Page 96 of Alpha & Omega

“We have plenty of time for more, baby.”

He slowly stood straight while still holding on to me. “Kiss me, Skaterboy.”

I took his face between my hands and made love to his mouth. It wasn’t a gentle kiss. My kiss was my vow to him that I’d do better and make us work. That I would love him forever or for however long we had on this planet.

My fingers threaded through his long strands as he sucked and nipped, our breaths sustaining us.

“You’re everything to me, Harley Creed. Fucking everything. Maybe I would’ve survived this. Maybe I would’ve been fine eventually, but you helped heal me faster with your kindness, patience, and love. It would’ve taken a hell of a lot longer without you. I’m grateful every single day for you, and I don’t tell you nearly enough.”

“And you’re everything to me, baby. I’m grateful you let me be a part of your fascinating life.”

We held each other in the shower for who knows how long—a long embrace like we just needed to soak in the love we had for each other. I wish I’d known earlier that men like my chef existed in the world.

No, I didn’t. Because then I would never have met him.

Once we rinsed and dried off, we crawled into bed. I sat on top of the covers as Harley took my stump, still looking mangled though the stitches had beenremoved, and started rubbing the skin and muscle. I could do it myself, but sometimes he did it because he was sweet like that.

Next, he gently slapped around the skin for a while before massaging it again. We had to do this a few times a day to desensitize the area. If I wanted to wear a prosthetic, I couldn’t be overly sensitive; otherwise, it would always be uncomfortable.

I was resistant at first to Harley touching my residual limb, but as time went on, I got used to it. It wasn’t about the pain, but someone else exploring areas that made me uncomfortable, like a reminder that something was wrong with me.

When he finished, he kissed my mangled limb, and then he leaned against the headboard, grabbing the book he’d been reading, and I curled up next to him.

“What are you reading?”

He closed the paperback and showed me the cover.

“With or Without You,” I read. “What’s it about?”

“This one is a coming-of-age story between two boys who became best friends at age ten. Their names are James and Dustin. They secretly loved each other as they grew up, but never said a word about it. Their community was very small and religious. Their fears were justified. James’ parents had been killed in a… sorry.” Harley gave me a sheepish smile.

“A car accident?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s okay. Go on.”

“Well, after his parents died, James was taken away to another state to live with his grandparents. The boys were sixteen at the time. Of course, they both regret never sharing a first kiss before they got separated.”

“Do they ever meet up again?”

Harley smiled and kissed my head. “Of course. I only read romances, which means there’salwaysa happy ending.”

“Always?”

“Yep. But right now, I’m at the part where they see each other at college for the first time. They both went to the same school after making a vow they would always stick together.”

“Sounds sad.”

Hechuckled. “It is a little, especially when they can’t be themselves and love who they want to. But now that they’re in college, things will change.”

I snuggled into him more and rested my head to read over his shoulder. “Read me some.”

“You sure? You might get as addicted as me.”

I laughed. “Yeah, go for it. I’ve never been a big reader since I really struggled with school after I was abandoned, but I’d like to be.”

Harley flipped to the page that was bookmarked and started to read.

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