Chapter 30 Quin #4
Kit yawned, his fangs flashing. “Sure.”
They stayed a while in the shower, Quin spending more of his time washing Kit than himself. He couldn’t help the deep satisfaction that ran through him when Kit put the engagement ring back on the second they got out of the bathroom.
“I’ll need to take the ring somewhere to get it resized,” Quin said.
Kit scowled. “What if they lose it?”
Quin laughed. “They won’t. There are places in St Andrews that’ll do it. I’ll deliver it there myself.”
Kit scowled harder. “What if somebody steals it?”
“Kit, it’s much more likely to fall off of your skinny little finger than for it to be stolen.”
“Stubby. My stubby little finger.”
“Slender,” Quin corrected.
“They’re short, and stubby, and I have oddly big knuckles.”
“Your knuckles are perfect.”
“Of course you’d say that. You think everything about me is perfect.”
Quin smiled. “Everything apart from your grumbling right now, baby boy.”
“I’m an old man. I get ornery when I’ve just woken up.”
Quin leaned down and rubbed his nose against Kit’s. “And you’re cute even when you’re ornery.”
Before Kit could rebuke that too, the doorbell rang, and Mabel skittered along the hall to see who was there.
“That’ll be them,” Kit said, cocking his head. “Yeah, I can hear DJ insulting the neighbour’s plants.”
“They’re drooping!” came DJ’s response from outside. The bathroom was above the front door, so it took little effort for them to hear him, but DJ projected his voice like he was on stage and his words needed to reach those in the very back row.
Kit sighed. “Does he even remember that it’s nighttime?”
A much more sedate, “Oops,” followed.
Quin gave Kit a quick peck on the lips. “I’ll get the door, you get dressed.” He pulled on his dressing gown before heading downstairs.
As he stood at the closed door, he gave Mabel a stern look. “Sit, and no jumping up.”
She did as she was told as Quin opened the door. “Come on in.”
DJ ran in. “Puppy!” He went to Mabel, lifting her clean off the ground and cuddling her as she licked at his face.
Shaun followed. “Oh, she’s cute,” he said, joining DJ. Rake came in last, eyes lighting up at the sight of Mabel. “She’s so soft! Come feel her, Rake.”
Quin closed the front door behind them. “Hello, Quin,” he said to no one in particular. “How are you, Quin? Thank you for inviting us over, Quin.”
“Oh, hi, Quin,” Shaun said. DJ beamed at him for a second before focusing back on Mabel, and Rake waved without sparing him a glance. Mabel was in heaven, squirming happily as six hands petted her all over. Quin left them to it, going upstairs to change into actual clothing.
Kit was looking at himself in the mirror, fussing over his hair. He still worked on it even once Quin had dressed, so Quin took hold of one of Kit’s hands and pulled him downstairs.
“It’s not sitting right,” Kit said.
“It looks—”
“If you say perfect, I’ll bite you.”
Quin laughed. “As if that’s a threat.”
The guys hadn’t made it further than the hallway. “Can we take her to the beach?” DJ asked.
“Of course. She loves the water.”
They traipsed down to the shore, Kit getting the honour of holding Mabel’s leash.
Given the late hour, they had the place to themselves, so they let Mabel run around off lead.
Kit, Quin and Rake perched themselves on the edge of the wall that bordered the beach.
After peeling off their shoes and socks, DJ and Shaun played with Mabel in the low waves.
“It’s nice here,” Rake said, though his gaze was intent on his boyfriends and not on the midnight blue sky. The stars were out, thanks to the lack of cloud cover, and the waning moon cast a bright reflection across the dark water.
“It is,” Kit said.
“But aren’t you going to move back to Wales?” Rake asked, in a manner that suggested he considered it a forgone conclusion.
Quin hadn’t thought about it. The reasons for leaving his home no longer seemed so dramatic anymore. It wasn’t like Lark compared to Kit. He almost looked forward to seeing Lark try anything, just for the pleasure of watching Kit tear him to pieces. Metaphorically, of course.
