Page 71 of Dreams and Reptiles

I groaned through the movements necessary to visit the bathroom, pull on a pair of boxers, and then see if he was in the kitchen, but nothing. He was nowhere. The clock on the microwave said six-forty. He had a house filled with people. Had he just streaked across the yard, hoping they were all asleep at this time?

Then I heard a voice.

I turned to look out the back door and saw movement. Who was outside? Alberto had said he needed to leave early, but had he stayed? If so, I was going to seriously owe him.

I went to slide on my muck boots, but they were gone. What the⁠—

“You have excellent manners. Look at you, letting the ladies go first. Say less. Love a gentleman. Oh, wow, you really went to town on that cactus. Go on, girl, don’t have a care about your mess. You’re going to tease him now, huh? After he shared his food with you?”

I opened the door to the most laughably adorable sight I’d ever seen.

Francis stood in the giants’ yard in his tiny white trunks that left the bottom curves of his glutes uncovered, my muck boots that were huge on him, and nothing else. He was bent over feeding the tortoises and patting their shells as he carried on his affirmations. He was so into his narration that he didn’t see me open the door wide and lean against the jamb. I must have watched him for ten minutes without him even noticing me.

“Is that enough nutrients for you? Maybe I should have grabbed some of the carrots, too—Oh! Good morning, darling.”

He gave me the biggest grin and then attempted to walk with attitude toward me in those ridiculous boots. Miraculously, he didn’t trip.

“I already took care of the party animals in the barn. Elizabeth Taylor was feisty, but we came to an agreement, and she let Richard have his share of those squiggly worm thingies. And I am obsessed with watching the chameleons eat. The way they walk! Like, how do they not tip over, they’re so clumsy, but they always manage to catch themselves at the last minute. So, yeah, and I fed the radiation guys and was just finishing up with The Cowboy and his pardners.”

He did a little curtsy, and that was it.

A sob escaped—and I pulled him into a tight hug.

“Kendall! What⁠—”

“You are the most incredible man I’ve ever met.”

“Ah! You gotta let me wash my hands first. Wait, wait, I want to hug you back!”

But I couldn’t let him go, couldn’t stop the damn tears falling. I’d managed to hold it in last night and get through the hellish possibility that I could lose every one of my creatures. Now I was watching this man who, a month ago, could barely contemplate being neighbors with dinosaurs, yet was out here in his underwear, talking to them like they were his treasured friends.

“Kendall, don’t cry! Everything’s okay, I got you. I wanted you to sleep this morning, so I had Alberto show me what to do. I wanted to take care of you.”

“God, baby, you amaze me. Thank you for being here. Of all the mornings, I needed you today.”

“You need me, I’m here. Just like you were there for me. We do for each other. We’re here for each other.”

I took his face in my hands and pressed a shaky kiss on his lips. I’d been doing everything on my own for so long. Not just since I’d gotten my reptilian friends. Not just since I’d moved to California, but for years before that. I never asked for anything from my wife because she cared for the kids. They needed to be her focus. Even when I came home wounded from deployments, I never asked for a thing. I thought it was the only way to make up for being gone so often. To not be a burden on her when I was there.

So for this man to come into my life when I was so tired, and he was in such a time of transition of his own… for him to put everything aside and feed my creatures and take care of me…

“You better be careful, Francis Liang. You keep being perfect like this, and I’m never going to let you go.”

He rubbed his nose against mine and gave me that saucy smile. “I’m an acquired taste, I know, but once you’ve had me, there’s no going back.”

I barked out a laugh and made a gesture to the tortoises. “And he knows it.”

“That’s right. We’re neighbors, we’re boyfriends, we’re pardners in crime...” He said the last with a drawl. “We’re in this together.”

I searched his eyes. “I meant what I said. I love you, Francis.”

He beamed. “I hoped you did. I love you, Kendall mine. So much. Now, let me wash my hands and fix you something to eat. I gotta run next door and check on everything, but I’m coming right back to feed you lunch, and then I want to tuck you in for a nap.”

“Aw, baby, that’s sweet, but I’ve gotta get Shay’s room ready. She’s flying in tomorrow.”

His eyes lit up. “Oh, can I help? I can’t wait to meet her.”

I let out a long breath, and he frowned.