Chapter 23 #2
Chase’s bodyweight rested on top of Tobias, who’d never felt safer in his life. This was his new favorite spot in the world.
Their chests heaved and they lay silently as their hearts pounded against each other.
Tobias wrapped his arms around Chase and held him tightly against him.
He’d lost all concept of time and had no idea how much had passed before Chase planted a sweet kiss on his cheek and rolled off him.
“Where are you going?” Tobias asked lamely.
Chase smiled brightly at him, his eyes hooded. “Gonna throw out the condom and grab something to clean you up. Don’t worry, I’ll be right back.”
Tobias watched as Chase walked toward his bathroom, enjoying the view of his tight ass until it disappeared through the door. He could hear the water turn on and the opening of a couple doors before Chase returned with a warm washcloth, silently using it to clean Tobias.
“I can do that,” Tobias said, but made no move to take the washcloth away from Chase.
Chase raised one of his brows, likely noticing how out of it Tobias was.
“I know you can, but I like taking care of you, so let me.”
“Anything you want,” Tobias said, sleep taking over his body.
Tobias would let him take care of him forever, if Chase wanted to.
Once Chase had cleaned every nook and cranny on Tobias’ body, he threw the soiled washcloth in his hamper, put on his briefs and sat on the edge of the bed, his hand reaching to brush away the hair matted to his forehead with sweat.
“I guess I should get going,” he said, his voice filled with reluctance.
Tobias grabbed him softly by the wrist and gazed up at him, sleep threatening to pull him under.
“Stay. If you want, I mean—”
“I want. But are you sure? It’s not too soon for Madison?”
Tobias smiled, or at least, he thought he did. He may have already been dreaming as he viewed Chase through hooded eyes, his naked body sitting at his bedside like all Tobias’ fantasies were coming true.
He willed his body to give him the strength to produce one last word. Please.
It must have worked, because the last thing Tobias remembered was Chase settling in his arms under the sheets, Tobias’ mind at peace for the first time in years.
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A light pattering made Tobias stir the next morning, surprised the sun filling his room hadn’t already woken him.
He’d slept like the dead and awareness slowly crept into his consciousness.
When he tried to stretch, he found his right side unresponsive. His eyes flew open to find a lithe body draped over him, a leg that wasn’t his between his own and soft brown hair resting on his shoulder.
Chase.
Memories of the previous night came rushing to him in a wave of arousal, hope and victory.
Not that Chase was some kind of prize he tried to win, but getting over his anxiety and his hangups about… well, everything, was a victory on its own.
The fact Chase held onto him so dearly made his chest ache. He had the strongest desire to wake up to this sight every chance he could get.
Before he could wrap his head around that, the light pattering raced to the front of his consciousness and he doublechecked the blankets over their still naked bodies.
Luckily, Chase already had his briefs on and Tobias was wearing pajama pants.
He vaguely remembered getting up in the middle of the night to pee and throwing on a pair of pajama pants to ward off the chill.
Thank goodness, because it was likely only a matter of seconds before—
“Oby, it’s time to—” Madison burst through his bedroom door, and he made a mental note to start using the lock from now on.
Chase’s body flinched against him and his head popped up, his hair rumpled and half his face red from lying across Tobias’ bare skin for so long.
“Chase! You’re still here! You and Oby had a sleepover? ”
Madison launched herself across the room and dove onto the bed, making Tobias secure the blankets around him and Chase.
Her attack on the bedding must have alerted Chase to the situation, the other side of his face now just as red as he secured the blankets on his own side of their bodies.
“Good morning, Madison,” he said, then cleared his throat, his voice not quite awake yet. “I was super tired last night so Uncle Toby let me stay over. Is that okay?”
“Okay? It’s awesome! Now you can have breakfast with us and Gigi. Gigi!” Madison shouted, causing both of them to wince at her impressive vocal strength.
Grace appeared in the doorway in her dressing gown. Her eyes widened in surprise as she took in the sight before her.
“Gigi, Chase and Oby had a sleepover so now we can all have breakfast together!” Madison shrieked.
Tobias cast a worried look in Chase’s direction, wondering how he would handle the chaos of their typical mornings, and he relaxed when Chase started to giggle.
“Good morning, Grace,” he said sheepishly. “I hope you slept well. I’d be happy to help with breakfast.”
His mom sucked her lips between her teeth and tried her absolute hardest not to laugh at them. Once she composed herself, she got a quick handle on the situation.
“What a wonderful surprise. We’re so glad to have you, Chase,” she said, and then focused on Madison. “Maddie, how about we let Uncle Toby and Chase get dressed and we’ll head down to get started on breakfast?”
“Okay!” Madison shouted before hopping out of bed and tearing out of the room.
Grace raised her eyebrows at the two of them, a teasing smile on her face, and shut the door behind her.
When Chase and Tobias turned toward each other, they fell apart in laughter. Tobias’ abs were aching by the time they got out of bed.
It wasn’t the morning he expected, but if Chase was going to stick around then it would be good for him to get a sense of how his family operated.
Tobias hoped it didn’t scare him away.
Judging by the wide smile on his face, he was fearless.