skin at the small of his back. Theo sighed in appreciation and reached up to nuzzle under Luca’s jaw. He loved sex in the morning, the warm lazy slide into heat, the way Theo turned from sleepy to urgent, compliant to demanding. When Theo’s hand slipped beneath the waistband of Luca’s briefs, humming his pleasure as he found his cock already hard, Luca hauled him on top and they kicked off clothes until they were both naked, sliding together, touching, kissing, loving.
Theo came first, like he usually did, shuddering and emotional, and Luca followed, spilling hot between them with Theo’s fingers biting into his shoulder, his warm breath against his neck. “I love you,” Theo whispered. “I love you so much.”
Luca kissed him, like he could taste the words on his lips. “Only you, baby. Only you.”
After they’d gathered their breath, they showered together. During the refurbishment, they’d gutted the family quarters and installed a bathroom with a large, walk-in shower with two showerheads. They often showered together. Theo had a habit of losing track of time in the shower, but if Luca was with him he could nudge him along if necessary. And, frankly, even after ten months, Luca was keen for any opportunity to see Theo naked, to touch him and kiss him.
Today, though, they were all business.
Their first guests arrived in a couple days, but today was the official opening and Theo had pulled out all the stops. The event was getting unprecedented levels of publicity, all because of Theo’s genius plan to persuade Finn Callaghan to invest in the Majestic and open the hotel in person. Maybe Luca had grumbled, initially, at the idea of “Finn Callaghan’s Majestic Hotel,” but when he’d seen the bookings start rolling in through their new website he’d shut the fuck up.
“How do I look?” Theo said, tugging at the sleeves of his dress shirt. “Ready for the press?”
He looked gorgeous, as always. Sharp in his city clothes, and because Luca so rarely saw him dressed that way anymore, he appreciated it all the more. Especially when the look was softened by his longer, curling hair.
“You look great,” Luca said, smoothing his hands over Theo’s shoulders. “You’ll knock ’em dead.”
“That’s your job,” Theo said. “And Finn’s. I plan to hang around in the background with Josh.”
“It’s your hotel,” Luca pointed out reasonably. “Your vision. No hiding in the background, Mister.”
Theo just smiled.
Four frantic hours later, the circus had come to town. Rainbow flags snapped and danced in the early summer breeze, the garden crowded with excited locals and a hefty peppering of fans of Finn Callaghan and Josh Newton—or, as Miranda called them, “shippers.” She was there, too, wrangling the press and, of course, everything was being live-tweeted and Periscoped and God only knew what else. Luca left all of that to his genius partner and his assistant, and sat back on the fringes with his mom and Don.
“He’s quite something, isn’t he?” Jude said as they watched Theo giving orders in preparation for Finn and Josh’s arrival. They were only driving over from Hanworth Hall, but you’d think they were helicoptering in from LA, the amount of fuss it was causing.
Luca smiled. “Yeah, he really is.”
“I’m so pleased.” Jude took his hand, and hearing a wobble in her voice Luca turned to look at her. Wintering in Miami had done her the world of good: she’d gained some weight, and looked tanned and relaxed. Happy, too, despite the tears in her eyes. “This time last year, I’d never have dreamed of this... You, running the Majestic.” She waved her hand at the circus. “All of this. It’s like a dream, Luca. We’re so proud of you, aren’t we, Don?”
Don looked a little out of his depth, but smiled his agreement. He and Luca had reached a cautious détente over the past few months, and whatever Don’s thoughts about Luca and Theo’s vision for the Majestic, he hadn’t objected. And he was here, which said a lot. “Thanks,” Luca said, smiling. “Theo should take the credit, though. This is his brainchild.”
“Oh, we’re proud of both of you, honey. Theo...” She pressed her hands to her chest. “Well, I just love him.”
Tears sprang to Luca’s eyes, unexpected, like a flash flood. “Thank you,” he said when he could speak, surprised by how much it meant to hear those words. How much he’d been longing for them, for years, perhaps, in a way. “Mom, I love him, too.”
“Oh, Luca, I know you do.” She reached out and brushed a hand through his hair. “It’s written all over your face.” Smiling, she dashed away her tears. “I couldn’t be happier or prouder than I am right now.”
Impulsively, Luca hugged her, reveling in how much stronger she felt. “I love you, Mom.”
She squeezed him back, sniffed, and then laughed. “Now, you’re gonna make my mascara run.”
He let her go, rubbing at his eyes as Theo came over. He looked between them with concern, hesitating. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” Luca held out a hand, and Theo took it, let himself be drawn closer. “Emotional, you know? About the hotel. But happy emotional.”
Theo’s expression cleared. “Ah, good.” He smiled at Jude and Don. “We’re so pleased you could both be here.” Then he squeezed Luca’s fingers. “Do you have a moment?”
