A Bid For Love

rest of his life? Yeah. He did. "Why don't you start up that big Jacuzzi? We'll have a soak and a bit to eat."
    Gold brows nearly vanished under a wave of rumpled hair. "You...dinner in the bath? Roses? You keep this up, I'm going to have to tie you down and interrogate you to find out what you've done with my teammate."
    Still, there was a lot more than surprise going on behind those sky-blue eyes. Scott would bet his mediocre salary on it. And it made his heart squeeze all over again to think he was the cause. "Yeah, well, it's time you found out what I'm like as a boyfriend instead of just a teammate." The lure of those full lips took hold and Scott indulged a slow, deep kiss. "Go start that bath, baby. Food's on its way up. I just need to grab my shorts and my wallet."
    "Hey." Asher caught him as he turned to head for the pile of clothes they'd managed to kick out of the shower stall on their way to the bed. Broad hands, too smooth for the amount of physical damage they'd taken over the years, teased Scott's face. "I watched you with Darcy. I know you're a romantic at heart. I'm just not used to being on the receiving end of it, that's all. From anyone."
    And that was wrong on all sorts of levels. "Maybe you should be." Scott watched those changeable eyes widen again. "You will be used to it, if I have anything to say in the matter." Asher's thumb stilled, its caress freezing for an instant while Asher processed that idea. Poor darling. He really was more alone than anyone Scott had ever seen.
    A knock at the door stopped those parted lips from whatever Asher had been going to say next. He just nodded and a sweet smile curved over his mouth, almost shy. "I'll...go start that bath."
    Damn. If it wasn't for the food on the other side of the door and the need to romance Asher, Scott would have tossed the other man back onto the bed and found out if he was as up to another round as he felt. As it was, he made short work of skimming into his boxers, tipping the bellman, and sending the man on his way. Scott would take care of putting the food where he wanted it. And he had specific plans.
    "You know, you keep surprising me with more purchases and I won't see you for a year when we get back. You'll be working double shifts just to catch up." Asher's comment from the bathroom lost a bit of its spark on the tail end, probably from realizing what he'd just said.
    Scott grinned. It might be snark, but that voice remained velvet. "Oh, I can always come home to you after those shifts. That would make it completely worth it." He checked the arrangement on the little rolling table and grinned. Just the way he and that girl downstairs discussed. The pretty little thing had a huge romantic streak and entered into Scott's plan with gusto. All he needed to do was pluck a golden rose from the wide selection of blossoms he'd bought and gather the lighter he'd found. The candles waited, ready for him.
    "So darlin', are you starving from your flight? Airline food doesn't improve as time goes on."
    Asher didn't answer. Scott heard the unmistakable sound of a glass clinking against tile. "Honey?" He moved toward the door, bringing the cart with him, but leaving it just outside the bathroom door. "Hey, you okay?"
    Those broad hands that had stroked and caressed him into the greatest bliss of his entire life trembled as they clutched the edge of the Jacuzzi tub, those long legs being caressed by warm water. Gold hair swung down over Asher's face as the other agent fought for a bit of air.
    "Honey!" Scott rushed to wrap his arms about the shaking form. "Asher! What's wrong?"
    The soft gasp he got in response did nothing to ease his fears. Only after two more sounded did Scott realize they were no longer gasps at all, but silent laughter. It still took Asher the longest minute of Scott's life to stop shaking and look up through a wave of blond hair. "It just... Oh, I'm sorry, it just sort of hit me all at once. How...God, how utterly normal we sound."
    Scott considered the smiling face, eyes alight. Damn, Asher looked really good happy. That set a new thought in his head and his arms tightened. He couldn't recall the last time he'd seen Asher happy. "Well, darlin', what did you think would happen? Did you expect us to turn into something odd? Angst or a soap opera? What were you thinking it would be like?"
    "I don't know. Just...talking about you coming home and...it just sort of caught me is all. Scared the hell out of me for a minute,