Page 67 of Everything's Better With You
“Shhh. Don’t open your eyes all the way. I’ve turned the lights down. Let me guide you to your bed. I’ll have you lay down with your head at the foot of the bed so I can work on your neck.”
Leslie did as he was told, leaning on Joe while they moved through the dark. His mind remained on that beach, in the sun, with the warm breeze caressing his skin. His shoes were tugged off and he imagined digging them in the sand, remembering how he and Barry used to bury each other up to their necks, how much he loved having that weight on him from the cool, damp sand in the hot Hawaiian afternoons. Hawaii was definitely a place of memories…
“Why didn’t you come meet me in Hawaii, Joe?”
The beach faded to the dark room as he opened his eyes and the support of the sand on his neck changed to two points of pressure under the base of his skull—Joe’s thumbs.
“Where did that come from?” Joe had paused his movements but now he began his thumb circles again, this time with a little less fluidity.
“My happy place is there, well, the place I went was my place in Hawaii. I wanted you to meet me there, but you said you had to go back to LA. You never told me why?”
Joe was quiet for a long time and the pressure began to be a bitmuch for Leslie. One thumb circle hit a particularly sore spot and Leslie winced, sucking in a breath.
“I’m sorry, babe. Here. Breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth, slowly and deeply.” Joe began applying gentle pressure strokes over the top of Leslie’s skull, somehow magically finding all of the tender spots and lovingly easing them.
“That feels so good.”
“I was afraid to come meet you. No, keep your eyes closed. No, I can’t talk to you about this if they’re open, you’re too close.”
Leslie placed his hands over Joe’s to still them. “I’m sorry. It’s okay, whatever it was. I just always wondered.”
Joe exhaled and sat back on his haunches. “I was afraid, Les. I knew if I came to you, I wouldn’t want to leave.”
Les smiled up at him, but kept his eyes closed. “Would that have been so terrible?”
“No, it would have been amazing. But Les, I wasn’t ready. I knew if I went to Hawaii, spent time with you, it would be great…but it also would have been the end of my dance career. I wasn’t ready for that.”
“But I would have supported whatever you wanted to do. You know that. I just thought…well,Iwas ready. It’s okay that you weren’t—if you’re not. I just wondered if it was something I said or did, if it was someone else.”
“Well, it was Lady Gaga, Les. Come on. Do you blame me for running off to join her tour? That’s what excuse I used to go back to LA. It was Lady G. I ‘had’ to go. That tour led to me doing the Superbowl gig with her, remember?”
Les shuddered. “Yeah. I remember it well.”
Joe sighed. “Really, though? I was afraid. I’m mostly not afraid anymore.”
Les held Joe’s hands still and he turned his face to kiss the inside of Joe’s left wrist, then the right one. “You’re here now. I’m so happy you’re here now.”
Joe leaned down and kissed his forehead. “Iamhere, and I’m not going anywhere, but I’m supposed to be helping you relax and go to sleep.”
“Fine,” Leslie said, dropping his hands. “I still want to take you there. To Hawaii. I want to show you my secret hideaway.”
“I’d love to see your secret hideaway. Now go back there in your mind. You were almost rid of this tension.”
“Thank you,” Leslie sighed. “Thank you for taking care of me. Everything is better with you here.”
Joe snorted. “You say that now…”
But he kept up the pressure and Leslie went back to the beach and frolicked in the waves with naked Joe and they kissed and touched each other until a really loud buzzing sound—
“What the?”
Leslie sat upright and found his five o’clock alarm going off. He was so confused. He was still in his clothes and socks, but he was laying on top of the duvet with a throw blanket tangled in his legs and…
Oh, Joe.
Joe had been there. He’d been helping Leslie manage his migraine, which was totally gone. He’d even placed a pillow underneath Leslie’s head and covered him with a blanket. There was a note on his bedside table.
You are so peaceful when you sleep. So handsome. I hope the Joe Judd Migraine Special helped.
