Chapter Thirty-Nine
The first full night in a normal bed did wonderful things for Connor. The second one worked miracles. He definitely wasn”t even close to a hundred percent, but the improvement was noticeable, as was the boost to his morale. As he got ready for bed on the third night, his stubborn determination took on a new objective.
Although there were still roadblocks between his brain and his tongue, he”d been unable to keep himself from formulating and obsessing over the things he wanted to say to Theo. Near death experiences had a way of making one reevaluate their priorities and get over their hangups. He shifted under the covers and rested his back against the headboard to wait for his partner to join him, taking the opportunity to go over his speech one more time in the hopes that he could get the words out in the way he hoped.
“Hey, babe.” Theo slipped into the room on bare feet, fresh from the shower and radiant in the low light of the bedside lamp. The fresh scars, barely healed, stood out in stark contrast on his luminous pale skin. Even bruised and battered, he was the most beautiful man Connor had ever seen. He held out his hand, saving the spoken words for his speech.
“Did you need anything?” Theo crossed the room and shed his towel before walking his knees over the mattress to fold his hand into Connor’s. The distraction of a naked Theo had his sluggish brain waves flatlining as saliva pooled in his mouth. The expression on his face must have given away his thoughts. “Nope. Eyes up here. Doc said no strenuous activity. Sex is very much a strenuous activity for us.”
Connor chuckled, soft and low in the back of his throat, before tugging Theo down onto the bed with a jerk of his hand. His soft, breathy laughter made Connor’s heart skip a beat. They both shifted and squirmed until their bodies aligned, legs tangled and arms arranged around one another until they were as close as they could possibly get. Connor”s chest expanded and deflated as he exhaled a sigh of contentment.
“You never answered me,” Theo murmured, letting his lips ghost over Connor”s collarbone.
“M’fine. Wanna talk.”
“Oh,” Theo rasped quietly. Tension immediately rippled through his body and Connor tried to soothe it away with a sweeping caress of his palm over Theo’s spine.
“Good talk.” He took a moment to center himself and organize his thoughts to improve the chances of him getting it all out without too much struggle. “Love you. I wan’... rest of life together. Everything.”
His lips parted, but getting his thoughts and tongue to cooperate was still difficult. Frustration rose as the words slipped through his fingers and drifted away into the ether.
“Take your time. We have forever, babe.” Theo danced tiny kisses over the expanse of Connor”s chest. His fingertips swirled over Connor’s stomach and had him stifling a chuckle. He stilled and tried again.
“Kids. Marriage. Housse.” Another pause as he caught himself struggling with articulating the syllables. Slow and steady, he wrangled the drawl back into submission. His accent was so much more pronounced and it didn”t help with clarity at all.
“Make love. To you. An’ you t-to me.” Another moment passed as he fought through his frustrations and the growing fog of his brain. “Wanna ge’ ole. Ole n’grey.”
“Connie, babe.” Theo sniffled and pushed himself up on his elbow to meet Connor’s gaze. “Yes. To all of it. I want everything too. Kids and wedding rings and a house with a swing and I want your forever. All of it. Everything. And I”ll absolutely make love to you if that”s what you want.”
Connor lifted his hand and let his palm blanket Theo’s cheek, marveling in the way he leaned into the touch and let his eyes close as if he were savoring it. He rolled up to press their lips together and then eased back down as Theo met the kiss before melting into it. It was languid and lush and unhurried, but the sensual sweep of Theo’s tongue parting his lips and seeking more set his core smoldering.
Hands roving and tongues tangling, they shifted deeper into the bed. Connor rocked his hips up to grind against the noticeable erection pressed against him and chuckled even louder as Theo reeled back to scowl at him.
“No. Not tonight. I”ll absolutely fuck you but not tonight. Christ, you”re tricky. Low blow.” Theo huffed again and rolled onto his back before wiggling into the curve of Connor’s arm. “I”d never forgive myself if I broke your brain with my dick.”
Connor laughed again, deep and unrestrained as he snuck a hand around Theo’s hip to palm his erection. “Can ”andle ye. Ain’ tha’ big.”
“Mn… mm… worst compliment ever.” Theo’s hips gave a half roll before he stopped himself. “You”re going to give me a complex. My dick is perfectly average and adequate.”
“S’perfect.” Connor coiled his fingers around Theo’s length and gave it a slow, deliberate tug. “S’mine.”
“God,” Theo groaned, arching his back to chase the touch. “Babe.”
“Yeah?” Connor repeated the movement and brushed his lips over Theo’s riotous curls, still damp and scented of his shampoo from the shower. “Ye like’t?”
“Mnn… Connor,” Theo moaned and then whined in protest. “No sex, remember?”
