Page 40 of For the Rest of Forever
Allen nodded but dropped his hand from the door. “Just tired, and... can you help?”
“Of course,” Greg replied without hesitation. After setting the grocery bags down on the porch, Greg gently reached up and took the keys from Allen, then opened up the door and pushed it inward. Beans barked and jumped around in the entryway, though he calmed after a light command from Greg to back off.
And then Greg’s arm was around Allen’s waist, giving him the support he hadn’t even known he’d needed.
“Thanks, dear. I-I don’t know what’s... I’m not feeling bad. Just tired. Suddenly really, really tired.” It was the truth, at least, and Allen let Greg help him inside and over to the couch to sit.
“Here we go, here we go,” Greg said quietly as he lowered them down onto the couch, settling into the seat next to Allen. “Just rest here for a few minutes, darling. Is there anything I can get you? Water, maybe?”
His chest felt tight and heavy, and he closed his eyes and shook his head as he leaned back into the couch cushions. “No, no, I’ll be fine in a minute, I’m sure,” he reassured Greg, even though he wasn’t sure at all. He had no idea where this exhaustion had come from or what to do about it.
Soft lips pressed gently against his temple. “Okay. Let me get you a blanket, though. It’s almost cold in here, and with the rain...”
He didn’t protest, and Greg left and returned a moment later, then carefully laid a lightweight blanket over Allen and kissed him again, on the forehead this time.
“I’m going to get the groceries and start dinner. You can join me when you’re feeling better? Is that okay, darling? Or if you want, I can put the groceries away and come back to sit with you.”
The words ran together, and Allen screwed his eyes shut tighter as he tried to follow. “Um...” He hated the brain fog, the fuzziness, the whatever else it was that made it so he couldn’t really answer Greg’s questions. So instead, he nodded. “You can, um... Yeah, that’s fine.” Somehow, he knew his answer was wrong. But Greg just brushed another kiss on his forehead.
“I’ll be right back,” he murmured, and Allen nodded.
He heard the sounds of Greg moving around the house—first opening the front door to get the bags of groceries he’d left outside, then heading into the kitchen. Vaguely, Allen thought that he should get up and help. Or at least get up and go change out ofhis work clothes, which were still wet from the rain. But before he could make any decision, the couch shifted, and he felt Greg’s warmth next to him, a solid arm around his shoulders and soft lips grazing his cheek.
“The food’s put away. I’ll cook in a bit, after I know you’re comfortable.”
“I’m sorry, I—” Allen stopped himself, let out a long breath, and leaned into Greg as Greg’s arm tightened around his shoulders. The embrace was immediately comforting. It didn’t chase away his exhaustion, but it made him feel all of his husband’s love. And his words came a little easier. “Can you help me upstairs? I should change and probably rest. I’m tired.”
“Of course,” Greg said quietly and without hesitation. Another kiss brushed against his temple, and then Greg shifted away, stood, and helped Allen to his feet.
He let Greg help him, although with how tired he felt, he realized he probably didn’t have much choice. But they made it upstairs, and Greg led him to sit on the bed.
“Let me grab you some dry clothes,” Greg murmured with a light kiss to Allen’s forehead. He left and returned a moment later, kneeling in front of Allen with his hands resting on Allen’s thighs. “May I undress you, darling?”
Allen could only nod, though something inside of him reacted to Greg’s words with a familiar desire. Greg’s hands slid gently up his thighs and then his stomach and chest, and Allen closed his eyes and let himself feel loved as Greg’s fingers carefully worked down the buttons of his shirt. The tips of Greg’s fingers brushed against his exposed skin as each button came undone, burning a trail down his chest. And then Greg’s lips were on his, kissing him lightly, tenderly. The bed shifted, and a warm hand smoothed across his abdomen to settle at his opposite hip. He turned slightly to meet Greg at a better angle, and their lips moved together in tandem foranother moment. The kiss didn’t become deeper or more intense. But Greg’s hands moved up to his chest again, splaying out and then gently pushing his shirt off his shoulders. The touch felt intimate, like there was an entire three decades of love packed into the simple gesture.
With another light kiss, Greg pulled back, and Allen opened his eyes to watch as Greg continued undressing him. Deft fingers, strong and steady, slipped off Allen’s shoes and socks, then unfastened his belt and the button at the top of his slacks.
“Lift your hips?” Greg’s voice was low and so gentle, and Allen nodded before closing his eyes again and then pushing himself up off the bed just enough so Greg could slip off his slacks.
He wasn’t so tired that he didn’t react when Greg’s hands caressed up his calves a moment later, and he let a soft moan escape him. The touch continued, light and undemanding, first up to his knees and then along the outsides of his thighs, stopping right at the hem of his boxer briefs. Allen sighed contentedly as Greg’s hands then drifted inward, his thumbs rubbing in slow circles. There was a shift—one hand pressing more strongly than the other for just a moment—and Allen inhaled deeply when he felt Greg’s lips place a warm, open-mouthed kiss just on the inside of his right knee. He reached out to set his hand over one of Greg’s as Greg began working his way up along Allen’s inner thigh with the same slow, lingering kisses.
“Is this okay?” Greg asked quietly as his lips stopped just below the bottom hem of Allen’s briefs and his free hand rubbed gently along Allen’s thigh again. “I can stop or keep going.”
“Hmm.” His noncommittal answer didn’t really help Greg, he knew, but he didn’t know how to respond otherwise. He was tired, but both his body and his mind craved his husband’s love and closeness. So maybe that was his answer. “Will you just cuddle with me in bed for a bit? I-I think I might be too tired for anythingelse, but I... want you to stay here with me,” he said, and when he opened his eyes, he saw Greg nod softly as he rested his cheek against Allen’s thigh.
“We can do that. Anything you want, darling.” Greg pushed himself up off his spot on the floor, then he leaned in and kissed Allen’s forehead. “Here’s your dry clothes,” he said, picking up the T-shirt and shorts he’d set next to Allen a few minutes before. “I’ll go change too, and I’ll be right back. And then we can lie here together for a bit, and we can talk about...” Greg paused, but only briefly. “Ah, our trip back to Friday Harbor! We can talk about that. How does that sound?”
Greg’s eyes sparkled with love and enthusiasm, though Allen also saw a hint of concern in them as well, which was understandable. The thought of their maybe-vacation made him smile, however, and he closed his eyes for a long second and nodded.
“That would be perfect.”
After another light kiss to Allen’s forehead, Greg picked up Allen’s wet clothes from the floor and bed, then moved away toward the clothes hamper and dresser. Allen watched him for a moment, and when Greg pulled his own T-shirt off, Allen stared unabashedly, admiring his husband’s strong, lean body. He felt the familiar stirring of arousal, and a big part of him wanted to tell Greg not to bother putting on a dry shirt, or pants for that matter.
Maybe that would be for later, though. Maybe tonight, after cuddling and talking and dinner and maybe a movie and a shower together.
Greg glanced over at him and caught his eye just as he pulled a clean T-shirt out of the dresser. Greg’s eyebrows lifted in question, and Allen laughed quietly and shook his head.
“Later, I think?”
