Page 14 of A Cure for Recovery

When Lawson gazes at him with such naked warmth, he says, “Hey, c’mere,” and pulls him in for a kiss. Feels the shape of Lawson’s smile on his lips. Such simple acts, and they make Lawson so happy.

Tommy hooks a hand behind his neck and reels him in again, and when he pulls back a second time, Lawson is beaming. “Hi,” he murmurs, and Tommy’s heart melts. He really is the sweetest. Under his veneer of snark and flippancy, he’s the sweetest person Tommy’s ever met.

He should have told him that.

He can still.

He rubs his thumb along Lawson’s jaw. “You’re really sweet.”

Lawson’s brows go up. “Um. What?”

“You’re really sweet,” Tommy repeats. “And I wish we could go to bed right now.”

“Shit.”

“That do it for ya, big guy?”

“Yeah.”

Tommy grins. “Go check on the meat.”

“Yeah.” Lawson blinks a moment before he gets up to do so.

~*~

They have dinner, and it’s good. Lisa insists on doing the dishes – a simple rinse and scrub, now, and into the new dishwasher Tommy bought them before he ended his tenure as a mob boss – and then she says, “I think we’ll watch TV a while longer.”

Which is a pointed go-ahead for them to go upstairs and do married things.

Tommy is mortified.

But damn if he’s not going to take advantage.

“Oh, shit,” he mutters when, halfway up the stairs, Lawson picks him up and slings him over his shoulder. “God, your parents know–”

“My parents are very understanding.”

“You didn’t have to–”

Lawson pauses at the top of the stairs. “You want me to put you down?” he asks a little uncertainly, patting his ass.

“Don’t you dare.”

Lawson makes a punched-out sound in response and hustles into their room.

He hesitates again, once the door is shut and locked, and Tommy knows he’s being careful, being loving. It doesn’t make him angry this time. Says, “Honey, would you please, please fuck me into next week?”

“Yeah.”

Lawson swings him around – and then catches him, and lays him down gently. His face is terribly tender. Tommy catches it in both hands and pulls him into a kiss. “Can I tell you something?”

“You can tell me anything,” Lawson pants against his lips. It’s never not going to be thrilling to know how much he’s wanted.

“You know I…” He doesn’t think he’s ever said this out loud before. Not in so many words. “I’ve not been good about…about being hurt, but I do like – I love – that you’re…bigger than me. That you…” He trails off when he watches Lawson’s pupils dilate. Touches his face again. “That you can push me around a little.”

Lawson gasps. “You like when I fuck you, baby?”

“Yeah. I miss it.”

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