Chapter 43
Knox
Taylor got out of the hospital the day before Thanksgiving. We spent the holiday at his parents’ house with all his siblings, and the healing that happened around his mother’s dining room table filled me in a way I’ve never experienced.
Christmas is now upon us, and here we are again.
When we arrive, everyone is just as welcoming of me as they are of Taylor as I push his wheelchair up the sidewalk.
He hates the damn thing and begs me just to carry him everywhere—which I’d happily do—except his ribs aren’t fully healed yet and movement still causes him pain since we’re only five weeks out from his accident.
Damon comes out of the house before I even have a chance to ring the doorbell.
“Hey guys! Merry Christmas!” he says, squatting down to grab the front legs of the wheelchair. It’s still weird seeing Taylor’s twin, but I’ve spent enough time around them both that they no longer look so much alike to me anymore.
I lift the back wheels, and we carefully set Taylor down inside the hallway.
“This is fucking humiliating,” Taylor grumbles for the millionth time. Damon and I share a smile and respond the same way any of us do when Tay complains.
“At least you’re alive.”
“Bird!” Livvy shouts, coming down the hall. “I have two job interviews lined up already!” she exclaims.
“Congrats, Liv! I want to hear all about them,” Taylor says, giving his sister a one-armed hug.
“Can you help me choose my outfit? Everyone else in this family has terrible fashion sense.”
Tay chuckles and says, “Of course I will,” right as Damon cries, “Terrible fashion sense? This is a tailored suit!”
“Yeah, but you’re always wearing a suit. That’s not good fashion sense; that’s predictable and boring.”
And so it goes with the rest of the family as we mingle, eat, and unwrap presents.
After dinner, Francesca and Livvy are playing with Francesca’s daughter downstairs in the basement while Bill and Rebecca Landry are still talking with Francesca’s husband, Rex, and Ashton at the table.
I’ve moved to the living room with Taylor to help him get settled on the couch.
Damon comes with us and I can tell something is on his mind besides Livvy not liking his wardrobe choices.
“I, uh, I’m gonna go start cleaning up,” I say, throwing a thumb over my shoulder, discreetly trying to give them some time alone.
“Don’t you dare,” Taylor says, putting his right hand out to stop me.
I glance at Damon before looking back at Tay. “Baby, I think he has something he wants to talk to you about. I’ll just be in the kitchen.”
Damon rubs the back of his neck. “It’s alright, Knox. He’ll just tell you anyway. Sit. You know his whiny ass can’t function without you.”
Taylor’s eyes narrow, and he flips Damon off while I do as I’m told and resume my seat. Tay’s hand immediately goes to my thigh, and I fight to bite back a groan when he digs his fingers in.
We went from getting off multiple times a week to not getting off at all overnight, and I haven’t been inside him for five weeks. It’s a miracle my balls haven’t exploded.
“Damon, what is it?” Taylor asks his brother.
“Well, I just wanted you to know that I haven’t told Liam about everything Patrick said yet.”
Taylor chews on his lip and nods his head slowly, trying to find the right words before answering. “It’s okay. As long as my family finally knows the truth, I don’t really care.”
“But I do, Tay. It was fucked up for Patrick to throw you under the bus like that. And Li deserves to know the truth; it’s just…I know he’s gonna be pissed, and I’m a little scared that he’s going to take it out on me.”
“Talk about not being able to function without someone. You two have the most codependent relationship I’ve ever seen.” Taylor’s teasing, but Damon looks uneasy, so Taylor adds, “D, you don’t have to tell him. Let Liam think what he wants.”
“And what? Be caught between my twin brother and my best friend for the rest of my life? No way, Bird. This last year was fucking awful. I’d rather Liam be pissed at me for telling him the truth than stay pissed at you over a lie.”
Taylor nods. “I appreciate that,” he says quietly. “Well, tell him to call me if he has any questions.”
Damon chuckles. “Yeah, I don’t think he’s gonna want details or anything.”
Taylor picks up a pillow to throw at Damon, but I catch it before he can release it, knowing the movement will send him to the moon with pain.
“Easy, Tay,” I whisper before looking at his brother. “Do you know when you’re going to tell Liam? I just want to be expecting it in case I need to run interference or anything.”
“We’re leaving for our annual ski trip up to Ricochet Ridge soon. I figured that’s a good time since he’ll sort of be a captive audience.”
I nod. “Hope it goes well.”
“Yeah. Me too,” Damon says with an obvious note of sadness in his voice.
“Knoooooox, pleeeeaaassse,” Taylor whines from the couch that has been his home for the past eight weeks.
“No. I know it’s hard, but I’m not risking sending your health backwards.”
“Right now, it’s so hard my dick is causing me more pain than anything else,” Taylor says, grinding the heel of his palm into his groin.
“It’s been five days since that wretched thing was removed from my shin, I can finally draw a deep breath without excruciating pain, and I’ve been doing so well with my shoulder rehab, they said I can start lifting a couple pounds with my left arm.
I deserve a reward, dammit!” Taylor cries.
“Your doctor said no intense physical activity for two more weeks,” I argue, trying like all fuck not to laugh at his pouting ass.
“Well, my doctor is an idiot who is putting my entire manhood at risk. Knox, please.” I’m about to shut him down for good when the brat pushes his sweatpants down, grabs his dick, and starts jerking it in front of me.
Part of me is glad to see he’s finally feeling good enough to be horny, but the other part of me is terrified he’s going to break. But as he really starts gaining speed, I gently bat at his hand. If he’s going to ensure he gets off anyway, by God, it’s going to be me that does it.
It’ll be safer this way. He can relax while I do all the work.
“Fine,” I relent, slowly running my hand along his shaft.
“Oh, thank fuck,” Taylor groans, immediately trying to kick his sweatpants off the rest of the way as he sinks into the back of the couch.
“Tay, stop moving. The only way I’m doing this is if you let me do all the work.”
He holds his hands up in the air in surrender.
“Deal. Just hurry.”
I slide onto the floor, hooking my fingers in the waistband of his pants. I pull them to his knees before pushing them all the way to his ankles, and then free them from his legs entirely.
I’m well acquainted with Taylor’s cock at this point, but I haven’t had my mouth on it in over two months.
“I’m not sure who’s going to come faster,” I tell him, inhaling deeply.
It’s the first time I’ve ever given Taylor head that he hasn’t been completely shaved, and fuck, do I like it.
The hair at the base of his cock traps his scent and feels good against my short beard.
I nuzzle into him, enjoying the sensation, knowing he’ll most likely shave it as soon as he has the energy and endurance to take a shower on his own.
Although I’m pretty sure he could shower alone now, I’m not going to argue if he wants me in there.
“Me,” Taylor croaks. “Definitely me.”
I run my nose along his shaft and pull his balls into my mouth, burying my face in his essence. I mean to go slow, drag this out, worship him, but as soon as my lips close over the head of his cock and it pulses in my mouth, giving away his need and desire, the countdown has already started.
“Ohmygod, I’m so fucking hot already,” he says, pulling at his tank top. The gaping arm-holes make it easier for him to get his injured shoulder through. It’s the same one he was wearing the day I showed up on his parents’ front porch to start a job that would change my life forever.
Now completely naked, he spreads his knees a little wider, and I choke myself on his cock from the eagerness to have as much of him inside me as I can take.
His hips buck as he grips the back of my head.
“Keep doing that, and we might set this house on fire,” Tay says, causing me to pop off his dick for the briefest of seconds.
“By all means, Princess, let’s send it up in flames.”