“Doc said no stren—” Connor’s tongue gave up halfway through the word as the misfire in his brain took hold. He half suspected it was made worse by the rush of blood to his own cock.
“Strenuous activity. Right.” Theo rolled his hips yet again, chasing the grip Connor had around his dick. “I swear to God, if you even so much as wince…”
“M’fine. Lemme make ye… feel good.”
“You are ridiculous,” Theo hissed, breathy and annoyed as he shifted his body toward Connor, rolling over him and swatting Connor”s hand away. “Don”t you dare even move a single muscle.”
“Scou’s honor.” Connor retracted his hand and held up three fingers with a smug smirk. His expression morphed into a half-lidded look of content as Theo slotted their legs together to realign their cocks. The friction was utter divinity as Theo ground his hips down in a languorous rolling motion.
“This brat routine is cute. You”re lucky you”re cute.” Theo hovered over him, drawing their lips together as he undulated his hips again. His breath carried the words over Connor’s open mouth. “Not a muscle, understood?”
He nodded in agreement and sought to connect their lips, softly groaning as they joined in a kiss at the same time Theo’s hand wrapped around their lengths. Surprise struck him as he realized he was already wound tight and felt the bloom of pressure and warmth growing at the base of his spine. Evidently, the stress and length of time since they were last intimate had him on a hair-trigger.
Theo deepened the kiss, taking control as his tongue danced deeper into the recesses of Connor”s mouth while quickening the pace of his hand. Despite his promise, Connor arched his pelvis upward and swept his hands lower to grab hold of Theo’s ass to pull them closer together. As predicted, Theo instantly stopped his movements and narrowed his eyes.
“Don”t. Move.”
Connor sagged with a breathless laugh and let his arms flop to the side. When Theo put his mind to something, there was little he could do to sway him. Satisfied with his compliance, Theo gradually resumed stroking their cocks, slowly at first before building up speed. There was something heady and intoxicating about letting him take charge when the roles were usually reversed.
The combination of sensual kisses, swift strokes, and Theo’s determination had Connor rapidly speeding toward his climax. His heart kicked up and he briefly wondered if maybe Theo had been right to try and deny him, but the swift approach of his orgasm quickly extinguished the worry. He was so close, so fast, it would have been like trying to stop a runaway freight train. Connor”s thighs began trembling as the molten burn bled from the base of his spine to radiate through his limbs.
With a soft, open-mouthed cry of euphoria, Connor came. Theo worked him through the orgasm with murmured praises and soft grunts, Connor”s cum becoming the lubrication that had Theo crumbling right behind him. The thick ropes of cum spattered across Connor’s chest and stomach, sending rippling aftershocks through his trembling body as Theo collapsed to land half on top of him and half on the bed. The entire act was over in minutes, but still rendered them breathless, sweaty, and pliant with bliss.
“You ‘kay?” Theo whispered the words through his panting breaths and peeked upward to search Connor”s face with hooded, lusty eyes.
“M’great,” Connor mumbled in return, blindly reaching toward the nightstand for something to clean up with before the fatigue dragged him completely under.
“Stop. I”ll get it.” Theo aimlessly swatted at Connor’s hand and missed, laughing under his breath as he worked to disentangle their bodies. “We’re ridiculous.”
“Ridic’loussly awessome.” Connor writhed to get more comfortable, watching his boyfriend move around the room with unabashed adoration.
“Oh, God. I broke your brain for real.” Theo returned with a dirty t-shirt and shuffled across the mattress to swipe the cum from Connor’s torso. “What year is it?”
“Twenny-fiddy-two, Mr. O’Brien.”
Theo paused and flicked his eyes toward Connor’s face, his lips twitching before a smile bloomed over his face. The flush followed, creeping up his neck to bleed over his cheeks. It was the dumbest joke ever, but it achieved exactly what Connor had hoped. The thought of Theo having his last name buoyed his euphoria and had them both falling into a blissful, restorative sleep within minutes of Theo snuggling close.
After the best sleep he could remember, Connor woke to an empty bed in a too-bright room. There was a brief moment where his fear bubbled to the surface, but it quickly disappeared as his searching hand found a scrap of paper laid out on Theo’s pillow. He pulled it closer and squinted to bring the blurry lettering into focus.
Rest well, my love. Busy day w/ the kids. Elias is going with me. Call/text if you need anything. Meds. Water. REST. Love you forever, Teddy
His smile was unable to be contained as he stretched and let himself wake slowly. His head ached, but the throbbing was absent. Deciding to take advantage of the improvement in his symptoms while he could, he got up and dressed before searching the house for his mama.
He found her exactly where he knew he would—front and center in Larry’s kitchen. Luke’s ole man had lost that battle before she even crossed the threshold of the house.
