Two for Joy - Louise Collins Page 0,78
the scar was deeply etched into his skin. He looked awful, and Chad standing beside him, with his clear skin, his fresh haircut, and his clean white shirt, mocked him.
“Now who’s the handsome one?”
Chad stopped laying out the toiletries on the side. “You’re still handsome.”
Romeo gestured to his face. “Really?”
“How did you describe me once? Perfectly imperfect.”
“So you’re calling me imperfect then.”
Chad rolled his eyes. “Come on, I know the shower looks rusty, but I’m hoping it’ll at least have hot water.”
“A hot shower.” Romeo groaned. “Sounds too good to be true.”
Chad rolled up his sleeve then twisted the dial. He kept his hand under the spray, frowning in concentration, then his look softened, and he smiled.
“Ready for you.”
“Are you that eager to see me naked?”
“Get in the shower.”
Romeo smirked, then undressed. His filthy clothes hit the floor with a dull thud. Chad handed over the shampoo, and shower gel, and Romeo went about scrubbing his body clean. It wasn’t the most powerful of sprays, but it stripped the dirt and grime from Romeo’s flesh. He used Chad’s shampoo and shower gel till the bottles were both near enough empty, and he reeked of Chad. He moaned when he scrubbed his hair, feeling the grease lift straight off it. His scalp tingled, and he combed his hair back with his fingers, satisfied it was clean.
Chad leaned against the wall of the bathroom, watching Romeo soap himself up. His eyes were blown with lust, but he didn’t come any closer. Even when Romeo extended his hand, Chad didn’t approach the shower. He blinked out of his thoughts, then pointed at the door. “I’ll go and—”
“No. You’re gonna take off your clothes and join me.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Romeo leaned out of the spray. “Why not?”
“What he did to me…”
“Come here.”
Chad shook his head.
“I said come here.”
Romeo curled his finger, encouraging Chad close. He took a step, then froze. His face scrunched, he didn’t look at Romeo, but turned and fled out of the door. Romeo flared his nostrils, leaving the shower. He didn’t bother turning it off, or drying himself, he marched straight out of the bathroom, a man on a mission.
“Romeo—”
“Off.”
“What?”
He shook his head, flinging droplets everywhere. “Take it off.”
Chad looked down at his shirt buttons, but made no move to undo them.
“Fine. I’ll take them off then.”
Romeo made quick work of the buttons, but when he slipped the shirt from Chad’s shoulders, he had to pause, and take in Chad’s torso.
He’d seen what Marc had done to him, the smears, the lines where the blood had run and darkened, but somehow it was more shocking without the blood, seeing only neat numbers cut, and carved into Chad’s pale flesh. They stood out, demanding Romeo’s attention.
“See,” Chad said, fighting to get his shirt back on.
“Wait, wait, wait.”
“Even you can’t stand them.”
“Stop.” Romeo said, taking a two-handed grip of Chad’s shirt. Chad was struggling, trying to back away. “Don’t…”
He gave up the fight, and let Romeo take the shirt off completely. Some of the wounds were still bandaged, the numbers Marc had cut out, rather than just cut.
A whole confused mass of emotions spun in Romeo’s mind, he had trouble deciphering them all, had no idea how normal people coped when they were faced with complicated situations. The longer he took to say something reassuring, the more Chad drooped forward, and hugged his arms around his body.
He cupped Chad’s face and lifted him until their eyes met. “You know I love you, right?”
Chad widened his eyes. “What?”
“I don’t really know what it is, but I feel it’s the appropriate word to sum up how I feel about you. One simplistic word for something that’s immeasurably complex.”
“You love me?”
“Do you think I’d get punched in the face by a boxer for anyone?”
Chad laughed.
“Do you think I would’ve allowed someone to stab me with a pencil—”
“Wait, someone stabbed you?”
“Or climb through panels in a hospital ceiling, or crawl through ditches, or scale walls, or tie up ex-fiancés, or get sliced with a scalpel. You think I’d do that for anyone?”
“I hope not.” Chad laughed.
“These…” Romeo said, touching the numbers on Chad’s chest. “These won’t ever take away how I feel about you. What I’d do for you, and I really would do anything to keep you alive.”
Romeo hooked his fingers over the top of Chad’s pants and yanked him closer. “That okay with you?”
“Would it make a difference if I wasn’t okay with it?”
“No difference whatsoever. Now … I’m hungry.”
“I’ve got