Julian dropped his hands to his sides and sighed. He looked over his shoulder at the car, then out to sea.
“Honey, it’s time to go,” Luke called.
Julian didn’t move right away. He inhaled, filling his lungs with salt air. “Is it really time to go?”
Luke paused. He closed the car door and walked over to where Julian was standing by the fence. His leather slippers made muffled crunching noises as he walked across the gravel interspersed between decorative paving stones. When Luke got close enough, he wrapped his arms around Julian’s shoulders. “Did you fall in love with this place?”
Julian sniffled. “Yes.”
“It’s pretty here.”
“Yeah. it is pretty. It’s not just that, though.
“What is it?” Luke asked.
I …I feel more in love with you here, than back home.”
“What?”
“I don’t know.” Julian reached up and covered Luke’s hands with his own. “It’s so romantic here. We’re unclothed or naked like all the time. We sleep with the doors and windows open…we make love on the beach. we drink wine on a pier, enjoy an afternoon out on a boat, we eat outside, you make your teaching plans for the fall, I paint like a madman until three in the morning…”
Luke nuzzles Julian’s ear. “It is romantic. But it’s only romantic because you’re here with me – in my bed, on our porch, on the boat, on the beach. In my arms.” He lowered his voice. “Under me.”
Julian shivered.
“But you are also in New York City with me. And you’re the only reason New York is magical to me.”
Julian startled. “Really?”
“Yes. We walk in Central Park together, we drink coffee at cafes, we curl up under the blankets, we buy the first harvest of apples at the Union Square Farmre’s market, we make love as the snow buries us outside…you bring me lunches at the University with paint on your clothes, and you walk me home in the dark after meeting me at the subway station. It’s…well.”
“Romantic?”
“Yeah,” Luke said. “It is.”
Julian turned around to face Luke and studied him. He had some lines on his face he didn’t use to. With his loose curls pulled back in a short ponytail like that, Julian could really see the greys now. Streaks of them. But Luke didn’t look old. He looked sophisticated and wise. And handsome. Julian rubbed the ring on his own hand with his thumb. He smiled.
“What?” Luke asked, the corner of his mouth going up on one side. His cheeks looked a little pink under the tan. “Why are you smiling?”
“Cause I made the right choice in marrying you. I’ll never love anymore more in my life.” Julian planted a kiss on Luke’s surprised mouth. He slipped away and began to walk toward the car. “Come on honey, we need to get going or we’ll get stuck on the FDR.”
Luke fumbled for words. He felt oddly warm and flustered. “Uh yeah – right, right. Coming.” He gave the ocean one last look, and followed Julian to the car.
_______________________
Captions are fictional.