“I’m with them,” Ty told Zane as he allowed himself to be turned toward the mansion. “We used to run with all our equipment in the sand until we threw up. Never really saw a beach as romantic.”
“I was going to suggest a run in the morning, but maybe not,” Zane said as he guided Ty along with a hand on his elbow. “And I’m probably the last person to ask about what’s romantic.”
Ty pointed a finger. “I will run in the late-morning to early-afternoon time frame. Otherwise I intend to be hungover.” He waited a beat before glancing sideways at Zane. “Where were you married?”
“Church wedding in Austin.” There was a note of curiosity in Zane’s voice.
“Was it nice?” Ty asked carefully.
Zane snorted. “It was way overdone. My mom did the whole thing because we were living in Dallas at the time. But I guess it was okay. I don’t really remember much about it.” Zane made a noise in his throat.
“What, too much bachelor party?”
“No, it’s just . . .” Zane waved his hand around. “You stand there in this important ceremony, nervous as hell because everyone’s watching you and you don’t want to trip on the steps, and then it’s over and you don’t remember a single thing and it seems like such a waste of all that time.”
Ty snorted and shook his head. They walked hand in hand down the beach, the cold waves lapping at the rocky sand near their feet, the lightning highlighting whitecaps on the water.
“Care for another waltz in the rain?” Zane asked, his voice gone lower.
“Always.”
Zane stopped him as the thunder rolled, and pulled Ty to him. They began a slow box step, taking note of the rocks and their footing.
“Have you ever done the sex-on-the-beach thing?” Ty asked as his fingertips played over Zane’s palm. Zane shivered.
“Yeah. Once. I kind of enjoyed it, but she was complaining about sand in weird places for days afterward.”
Ty gave a surprised laugh.
“I always thought it sounded sort of uncomfortable, when you got down to the logistics of it,” Ty mused. He began to hum as they danced. The skies rumbled and lightning flashed almost on top of the sound, meaning the storm was almost upon them.
Ty gazed up at Zane, his stomach fluttering. Rather than illuminating the warm brown of Zane’s eyes, the night seemed to sap all the color from him, leaving them a luminescent gray. He couldn’t help but stare at his lover, wondering how Zane just got more and more attractive to him as the days went by.
“You’re the only person I’ve ever been with who made me want to try things like that.”
Zane grinned, and their dance slowed to a stop. “I make you want to roll around in the sand?”
Ty shook his head. “That came out wrong.”
“No, it didn’t,” Zane murmured, still grinning as he ran his hand up Ty’s arm.
“I just mean . . .” Ty held a pent-up breath as he met Zane’s eyes again. Zane’s face was so sincere, looking at Ty in that way that always made Ty feel warm and loved. “I mean that all the experiences I’ve ever heard of in life . . . I want to have them with you.”
Zane’s smile grew more tender. He ran his knuckles down Ty’s cheek. “Ty—”
“Marry me, Zane.”
He could feel Zane’s heartbeat quicken. Every part of him tingled where Zane touched him. He held his breath.
“Nope,” Zane whispered.
Ty grinned, laughing silently. Leave it to Zane to reject him and make him laugh at the same time. “You don’t want to at least consider for a minute this time? Run the numbers a little?”
“Ty, shut up,” Zane murmured, and pressed his lips to Ty’s, wrapping around him in a passionate embrace and kissing him for all he was worth.
Ty’s arms tightened on him, fingers gripping. The sound of the tide and the approaching rain became a backdrop to the sound of Ty’s heart pounding in his chest. He wanted Zane to know he’d thought this through, that he wanted them to spend the rest of their lives together. But he also kind of liked the idea of Zane making him ask until he got it right, making him work for it. Ty needed to work for it. They could play this game because in the end, Ty knew Zane would say yes. He just had to find the perfect time, the perfect place, the perfect way.
“I love you,” Ty whispered against Zane’s lips.
Zane smiled and pressed his nose against Ty’s cheek. “I love you, too.”
“I’m going to keep asking until you say yes.”
Zane smiled against his cheek. “I know.”
Zane took his hand and began to lead him toward the path again. Ty glanced up at the lights ahead of them and squinted. “Please tell me you know which freaking haunted room in the freaking haunted mansion is ours.”