The Artist and the Actor – 40

 

 

If a smile could light a room, Shane's would have. "You're serious?"

 

Hedging his bets, Colin replied, "I think so. As much as we can between now and when you leave. I guess, after that, we'll have to put things on hold until you're free to come back?" He voiced it as a question even though he knew the answer.

 

"It won't be for a while." Shane embraced him, gazing directly into Colin's eyes. "I will return, though, now that I know for certain you want me to."

 

"I do," Colin murmured. He touched Shane's face, tracing the line of his mouth. He replaced his fingers with his lips, kissing him gently; unbelievably relieved when Shane returned it—not that he doubted that he would, but…

 

Easing back, Shane said, "We're going to take it slow, as if we've just met."

 

"We should," Colin agreed. "I'm going to make you a promise, too. I won't spend every waking moment in the studio when I'm in the throes of painting. I'll set specific times for it but—" he tapped Shane's nose, "—you have to make certain I hold to them."

 

Shane smirked. "And drag you out, kicking and screaming if you don't want to quit?"

 

"Don't get carried away," Colin retorted. "Come in, let me know it's time to stop, and give me a few minutes to finish what I'm doing and wind down."

 

"I can handle that." Cupping Colin's face with his hands, Shane said, "I'll make a promise, too. You are and will be the only man in my life from this moment on. No matter how upset I get, and we both know that being human we will have arguments, I won't betray your trust. Never again."

 

"I believe you," Colin replied softly, leaning in, intending to kiss him.

 

Shane held up his hand to stop him. "One question. Why the change of heart?"

 

"I grew up?" Colin said with a wry grin. "That's part of it, I suppose. Mainly, though, I didn't realize I missed you until I saw you again at the gallery."

 

"Could have fooled me."

 

"I know. I didn't want to believe it myself." Colin rested one hand on Shane's thigh. "I doubt I'd have done anything about it if you hadn't called me about the new murder…and come over."

 

"At which point you pushed me away, again."

 

Colin nodded. "It didn't stop you from pushing back, which opened my eyes to the fact I still cared for you. So, I had to make a decision. Is my compulsive focus on my art worth losing you?" He kissed Shane, murmuring against his lips, "It's not."

 

"Thank God," Shane replied before he deepened the kiss. He pulled away, breathless, moments later. "If we keep this up I'll forget about not trying to seduce you."

 

Colin grinned. "I think you already have, so I'll be the strong one and say that I'd better get out of here before you succeed."

 

"Would that be so bad?"

 

"Yeah, it would. One step at a time until we know we can make things work this time around." Colin stood, took Shane's hands, and pulled him to his feet. "Do we want to do lunch again tomorrow?"

 

"I can't. It's Wednesday and we've got a matinee. I'm free Thursday and Friday, during the day, and then we've got matinees Saturday and Sunday."

 

"Let's plan on Thursday, then? Do you ever get a full day off?"

 

"Mondays," Shane replied.

 

"Great. I'll fix dinner for us next Monday, rather than eating out."

 

"Sounds good."

 

By then, they were at the door. "What restaurant, Thursday?" Colin asked.

 

"The Italian one near the house. If I recall, it had great food."

 

"It still does. Around one?"

 

Shane agreed, they shared one more kiss, and Colin left. As he waited for the elevator, he was smiling. This time we're going to make it work if it kills me.