Colin pressed a kiss to Joshua’s temple and got to his feet. “We got any beer?”
“In the fridge, Colin,” David answered, then turned back to Joshua. “You’re still having memory problems?”
“Now and then,” he said, watching Colin as he moved through the door and into the cabin. “But it’s not that as much as mood swings. Emotional overreactions.”
“Being a drama queen?” Nate suggested with a sly grin.
Joshua laughed out loud. “Yeah. Anuberdrama queen. Plus the occasional headache, some dizziness. And, god, I’m sotiredall the time!”
“Give it time, Josh,” Nate said. “It’s only been a couple weeks. God, I’m just so glad we’ve still got you here with us. Take all the time you need to get well.”
David tilted his head toward the cabin. “How’shedoing?”
Joshua gave them a slow smile. “I didn’t make it easy on him the first week or so. I was angry, and my behavior was childish.” He glanced toward the door through which Colin had disappeared. “He’s been...” He bowed his head and stared down at the slatted wooden floor, fumbling for the right word. “He’s been amazing,” Joshua told him. “He treats me like I’m made of porcelain.” He glanced at Nate. “I don’t deserve him.”
“That’s just not true, Josh. You do deserve him! You two belong together.” He reached to touch Joshua’s shoulder, his blue eyes bright with tears. “He suffered terribly when you were missing. It tore at my heart to see him so broken.”
“But thankfully, Josh is back with us and everything’s right with the world again,” David said, reaching to take Nate’s hand.
“Beers for everyone!” Colin announced, returning to the porch with two cans of beer in each hand.”
“I get abeer?”Joshua asked. “Wow. Throwing caution to the winds today, are we?”
“He’s not supposed to have abeer?” Nate asked, reaching to grab one of the ice-cold cans.
“He shouldn’t have anything that affects his brain,” Colin muttered, draping his arm around Joshua’s shoulders. “But I figure one won’t hurt him.”
“I see,” Nate said arching an eyebrow. “Then I take it that you now remain fully-clothed at all times? Even in bed? Because weknowhow the sight of your shirtless chest affects his brain!”
“It’s not mybrainthat gets affected,” Joshua quipped with a grin.
“I would think that making love would have ahugeimpact on the brain,” David mused.
Joshua shot Colin an accusatory glance and nudged him with an elbow. “I wouldn’tknow.”
“Really!”Nate teased then turned to Colin with a grin. “No sex for Josh, huh?”
Colin tilted the beer can to his lips and took a long, deep swallow, then leaned toward Nate. “He has a grade 3 concussion, a broken arm, torn ligaments in his knee, three cracked ribs, fractured eye sockets, and more abrasions and contusions than a prize fighter. But you think I should haul him into bed and fuck him senseless?”
“Well,” Nate pondered, leaning toward Colin, “maybe notsenseless!”
“I won’t risk hurting him,” Colin muttered, then laughed when David rose from his chair and swatted the back Nate’s head.
“Rabble-rouser!” David muttered, reseating himself.
“Josh? No comment from you?” Nate asked.
Joshua turned to peer at his husband who leaned back and returned his gaze. “Well,” Joshua drawled out, “I understand his reasoning.” He tilted his head and squinted one bruised eye, still peering at Colin. “But on the other hand, Page didn’t do a damnthingto my dick!”
“Or to your ass,” Nate added, giggling.
“Yeah, I got luckythere,” Joshua muttered.
Nate gasped, horrified that he might have brought up a distressing subject. “Oh god, Josh, I’m sorry!”
Joshua laughed and reached to pat Nate’s knee. “It’s fine, Nate. Page didn’t sexually assault me. He planned to. But my fearless hero here arrived and saved me before he got around to it.”
Colin scoffed in distain. “Your hero was anythingbutfearless.”
