Chapter Twenty-Six
As soon as Adam was awake and calmed down, Ru whisked him away for a few hours, taking him to Tommy’s loft. “Follow me,” he said, leading Adam through the condo to Tommy’s master bath. “How are you feeling?”
“Tired,” Adam grumbled. “Pain medicine is good but makes me sleepy. Sort of floaty.”
“Okay, so a little soaking, then we’ll take a nap, ’kay?”
“Soak? I can’t get my cast wet.” He waved around the bright green wrapped arm. “Wonder why my dad picked green.”
“Probably ’cause the other choice was pink.” Ru opened the bag of stuff he’d grabbed from the Corbin’s house and proceeded to cover Adam’s cast in plastic and duct tape. “You wear boxers today?”
Adam blushed. “Boxer briefs.”
“’Kay. Off with the rest, then, and into the Jacuzzi.” On his way to turn the small heated pool on, he stripped off his shirt and stepped out of his jeans, leaving just his boxers. The small jets erupted in a mass of heated bubbles when he turned the dial to give them a half an hour. “Tommy rarely uses the tub, and I was thinking you could use some relaxing.”
Adam undressed slowly and made his way to the Jacuzzi. “It’s big.” He dipped in a toe. “Wow, hot.”
“Seats twelve.” Ru stepped in, sighing at the sweetness of the heat. He held his hand to Adam. “Come on, just warm water and snuggles, I promise.” He guided Adam to a seat and sat on his left side just so he could hold his hand. “See? Good, right?”
“Warm.” Adam leaned against Ru. “Thank you for coming back. I’m sorry I interrupted your work.”
Ru transferred Adam’s hand to his left and wrapped his right arm around his boyfriend. “It’s just work. It will still be there. I talked to Katie about doing more phone or online interviews instead of flying everywhere. And there are plenty of recording studios within walking distance from here. So much is digital now that I can send a lot of it back to Herb without leaving.”
“Hmm,” Adam mumbled sleepily.
Ru took the time to look him over, noting each bruise or scrape and hoping that whatever they did to Nate, it was bad. He wondered about the double date that would out them as a couple to the world and worried people would bother Adam because of him. “You know I love you, right, Adam?”
“Love you too.” Adam smiled, looking goofy and sweet all at the same time.
“Not the meds talking?” Ru asked feeling his heart warm and hopeful.
“Not the meds. I love you, Ru.”
They sat together in silence until the jets shut off. Then Ru shuffled Adam out of the hot tub and back to Ru’s room, carrying their clothes. Adam didn’t even protest about Ru helping him change into dry boxers, then the two curled up in Ru’s big bed and went to sleep. They would have time later to worry about what was going to happen with the rest of the world.
