Page 367 of Sticks and Stones
Oh, he bet it was.
“I’m not leaving you when I see your body, Corbin. If anything, it’ll make me love you more. I meant what I said. If we never have sex again, we have this,” he said, lifting their joined hands. “We have walks in the park, and sushi on the couch. We have movies at home, and dinner dates where we can dance in the moonlight. I’ll give up sex to have you, Corbin. I’ll give up my life to have you.”
Corbin believed him.
When he shifted, trying to get comfortable, but moaning in pain, Will was worried about him.
“What if I get you into some hot water? Do they have a shower or bath?”
Corbin wasn’t sure he wanted the man to see him naked. He wasn’t sure he could bear to see his face crisscrossed with revulsion.
So he didn’t answer.
And Will caught it.
“You can trust me, Corbin. I won’t see your injuries and run. I can’t promise I won’t see them and get so angry that I haveto go find the pieces of shit who hurt my man, but I won’t betray your heart.”
He was to the point.
“I think they handled them. I don’t think anyone will see them again.”
And Corbin left it at that.
“Well, good. I’ll buy the two of them dinner, a medal, and hug them for doing that. They’re officially my heroes. You are, too, Corby. You’re tough, and I’ll never not be grateful you fought to get home to me.”
In that moment, he had to make a choice.
Hide.
Or trust Will.
“They have a shower and a jacuzzi tub in the master bathroom. The guest bathroom has a shower,” he offered.
Will suspected that since Corbin had mentioned a bath. So now, he’d soak.
“Okay, let’s go get you in some hot water,” he offered. “You’ll feel better if you can soak. A bath always makes me feel better.”
This was taking all Corbin had—not the moving, but the trust it took that Will wouldn’t be sickened by his body when he saw it.
When Will helped him up, he walked with him to the men’s bedroom, and he saw Corbin’s bag there.
Grabbing it, he brought it into the bathroom, and placed it on the counter.
Then, he sat the man down on the toilet, and got the tub ready to soak.
He turned the hot water on, and he dug around in Corbin’s bag, finding him sweats and comfortable things to wear after he got out.
He found his body wash, and he squirted a few pumps into the water so it would be familiar.
So Corbin would smell himself, and feel normal.
Then, he turned, knowing it was time.
“I can leave if it’s too much for you to have me see your body. I’ll wait outside and you can call me when you’re in the water.”
He stopped him.
“No, it’s okay. You need to know. Just please don’t pity me. I can’t deal with that. I called Ethan and Gene because I knew they’d understand. I knew they’d not pity me and make me feel worse. I knew they’d seen victims and would protect not baby me.”
