He glances down at his lap and then lifts his gaze to mine again. “I think it’ll be better to go after relieving some pressure first.”
“You mean in your prostate?”
He wiggles beside me. “Yeah, and here.” He rubs at his cock. “It feels very swollen and tender.”
“I think I have just the thing to help with both.”
“Should we go downstairs, then?”
“Yes. This will be better done on the exam table with everything sterilized.”
He loops his arm around mine, signaling for me to lead the way, and I do. Leading him places has been one of my favorite things to do. He follows so easily, though I think if he could, he’d be there before me so he could wait. Then when he saw me showing up, he’d get the validation he never got from his ex, foster brother, or anyone else.
Twelve
Riley
I’m lying stiffly on the table with a fresh gown on. It’s lifted halfway but there’s a paper sheet draped over my lap, blocking the cold air. I count the tiles on the ceiling, humming the song he’s always humming and still have no idea what the hell it is. It randomly enters my head without warning, much like him and what I think he may test me for next, along with what I’m hoping he’ll test me for.
Rubber slaps against Sam’s hands as he slides on a pair of gloves and stands in front of me. A metal table rests beside him, holding a pack of supplies. Two metal stick looking objects and iodine and lube packets.
“Nervous?”
The shake of my head quickly turns to a nod. “A little. Will it hurt?”
“Do you want it to?”
“I don’t know.”
“It shouldn’t if we do everything correctly. It will be uncomfortable at first, and the pressure will get worse before it gets better.”
“Yeah . . . okay.”
He holds my shaking hand, his fingers curling around mine. “It’s going to be okay. This doesn’t have to be a regular thing, and it might not ever happen again depending on an array of factors.”
“The biggest one being?”
“You.” His face softens. “It always depends on you.”
I suck in a breath and nod again. “I’m ready.”
“I agree. It’s natural to be a little scared of the unknown. Just like when you break into a house and don’t know if you’ll be caught.”
It is like that but also different. I thought that was all I was and could have. I thought so many things before entering this house that I’m now second guessing. Sam rubs the back of my hand before pulling away. He changes his gloves again and rips open the packages. Metal clicks against metal, and he separates everything before turning back to me.
Tugging down the sheet, he smiles. “Still good?”
“Yeah,” I say, sounding more confident this time. “Please keep going.”
“Don’t worry. There’ll be no stopping now. I can slow down, but once everything is prepped, the procedure or test must go on.”
“I don’t need you to slow down either. If anything, I feel like you’re stalling.”
He snorts. “You’re very feisty today. So much attitude for someone who’s supposed to not be feeling well.”
“Being sick has never held me back from being a smart ass.”
“So no special privileges for me in that regard, then, huh?”
