Order (Tattoos and Ties 2)

“It’s a truck,” he said and pushed open the back door, encouraging Alec inside first. He didn’t go. Instead, Alec crowded him, wrapping both arms around his waist, coming chest to chest, and lifting his chin.

“Nothing gets past you. Now kiss me.” When he didn’t immediately kiss Alec, his puckered-lipped boyfriend lifted a brow in challenge. Keyes rolled his eyes before he obliged with a simple press of his lips. “The trick-or-treaters’ll be here soon. I thought we could have dinner afterward unless you’re hungry now. Your choice. I have ribeyes for the grill.”

Alec finally moved, stepping inside the house. Keyes couldn’t help but look back at the badass pickup. Who gave someone a truck like that as a gift?

“Come on in.” Alec’s hand tightened on his wrist, tugging him all the way through the doorway. “Don’t freak out again. I also have a birthday cake. I made the oatmeal cake my grandmother used to make. I wanted to spruce it up, but ultimately kept it the way she made.”

Keyes stood at the back door, staring out into the driveway, wanting to go back out and take a good long slow perusal of the truck. Based on what just happened, he should probably do all that alone. Alec came in behind him, wrapping his arms around his waist, his lips pressing against his shoulder. “You know, it’s okay to like the truck and accept it. I love you, and whether you say it or not, you love me. This is what we do for one another.”

His hands slid along Alec’s arms until he threaded their fingers together. It was easier not to look at Alec when they spoke of something so generous and personal. “I can’t afford to buy you a car that you’d drive.”

Alec laughed at him, definitely not with him, which might have been the only thing to pull him from the trance the confession held him in.

“I’m not driving in the rain to spend the night with you. There’s a difference. That gift benefits me as much as it benefits you. Now, you could say you like it,” Alec encouraged, turning Keyes toward him and away from the truck.

“I do. It’s a lot to take in.” He did love the truck. His uncle was usually the only one who ever remembered his birthday. What seemed a bigger deal to Keyes, and sent his heart racing, was knowing Alec had taken time to think about him to help make this day special. That was huge.

“You’re welcome, and it’s very practical.” Alec’s excited grin helped settle his heart, even if he knew practical would have been covered with an older used vehicle.

The doorbell rang and everything about the teasing, casual Alec changed as he jumped around and started jogging through the house toward the front door. “Don’t go look at the truck until we go together!”

Keyes stayed at the backdoor, again turning toward his birthday present. He propped a shoulder against the doorframe, transfixed by the most spectacular vehicle he’d ever seen. Alec had given him the perfect truck for his birthday. His heart filled with warmth at the unbelievable generosity of his lover.

Count this as another first given to Alec by Mr. Keyes Dixon. Alec loved Halloween and he loved the little trick-or-treaters. It was late in the evening, full darkness had descended well over an hour ago, but the children dressed in their fancy little costumes lingered in the streets. So Alec stayed outside his gate, his empty candy bucket at his feet, and continued handing out his dollar bills. There wasn’t a single moment of the whole night he hadn’t loved. From his badass biker hyperventilating over his birthday present to every version of Marvel superhero and Disney princess imaginable to the hesitant little hands reaching for their treats, Alec sat, enthralled by the whole experience—even the poop emoji he’d seen. Why someone would dress their kid up as poop, he’d never understand, but to each his own, and the little guy had been adorably sweet.

Unfortunately, Key had been right all along. Even though his neighborhood was packed with children, and he’d done everything he could do to invite and entice them to celebrate Halloween by stopping at his house for a treat, the whole street seemed to avoid his home. After the first brave costume-clad youngsters came by, no one else had ventured his way. Alec had stood at the door with his lights all on and watched the sidewalks fill with children and their parents—all bypassing his home.

Alec had whined to Key for about ten minutes before the man had shoved Alec’s oversized bucket of candy into his chest and grabbed a patio chair. He escorted Alec to the end of the driveway, right past the gate, where the children and their parents had no choice but to interact with him. Then Key left, telling him to have fun, and boy, did he.