Page 10 of The Barn: Frost and Q
“No. Not therapy. Swimming with me.” Those golden hazel eyes held his gaze, not letting him look away.
He heard the door click shut as whatshisname left, and he nodded, his hands coming up to rest on Frost’s arms. “I can do that. With you.”
“Good. I want that.”
His legs worked, for the most part. His issue was balance. He wasn’t sure or steady on his feet, and he found the chair easier, faster. He never felt scared, never felt as if he was going to fall when he was in the chair.
Frost had been pushing him to walk more, to work on his balance, and the hydrotherapy was honestly the best way to do that. But he wasn’t sure he was ready to do everything Frost wanted him to do. He had never been a good little sub.
Not to mention he was still having fucking panic attacks when he left his room.
“Come on, baby boy. I’ll wheel you down, and we’ll swim.”
“No.” He gripped the arms of his chair instead of Frost. “No. I want to stay here.”
“No, you’re afraid, but you want to come with me. Look, I’ll clear the pool.” Frost sat back on his heels, pulling out his phone. He clicked around, then held it to his ear. “Jace. Yes. Is there anyone at the pool and hot tub? Great. Can you close it for a private event? Thanks. Yeah, and can you get some juices and nibbles down there? Perfect. No, just like fruit, cheese… Yeah. Thanks.”
Frost clicked off the call and smiled at him. “See? Easy peasy. These are the perks of being owners.” He stood, then moved around behind the chair. “Grab your towel and suit.”
He snagged the bundle as they went by, and he put it on his lap, wanting to rail at Frost, but also wanting to go so bad he ached with it. Frost was a hell of a swimmer, and he loved to watch the man cut through the water.
He always had.
“Good boy.”
God, Quentin wanted to snap that he wasn’t a boy, but he was, in the way that Frost meant it. Frost had been his Dom as well as his husband. Still was the husband part, because he couldn’t bring himself to push the divorce.
He didn’t want it. But he couldn’t stand Frost’s guilt. It tore at him every day.
“Why do you keep pushing me?” Quentin snapped.
“Because I can’t just let you hide, Q.” Frost pushed him into the elevator, then hit the lower-level button for the fitness club and pool.
“Why not? You don’t want to have to see me be weak. Why should anyone else have to?”
“Is that what you think?” Frost looked down at him when he looked up. “That I’m ashamed of you?”
“Aren’t you?”
“No! Jesus, Q. No.” Frost lowered his voice after the explosive negative. “I am so not ashamed of you. Never.”
“But you can’t look at me without guilt or pity.” He saw it. He knew he did.
“I don’t pity you.” Frost blew out a hard breath. “I do feel guilty. This is my fault.”
“This what?”
“This whole situation. The fact that you got shot! That they tried to kidnap you.”
“Did you tell them to?”
“No. No, of course not, baby.” The elevator dinged, and Frost wheeled him out once the doors opened.
There was a hush in the plush hall that led to the pool deck, which was behind sliding glass doors to keep in the humidity and warmth. The hot tub bubbled away, and fancy lounge chairswere strewn around, along with tables and chairs, and a bar along one wall.
He sighed. “Take me to the end where I can change in the bathroom?”
“Why? Just you and me, and there’s no one manning the cameras.” Frost tugged him gently to standing, then pushed down his sweats. “In fact, no one but our subby little Jace will be coming in to deliver food. The pool is closed. We could go without the suits.”
