necessary , meaning business related , he just shrugged and let Marta do whatever she wanted to do.
Now as he folded back the pleasant smelling comforter and helped Jeremy lie down on the soft clean sheets, he was glad. He found himself brushing Jeremy’s hair back out of his eyes and pulled back yet again. He hoped this wasn’t going to become a problem. It’s just…been a very, very long time since I’ve touched anybody. Jeremy needs me right now, so it’s natural to want to comfort him, isn’t it?
Evan set Jeremy up with water and a flexible straw ."
“Are you hungry?”
“ I’m just really, really tired.”
“Too tired to shower?”
“ ’ Fraid , so.”
He suddenly realized that the damn vet hadn’t prescribed anything at all for pain. He felt more than sure that Jeremy would wake up in considerable pain. Swearing under his breath, he went to his medicine cabinet and found some Tylenol with codeine left over from when he fractured his wrist a little over a year ago. That should probably be enough to take the edge off. He carried the bottle back to Jeremy’s room and set it on the nightstand next to the water. Then he realized that Jeremy shouldn’t be taking it on an empty stomach. He frowned.
“Are you in any pain? ”
“No. Not if I stay still.”
“That’s probably a good thing. If you wake up, and you’re hurting, please call me. T he only pain killers I have shouldn’t be taken on an empty stomach.”
“If you want, you can just leave a box of crackers or something on the nightstand. I would hate to wake you up.”
Evan hovered indecisively. “No. Please. I want to take care of you. It’s not like I have any place to be tomorrow or anything. So…call for me. Don’t try to get up . I’m really sure that’s going to hurt like a bitch.”
“Okay. Leave th e door open, all right?”
Jeremy paused for a long minute looking confused.
“Do you want to ask me something?”
Jeremy swallowed hard. “This probably isn’t any of my business, but….where’s Justin?”
Evan felt slapped from the inside out. “I’ll explain in the morning.”
“But….”
Evan sighed. “He isn’t here, Jeremy. He … died. About four years ago.”
A long silence ensued while Jeremy searched Evan’s face , apparent l y unsure how to let the topic go.
“Died? Oh, Evan….”
“We’ll talk more in the morning, okay? It’s been a long time and I’ve made peace with it. Sleep all you can. Good night, Jeremy.”
“ G’night , Mr. James.”
“For God’s sake, it’s Evan .”
Jeremy grinned at him. “Or, Master.”
Evan 's face flooded with heat and he tried desperately to ignore the electric jolt ripping through his body at the sound of that word on Jeremy’s lips.
“Right.”
He lingered for a minute watching Jeremy awash in moonlight, drifting off to sleep, wishing Jeremy had never mentioned Justin. He had just about been able to pretend things really were okay. He sighed. Jeremy fell asleep fast, drugged and physically and emotionally exhausted. In sleep, Jeremy looked about fifteen years old , all his pain and worry lines rinsed away b y deep restful sleep. Evan suddenly thought maybe he had better stay in here with him. What if he woke up in pain and Evan didn’t hear him? NO, that’s a really bad idea.
He chewed at his bottom lip, and reluctantly went to his own room. Normally, he slept naked, but tonight he put on a pair of pajama pants he had almost forgotten he had, and left his door open so he could hear Jeremy. Planning on just lying down to r est and listen for Jeremy, he fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.
Evan woke up to a tentat ive tapping on the frame of his door. Jeremy! He thought and bolted to a sitting position. Marta, his housekeeper jumped at the suddenness of
Now as he folded back the pleasant smelling comforter and helped Jeremy lie down on the soft clean sheets, he was glad. He found himself brushing Jeremy’s hair back out of his eyes and pulled back yet again. He hoped this wasn’t going to become a problem. It’s just…been a very, very long time since I’ve touched anybody. Jeremy needs me right now, so it’s natural to want to comfort him, isn’t it?
Evan set Jeremy up with water and a flexible straw ."
“Are you hungry?”
“ I’m just really, really tired.”
“Too tired to shower?”
“ ’ Fraid , so.”
He suddenly realized that the damn vet hadn’t prescribed anything at all for pain. He felt more than sure that Jeremy would wake up in considerable pain. Swearing under his breath, he went to his medicine cabinet and found some Tylenol with codeine left over from when he fractured his wrist a little over a year ago. That should probably be enough to take the edge off. He carried the bottle back to Jeremy’s room and set it on the nightstand next to the water. Then he realized that Jeremy shouldn’t be taking it on an empty stomach. He frowned.
“Are you in any pain? ”
“No. Not if I stay still.”
“That’s probably a good thing. If you wake up, and you’re hurting, please call me. T he only pain killers I have shouldn’t be taken on an empty stomach.”
“If you want, you can just leave a box of crackers or something on the nightstand. I would hate to wake you up.”
Evan hovered indecisively. “No. Please. I want to take care of you. It’s not like I have any place to be tomorrow or anything. So…call for me. Don’t try to get up . I’m really sure that’s going to hurt like a bitch.”
“Okay. Leave th e door open, all right?”
Jeremy paused for a long minute looking confused.
“Do you want to ask me something?”
Jeremy swallowed hard. “This probably isn’t any of my business, but….where’s Justin?”
Evan felt slapped from the inside out. “I’ll explain in the morning.”
“But….”
Evan sighed. “He isn’t here, Jeremy. He … died. About four years ago.”
A long silence ensued while Jeremy searched Evan’s face , apparent l y unsure how to let the topic go.
“Died? Oh, Evan….”
“We’ll talk more in the morning, okay? It’s been a long time and I’ve made peace with it. Sleep all you can. Good night, Jeremy.”
“ G’night , Mr. James.”
“For God’s sake, it’s Evan .”
Jeremy grinned at him. “Or, Master.”
Evan 's face flooded with heat and he tried desperately to ignore the electric jolt ripping through his body at the sound of that word on Jeremy’s lips.
“Right.”
He lingered for a minute watching Jeremy awash in moonlight, drifting off to sleep, wishing Jeremy had never mentioned Justin. He had just about been able to pretend things really were okay. He sighed. Jeremy fell asleep fast, drugged and physically and emotionally exhausted. In sleep, Jeremy looked about fifteen years old , all his pain and worry lines rinsed away b y deep restful sleep. Evan suddenly thought maybe he had better stay in here with him. What if he woke up in pain and Evan didn’t hear him? NO, that’s a really bad idea.
He chewed at his bottom lip, and reluctantly went to his own room. Normally, he slept naked, but tonight he put on a pair of pajama pants he had almost forgotten he had, and left his door open so he could hear Jeremy. Planning on just lying down to r est and listen for Jeremy, he fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.
Evan woke up to a tentat ive tapping on the frame of his door. Jeremy! He thought and bolted to a sitting position. Marta, his housekeeper jumped at the suddenness of
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