moment to calm down before we leave, okay?"
Eli drew a deep, shuddering breath and relaxed against him. "I don't want to lose you."
Jackson had to strain to hear Eli's words.
He gently disengaged himself and slowly turned Eli around. He placed his hands on each side of Eli's face and looked deeply into watery eyes.
"You're not going to lose me. I value you and our friendship too much," he reiterated. He rubbed his thumbs against Eli's cheeks, wiping away the stray tears with a soft touch.
Eli gave a quick nod, and soon he was clutched into an almost desperate embrace with his head nestled firmly between Jackson's neck and shoulder. The younger man's body shook with either fear or nerves, and Jackson once again wondered what had happened to his sweet friend.
He forced himself to relax and allow Eli to calm down within the support of his arms. Jackson began to rub his hands up and down Eli's back, giving an occasional pat here and there, never once pulling away or rushing Eli to move until he was ready.
Jackson pushed the numerous questions out of his mind and decided to enjoy the feel of Eli in his arms. He took a deep breath and inhaled the fresh, clean scent of Eli's skin. Jackson rubbed his cheek against the top of Eli's hair, enjoying its texture and the faint, minty scent of his shampoo.
It felt good to be held and needed again. Ever since Eli came into his life, it made him realize how much he missed having someone to truly talk to. Ben had not only been Jackson's lover, but he was also his best friend.
It was also nice to be held again.
Jackson once more vowed to himself that no matter what Eli said about his past, he wouldn't do anything to break the bond between them.
All too soon, Eli eased away from him and looked up at Jackson with a wobbly smile on his tear-streaked face. "I think I left a wet spot on your shirt."
Jackson mustered up a smile, and gave Eli's arms a slight squeeze. "You're more than welcome to leave a wet spot on me anytime." He immediately felt his face flush at the double meaning of his words.
Eli gave him a one-shouldered shrug and said nothing.
Jackson cleared his throat. "Will you wait for me? I'll follow you home, and we'll talk then."
Eli nodded. "All right, Jack. I'll pack up the food and help you carry anything you need to the car."
Although Eli still nibbled his bottom lip nervously, he knew the younger man felt better. Jackson gave Eli's arms one last reassuring squeeze and walked back toward his office.
"Jack."
Jackson stopped and turned around.
"Thank you… for everything."
He gave Eli a smile and silently hoped that everything really would be all right.
Chapter Seven
At any moment Elijah knew he was going to throw up. He still didn't know how he managed to calmly pack the food and drive home without freaking the fuck out and leaving town and Jack forever. Just the thought of never seeing Jack again made him try to push away the fear and anxiety of coming clean about his not-so-honorable past.
Pulling into his driveway, he turned off the engine and took several deep breaths, fighting the rumbling nausea. His hands shook on the car door. As he locked the car with his key fob, he glanced next door and noticed Jack standing beside his car, waiting patiently for him to come over to talk.
He cringed and slowly walked across the lawn to Jack's house. His mind raced. How was he going to tell Jack without the older man promptly kicking him out of his house and life? Elijah diligently held onto the hope that his therapist was right about learning to trust others with his past, especially Jack.
Elijah had a feeling that if he could somehow get his friend to be understanding about it and not judge him too harshly, things might just fall into place between them. It was this hopeful thought that kept Elijah from running away and never coming back.
As he approached, he caught Jack's welcoming smile and some of the fear that was lodged in his throat dissipated. Elijah
Eli drew a deep, shuddering breath and relaxed against him. "I don't want to lose you."
Jackson had to strain to hear Eli's words.
He gently disengaged himself and slowly turned Eli around. He placed his hands on each side of Eli's face and looked deeply into watery eyes.
"You're not going to lose me. I value you and our friendship too much," he reiterated. He rubbed his thumbs against Eli's cheeks, wiping away the stray tears with a soft touch.
Eli gave a quick nod, and soon he was clutched into an almost desperate embrace with his head nestled firmly between Jackson's neck and shoulder. The younger man's body shook with either fear or nerves, and Jackson once again wondered what had happened to his sweet friend.
He forced himself to relax and allow Eli to calm down within the support of his arms. Jackson began to rub his hands up and down Eli's back, giving an occasional pat here and there, never once pulling away or rushing Eli to move until he was ready.
Jackson pushed the numerous questions out of his mind and decided to enjoy the feel of Eli in his arms. He took a deep breath and inhaled the fresh, clean scent of Eli's skin. Jackson rubbed his cheek against the top of Eli's hair, enjoying its texture and the faint, minty scent of his shampoo.
It felt good to be held and needed again. Ever since Eli came into his life, it made him realize how much he missed having someone to truly talk to. Ben had not only been Jackson's lover, but he was also his best friend.
It was also nice to be held again.
Jackson once more vowed to himself that no matter what Eli said about his past, he wouldn't do anything to break the bond between them.
All too soon, Eli eased away from him and looked up at Jackson with a wobbly smile on his tear-streaked face. "I think I left a wet spot on your shirt."
Jackson mustered up a smile, and gave Eli's arms a slight squeeze. "You're more than welcome to leave a wet spot on me anytime." He immediately felt his face flush at the double meaning of his words.
Eli gave him a one-shouldered shrug and said nothing.
Jackson cleared his throat. "Will you wait for me? I'll follow you home, and we'll talk then."
Eli nodded. "All right, Jack. I'll pack up the food and help you carry anything you need to the car."
Although Eli still nibbled his bottom lip nervously, he knew the younger man felt better. Jackson gave Eli's arms one last reassuring squeeze and walked back toward his office.
"Jack."
Jackson stopped and turned around.
"Thank you… for everything."
He gave Eli a smile and silently hoped that everything really would be all right.
Chapter Seven
At any moment Elijah knew he was going to throw up. He still didn't know how he managed to calmly pack the food and drive home without freaking the fuck out and leaving town and Jack forever. Just the thought of never seeing Jack again made him try to push away the fear and anxiety of coming clean about his not-so-honorable past.
Pulling into his driveway, he turned off the engine and took several deep breaths, fighting the rumbling nausea. His hands shook on the car door. As he locked the car with his key fob, he glanced next door and noticed Jack standing beside his car, waiting patiently for him to come over to talk.
He cringed and slowly walked across the lawn to Jack's house. His mind raced. How was he going to tell Jack without the older man promptly kicking him out of his house and life? Elijah diligently held onto the hope that his therapist was right about learning to trust others with his past, especially Jack.
Elijah had a feeling that if he could somehow get his friend to be understanding about it and not judge him too harshly, things might just fall into place between them. It was this hopeful thought that kept Elijah from running away and never coming back.
As he approached, he caught Jack's welcoming smile and some of the fear that was lodged in his throat dissipated. Elijah
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