Page 78 of Man Advantage

Ford laughed against his skin. The sound loosened something in Cole that had been tight for weeks.

“I’m still scared,” Ford admitted.

“I know.”

“But I don’t feel like I’m waiting for my life to end anymore.”

Cole pressed a kiss to his temple. “Good, because I have plans for it.”

Ford lifted his head. The worry remained in his eyes, but his mouth had softened. “Do I get to know these plans?”

“Some of them.” Cole brushed his thumb along Ford’s jaw. “The rest require enough years that we don’t have to figure them out tonight.”

Ford held his gaze. He didn’t ask whether Cole meant it. He turned his face and pressed a kiss into Cole’s palm.

Cole kissed him before he could say anything else. Ford’s mouth softened beneath his, and when Cole leaned back onto the bed, Ford followed. There was no hesitation in the hand Ford slid into his hair or the weight he allowed Cole to take as they settled together.

When the kiss ended, Ford stayed over him, idly tracing the collar of Cole’s shirt. “We need to call Nadine tomorrow.”

Cole ran his hand down Ford’s back. “After breakfast.”

“Then we talk to Charlotte together.” Ford’s finger stilled against his chest. “I don’t want her hearing part of it and deciding I’m dying.”

“Together,” Cole promised. He smoothed the worry from between Ford’s eyebrows with his thumb until Ford caught his hand and kissed it again.

“You’re agreeing with me too easily,” Ford said.

“You scheduled surgery today. I’m rewarding good behavior.”

Ford settled more comfortably against him. “By being reasonable?”

“Don’t get used to it.”

Ford smiled, and Cole kissed him again just to feel it against his mouth.

Cole reached for the lamp without letting Ford move away. Once the room was dark, Ford settled against him, and Cole wrapped both arms around him.

“Still scared?” Cole asked.

“Yeah.”

“Me too.”

Ford pulled Cole’s arm tighter across his chest. “Call me Wednesday before they take me into surgery.”

“I will.”

“Even if you’re with the team.”

Cole kissed the back of his neck. “Especially then.”

Nadine came through the kitchen door while Cole was packing Charlotte’s lunch. She set her keys on the counter and looked from him to Ford, who had been standing in the same spot with his coffee untouched for the last five minutes.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

Ford glanced toward the stairs. Charlotte was still in her room, changing her sweater for the third time. “I scheduled the surgery.”

Nadine’s expression changed, the alarm easing even as her attention sharpened. “When?”