It's Complicated: A Reservations Story

Beckett laughed at the thought as he worked quickly to prepare the marinade, digging through all the drawers to find the knives and other utensils he needed. Five minutes later, he tossed the marinade into the refrigerator and reached for the leash.

“Come on, boy. We gotta work fast. No dawdling out there.”

As he took long strides toward his condo, Julian ignored the inner voice chastising him for how easily he’d brushed off his closing duties, leaving it all to Ricco. Usually, Woofer parked himself by the window so he could watch the squirrels and easily see Julian pulling into his designated parking spot. His fierce bark could be heard for what seemed like miles away. The dog was always so damned excited to see him, but he wasn’t there tonight.

Through the blinds, he could see the lights were on, and something unknown had him moving a little faster in anticipation of the homey vibe just mere feet away. He felt the gentle tug pulling at his heartstrings. All fresh and new, and one hundred percent Beckett-induced.

He opened the front door as Beckett opened the back door. Woofer noticed him first. The dog’s tail wagged uncontrollably, and the stick he held in his mouth dropped to the ground. Beckett must have done the Jedi mind trick on Woofer, who stayed in place until Beckett gave another command, encouraging him through the door he held open.

“What are you guys doing outside this late?” Julian asked, stepping fully inside, bending to pet Woofer, noticing the foil-wrapped plate in Beckett’s hand.

“I was starving, and I didn’t see you eat anything tonight,” Beckett said as he moved through the maze of furniture toward the small kitchen. “I stopped by a grocery store and got some fajita meat and mushrooms, the shiitake ones. I figured you’d like those and used the grill outside in the park.”

Julian rose from his crouch, his stomach growling at the delicious smell. He made a beeline toward the sink to wash his hands so they could dig in. Beckett kept surprising him. Anyone who could create a heavenly aroma like that needed to be in his life.

“How did that go? The grill’s close at nine.”

“Yeah, I found that out when the police came,” Beckett said, pulling some pico de gallo and sour cream from the refrigerator. “You ready to eat?”

“The police came? Like someone called in a complaint?” He had heard the complex was vigilant in the safety of its tenants but had never seen it taken quite so far.

“Yeah. Apparently, Woofer needs to be on a leash all the time too.” Beckett cocked his head toward Julian while covering the tortillas he’d grilled. “Are you ready to eat now?”

“Wait, go back to the police. What happened?” he asked, pulling several towels off the paper towel roll to dry his hands. Resting his hip against the counter, he wondered how big a citation Beckett got.

“The officer asked me who I was. The complaint said I was a stranger, which is true. When he heard I owned the survival camp doing the training here, that’s really all we talked about after that. I think he was supposed to ticket me about Woofer, but I explained I’ve never lived anywhere where a dog had to be on a leash. Woofer is just so damned well behaved…”

Julian gave a bark of laughter. “He’s only well behaved with you. And, of course, the Marlboro Man could talk his way out of a ticket. Some secure complex this is,” Julian teased, lifting the side of the tin foil, looking at the grilled meat and mushrooms. His mouth watered at the sizzling fajita blend. Lost in the idea of eating this delicious food that Beckett’s descent, as he came in for a kiss, surprised him. His gaze riveted to Beckett’s dark stare. Beckett paused seconds before their lips touched.

“Am I crossing a line?” Beckett asked, confused.

“No.” Julian snaked a hand around Beckett’s neck and lifted the inch or so to reach Beckett’s fleshy pout for a quick press of the lips. “You’ve made me reconsider my dietary restrictions. This food smells incredible. The steak looks so tender.”

Beckett chuckled and leaned against the counter’s edge, turning fully to Julian. One of the things Beckett did astoundingly well was giving Julian his full attention in every damn moment they shared. “I saw a citywide margarita tour scheduled for tomorrow. I bought two tickets at the grocery store. It’s supposed to be spectacular with all different kinds of foods and drinks.”

Julian couldn’t help himself. He reached for a plate and teasingly hip-bumped Beckett to move out of the way. Beckett took Julian’s indication of a different direction as an invitation and circled around to stand flush against Julian’s back, wrapping his arms around his waist while he filled his plate.

“Margarita tour, huh? Do I look like a man who strolls around drinking margaritas?” Julian teased, casting a quick look over his shoulder.