earlier. He lay still, eyes closed. “I’ll wait ‘til
you’re ready, Rob. You’ve got plenty to deal with.”
“I was ready at the resort. Guess I just needed something I
cared enough about.” Robin’s fingers threaded through his own. “I can do it, if
you’re here with me.”
John lifted his hand to his mouth and kissed it. “Go to
sleep, leannan . Tomorrow’s soon enough.”
Robin fell quiet again, breathing easing into sleep. Worry
settled over John as he too slid uneasily into slumber.
Robin woke with the sun shining in his eyes and wondered why
he’d forgotten to close the curtains last night. The events of the previous day
and night came flooding back and he sat up quickly. He was alone in the big bed
but a quick glance around revealed John’s bag sitting against the wall.
Robin glanced at the bedside clock and saw that he had slept
for about fifteen hours. Since his injury he couldn’t seem to get enough sleep.
Had he only slept, though? The sheets around him were dry and that alone was
enough to have him squeezing his eyes shut in relief. He didn’t often have a
bad enough fit to lose that much control anymore, thank god. How mortifying it
would have been to explain that ? He should have warned his lover of the
possibility but in the heat of the moment he hadn’t thought of it.
A quick check of the rest of his body showed that he was
probably okay. He crawled out of the bed and pulled on his boxer shorts. The living
room was empty but the rich smell of coffee drifted out of the kitchen, making
his mouth water. After a quick pit stop in the bathroom, he headed in that
direction.
John was sitting at the kitchen table, coffee at his elbow,
newspaper spread in front of him.
“Good morning.”
He lifted his head. “Good morning.”
Robin saw he was wearing a pair of wire-framed spectacles.
They made him look more like the accountant he claimed to be, rather than the
beach bum he had looked like on the island. There were other differences
too—his shaggy hair was cut and styled and the awful Hawaiian shirts had been
replaced by a dark-green polo shirt and jeans. Robin smiled and John gave him a
puzzled smile back.
“What?”
“I was just wondering about the shirts.”
John grinned. “I have one in my bag.”
“Oh lord.” Robin rolled his eyes in mock exasperation. “I
thought maybe they were part of your undercover disguise.”
“They were, but I got quite fond of them.”
Robin shook his head. “Wonderful.” He went to the counter
and poured himself a coffee, hissing as he spilled some on his fingers. He
licked them clean and brought the prescription bottle that sat next to the
coffeemaker back to the table with him. He forced himself to be nonchalant
about it, pretending it didn’t matter that the other man watched him. This was
a part of his life now and if John was too, they’d both need to get used to it.
He sat in the chair opposite John and swallowed the pills.
“I didn’t know you wore glasses.”
“Just for reading. I don’t use them much.” He gestured at
the pills. “How often do you take them?”
Robin picked up the bottle, turning it in his hands. “Twice
a day now, more often at the start. It was awful, I felt as if I was living in
a fog. They still make me a little fuzzy when I first take them but I’m used to
it now.” He set them down and picked up his coffee and plunged ahead. “The
seizures are a lot less but you should know what to expect. Stress and anxiety
can trigger them. So can tiredness or if I’m sick. Basically anything that puts
a strain on the body.”
“I’ve seen one before,” John said. “But it was a
stranger…not someone I care about.”
“Then you know there isn’t anything you can do except try to
keep me from hurting myself and let it pass.” That had been the hardest part
for his family to deal with. “I’m usually a bit disoriented when I come out of
it and usually want to sleep for a while.” He looked up
you’re ready, Rob. You’ve got plenty to deal with.”
“I was ready at the resort. Guess I just needed something I
cared enough about.” Robin’s fingers threaded through his own. “I can do it, if
you’re here with me.”
John lifted his hand to his mouth and kissed it. “Go to
sleep, leannan . Tomorrow’s soon enough.”
Robin fell quiet again, breathing easing into sleep. Worry
settled over John as he too slid uneasily into slumber.
Robin woke with the sun shining in his eyes and wondered why
he’d forgotten to close the curtains last night. The events of the previous day
and night came flooding back and he sat up quickly. He was alone in the big bed
but a quick glance around revealed John’s bag sitting against the wall.
Robin glanced at the bedside clock and saw that he had slept
for about fifteen hours. Since his injury he couldn’t seem to get enough sleep.
Had he only slept, though? The sheets around him were dry and that alone was
enough to have him squeezing his eyes shut in relief. He didn’t often have a
bad enough fit to lose that much control anymore, thank god. How mortifying it
would have been to explain that ? He should have warned his lover of the
possibility but in the heat of the moment he hadn’t thought of it.
A quick check of the rest of his body showed that he was
probably okay. He crawled out of the bed and pulled on his boxer shorts. The living
room was empty but the rich smell of coffee drifted out of the kitchen, making
his mouth water. After a quick pit stop in the bathroom, he headed in that
direction.
John was sitting at the kitchen table, coffee at his elbow,
newspaper spread in front of him.
“Good morning.”
He lifted his head. “Good morning.”
Robin saw he was wearing a pair of wire-framed spectacles.
They made him look more like the accountant he claimed to be, rather than the
beach bum he had looked like on the island. There were other differences
too—his shaggy hair was cut and styled and the awful Hawaiian shirts had been
replaced by a dark-green polo shirt and jeans. Robin smiled and John gave him a
puzzled smile back.
“What?”
“I was just wondering about the shirts.”
John grinned. “I have one in my bag.”
“Oh lord.” Robin rolled his eyes in mock exasperation. “I
thought maybe they were part of your undercover disguise.”
“They were, but I got quite fond of them.”
Robin shook his head. “Wonderful.” He went to the counter
and poured himself a coffee, hissing as he spilled some on his fingers. He
licked them clean and brought the prescription bottle that sat next to the
coffeemaker back to the table with him. He forced himself to be nonchalant
about it, pretending it didn’t matter that the other man watched him. This was
a part of his life now and if John was too, they’d both need to get used to it.
He sat in the chair opposite John and swallowed the pills.
“I didn’t know you wore glasses.”
“Just for reading. I don’t use them much.” He gestured at
the pills. “How often do you take them?”
Robin picked up the bottle, turning it in his hands. “Twice
a day now, more often at the start. It was awful, I felt as if I was living in
a fog. They still make me a little fuzzy when I first take them but I’m used to
it now.” He set them down and picked up his coffee and plunged ahead. “The
seizures are a lot less but you should know what to expect. Stress and anxiety
can trigger them. So can tiredness or if I’m sick. Basically anything that puts
a strain on the body.”
“I’ve seen one before,” John said. “But it was a
stranger…not someone I care about.”
“Then you know there isn’t anything you can do except try to
keep me from hurting myself and let it pass.” That had been the hardest part
for his family to deal with. “I’m usually a bit disoriented when I come out of
it and usually want to sleep for a while.” He looked up
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