Chapter 21 #2
“Kitt, I’m clean. I just got checked again. I got the test back like three days ago,” Austin said, watching Kitt as he walked around the laundry room.
“Was that when you were off signin’ my check to mail to me? Why didn’t you just bring it with you, save the postage,” Kitt asked, and grabbed a towel in a laundry basket to clean himself up. Austin was dripping out of him and running down his leg.
“I thought about it, but decided if I brought it home, you’d figure it out faster.” Kitt walked out of the laundry room door toward the bathroom. “You have the word Kenmore pressed into your back.” Kitt grinned and kept going. “Where are you going?”
“To shower, I’m a mess. My back hurts,” Kitt called out, walking farther away from Austin. It took a second before he heard Austin running barefoot across the tiled floor toward him. He smiled, figuring he wouldn’t be showering alone.
=?=
Close to midnight and after a round of hot shower sex, Austin lay with Kitt wrapped in his arms in Austin's bed, just the way he liked. This time Austin had bottomed, and Kitt made sure Austin knew who the real boss was in their relationship. It didn’t seem to matter how many times he’d been with Kitt, or how often they were together.
It never quenched the thirst Austin had for Kitt.
Lucky for him, Kitt seemed to feel the same way.
After a minute of searching Kitt’s handsome, sleeping face, Austin ran a finger down his nose and across his lips as he slowly woke him.
“Babe, wake up for a minute,” Austin said quietly. Kitt’s eyes fluttered open, and Austin turned Kitt so he could see Austin’s face clearly. “I don’t like it when you get so angry at me over something as silly as buying some horses. I don’t like to fight with you.”
“Me either, I’m sorry.” The response made it clear Kitt was tired, still groggy, probably half asleep. Austin smiled to, placing a soft kiss on Kitt’s slightly parted lips.
“Kitt, I want you to keep and work those horses. No, now, I see you waking up. Listen to me. I want it to be an investment. I’m investing in your ability.
It’s not a loan. Look, if it doesn’t work, then you’re not out a thing, and you sold the horses like the farm needed you to do.
No harm, no foul. And, I’ll get two really good horses to have on my farm.
If it does work, you keep the primary share in the horses, and we both make a lot of money.
Actually, it does have a downside. You’ll have to work them for no payment.
We can hire a trainer. You can pick him, I’ll pay him, but it’s you that needs to work them.
If they turn out like shit, it’s wasted time for you, but this money gives you breathing room to try and make something of Hooch.
So no matter how it all turns out, I win with this investment.
And, at some point, what I want has to matter. ”
Austin kept his eyes locked on Kitt’s as he spoke. There was a rawness there between them. Kitt was fully awake, but still relaxed in Austin’s arms. His eyes scanned Austin’s face for several moments before he responded.
“Every day I wonder if this is the day you’re gonna wise up and realize what you left behind.
If you start feelin’ obligated to me, that’s just gonna speed that day up faster.
” Kitt spoke quietly, staring straight up at Austin.
It was an honest, true answer. One that was completely unexpected, and Austin could see Kitt’s heart in his eyes.
“It’s two different deals…there’s you and me, that’s one deal, and then we’ll also be business partners in another deal.
But, baby, I’m not going anywhere, no matter what.
I like this between us. You’ve healed my soul.
There’s nothing I miss from that old life that I haven’t found a hundred times better here with you.
” Kitt started to speak but Austin stopped him, placing a finger across Kitt’s lips.
“I see the doubt in your eyes. I hate it because I can’t remove it no matter what I do.
Only time will prove that I’m here to stay as long as you want me.
You’re so hardheaded, Kitt!” Austin took a deep breath and stared at Kitt.
“Honestly, as for the investment, I need them. I made twenty-three million dollars off my last dumb movie and that’s before it’s gone to DVD.
I have money, too much money. I pay people to search out investments for me.
What I’m gonna love is when you pay out more than any of those stockbrokers or investment firms have ever made for me. ”
“I’m not ready to take your money. It’s not a separate deal for me. It’s all personal,” Kitt said quietly.
