Page 51 of The Wounded Warrior

“Get up here with me. I need to sit up.”

“You got it.” Rory pushed onto the sofa and got him repositioned. “Better?”

He clenched his teeth for a moment, every part of him throbbing. Then it faded and he nodded. “Whew. Good.”

“Cool. You want your Coke? I can reach them.”

“I would love that.” So weird and casual. Like they were lovers who had just snatched an afternoon delight.

“I have to tell you, Luke. This was the best first time ever.”

“It was for me, too.” He was half-ashamed to say even half-laid-up it was really his best time. No shame, no hurry, no hiding.

And Rory was into him and didn’t hide it one bit.

He sipped his drink, but he couldn’t stop grinning. His urge, in fact, was to bounce. “Your leg okay?”

“Tender, but it was completely worth it.”

“Mmm. Tylenol for all.” He thought that was a fine idea, for real. They were gonna be sore, even if they hadn’t indulged in heavy gymnastics.

“I can get some.” Rory started to ease away.

“Not yet. Let’s do some afterglow.” He caught Rory’s hand in his. “Thank you.”

Rory gave him a quizzical look. “What for, honey?”

“For everything. For not freaking out. I expected you to.”

That wicked grin made him smile back. “I never do what’s expected of me, Luke. You’ll figure that out.”

“I’m a fast learner, I swear.” He toyed with Rory’s fingers. “I mean it, though. This has been the best day I’ve had since I got home.”

“Well, shit. I hope so! Blow jobs are fabulous things.” Fuck, Rory made him cackle.

“Hopefully hand jobs rank right up there, or I’m behind one.”

“You have cowboy hands. You know how hot that is?”

“Every time you say that it makes me want to look over my shoulder.” He laughed a little. “I mean, I feel totally out of place still.”

“Really?” Rory arched one eyebrow in a weirdly Spock sort of way. “It doesn’t show.”

“That’s good, I guess. I’m making like a duck. Calm on the surface. Never let them see you paddling like mad.” He kept touching Rory, just little bits of contact that made him happy.

“That I understand.” Rory answered the touches, tracing random shapes over his chest and belly. The best part, weirdly, was the scars. Rory didn’t ignore them, but he didn’t linger, either. They were just what they were.

Part of him.

Luke blinked.

“You okay?” Rory asked.

“Uh-huh.” He’d kinda quit breathing for a moment.

“Good. You have a lot of thoughts. I like that in a man.”

Luke thought Rory had a lot of trapped thoughts of his own. Like, way more than he did.

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