Chapter 24 #2
“Okay, now look.” Colton leaned forward with his elbows on the countertop. “While I’m gone, you have to take it easy. No working in the studio. No workouts. No staring at your phone or computer screen. Just sleep, watch TV, or hang out by the pool.”
“Yes, Coach!” Dean saluted with a smirk.
Colton smiled and shook his head. “I made you a sandwich for lunch and put it in the fridge, so you’re all set.
I’ll come by after practice to make dinner for you.
Shit! I have to go to my place to pick up some clothes.
” Colton realized that, in his rush to get to Dean, he hadn’t planned ahead.
He rinsed out his coffee mug and stepped around the island toward Dean.
“We’re the same size. Help yourself to anything in my closet,” Dean suggested as he drank his coffee.
“Hell no! I don’t wanna go around town dressed like a fucking DJ!” Colton joked with a wink.
“Fuck you! My clothes are awesome!” Dean scoffed.
“Your clothes are awesome.” Colton smiled, rubbing Dean’s back, his cheeks warming. “Thanks. I’ll go grab something.”
“Be sure you bring it back!" Dean teased as Colton walked away. “I don’t want you setting up some bizarre shrine to me at your place.”
“Fuck you!” Colton yelled back.
“You wish!” Dean snapped.
Colton returned to the kitchen after raiding Dean’s closet, having chosen Dean’s black and white striped Dolce and Gabbana shirt and a pair of gray slacks.
“You picked my favorite shirt! You’ve got good taste.”
Colton smiled and gently touched the back of Dean's head. “Looks like the swelling is going down. That’s a good sign.” He patted his shoulder. “Okay, I’ll see you in a few hours. Promise me you’ll rest.”
“I promise, Mom.” Dean rolled his eyes.
At practice, Colton struggled to concentrate. His mind continuously wandered back to Dean, worrying if he was ok. Was he resting? Or was he being stubborn and working on music, or trying to exercise?
On the team, when you got injured, there was a whole crew of trainers and medical staff to take care of you and oversee your recovery.
Dean was all alone in his recovery at that moment, but Colton was determined to help him through it. Even if it meant he'd have to skip a practice or two. He wasn’t going to let Dean suffer alone.
Although it was only a half day for Colton, the hours seemed to drag by. But after what felt like an eternity, practice finally ended and Colton hauled ass back to the loft, to Dean.
He opened the door and dropped his bag in the entryway. Dean gave him a key so he could come and go as he pleased. He found Dean lying on the sofa watching TV. It looked like he had followed directions and behaved himself.
Dean smiled and moved to rise from the sofa.
“Hold on, hold on.” Colton rushed over to help him.
He sat on the sofa next to Dean, put his arm around his shoulder, and they stood together.
“There,” Colton said once they were completely upright. They were face to face, practically nose to nose.
Colton had never noticed Dean’s beautiful brown eyes before, they were hazelnut-brown with little flecks of green. He lingered for a little longer than necessary, darting his glance from his lips to his beautiful eyes.
Colton quickly rebooted his system, helped Dean to the kitchen, and placed him on a barstool at the island.
He poured Dean a glass of lime-flavored seltzer water, Dean’s favorite drink.
“How’s your head?” he asked, pouring himself a drink.
“No complaints,” Dean said, with a smirk
Colton turned with a puzzled look. “Huh?”
Dean gave him a sly smile. “Think about it. Head. How's my head?” He simulated the act with his hand and mouth.
“Oooooh!”
“Yep, no one has complained about my head so far,” Dean joked.
“Give it time, my friend,” Colton hissed, moving over to the island.
Dean threw his head back and laughed loudly before wincing. “Ooh! My head.”
Colton shook his head. “You are too much! But it’s good to see you’re getting back to your old self, bad jokes and all.” He smiled and moved to Dean’s side.
“Okay, let’s see…” Colton gently touched the back of Dean’s head.
“Any blurred vision?”
“No.”
“Any nausea?”
“No.”
“Any dizziness?”
“No.”
“Any ringing in your ears?”
“No.”
“Any balance issues?”
“No.”
“And the headache?”
“Much better.” Dean turned his head with a warm smile.
Colton patted him on the back. “Great! I think you’ll be back to normal in a couple more days. I fucking love this shirt, by the way! I think I’m going to steal it.”
“Fuck no, you’re not! That’s my favorite shirt! I will hunt you down! I know where you live.”
