Rusty stared after Arthur. “I feel like we should tip him.”
“Amy will make sure he gets a bonus.”
“Is he, like, always hanging about in case you need him?”
“He’s usually my mother’s driver.” She usually didn’t drive herself these days. She’d always said, why be stuck behind the wheel, when she could read three chapters in a novel along the way and avoid the stress. “Amy transferred Arthur to Portland for me when I got out of rehab. He’ll go home when my leg’s better. I don’t need a permanent driver.”I hope.The throb in his ankle didn’t seem to be worse than before, despite their adventures, but worst case, driving might be a problem for a long time.
“He seems like a good guy.”
“He used to drive me to hockey practice, and instead of just waiting in the car, he’d come in and watch sometimes. Arthur’s great.”
“I’m glad, because your father’s kind of a douche.” Rusty clapped a hand over his face. “Probably shouldn’t have said that, huh?”
“Well, you’re not wrong. But you’re not seeing his best side.” Cross didn’t want to make excuses for Dad tonight, though. Seeing him, now, when there’d finally been money at stake, had made his chest ache. Perhaps that was unfair, but in this whole disaster of a summer, where had Dad been? And then to suggest hockey was a worthless pursuit. Old hurts rose to choke Cross, but he forced a smile for Rusty. “Come on, let’s go inside.”
He coded them through the front door and heaved a sigh of relief as his familiar space cocooned him. “Are you hungry? There’s meals in the freezer.”
“Can we just lie down?” Rusty asked. “Or maybe shower and then lie down?”
Cross liked the sound of that. “Sure. Hey, we can share a shower for a change. This boot can come off and the incisions are all closed. I can have a real shower.” He’d almost forgotten the excellent way the day started.
“I’d like that.”
“You go get the water started, and I’ll be right behind you.” While Rusty headed for the bedroom, Cross took a minute to check the downstairs security, making sure all the windows were closed and the alarm was engaged. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and downed a couple more ibuprofen, listeningto the faint sounds of Rusty in the en-suite bathroom taking care of business. Then the water in the shower came on.
Cross hobbled into the bathroom. The air already held a steamy warmth. Rusty had stripped off his shirt and socks and stood there in his jeans, looking a bit lost. Cross set his crutches in the corner and the water bottle on the counter. “Go ahead, get under the spray. I’ll be right behind you.”
“Yeah?” Some of the blankness faded from Rusty’s eyes. “Need help?”
“Nope. I won’t mind seeing you naked, though.”
As he hoped, that made Rusty brighten and unzip his jeans. Cross hadn’t been lying, he realized, as Rusty shucked jeans and underwear. His boyfriend had been good to look at two months back, despite the wear and tear of the long hockey season. Now, ranch work and good food had added muscle to Rusty’s body and rounded out some of the hollows under his ribs and hip bones. A variegated tan stretched up his arms, fading around his waist, and turning to white on his round hockey ass and big soft cock.
Damn, that is one goodlooking man.
Rusty caught Cross looking and grinned, flexing an arm. “Like this?”
“Oh, I can do you one better.” Cross hauled off his shirt and flexed in his turn, all the muscle he’d had nothing but time to build rounding in his biceps.
“Show-off,” Rusty commented.
“Get in the water, and promise you won’t look at my thighs.”
“Promise.” Rusty opened the stall door and moved inside. Cross watched through the glass as the water cascaded over Rusty’s body, slicking his skin and turning his blond hair tawny.
Getting undressed was a hell of a lot easier with a boot he could remove. He used one crutch to hobble to the shower and slid the door the other way. He wanted to stride in, grab Rusty, and kiss him. He also wanted to not fall on his ass, so he turned around, sat down on the shower bench, set the crutch on the floor, and swung his legs inside.
Rusty pushed the door shut, then made a soft sound and went to one knee in front of Cross.
“Hey.” Cross bent to gather him closer, the position awkward. “Can you support me if I stand up? I want a real hug.”
“Sure thing.” Rusty rose and reached down, hauling Cross up into his arms. Cross pushed with one foot and kept his abused ankle off the ground because he was still waiting for the ibuprofen to kick in. One leg, two legs, didn’t matter though. He felt safe and stable in Rusty’s embrace. With a long sigh, he leaned against Rusty’s tall, muscular body and let himself be held.
Rusty nuzzled Cross’s hair and sneezed, probably water going up his nose. The multiple showerheads were great but spray was gonna spray. Rusty’s strong arms caged Cross’s shoulders and his lean chest was a wall of support. Rusty didn’t have the ridiculous hockey thighs in full measure yet, but there was plenty of muscle braced against Cross.
And, he realized, a large dick slowly filling, chubbing up against his stomach. “Hmmm,” he murmured, frotting against Rusty for the fun of feeling him get harder.
“Sorry, just ignore that,” Rusty said. “Adrenaline and naked you. It’s not your problem.”
