idea.
“Not for long, but I needed to get perspective on us.”
“And did you get perspective?” Louis asked curiously.
“Some. Not enough. I should have walked back in here and told you that I was your Daddy, and we were destined to be together forever.” Craig put one finger under Louis’s chin and tilted it, so they stared at each other. “I should have done that, and I regretted each day that I didn’t have the balls to walk back into your life.”
“I should have gone after you and begged for forgiveness.” Louis swallowed hard. He’d gotten much the same point of view from his therapy, and had fallen apart rather than dealing with it.
“There was nothing to forgive. You and me, we were both wrong and both right. I wish I could have realized that then.”
Tears spilled too easily onto Louis’s cheeks. He was too fragile to have this conversation now.
Craig seemed to realize it because he wiped away the tears with a gentle tenderness and tucked Louis’s head under his chin, holding him close again.
They lay together, breathing in a gentle rhythm. Louis was getting drowsy enough to sleep when Craig said, “We sleep together from now on.”
Louis murmured his agreement. After the night he’d just had, that sounded like heaven.
Craig
It took a long time for Craig to fall asleep. Louis crashed almost as soon as they settled but Craig couldn’t sleep, and he wouldn’t leave Louis alone for a moment.
He was mortified and angry and guilty and upset at hurting his boy. It had been instinct. He was wide awake and out of bed in an instant as the door opened, launching himself at the intruder and slamming him against the wall. Horror slammed through him the moment he heard Louis scream.
Craig stroked Louis’s damp hair. Louis murmured and snuggled in closer. Maybe Quick was right. He should step back from this assignment. He was the wrong person to take care of Louis. His boy deserved someone who had his head in the game.
He stared up at the ceiling, his eyes gritty and painful. He was going to feel wrecked later. He reached out to the nightstand and fumbled for his phone. Trying to message with one hand was hard but he managed a ‘Talk 2moz’.
Is he all right? Are you all right?
Craig sighed, knowing Padraig would have made the call already.
No no
Call me in the morning.
Ok
Craig dropped the phone on the floor and snuggled closer to Louis. This was bigger than him. He needed help.
Craig slept for a few more hours. This time he woke before Louis. Usually it was the other way around, but Craig had the feeling Louis only slept when he was near Craig. If he’d known that from the first, he’d have insisted they shared a bed.
The light from the nightstand was still on. He watched Louis sleep, his head on Craig’s chest, his long black hair like a fan. Louis reached out and Craig took his hand.
“I’m here, baby,” he murmured, and he saw Louis’s mouth curve into a smile. Louis wasn’t awake, but he needed to know Craig was here.
Whereas Craig needed to get up. He needed to use the bathroom and he had to make a phone call, but he didn’t want to disturb Louis. He squinted at the clock. 6:15. He could sleep for another couple of hours. Louis murmured as if agreeing with that decision. Craig smiled fondly. His bladder could wait.
The next time he woke up, Louis had vanished, and there was no waiting. Craig bolted out of bed and headed into the bathroom. It took him a moment to relax and he sighed with relief as he aimed into the bowl.
He wanted a shower, but first he needed to find Louis. He washed his hands and went in search of his errant boy. He wasn’t surprised to find Louis in the den, his glasses halfway down his nose as he studied his large planner in front of him, talking fast on the phone. Louis smiled at Craig when he spotted him in the doorway, but he didn’t stop or slow down the conversation.
“No, we kept the seating as it is. If Conchita turns up, she can have my table. Yes, I know, but for now what Conchita wants, she can have. Yes, they can have an invite. No, Daysance aren’t back until after the party. I’ve told them that already. The rest of the band flew out to join Cade.” Louis frowned. “We booked the entertainment months