Colton threw his hands up in surrender. “Fine.”
Dean smirked. “If you’re a good little boy, maybe Santa will bring you one for Christmas,” he teased.
Colton stomped his foot, feigning a tantrum. “But that’s two months away!”
“You’re a dork!”
“Fuck you!”
“You wish!”
Dean was a neat freak. He hated anything cluttered or messy, so Colton decided to do a little cleaning around the loft while Dean napped. As he dusted the music studio, he noticed a small frame next to Dean’s laptop.
The frame contained the note Colton had written to him when he came to his game. His heart swelled as his mind replayed the memory of that day.
“Hey.” Dean's voice from the doorway startled him. He quickly turned to face him and his eyes widened. Dean stood shirtless, his hair adorably messy, wearing only a loose-fitting pair of cut-off gray sweats, which hung dangerously low on his waist. Colton swallowed, admiring the muscles in his chest and abs, and the perfectly defined Apollo’s belt above his hips.
He wasn’t wearing underwear, if the visible line of his thick cock was anything to go by, and a hint of pubic hair peeked out the top of his sweats.
Colton struggled to control his breathing.
“Hey. I was doing a little cleaning for you. You framed my note.” Colton pointed at the desk.
Dean blushed. “Oh, I didn’t want you to see that. But…um…yeah.” Dean shrugged. “I thought it was really sweet, so I put it in a little frame. Now every day when I see it, it makes me smile.”
Colton put his hand on Dean’s shoulder. “You’re just a big old softy, aren’t you?”
“Well, you know I cry at the drop of a hat, so…yeah.”
A couple of days later, Colton was lifting in the weight room before practice and grabbed his phone for a quick break.
He noticed on Dean’s Facebook account, which he checked at least once a day, that there were literally thousands and thousands of posts wishing Dean a happy birthday.
Wait, is today his birthday? He checked Dean’s profile, and sure enough, it was.
Hotly, he fired off a series of messages to Dean.
Colton: You fucking asshole!
Colton: You didn’t tell me it was your birthday!
Colton: I’m gonna slap you silly!
A few moments later, Dean replied with a smile and shrug emoji.
On the way to the loft after practice, Colton picked up a cupcake for Dean and placed a candle on top.
He lit the candle just before opening the door and slowly walked toward Dean singing ‘Happy Birthday’.
When he finished the song, Dean smiled ear to ear. “You really shouldn’t sing, man.”
“Fuck you.”
“You wish.”
Dean put his hand over his heart. “It’s been years since anyone bought me anything for my birthday.”
Colton smiled and his heart did a little flip as he held out the cupcake. “I didn’t know which flavor you liked, so I guessed chocolate.”
“You guessed right! I’m a huge chocoholic.” Dean put the cupcake on the counter and gave Colton a crushing hug.
“Thank you! This means a lot.”
Colton felt his stomach twist inside out. “Anytime, my friend, anytime.” He paused. “Well, it looks like you’re fully healed.” Colton gently stroked the back of Dean’s head. “My work here is done!” He squeezed Dean’s shoulder. “I’ll call you in a week or so and we’ll hang out.”
“Seriously though.” Dean said as he touched Colton’s arm. “I know I once told you I was fine doing things by myself, but I couldn’t have gotten through this without you. It means a lot to me.”
“I’m happy to help.” Colton smiled. “We’re best friends and we have each other’s backs. But I have to ask, none of your other friends wanted to help you?”
Dean let out a huge sigh. “All my friends are more superficial, not really the super helpful types. Most of them only stick with me for free shit or VIP access. And my closer friends typically bail as soon as there’s drama or anything serious.
Honestly, I can’t think of any one of them that would take me to the hospital, pick me up from the airport late at night, or rush to my side if I called.
You’re the only friend I can trust to help me when I need it,” Dean explained.
Colton felt a flutter in his belly.
Dean felt the same way he did…and wasn’t that frightening?
“Yeah. To be honest, I’m in the same boat. Many of my friends are superficial. I totally understand what you’re saying.”
“Really?” Dean looked confused. “But you have your whole team…”
Colton shrugged. “I mean, my teammates are my brothers, but they all have their own lives and families. Remember when I got sick? I was at practice. They all saw how sick I was, but none of them offered to take care of me like you did.”
They shared a smile in the slightly awkward silence that followed before Colton finally turned away and asked, “How about steak for dinner?”