Page 54 of Rules to Love By

“Good. Thank you.” He stood but stopped when Marcus said his name again. “Yeah?”

“Can you, maybe, move the garbage can over, please?”

“Sure.” He fetched the plastic container from its spot next to the table under the window and set it beside the bed, taking a closer look at Marcus’s face. “Are you okay?”

Marcus smiled at him, but it wavered alarmingly. “Go in the bathroom, please?” His cheeks had lost all colour, and the sweat on his forehead was obvious now.

“Mar—”

“Shit.” Marcus grabbed for the can and got his face over it just in time. The acrid scent of puke drove any remaining musk of sex from the room. Marcus heaved long after his stomach was empty.

Eli sat on the bed beside him, dragged the covers over his shaking back and waited.

“That was…” Marcus shuddered. “Sorry. Most guys are gone before that happens.”

Eli didn’t even know what to say.

“Not your fault,” Marcus assured him, setting the can down gingerly and wiping a hand over his mouth.

Eli got up and peeled back the covers. “Lie back down.”

“You don’t have to stay.” But Marcus did squiggle back under the covers Eli held for him.

“Are you out of your mind?” Eli moved the can farther away so he could crouch next to the bed to see into Marcus’s face. “What do you mean most guys are gone?”

Marcus shrugged. “It isn’t like they stick around after. And if they do, I can sometimes fight it off. Sometimes make it to the bathroom.”

Eli stroked his hair. “Every time?”

Another shrug.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

Marcus snorted. “Like what? Sure, I’ll have sex with you. Most likely upchuck my dinner afterwards, but don’t let that stop you.”

“Jesus. Of course it would stop me.”

“Why would you even care?”

“Why would I…? Marcus, throwing up after sex is not normal.”

“Gee, ya think?” He closed his eyes. “Neither is wanting—”

Eli waited, but it was soon enough obvious he wasn’t going to finish that thought. “Wanting what?” he asked gently.

Marcus opened his eyes to stare at him, expression frighteningly blank. “You know what.”

“If you’re talking about…” Eli pulled in a breath, considering, watching Marcus watch him. It wasn’t doing Marcus any good pretending or denying, so he pushed the air back out and decided. “If you’re talking about submitting, it is, in fact, perfectly normal.”

Marcus didn’t move or blink. In fact, for a moment, he didn’t even breathe.

Eli leaned over him, kissed his cheek, then sat back on his heels, fingers still carding through his damp curls. “We aren’t going to talk about this right now.”

“But—”

Eli touched his lips, because that seemed to settle him a bit, and in fact, some of the tension left Marcus’s features at the touch. “You’re exhausted, and I’m furious. Not at you,” he said quickly, when Marcus’s brows knit. “I’m angry at every asshole who didn’t know they were doing this to you, or worse, didn’t care.”

“You can’t blame them.”

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