“I guess I can fit you in. What do you need?”
Theo smiled an odd, nervous smile and tilted his head toward the Majestic. “I want to show you something.”
“Okay...” He gave Jude a helpless shrug and let Theo tow him away through the milling crowd. “You realize Finn and Josh are going to be here in about fifteen minutes, right?”
“I’m well aware, thank you.”
Theo said no more, but kept hold of Luca’s hand as he tugged him up onto the porch and around to the front of the hotel. It was quieter here, all the attention out back in the garden, but there were still people around. Theo said a few words to them, giving them an update on Finn’s arrival time, and then they slipped inside and behind the reception desk to the small office area. It had an actual twenty-first century computer now, complete with high-speed internet and Wi-Fi. Luca tried to forget his assertion, less than a year ago, that no guests at the Majestic would want Wi-Fi. What an ass he’d been.
When Theo closed the door behind them, Luca turned to look at him with feelings caught halfway between curiosity and amusement. “If you think we’ve got time for a quickie before Finn shows up, I’m willing, but...?”
Theo flushed, which Luca would never stop finding adorable. “Not quite what I had in mind.” He cleared his throat, tugged at his cuffs, and Luca felt a needle of anxiety.
“Theo, what’s going on?”
“Nothing. That is, it’s—Luca, these last ten months have been the best in my life. Working with you on the hotel, the refurbishment, the promotion—being here, living here with you... I feel like you’ve given me everything.”
Luca laughed. “Are you kidding? You’ve given me everything. Everything I wanted and was too afraid to even imagine.”
“I feel the same,” Theo said, smiling. “God, I feel exactly the same. But there’s something that doesn’t feel right to me. It hasn’t from the start, and I want to make it right before we open.”
“What do you mean?” Luca said warily. “Everything feels right to me. Better than right. Perfect.”
Theo nodded, but didn’t answer as he walked over to the desk and pulled a file out of a drawer. Inside was a document and he held it out, chin lifted as if he expected a fight. “I’ve had your name added to the title deeds of the Majestic. You only need to sign it and we’ll be joint owners.”
Luca stared, astonished. “You’re giving me half the hotel?”
“Yes.”
He’d own the Majestic, like his mom. Hell, he wanted it, but... “I can’t. It’s too much. You invested everything in this, Theo, all your money. You can’t just give me half.”
“I knew you’d say that.” Theo’s lips tightened. “But, Luca, think about it. Without you, I wouldn’t be here at all. I’d still be schlepping away for my dad at Lux. I’d be miserable and alone. Bored. Falling in love with you made me fall in love with the Majestic, made me see what she could become. Don’t you see? She has to be half yours. She is yours, by birth and by right. Please.” He held out the paper. “Please, Luca, sign it.” He looked so earnest, eyes serious and steady, brimful of feeling.
“You really mean it?”
“I really mean it. I want it. I want us to be partners in everything.”
“I want that, too.” Hesitantly, Luca reached for the paper, saw his name at the top with a hot lance of pleasure, then looked down at the space waiting for his signature. “You’re absolutely certain?”
“One hundred percent.”
“Partners in everything?” He glanced up, smiling. “I like the sound of that.”
Theo’s grin was bright as the sunrise, self-conscious and happy. “So do I.” He handed over a pen, Luca took a breath and signed his name.
The Majestic was his. It was theirs. For real, forever.
He wanted to say thank you, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t say anything because his throat was too tight, and anyway Theo wouldn’t want his thanks. This wasn’t a favor, it was a mutual commitment. So instead he pulled Theo into a fierce hug, burying his face against his shoulder, and breathing him in, steadying himself. And Theo held him tight in return, pressed a kiss against Luca’s ear, whispered love against his skin.
One day, Luca knew, they’d get married. They’d hold the wedding at the Majestic, among their friends, and spend the rest of their lives here, together. He knew it, he felt it in his bones. And if it made him vulnerable, if it left him open to hurt, then he’d live with the risk. He’d spent too long afraid. If it hadn’t been for Theo sneaking in under his defenses he might have lived that way forever, and the thought of that empty road not taken was more terrible than anything else he could imagine.
So, yes. One day, they’d marry. One day soon.
But not today. Today was about the Majestic and the future they were already building together. Letting Theo go, Luca held his palm against his cheek and kissed him once, a fond kiss full of everything words couldn’t express. From outside, cheers and squeals began to rise, their guests of honor arriving. The future starting. Luca smiled. “Come on, partner. Let’s go open our hotel.”
Theo took his hand, squeezing it tight. “Together?”
“Always together.”
* * * * *
To purchase and read more books by Sally Malcolm, please visit her website: www.sallymalcolm.com