Food. Drinks. Shakes. And all of the sudden they were parking, and he was thinking maybe he’d just sleep here in the truck rather than move.
“Don’t you fall asleep on me. I can’t carry you.” Dillon hopping out, grabbed all of the crap, and came around, standing like a crutch to help him down.
“I’ll hump my stuff. I will.” He reached for his duffle.
“No. You’ll take the food. Come on.”
“I will?” He did.
Okay.
It was the longest walk he’d had since he’d walked into Miz Scott’s house and seen little Jason, blind.
“Almost there, Coke.” They were upstairs, the open elevator doors making him blink. He didn’t even remember going up.
“Jesus. I ain’t even took them pills yet.” Lord, he was reverting into AJ. The thought made him chuckle.
“Well, just think how well you’ll sleep when you do. Uh. What room are you in?” Somehow they’d booked him up with Nate, even though he and Dillon had tried to get them a room together.
“Three something.” He stopped, closed his eyes a second.Shit. Nate had the working key and he needed a little fortification before he faced that harpy at the front desk again. “Tell you what, man. I’ll just sit down there in the lobby for a few, eat.”
“Shit, no. Come on. I’m in three-oh-eight.” Dillon took him down the hall, leading the way and letting him in to a blessedly dark, quiet room. “Ta-da.”
“Oh, thank God.” There was a chair, a place to sit and he stumbled over, getting the food onto the little table before he crashed down.
“Shit, Coke. Are you sure nothing’s broken?” Dillon turned on the smallest lamp so it wouldn’t blind his happy ass and came to help him get his shoes off.
“Pretty sure. I liked the new bit with the booty shaking.” His shoes popped off and he curled his toes.
“That was pure panic. I was worried as heck about you.” There was no real heat in it, no accusation. Just the truth, and a touch of warm concern.
“Yeah, I sorta lost it. Asshole bull.” He reached out, cupped Dillon’s face a little. “Hey.”
“Hey.” Dillon smiled, searching his eyes for a moment. “You hungry?”
“I am.” He nodded, thumb moving, petting some. “Guess we oughta eat, huh?”
“We ought. Before you fall over.” Dillon pressed a soft kiss to his thumb. “Not that I want to rush you.”
“I just want to be at the house, in the hot tub, with you.” Did he say that out loud?
“Man, that sounds so good. We have two weekends off coming down the pike.” Dillon got up and gave him a soft kiss, bustling around after to get the table set, get him a hot washcloth… Taking care.
“Come back with me?” He took one of the pills that Doc’d given him, washing it down with some milkshake.
“You know it. I kinda already asked someone to watch my place. Figured it would be easier than not, if you asked.” Thiswhole thing between them was so new that they were both afraid to ask, sometimes.
“Yeah? Good deal. I’ll have to trade off with you, next break.” Maybe. Or not. Whatever Dillon wanted.
“Sure. You’d love fishing up by me, eh?” Sandwich, fries, the other shake, they were all set right by his hand.
“I do like fishing. I got a little bass boat for the pond. Nothing fancy.”
“I’ll take you fly fishing.” Warm fingers found his shirt, pulling and tugging until Dillon got it off him.
“Ain’t never done that.” He glanced down at the bruises. Damn.
“You want some ice, too?” Dillon was staring at his chest.
