Page 48 of Izzy
By the time he undressed and got into the bathtub, he wasn't mad anymore. He was intrigued, although he didn't want to be. And maybe hopeful Izzy and Todd did like him enough to want to date him.
All he could think about was Izzy asking him not to die. It had been confusing at the time. Why would Izzy make such a plea? It didn't make sense unless he was concerned.
One picture was of Todd as if the profile belonged to both of them.
Ulises put the phone on the side of the tub and leaned back, closing his eyes. He felt a little spring of hope trickle to life. And then he felt stupid for feeling that way. He wasn't sure what to believe. The Izzy who’d broken up with him or the one who’d created a dating profile to talk to him. And Izzy had held him while he cried. Then again, so had Todd.
But what if he let them in and they broke up with him?
Ulises sighed. If he risked his heart only to have Izzy break it all over again, it made him stupid for having higher expectations. Right?
No, it was best to not get his heart broken a second time.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Ulises didn't realize he had fallen asleep, but what woke him was a combination of two things. The first was he couldn't breathe through his nose. The second was Izzy kneeling next to the tub.
It startled Ulises when he saw him there. The water splashed as he jerked away.
"Easy, sweetheart. You're safe." Izzy didn't reach for him, but he held a soapy washcloth.
"How…" He almost asked how Izzy got inside but he already knew. Izzy might not make his living breaking into people's homes and stealing from them, but he knew how to pick a lock. He also had zero scruples. So how wasn't the right question. "Why are you here?"
"You said you were sick." Izzy began rubbing the washcloth across his neck and chest. "I brought some VapoRub and Todd is getting groceries to make you soup."
"But why, Izzy?" When Ulises spoke his stuffed nose made him sound as though he had a lisp.
Izzy rubbed Ulises’ body with the cloth in gentle strokes. "Because I want to take care of you."
And that was when it hit Ulises. "You don't want to want to, though."
Izzy sighed. "Not true."
Ulises shook his head because they both knew that was a lie. He shut his eyes again. He didn't drift off, but he relaxed enough to where everything came to him from a distance. The soft cloth moving over his skin and the slight movement of the water relaxed him.
But then his throat started hurting from having to breathe through his mouth all the time. His head was so stuffy it felt as though it weighed ten times more than it had yesterday. And he had a headache. A bad one.
"Head hurts."
"I'll fix it, boy." The cloth disappeared and then Izzy pulled the plug on the water. As the water rushed out, Ulises' body felt heavier. "I'm going to lift you out of the tub."
Izzy slid his strong arms underneath Ulises, lifting him out of the tub.
Ulises wrapped his arms around Izzy and leaned against him.
Izzy's cinnamon scent was the most comforting smell in the entire world. It hadn't been at first, back when it had been just fucking for fucking's sake. The scent had been pleasant, but it hadn't made him want to cuddle into Izzy. Then fucking had turned into making love. At least for Ulises it had. He didn't want to admit it, but a bond had formed as though they were mates.
He would have left his mark on Izzy if the connection had gone both ways, but Izzy hadn't felt anything at all. Ulises was starting to suspect maybe a bond had started with Izzy too and Izzy had pulled away because he hadn't wanted to feel it.
"You're making my headache worse."
"I'll make it better for you, sweetheart. I promise." Of course, Izzy misunderstood Ulises’ meaning.
Izzy grabbed a towel from the rack and carried Ulises into the bedroom. He laid him on the bed and proceeded to dry Ulises off, even his naked cock. It was very nonsexual but caring.
"Why are you partially shifted?" Izzy's T-shirt was wet where Ulises' body had been against him.
Izzy put the towel back into the bathroom before coming into the room. "Underwear and pajamas?"
