Page 362 of Sticks and Stones
Will covered for Ethan.
“Oh, you mean that pathetic attempt to drive me away so you can wallow in pity all alone? Well, I don’t accept that and I’m not letting you break up with me. As for how I got in here, you’d think that two Feds would have a better lock on their door.”
And he left it at that.
As he stood there, Corbin didn’t know what to do next. He’d not planned for this. He’d not considered that Will wouldn’t take goodbye as goodbye.
In the scenario that he’d played over and over in his head, the man walked away and hated him.
This didn’t look like hate, and it confused him.
Honestly, he believed the man would take what he said and leave. He didn’t think he’d fight to stay with him.
“We’re not a couple,” he said.
Oh, well, Will dug in.
“That’s bullshit and you know it. Before this happened, we were in love. You and I were going to be a couple until we died,” he stated, pulling the ring box out of his pocket.
He placed it on the counter next to the steaming cup of soup as if to challenge him.
Pointing at it, Will was direct.
“I’m not giving up on you or my dreams,” he stated. “My dreams were to be with you for the rest of my life.”
Corbin stared at the box.
“What’s that?” he asked, his heartREALLYracing now.
Will placed a spoon by the soup, and he pointed to the bowl.
“Eat something, and we’ll talk,” he stated, glossing over the rings.
He’d always imagined his proposal to the man he loved being a lot more romantic, but sometimes, you had to do what you had to do, and he wasNOTletting this amazing man leave him behind.
When he’d gotten his jacket on at his place, he’d taken the rings with him.
Why?
He wasn’t sure, but he’d use them to make Corbin see he wasn’t kidding.
Oh, and that you didn’t throw away legitimate love.
On top of that, Will promised Ethan that he would fight for Corbin, and fight he would.
To.
The.
Death.
Because he didn’t know what else to do, and the box was confusing him, Corbin sat, and he picked up the spoon and began eating.
The whole time, he watched as Will made a bowl of soup for himself, and carried it to the counter to sit with him.
And they ate in silence.
It was finally Will who spoke.
