Dulce’s Reviews > Heated Rivalry > Status Update

'He wanted to tell Shane that the closest he felt to home was when he was with him.'

“I have only been in love with one person”

'And he’s been...visiting. He’s...we’re, um...”
What were they, exactly? It occurred to Shane that he and Ilya hadn’t even figured out what label they were comfortable with.
“Lovers,” Ilya offered.
Fuck, way to choose the grossest possible word, Ilya.'

'kept murmuring the same thing in Russian over and over again until he pulled back and translated:“I love you.'

“I do about this.”
“You want that? To be together?”
“I do. So much it terrifies me.'

'I do not want the problem to ever go away.' 🥺

'His whole face was crinkled up: eyes, nose, freckles. Ilya wanted to grab embers from the fire and smash them into his own eyes because he could not bear to look at this adorable, crinkled, happy face.'

'Why the fuck are you making eight burgers?” he asked.
“That’s how many the recipe was for!”
“You can’t do math? Cut it in half?”
“Leave me alone.”

'Mine.” Ilya’s breath tickled Shane’s skin when he spoke the single word.
“Yours,” Shane said dreamily.
“All of this. For two weeks. Is mine.”
Forever, Shane wanted to say. Forever if you ask.'