Page 179 of Rookie Rules

"We won that game."

"The process can be wrong inside a favorable result."

"You are very annoying for a man whose breakfast I control."

"You put chili oil on eggs. Control is not the word."

Luca caught Rowan by the front of his shirt and kissed him.

Rowan's hands settled at Luca's waist. The kiss began as interruption and deepened by mutual decision. Five weeks had not removed care around the injury, but it had returned the language of their bodies: a hand asking, another answering, neither using desire to close a conversation that needed words.

When Luca pulled back, Rowan's eyes remained closed for a second.

"Still too early on the pass?" Luca asked.

"Yes."

"Tragic."

Rowan opened his eyes. "We can review it tonight."

We. Tonight.

Ordinary future tense still struck Luca in vulnerable places.

He loosened his grip but did not step away. "Boreal fitting runs late."

"I know. Claire moved it to one. I will order dinner for seven."

No question about whether Luca would return. No assumption that his work was an intrusion. Just a plan made around both their days.

"Make it spicy," Luca said.

"I will provide sauce you can add to properly prepared food."

"This relationship remains in danger."

"We should write rules."

Luca narrowed his eyes.

Rowan smiled. It was small, private, and no longer frightened of being seen by the person it belonged to.

They arrived at Wolf Den in the same car.

Rowan had suggested it the first morning after Luca's suitcase appeared. The logistics were sensible: Rowan could not drive yet, their schedules overlapped, and returning separately to the same house required twice the fuel.

He had listed all three reasons before admitting the fourth.

I want to arrive with you.

In the player garage, Luca took his equipment bag from the trunk. Rowan took his own light rehabilitation pack. They entered through the same door and walked the service corridor side by side.

No hands. No announcement. No performance of distance either.

Cal saw them first and inspected Rowan's shoes.

"Matching arrival and you still let him wear those?"