Vin concentrated on breathing. If he could still breathe, he must be alive, even though he was sure the top of his head had come off sometime that evening.

He drifted in the wake of the most delicious lassitude. Ezra had brought him to the brink again and again, balancing him on the knife's edge of passion with those talented hands before pushing him over it with that wicked, wicked tongue.

It took all his strength to wind their fingers together before bringing his lover's hand to his lips.

"What was that all 'bout, Ez?" His voice was raspy from strain. He almost didn't hear the low response over his thundering heartbeat.

"Makin' amends."

He couldn't believe his ears. "You still goin' on 'bout them boots ya spilled coffee on? Shoot, Ez, y'already bought me a new pair!"

"Unfortunately, I have a further tresspass to confess."

With the Southerner pressed up against him, it was a simple matter to roll them over and pin his lover to the mattress. "Okay, what gives?"

"I fear that I have taken liberties with the extent of my earlier purchase, despite your vehemence to the contrary."

"Ya sayin' ya got me that coat after I said no?" He sighed, "Ez, what am I goin' ta do with ya?"

"But you looked so beautiful in that coat, Vin! I could no more resist procuring it than I could resist you."

"Seein' as y'already apologized an' all that," he drawled, fingers tracing random patterns over his lover's chest, "I guess I should forgive ya."

He brought Ezra's fingers to his mouth and sucked strongly for a moment. "Reckon I'm supposed ta thank ya, too."

The wide grin was answer enough.