He had no doubt that every groove and mark on his hand had been filed away for future reference, if necessary. It amused him to think how quickly Reid would notice if a new callous or blemish of any kind suddenly appeared, different from the memory he'd imprinted.

The declaration delighted him, and not just because of the confession itself, but what it meant in a broader sense.

With his free hand, he reached out to brush a strand of hair back from Reid's eyes, letting his index and middle finger trace down his cheek and the length of his jaw before landing by his mouth. And then his thumb stroked back and forth across his lower lip.

"I like this," he said. It meant so many things, though he was focused on Reid's lips at the moment.