“Mornin’, Mama.” He gave her a quick kiss to the cheek and shuffled toward the cupboards to find the shit decaf coffee he was supposed to drink in lieu of the good stuff. She hummed a greeting in response before turning the page of the newspaper on the counter.
“Whatcha readin’?” He glanced over his shoulder before turning back around. A touch of dizziness had him doing so slower than he usually would.
“Real estate, Connie. There’s honey buns in the warmer.” Another turn of the page had him pausing as her words registered.
“Real estate?”
“Mmhmm. I ain”t abouta waste not one more second with y’all. My boys need me. Them grandbabies need me too.” She peeked up at him from across the kitchen, her smile deepening as she caught the slack-jawed expression on Connor’s face.
“Y’mean it?” He brought a shaking hand to his face and swept his palm over his mouth. He didn”t want to believe the words coming out of his mama”s mouth. Nevertheless, hope grew too large to be contained by his chest.
“O’course. I almost lost y’all too many times to count. O’er my dead body am I gonna miss out on more.” She tutted softly as Connor stumbled backward to rest against the counter, coffee immediately forgotten. “Oh, Connie. C’mere.”
She moved closer and folded him into her arms, softly shushing as a tiny squeaking sob broke from his lips. She was a full foot shorter than him, but he stooped so low, his face became buried in the curve of her neck. Her shushing continued as she ran her hand over his head like she had a million times over the span of his life.
“My sweet boy,” she soothed, gently swaying them from side to side. “Mama’s gotcha.”
After a while, he didn”t even know where his tears were coming from. There was joy over knowing his ma was moving closer. Joy over having Theo back in his life. Unresolved fear over everything that had transpired. A mixture of both emotions when he looked toward the future. Mostly, it was the cathartic release of everything that needed to get out after he had spent so long keeping it buried. Through it all, his mama held him close and kept him together.
She held him tight until he pulled away. She never pulled away first. That was the miracle of the mom hug. A good ole mom hug that lasted as long as the recipient needed without judgment or conditions. Just pure, sweet love. Her eyes lifted up to his and she smiled her kind, loving smile as she patted his face dry with tender hands.
“There”s my sweet baby. Now how about a cup of tea. That decaf’s right shit. I got all sorts o’nice tea that’ll fix ye right as rain.” Birdie shooed him to the table and muscled her way to the counter with a click of her tongue. “Get. I got to mother my son an’ you”re standing in my way.”
Connor knew better than to argue, but he didn”t move toward the table as she”d demanded. He never did. He was a mama’s boy at his core, and he”d forever be underfoot when she was in the kitchen. They shifted to lighter topics of conversation as she fussed over the kettle on the stove, patiently waiting for him to continue whenever his tongue slipped up or the words got stuck on the end of it. It was happening less and less, but it was still frustrating for him nevertheless.
Only once they were seated at the table with hot tea and warm honey buns did she tread carefully toward deeper waters. Her gentle tone and soothing touch kept his anxiety from spiking as she spoke.
“I reckon you and our Teddy are okay now? He came down this mornin’ lookin’ like pure sunshine after a rainy day. Asked me something real peculiar too.” Her palm smoothed over the back of Connor”s hand before her fingers closed around it.
“Reckon so. Hope so.” Connor glimpsed up from his tea before continuing. “What’d he assk?”
“It was such a strange question. Peculiar. Totally out of the blue, eh?” Her eyes crinkled with mischief.
“Mama,” Connor implored with a huff.
“Lord, ye never were patient. Spoilin’ an ole woman’s fun. Raised you better than that.”
“Mama.” Connor arched an eyebrow as his lips grew thin.
“He came right out and asked me if’n O’Brien were a maiden name or married one. Funny, ain’t it?” Her smile spread wider, deepening the laugh lines he loved so much.
“Ah, shit.” Connor chuckled and ducked his gaze back down to his tea. He felt the heat rise to his cheeks as his dimples deepened. Not from embarrassment but from optimistic hope.
“Teddy O’Brien sure do got a nice ring to it.” Her hand left his and cupped his cheek as she ran a thumb over the dimple there. “You got it bad for him, sweet boy.”
“Reckon I do.” Connor leaned into the warmth of her palm and let his eyes slowly close. “Reckon I alwayss did.”
“Just make sure you ask him proper like, y’hear? I ain”t gonna let no future son of mine settle for a half-ass pillow talk promise. No way, no how.” She tapped the tip of Connor’s nose and went back to her tea with a soft laugh. “I reckon we know he’s gonna say yes, but ye gotta make it special. Special enough to be worthy of such special boys.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Connor relaxed back into his chair and smiled to himself, closing his eyes again with a quiet breath in and out. He was tired, sore, and still so uncertain over so many things, but the one thing he knew beyond anything else was that he was blessed. Not only did he get a second chance at life, but he”d gotten a second chance at spending it with the love of his life, too.