I haveeverything ready for when he returns. Comfort dinner, dessert, and a hot bath with bubbles floating on the top of the water. Dennis does nothing to help except supervise me with his one eyeball and repeatedly hissing at me when I get too close.
Gone is the cuddling and purring he gave me this morning. But then again, maybe he can sense the stress in the air. Maybe he can feel what just happened.
When Dex walks into the apartment, he looks exhausted, and I rush toward him, pulling him in for a long hug. His arms wind around me, and he squeezes me tightly before letting me go. He still smells like smoke.
‘Bath,’ I tell him, and he lets out a long exhale. I can feel it on my cheek. I grab his hand and bring him into the bathroom, where he stares at the tub longingly for a long moment.
‘Undress,’ I tell him, and he pulls his shirt off while I work on his pants. As much as I always seem to want him, tonight is all about him. Tonight is only about him and what he needs.
When he’s completely naked, he steps into the warm water and sinks beneath the bubbles, disappearing entirely for a long moment.
I stare at the water and jump slightly when he bobs to the surface.
‘Smells good,’ he says, bubbles lingering on his fingers.
‘I bought some nice bath stuff.’
He nods, his eyes meeting mine. ‘Thank you.’
I swallow and then kneel beside him, my hands moving to the shampoo and squirting some into my hands.
‘You can join me.’
I shake my head and then say with my voice, “Going to take care of you first.”
He lets his eyes slip shut as my fingers move through his hair, massaging his scalp as he leans back. I work on him for a long time, letting my hands move from his head to his neck, rubbing the sore muscles of his shoulders until they start to relax.
‘So good,’ he tells me, his chin meeting his chest. ‘I love this.’
I capture those signs and tuck them into my heart. Grabbing some soap and lifting an arm from the water, I wash him slowly, getting to every part of him, my shirt getting wet in the process, so I just take it off.
Dennis sniffs at it and then sits on the partially dry side of it.
Dex’s eyes slide down my chest, and he wets his lips. But not right now, I think. Not until later and only if he’s really sure. He’s been through something traumatic. He needs me to take care of him right now.
I rinse his hair, and he leans back, looking relaxed andclean. He no longer has the smudge of soot on his cheek, and his face no longer has the tension it previously wore.
‘I want you to relax while I warm up the food,’ I tell him, and he turns his gaze to meet mine.
‘You don’t have to.’
‘I know that, but I want to.’
I hop up and walk to the kitchen, getting everything from the fridge and working on warming it all up. I have no idea what he wants, but I went with the usual. Wings, fries, mac and cheese, and brownies. And right near them are some gummies Robbie left.
He stopped by earlier and hid them under the welcome mat with a note to use them carefully.
Nothing about this spread is remotely good for him, but it’s all delicious and comforting.
When Dex appears, his sweatpants dangerously low on his hips, he looks at the food on the counter and rubs his bare stomach.
‘Gonna get messy.’
‘The best part of comfort food. Sit. You want a drink? I have soda, beer, straight alcohol.’
‘I’ll take a soda. Whatever doesn’t have caffeine.’
I give him a root beer, and he pops the top, taking a long sip. I watch his Adam’s apple bob as he swallows it down, taking a seat right next to him and handing him a plate.
