***
Chris’ hands went to the sides of Shane’s head to hold him when Shane made to move away from him. “I’m sorry, Shane.” He whispered. “So sorry.” The remorse in Chris’ voice was so palpable it could have been cut with a knife.
“Still not letting you off the hook,” Shane murmured.
“I don’t care,” Chris answered quickly. “I deserve whatever punishment you want to give me. Just know that I’m very sorry for what I did.”
“Apology accepted.” Shane grinned.
“And the punishment?” Chris asked with his fingers crossed on both sides of Shane’s face. Shane didn’t miss it.
“Didn’t you just say you deserve whatever punish…”
“Damn!” Chris swore. “I had to try.” He laughed softly and kissed Shane soundly. “One more thing Shane.”
“Lay it on me,” Shane said, tightening his hold on Chris.
“Please don’t shut me out when we have problems,” Chris said quietly. “It kills me.”
“You started it,” Shane murmured. “Does the name Four Seasons ring a bell?” There was an amused twinkle in Shane’s eyes.
“Ouch!” Chris couldn’t mask the hurt that flashed in his eyes.
“Hey, don’t mind me.” Shane bumped their foreheads together. “I was out of line for keeping things bottled in and I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
“Thanks.” Chris’ voice was barely above a whisper.
“And I expect the same from you,” Shane added. “Chris, no matter what the problem is, I expect us to be able to talk about it. When I had problems in the initial stages of therapy, you were there to help me through it because I told you about it.”
“Yeah. After going MIA and making me abandon my business partners.” Chris drawled.
“But I still told you about it and you helped,” Shane said urgently. “That’s how it’s supposed to be. I gave you the silent treatment because I was so angry and hurt I dreaded what would come out of my mouth if I’d opened it.”
“But you didn’t have any trouble opening it to Mario,” Chris muttered, making Shane give a deep sigh.
“I’m not in love with him. Neither had he ripped my heart out with his actions.” Shane said quietly.
“I know.” Chris smiled. “I promise to open up whenever I have problems.”
“You’ve promised before,” Shane growled.
“I’ll try harder to do that this time. Hell, I’ll even tell you when I can’t find my stapler at work.” He laughed.
“You have your secretary for that, asshole. Now move. I have to pack this stuff off the table, Chris.” Shane muttered against Chris’ lips, drawing a whimper of protest from Chris.
“Really?”
“Really.” Shane laughed, reaching for the trolley. “I have a surprise for you.”
“Then I’m going to help.” Chris grinned and began packing the plates.
Isabel followed Shane into the room to clean the table when Shane came back from wheeling the trolley to the kitchen. He brought a bottle of Hennessey for him and Chris which he opened whilst Isabel worked. When she left, Shane motioned for Chris to join him on the carpet as he poured shots into their glasses. Shane picked up his glass and downed the content at a go and poured himself another. Chris raised an eyebrow at that but did same.
“Ready?” Shane rasped, but Chris merely shrugged, looking curious. Then Shane brought out the box of dominos from under the bed.
“Fuck!” Chris whispered. “How did you…it was in the safe…”
“I took it when I went to get the keys,” Shane said smugly.
“But how…” Chris looked shocked.
“You mean how did I know the password? N. I. C. K.? Dude, I got it on just the first try.”
Chris moved so fast Shane didn’t see him coming. He slammed his mouth on Shane’s and kissed the living daylights out of him. When they eventually came up for a much-needed air, Chris scattered kisses all over Shane’s face.
“What was that for?” Shane gasped.
“I love you.” Chris simply hugged Shane, sighing with contentment when Shane wrapped his arms around him and hugged him back. “I love you so much it hurts sometimes.”
“The feeling is mutual, baby,” Shane muttered. “Ready to get your arse kicked?” He grinned.
“You sure the playing field is level?” Chris whispered against Shane’s lips. “Seeing as one of us has a double Ph. D. and an IQ of…what was it again? A hundred and…”
“Shut up.” Shane burst into laughter. “I’m so sorry about that. I was so blinded by anger what I was saying made a lot of sense at the time. Now it sounds plain stupid.”
“Well, I don’t need some test to know my man is brilliant. I knew even when we were kids. Hell, I taught you how to play this goddamn game but you whipped my arse all the fucking time.” Chris groaned.
“Scared I’m going to whip your arse again?” Shane teased.
Chris gave Shane a smoldering look from beneath his lashes. “You can do whatever you want with my arse, baby. I’m never gonna complain.” Then they were kissing again.
“Fuck.” Shane growled as he tore his mouth away from Chris’. “Trying to get out of the punishment I see.” His breath came out in pants.
“Is it working?” Chris whimpered, burying his face in Shane’s neck and sucking up a mark on his sensitive flesh.
Shane shivered. “Hell yeah.” He husked. “But the fact still remains that you emasculated me by doing that. And you have to pay.” Shane said with a devilishly mischievous look in his eyes.
“Jerk,” Chris muttered and moved off Shane to sit on the carpet. He opened the box of dominos and looked up into his boyfriend’s laughing eyes, challengingly. “It’s on!”
And just as they used to do all those years ago…in the same room…on the same spot, they played for hours, both so engrossed in the game it was as if they were kids again. When Isabel knocked on the door and asked them whether they were ready to eat supper, both men were shocked it was that late already. After eating dinner in the room, Shane and Chris cuddled up in bed and watched TV for a while, and then went back to the dominos.
Around midnight, they slotted in the movie, ‘Endless Love’, which they had been watching on that fateful night. Though both men had finally watched the full movie at a point in their lives, they watched it again but this time, together as they never got to finish watching it that night. Chris cried, not because of the sweetness of the movie, but because of what he’d done during the movie all those years ago. Shane held him, rocking him gently, allowing him to cry it out. And Chris felt drained but a whole lot better afterward.
“I love you,” Chris whispered as he drifted off to sleep after the movie.
“I know. And I love you right back.” Shane whispered back.