“I get that, but since I’m defining all the areas of our lives together, you need to know, I love you.
It’s completely personal for me, too. Let’s do this between us all the way.
” It was the first time Austin declared his feelings.
Certainly not the first time he’d realized them, but the first time either one of them said it out loud.
Austin hadn’t risked much; he thought Kitt felt the same way.
But the silence, although normal, wasn’t helping his nervous heart.
When the silence continued, Austin panicked a little.
“You are my boyfriend, right? I’d hate to lose my wife and not have a boyfriend…” Not the funniest thing Austin could have said, but he tried to lighten the mood between them. Kitt was perfect at being quiet. Now, his declaration was beginning to feel like a major faux pas on his end.
“Okay, well, I see maybe I oughta have asked you to be my boyfriend. Be my boyfriend, Kitt. You’ll be my first boyfriend ever.
” Austin shouldn’t quit his day job to become a comedian, but worse than that, his heart was breaking.
A boyfriend didn’t require love. Why was that asking too much?
Hell, they’d spent the better part of the last four months together.
Why was it so out of line for Austin to ask Kitt to be his boyfriend?
It wasn’t out of line at all. Kitt had to share these feelings.
The guy hadn’t really slept since Austin moved here, surely that meant he wanted to spend time with him.
“I love you. But I still think you’re gonna go back to that other world someday. Leave here behind. I’ll be your investment partner. I’ll train the horses for a while. If we see potential, I know a trainer I want to hire. She’ll cost a lot, but she’s worth it if the talent’s truly there.”
Austin stayed focused on the I love you, not really hearing more than bits and pieces of the rest of what Kitt said.
Austin bent to whisper in Kitt’s ear. “Say it again.”
“I love you.” Kitt stared straight in Austin’s eyes. “Why does that surprise you? I’ve been in love with you since the beginnin’, you know that.”
“I didn’t,” Austin said simply.
“What? That’s crazy. You knew. How could you not know?” Kitt asked and Austin didn’t have an answer. He started to speak, then closed his mouth not sure what to say.
“Austin, I risk everything I have every single night to spend time with you. How does that not say I love you?” Kitt asked, clearly confused.
“I guess I just needed to hear it. I don’t know. Stop looking at me like I’m dumb. I didn’t know!”
“Of course I love you. I’ve honestly probably loved you since I was fifteen years old and watched you play ball.
Hell, I was in the truck when my dad caught you and Wanda at the pond.
That memory’s etched in my mind forever.
I was like twelve or thirteen. I’ve loved you since then.
You were so beautiful in every way to me.
I loved to listen to you talk when we were in school.
I’d wait for hours in the locker room just in case you walked through.
You’re the reason I worked so hard to make varsity my freshman year.
Just so I could be near you. You’ve always had my heart.
It’s never belonged to anyone else.” Kitt said it all with such truth and honesty in his eyes Austin was stunned speechless.
Kitt laid his heart out, then rolled from Austin’s arms. It took a second for Austin to even comprehend Kitt was leaving the bed.
Why was Kitt leaving his arms? Austin reached for him not letting him get too far away.
“Come back here. Where are you going? You can’t say all that and leave my bed,” Austin said, but Kitt shrugged free.
“I should get home. I’m tired, but more so, you’re tired. Sleep wouldn’t kill us.”
“Nooo…don’t try to get out of it. You said you would sleep here tonight until five when your alarm went off.
You promised that last night. Kitt, get back here and tell me you love me again.
Tell me how you loved my voice.” Austin had a distinct whine to his voice as he wrapped his arms tighter around Kitt from behind.
The bed covers were all messed up, tangling around Austin and Kitt sitting on the side of the bed.
“My ass and back hurt. I need Advil.” Kitt lay back a little to kiss Austin’s upturned face.
“I have it in the kitchen, and you should be more careful of the knobs next time. How do you tell a man you’ve loved him for most of your life and talk about ass pain and Advil all in the same tone of voice?” Austin asked. He rolled off the bed to his feet.
“I’ll definitely be more careful next time because it’ll be you on your back hangin’ on for dear life,” Kitt said, following Austin out of the bedroom.