Page 28 of Love and Chaos

“It could.”

“Good. There’s something I’ve been thinking of wanting to try.”

“What’s that?”

Ed laid his head on Max’s pillow and thrust one hand out in front of them, waving it in the air as if he were motioning at a grand marquee. “Gardening.”

“Seriously? Gardening? As in growing vegetables?”

“Yes. Every year, my sister and her husband brag about growing the biggest tomatoes, and I want to beat her. I’ll grow tomatoes as big as her head.”

Max snorted. “You don’t even like tomatoes that much.”

“Not the point. Also, cucumbers. Back in the day, my mother made the best pickles. We’d grow the cucumbers and give them to her.”

“And we get jars and jars of pickles.” Max nodded. “This is a wise plan.”

“Thank you. It would also give me a chance to teach my nieces and nephews about proper Independence Day fireworks.”

“Oh, yeah, your family is going to love that.”

Probably not, but he’d be sure to teach safety first, so no one lost fingers and limbs.

Max turned his head on the pillow and smiled softly, his heart sparkling in his eyes. “Are you sure you want this? You’re not worried about being bored?”

“As long as you’re with me, I’ll never be bored a day in my life. Every day is an adventure with you. Even when it’s a so-called normal life.”

HELPING ALEXEI WITH A HIT: A SOREN AND ALEXEI SHORT STORY

“You found it on the beach? You know, when most people walk on the beach, they pick up shells.” Soren stood by Alexei, his hands on his hips as he watched his boyfriend rifling through a black box filled with knives, guns, black rope, wire cutters, duct tape, and other items useful in doing all manner of illegal shit.

Which was pretty much what Alexei was best at.

Alexei twisted around and held up a nine-millimeter bullet, a cheeky grin spreading across his face. “What? Not like this?”

“No, not like that.”

Alexei shrugged and returned his attention to digging through the box.

“And you just happened to find this box by accident?”

“What makes you think it was an accident?”

Soren turned on the beach, looking up and down to find that the beach was relatively empty for a sunny October afternoon. They had just spent a week with Alexei’s uncles in Colorado and had been trying to figure out what to do next when Alexei had suggested they pop over to the Isle of Palms in South Carolina. This pretty strip of beach was filled with fancy houses for rent. Not to mention, the off-season provided ample peace and quiet. After a week of dodging snarky comments and nosy questions from Justin and Gabriel, Soren could use a little peace.

Instead, he was standing next to his boyfriend as he went through a box of weapons that he’d just happened to dig up out of the sand on this secluded strip of beach. Yeah, right.

“You know what? I think I’m just going to take the whole damn thing,” Alexei announced before slamming the lid shut. The double latches locking the lid clicked into place. “We’re gonna call it finders keepers.” Alexei grabbed the handle and stood to face Soren. “Ready to head back?”

“Not until you tell me what the hell is going on.”

“What? I found a treasure box, and I’m keeping it.”

Soren stared at Alexei, trying hard not to grind his teeth. Dating someone like Alexei was always an adventure. His boyfriend had spent part of his childhood raised by Russian KGB aristocracy and the other part being raised by assassins. Neither side screamed trust. He never questioned that Alexei loved him, but getting him to trust Soren with information was another matter. Alexei wasn’t good at volunteering information. It was something Soren usually had to get out of him using ether and pliers.

“You didn’t dig in the exact spot where that was buried on a whim. The same way we didn’t just happen to come here for a short vacation,” Soren said flatly. He crossed his arms over his chest and shifted his weight from his left foot to his right as he glared down at Alexei. “The full story, please. When did you take the job?”

Alexei whined, his beautiful face scrunching up at Soren for not letting him get away with his nonsense. “Soren.”