It was raining as Ezra walked out of the saloon, a slow drizzle, swirling in the glare of the streetlights. He strode down the sidewalk towards his car, searching the shadows, checking the street, the cars, a habit that had saved his life more than once.

Quickly he reached his car and stepped off the curb.

A scrape of a shoe on the sidewalk alerted him to someone following him.

He jerked around as he heard someone call, "Ezra, wait up."

Chris walked down the sidewalk from the saloon towards him, his hands tucked inside the pockets of his leather jacket. "Where you going?"

"Home."

"How about spending the weekend at the ranch?"

"I did not realize the team was invited to the ranch."

Pulling his hands from his pockets, Chris crossed the distance between them until they were close enough to touch. "I am not inviting them. I'm only inviting you."

"You are?"

"I want to spend some time with you without the rest of the team."

Ezra looked up at Chris in shock. "Why?"

Chris ran his hands up Ezra's arms, over his shoulders, and down to the small of his back, pulling the surprised agent closer until their bodies touched. "I want you." He pressed his face into Ezra's hair. "I won't be content with just a quick tumble in the sheets."

Surprise raced through him at Chris' words and touch. Against his better judgment, he had fallen in love with Chris. Could his feelings be returned in the slightest? But before he could speak, Chris' lips began to move across Ezra's face, burning kisses from his brow to his cheek, and then to his mouth.

Instead of kissing him, Chris traced his tongue around the outline of Ezra's lips, until Ezra groaned in want and need.

"Do you want this? Do you want me?" His voice gruff with emotion, Chris pressed Ezra even closer to him.

"Yes." Ezra tried to capture Chris' mouth with his own.

Chris kept out of his reach. "Tell me that you want me."

"Yes, Chris. I need you. I want you to make love to me." Ezra nuzzled aside the collar of Chris' shirt so that he could nibble the sensitive hollow between shoulder and neck.

A hand raked through Ezra's hair. Chris pulled Ezra's head back. "Make love? Not fuck. Ezra, are you in love with me?" Shock and amazement colored his voice.

With a quick jerk, Ezra pulled out of Chris' loose grip. "I'm sorry. I should never have presumed anything..."

Chris grasped Ezra's upper arms as he dragged Ezra close and lowered his face to Ezra's. "I love you, Ezra Standish." Chris covered Ezra's mouth his, kissing him until they were both breathless.

"I love you, Chris Larabee."

Chris kissed Ezra again.

"I've loved you since I met you in Atlanta, but never thought you might be interested in me," he whispered against Ezra's mouth before running, wet, nibbling kisses up Ezra's jaw to his ear.

Ezra's thoughts were nearly derailed by the light tugging on his earlobe. "What made you finally say something?"

"Nathan."

"Nathan?" Ezra stepped back in surprise causing Chris to lose his balance. He reached for Chris, his hands on Chris' chest, steadying him. Chris closed his hands around Ezra's wrists.

"Yes, Nathan. He figured out how I felt about you. Told me that if I didn't say something soon, he'd make sure that I would never forget my next physical. I was afraid to tell you how I felt. Afraid that you didn't return my feelings. Nathan gave me the encouragement I needed."

"Remind me to thank him."

"I will Monday. But right now I have plans for the weekend."

"I hope they involve me and a bed."

"A bed. The loft in the barn. The front porch. The floor in front of the fireplace. The bathtub. Ever made love on the stairs?"

"I never have."

"Me neither. Maybe we can give it a try." Chris released his hold on Ezra's arms. "Let's go. The sooner we get home. The sooner I can make love to you in all those place."