Page 31 of Tender
Emmett offered both hands and appreciated the way that Cosimo always kind of towered over him. Emmett had always been tall—the tallest one in the family most of the time. And Cosimo only had a couple inches on him, but there were moments he felt engulfed, and he loved it.
Cosimo cupped his cheeks, maybe sensing that Emmett needed a little aftercare too. He leaned in and took a careful, tender kiss. “My knees can’t take much more of the shower,” he rumbled as he pulled back.
Emmett laughed. They were getting old. He was going to have to start working on positions and techniques that were kind to early arthritis. Not to mention Cosimo’s back. He spent hours in surgeries bent over tiny patients, a hunch in his back that left him wound up and too tight.
And all of this also took a toll on Emmett’s body. They were no spring chickens. Not ancient but heading toward the back end of middle age as they approached fifty.
“What are you doing after this?” Cosimo said. He was walking with a slight limp, and Emmett took pity on him, grabbing his phone and shutting off the vibrator. He hid his smile when Cosimo audibly sighed in relief.
“I’m heading to the office to pick up a couple files that Magnus sent over, and then I’m going to do some shopping for the week. Text me your list if there’s anything you need.” Emmett grabbed his briefs and t-shirt from the bed, slipping them on and feeling comforted by the weight of his packer as it rested heavy against him.
He spun and saw Cosimo watching with a look in his eyes that Emmett hadn’t seen in a while: contentment. “I’d like to cook again tonight,” he said after a beat. “I’ll send you my list.” He paused, but Emmett could tell he wasn’t done. “Are you going to take Miles with you?”
He froze. Was he? It hadn’t even been a consideration, but Miles had been there going on a week now and he still hadn’t left the house. Hell, he was barely joining them for a meal.
He wasn’t sure if it was on purpose or if it was because neither of them had thought to invite him out.
He didn’t have a car, so it was probably their fuck-up. Again.
“I’ll go ask him.”
Cosimo looked pleased, and Emmett hated it only because he already had his own hopes up for something. He didn’t want Cosimo getting attached to someone they had no chance of keeping. But he kissed him anyway, then tugged him close and bit down on his earlobe.
Cosimo sucked in a sharp breath.
“Don’t get too comfortable. I will be making sure you’re thinking about me while I’m gone. And tonight, I’m going to see you like the filthy little slut you are.”
Cosimo groaned and turned his face, taking a kiss he wouldn’t be ballsy enough to steal later on. Emmett let himhave it, keeping it mean and messy, but still light. He didn’t want to go out with the weight of Cosimo waiting for him on his shoulders.
He loved his husband, but he was even more profoundly aware now that he still needed something for himself.
Miles was lounging on the patio chair when Emmett came out. He didn’t seem to hear him, so Emmett waved in his periphery until he looked up. He still felt the urge to sign while he spoke, but Miles had been so upset about it before, and Emmett didn’t know how to fix that.
“Hey, I’m heading out to do a few things. Would you like to come?”
Miles blinked at him. “Oh, uh…”
“You don’t have much. Maybe we can get a few things for you.”
Miles’s cheeks went pink. “Yeah, I kind of don’t have money, so…”
“On me.”
Biting his lip, Miles glanced away. “I don’t want to be a charity case.”
Emmett dropped down to the lounger and felt a little bold as he put his hand on Miles’s knee. He jumped a bit, but didn’t pull back or tense up, so he kept it there. “That’s not even close to how I see you.” Words danced on his tongue, and he wasn’t sure if saying them would be pushing too far, but he knew he had to try. “You’ve been through a lot. You should let me spoil you a bit.”
Miles’s chest heaved like air was trapped in it. Then he met Emmett’s gaze. “I…well…”
“Say yes,” Emmett pressed. “It would make me happy.”
Looking like he might burst into flame from how deep he was blushing, Miles dipped his head in a single nod. “Alright. As long as you promise not to go too wild.”
“I will not make that promise,” Emmett said, then grinned, “but I swear I will try.”
Miles slipped his feet down to the ground. “Why don’t I believe you?”
With a laugh, Emmett pulled Miles close, a light hand on his waist, feeling for any change. But Miles seemed to lean in, not away. “It’s because you’re a very smart man, sweetness.”
