Page 32 of The Way Home
“It doesn’t really matter what it is, but sometimes I like listening to someone read. It helps me relax.”
Riley’s hand squeezed mine before he let go, and gave me a soft smile. “Sure. But I’m skipping the sexy parts, because I don’t think I can read those out loud.”
I chuckled lightly. “Maybe next time.”
Riley stayed sitting up in bed, and I took a chance and moved closer, resting my head on his lap. He didn’t flinch or say anything, and when his hand rubbed over my back, a contented sigh released from me. He began reading, and it was ten times better than any ASMR person I’d ever tried. It was him. The words blended together, but his beautiful voice settled over me, completely relaxing me. Being with him like this… the storm might as well have evaporated. It was him. Only him filling my field of vision, and the sound of him reading filling my ears.
The perfect end to a perfect day.
In the morning, I woke to find our positions switched, Riley’s body tangling with mine. His leg was hooked over mine, knee resting dangerously close to my crotch, his head was on my chest, and he had a hand wedged under my armpit. I folded my free arm around him and held him there, placing a kiss on the top of his head. I wasn’t sure if he was going to wake up in a panic as he had the last time, so I was determined to enjoy the moment before he did. Only… he didn’t. He let out a contented sigh and nuzzled his face against my chest, the scruff on his cheeks scraping deliciously against my skin.
Riley’s knee slid up just enough to rub against my cock, eliciting a gasp from me. I thought he would freeze and jump away, but instead he moaned and rolled his hips, bringing his knee over me once more, while his own erection poked into my hip. A sleepy moan sounded. I was so tempted to encourage themovement and see how far this would go, but I wasn’t entirely sure he was conscious. If this was going to happen, it was going to be with his full awareness and participation.
I rubbed my hand over his back. “Riley, are you awake?”
“Mmm,” he hummed. He slid his leg up, putting pressure on my dick, and his cock rolled across the band of my underwear.Fuck me.I didn’t want it to stop, but I refused to continue without consent.
Kissing the top of his head again and trying to keep from arching my back to create better friction, I cleared my throat. “Riley, good morning. I’m going to need some words here.”
Riley squirmed against me, making me ache to move with him. I felt his body still and his breathing change, but he didn’t push away. He yawned and tilted his head back to look up at me with a sleepy smile. “Good morning.”
“Good, good. You’re awake.”
Riley shifted his position slightly, enough for his leg to slide over my hard length, making me draw in a sharp breath. He let out a soft, “Oh,” and froze.
“Yeah,” I said, trying not to move despite my body crying out for me to do something.
“Sorry, I didn’t realize. I thought I was dreaming.” Riley’s cheeks pinked in that color I loved. Even more so now with our bodies entangled and both of us hard.
I gently caressed his cheek. “Must have been a good dream.”
The pink brightened, and he looked away. “It was, but I…”
“It’s okay. We don’t have to do anything. I mean, believe me, I really want to, but not if you’re uncomfortable.”
Riley tilted his head back down, but kept his head on my chest. He carefully withdrew his leg from mine. “I don’t know if I’m ready yet, sorry.”
I kissed his head once more before moving my arm off his back to give him space. “Please don’t be sorry. I just needed to stop you before I couldn’t stop myself.”
He looked up at me and gave me an appreciative look before surprising me by returning his head to my chest. “Can we stay like this, though? Just for a bit longer?”
I wrapped my arm around him again, smiling wide. “We can stay like this as long as you like.”
Riley nuzzled in, and we embraced in silence, both fully awake and fully participating, though different than the direction it was headed minutes before. But I was happy. Happy to have him stay. To not flee to another room, to not overthink, to not disappear into his head and work his way through his chemical compounds. I could feel it, feel him relax fully in my arms, and it was… everything.
I didn’t know how much time had passed—it could have been seconds or hours—but Riley pressed a soft kiss to my chest and rolled away. I missed his body on mine immediately but felt completely content.
Riley stood and stared at me in his bed… well, our parents’ bed, “Hey, uh, I was thinking… maybe we could go for a walk again. Would that be okay?”
My lips curved upward. “That sounds great. I promise I won’t abandon you this time. I’ll stay right by your side and protect you from those mean old branches. How’s your arm doing by the way?”
He turned it over to reveal the faded scratch. “Oh, it’s fine, but I appreciate you wanting to stay with me anyway.”
“Nowhere I’d rather be, darling.”
Riley pursed his lips to fight a smile as he gave me his famous eye roll. God, I’d missed it.
We both got dressed, ate a light breakfast, filled our water bottles, and headed out. As we walked along the path, Riley’shand bumped against mine, and I grabbed it, slotting our fingers together. He glanced over at me and gave me a smile, keeping his hand in place. It felt like the most natural thing in the world. What I wouldn’t give to have a lifetime of holding his hand and getting to walk side-by-side with him.