Or perhaps a little literally.
“You do miss your family,” Kit said.
Quin blinked. “I suppose so.”
“You miss having a pack to run with.”
“Not as much when I can run with you. And we’ll train Mabel up to be comfortable enough to come with us as well.”
“We’re going to have forever. Not to put too fine a point on it, but your family will only be around for a lifetime. I have no real ties here. I’m not opposed to it.”
Quin turned to face him head on. “Seriously?”
Kit shrugged one shoulder. “We also haven’t spoken about it, but I assume we’re moving in together. I can buy us a place.”
“Oh my god, I can’t believe I proposed to you before asking you to move in with me.”
“Half my stuff’s at yours, including my plants. If that doesn’t say moved in, I don’t know what does.”
Rake pushed off the wall. “Glad to be of help.” He wandered off towards DJ and Shaun.
“He just finessed us into having that conversation, didn’t he?” Quin asked.
Kit rested his head on Quin’s shoulder. “I think so.”
They sat and watched the others play in the water, Shaun and DJ both daring each other to go in deeper, and Rake throwing sticks for Mabel in the shallows. Once they were done with mucking around, they came up to meet them at the wall.
Shaun approached, holding a hand out. “Come on,” he said. “You need a cliche engagement pic. Gimme your phone.”
Kit rolled his eyes but handed over his phone.
“Lights!” Shaun called. DJ and Rake dutifully got their phones out too and put their flashlights on, contributing their part to the impromptu photoshoot.
“I’m gonna look washed out,” Kit said, shielding his eyes.
“You’re a vampire, it’ll be on brand,” Shaun said. “Now, show me the ring.”
Quin tucked Kit in closer to him. With an almighty sigh, Kit held up his left hand in the classic pose and turned to face Quin. “Just so you know, I’m doing this under duress.”
“I can tell,” Quin said, poking at Kit’s pouty lip. “Push it out more, there you go. That’s a proper pout.” Kit snapped his teeth at Quin’s finger.
“Ouch,” he said.
“I didn’t touch you.”
“It’s sore. You need to kiss it better.”
Kit gave Quin’s finger a quick peck. “Happy now?”
“A kiss from you always makes me happy.”
“Ugh, you’re such a sap,” Kit said, though he was hiding a smile. Quin could tell.
“Mabel, come here,” Quin said. She’d been lying down near Rake, but bounded up and over to them.
Quin leaned down and picked her up, placing her over both their laps.
Shaun took more photos, the flash going off multiple times before Mabel grew bored with staying still and slipped away to inspect something she’d spotted down the beach, DJ running after her.
“Let’s see them, then,” Kit said.
Shaun handed the phone over. “I think some are decent.”
Kit held it so Quin could watch as he scrolled through the photos.
The ones with Mabel were cute, her tongue lolling out in a smile.
But Quin was more focused on Kit. The photos caught his sharp angles in a way that emphasised his high cheekbones and defined jawline.
Even in the ones where his eyes flashed with the light’s reflection, he was captivating.
Kit kept flicking through, until he got to the first few where it had just been the two of them, Kit’s hand up to show off the ring.
“Go to that last one,” Quin said when Kit swiped. He went back, and Quin took a deep breath. They were in the middle of bickering, but the expression on Quin’s face radiated love and affection. Kit was looking at Quin in the same way, a fond smile playing on his plush lips.
“That’s the one,” Quin said.
Kit scrutinised it. “Neither of us are facing the camera.”
“It’s perfect.”
“For what?”
“For sending it to everyone I know.”
“Is that how you plan on announcing the engagement?” Kit asked.
“Yep,” Quin said with a nod. “I’ll post the photo in my family group chat when we get back.”
“You sure about that?”
Quin gazed into Kit’s purple-blue eyes. “Never been more sure of anything in my life.”