23. River

23

RIVER

L ying there, with the morning light coming through the partially open curtains, I watched Adam breathe. There was something sacred in the stillness of watching someone sleep, something intimate and rare. I let myself get lost in it—his chest rising and falling with a rhythm that relaxed my worried heart.

I remembered the panic that had gripped me days ago when his fever spiked. Twenty-four-hour thing, my ass. But now, the worry lines that had etched themselves across my forehead smoothed away as I saw no trace of sickness on his serene face. His skin was free of that unnatural heat, his breaths deep and even.

He seemed so at peace. A stray lock of his dirty-blond hair fell across his forehead, and I resisted the urge to reach out and brush it aside to feel the warmth of his skin under my fingertips.

I propped myself up on one elbow, careful not to jostle the bed, but the vibration of my phone broke the stillness in the room. Mom flashed on the screen, reminding me I hadn’t called her as I’d promised myself I would.

“Sorry,” I whispered, as much to Adam as to myself, before tapping the screen and bringing the phone to my ear.

“Morning, Mom,” I said, my voice hushed.

She launched into her usual inquiries, and I found myself caught between the desire to share everything and the fear of saying too much. As I spoke, my gaze lingered on Adam, drinking in the sight of him, the reality.

“Everything’s fine,” I assured her, and it was true, in a way. Adam’s recovery was a relief that settled warm in my chest.

“River, are you sure?” she pressed, her maternal instincts attuned to the nuances in my voice.

“Positive,” I replied. “How about you?”

“It’s been great here, but I’m getting antsy and homesick. I think I’m going to end the contract here and come home. My old boss has been pestering me to return to the hospital.”

I smiled wide as though she could see me. “Are you serious, Mom?”

“Yeah. I miss you a lot too. Working abroad was something I needed to do, you know? But it’s time to come home.”

“I get it, Mom. You needed to experience life outside of being a working single mom.”

She chuckled. “You were a good kid, but yeah, your dad dying so young changed the plans we had as a family. Never got to give you a baby brother or sister.”

Her voice was strained, as it always was when she mentioned my dad.

“I have my bonus family, Mom. You know I’ve never missed not having a sibling. Adam, Lex, and Noah more than made up for it,” I chuckled.

“Speaking of which, how is he?”

I sighed. My mom, with her infinite mom instinct, or maybe it was because she was a nurse and could smell bullshit a mile away, had known I had a crush on Adam since I was sixteen. She’d gone into protective bear-mom mode because, at that time, there had been no indication Adam was anything but straight, and she didn’t want me to get my heart broken.

By then, it had been too late. The kiss had happened, and my fate had been sealed. Not that I’d known at the time. My demisexuality didn’t become apparent to me until I was in college and learned more about queer identities.

“He’s…okay. He’s staying here until he gets back on his feet.”

“River…”

“Don’t worry, Mom. I’m okay.”

Adam stirred, and then his eyes fluttered open. When he saw me, he smiled and reached out for me.

Yeah, I was more than okay.

“Listen, Mom, I have to get ready for work.”

“Okay, honey. Look after yourself.”

“You too, Mom. And I want to hear more about your plans soon.”

“Sure thing.”

I put the phone away and turned back to Adam.

“Morning, sleepyhead.” I pushed his messy hair off his forehead.

“Morning. Did I stir much last night?” he asked.

“No. You slept like a baby.” I gave him a soft kiss on the lips. “But you snored like a truck.”

“I did not!”

I laughed at his indignation. “You’re right, you didn’t. It was more like a small locomotive. For a moment there, I thought I’d have to call the Department of Transportation to ask for a fault assessment.”

I was still laughing when, all of a sudden, I found myself under Adam with my hands pinned over my head.

“I see you regained your strength.”

“I had a good nurse.”

He ran his nose over the side of my face and then sucked my skin until I knew there would be a mark later. My dick hardened immediately.

“Feels like my nurse is ready for the morning round.”

I growled, and holding his hands tight, I raised my head to kiss him. He met my lips with the usual need. Adam always gave everything in a kiss. It was a long way away from the inexperienced kiss we’d shared at fourteen.

Adam’s tongue caressed mine as he gave himself to the kiss. His hips were doing a job on my poor rock-hard dick.

“Hmm, Adam…”

“I missed you,” he said into my lips, giving me no opportunity to mirror the words. I’d have to show him instead.

Releasing his hands, I flipped us until I was the one on top.

“Do you know what the time is, Adam?” I asked as he chased my lips.

“Don’t care.”

I chuckled.

“I’ll tell you then. It’s time for you to decide whether you’re going back to work or staying in bed another day.”

He groaned. “I can’t stay home another day. I’ll go mad.”

“Besides, you’ve already gone through all the episodes of Golden Girls .”

“Yup.”

“Okay, let’s go shower then because I have a couple of meetings today.”

I laughed when he pouted. “But, River…” He canted his hips against mine like I couldn’t already feel his erection.

“Yes, Adam?” I stood up from the bed, and he followed me as I walked backward out of the bedroom and into the bathroom.

“Can I give you a hand job?” he asked.

I shook my head.

“Blowjob?”

I shook my head again and then turned the water on. When it was at the correct temperature, I pulled him inside with me. His eyes shone like two blue marbles as I caged him against the wall.

“I’m going to suck you until you come because you’ve been such a good patient, and then you’re going to take my dick in your hand and stroke it until I paint your body with my cum.”

“Fuck—”

“I’m not done. And when we’re both nice and clean, I’m going to make you breakfast. You’re going to eat all of it because while you think you’re well enough to go to work, I know you’ll probably try to catch up with everything in one day, and you’ll forget to eat.”

He closed his eyes and bit his lower lip. “I’m not sure which of those things is making my dick harder.”

I went down on my knees and sucked his dick until he spilled down my throat.

The time it took him to recover from his orgasm was a testament to how he still wasn’t fully recovered, so even though he did stroke me until I came all over him, I was glad he’d agreed to stay home long enough to have breakfast.

“Hey,” he said as I opened the front door when we were both leaving for work. “Thank you for looking after me.”

“You already thanked me in the shower.” I winked.

“You know what I mean.”

I pulled him by the front of his coat until he was close enough for me to circle my arms around his waist. I caressed his cheek and said, “I’m closing for the next couple of nights.”

He nodded.

“Will you be in my bed when I come home?”

His smile and the way he grabbed my face to kiss me were all the confirmation I needed.

Maybe also the confirmation that Adam was getting in as deep as I already was.