Authors: Lisa Wilde
In the Silks (33 page)
“I’m not going to be pissed off no matter what you say.”
Henry hesitated before answering, “Survived it implies that it was bad, it wasn’t bad. I just, umm…”
“You just aren’t interested in doing it again?”
“I wouldn’t say never, but maybe not as a regular thing.”
Ryan laughed; he didn’t want to push it. He knew Henry was thinking it over, he’d give him that. “All right, sleep time. I can’t keep my fucking eyes open anymore.”
With that said, Ryan rolled to his stomach, facing him. Henry moved in close and put an arm around his back, burying his face in the crook over Ryan’s neck.
~ LATE AUGUST ~
“I think that’s it. I’m leaving the rest for Pat.” Henry told Ryan as he lifted two file boxes from the floor.
“Are you ready?”
“Sure am.” Henry said, leaning in and giving him a quick peck on the mouth.
“Oh, hell no! This is my new bachelor pad. If anyone’s going to be getting action in here it’s me!” Pat’s big mouth killed the moment.
“You know Pat, technically it’s still Henry’s place until these last few boxes are out. So…”
“Uh-huh, I’ve been staying here for a while now. Possession is nine-tenths of the law.”
They both laughed at him.
“You know what, you’re right, Pat. We’ll save the bumping and grinding until we’re back at our place.” Ryan told Pat.
“Gross, I don’t want to hear about my baby brother bumping and grinding anything.”
Henry cringed, that was just all kinds of wrong.
Our place.
He loved the way that sounded. It had been an eventful summer. Pat had stayed with their parents when he first left Tara but as Henry began to spend more and more time at Ryan’s Pat had been the one to suggest letting him stay in Henry’s apartment.
When he and Ryan had decided to officially move in together, Henry went to his landlord to ask if Pat could take over his lease and the man had been more than happy to accommodate them. Julie had been pretty cool and reserved for a while but something must have happened with Tara, because here she was helping her brothers move. When Henry asked her what happened, all she’d said was that Tara “over-stepped,” whatever that meant. Henry didn’t care, he would take it. She was here now and she’d been really nice to Ryan. She even apologized for the night they’d met.
Henry’s family was at his place, now Pat’s. They were bringing his stuff in and taking Henry’s out. Over at Ryan’s,
their place
, Ryan’s family was helping unload the stuff that Henry had brought there. They had all gotten together over Fourth of July. Ryan’s family insisted on coming up so that they could meet both of Henry’s parents. They’d bought pizza for everyone for helping today. Despite moving during the hottest time of the year, it had been a really good day.
Later that night, after everyone had gone home, Henry and Ryan were un-packing boxes. They had wanted to wait but both their mothers offered to stay and do it. So they promised to at least get half done and send picture proof that it was done. Ryan was sitting on the floor pulling apart a box that was labeled
parlor.
Henry was coming out of the bedroom with an empty box. “What are you looking at over there?” He noticed Ryan sitting with his legs crossed, looking at something intently that was in his lap.
“This.” Ryan said and then held up the program from the first show Henry had gone to. Henry walked over and sat next to him. He took the booklet from Ryan and looked it over, “Wow, I got this at that first show I went to.”
“First?”
Henry laughed. Months ago, he would have wanted to crawl in a hole and die if Ryan had found out that he had gone to a second show. Now, he didn’t care, he was actually proud of it.
“Yeah, once I realized it was you, I went online and bought a ticket to for the next night. It was your last night in town or I probably would have gone again if I could have.”
Ryan bumped Henry’s shoulder with his own.
“We should frame this and hang it up.”
“Seriously?” Ryan asked him.
“Yes, seriously.” Henry confirmed. The program was an homage to so many things. Ryan’s career. The beginning of Henry’s rebirth. The rekindling of their relationship.
Ryan smiled, “Okay.”
Henry laid the program on the coffee table and then placed his hands on Ryan’s thighs. Scooting closer he leaned in and gave Ryan a soft kiss. “I love you,” Henry told him when he pulled back.
“I love you, too.” Ryan said.
Henry would never get tired of sharing those words with Ryan.
Life was good.
~ THE END ~
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Lisa Wilde
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