Page 88 of Roll With The Punches
“No, it’snot,” both men said in unison. “It’s no different,” Brandon continued. “You’re just stubborn.”
“We get it,” Stuart said. “But what you aren’t getting is we love you and are worried about you.”
“Emma ratted you out,” Brandon said. “She saw how bad you were doing out in the garage when she and Grace were helping you with the Edsel.”
* * * *
Brandon stood and walked over to his dresser. They each had an “off-limits” drawer in their respective dressers, where, unless someone had permission to go into it for some reason, no one snooped. This was for privacy, and Brandon had always honored that.
A couple of weeks ago, he’d tucked away a jeweler’s box in his.
It was this box he now retrieved before he returned to the men. Then he pointed at Stuart, and the bed, to sit next to Jeff.
Once Stuart did, Brandon again dropped to one knee before them, opening the box. Inside, the three matching wedding bands he’d purchased for them. He’d planned to schedule a weekend alone for them and “propose” to them then, maybe take them over to the beach and do it there.
This was before he’d realized they’d have to do something more permanent for Jeff.
He took Stuart’s out first and slipped it onto his left ring finger. “My sweet beta boy, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I know you won’t have the piece of paper, but will you still marry me?”
Blinking back tears, Stuart eagerly nodded. “Yes, Master!”
Then Brandon took out Jeff’s ring and slipped it on his left ring finger. “I promised when I collared you both that I would take care of you. Right now, the best way I can take care of you is to legally marry you and put you on my insurance, because you have to stop working and focus on healing. I love you, and want to spend the rest of our lives together. Please marry me.”
Tears rolled down Jeff’s cheeks. “Yes, Master.”
He rose and kissed Stuart first, then Jeff, before sitting on the end of the bed on Jeff’s other side. Then he and Stuart hugged him. “You’re a stubborn, proud guy. We get it, you want to pull your weight. But what you forget is weneedyou. You healthy and safe and healing is what we need, not you killing yourself. Didn’t you agree to be mine?”
Jeff sniffled. “Yeah.”
“Okay, then. What we want—whatIwant as your Master—is for you to stay home. Deal?”
Jeff nodded. “Deal.”
Brandon palmed Jeff’s cheek and made him look him in the eyes. “For life. I meant it. For better and worse, sickness and health, all of that.”
He rested his forehead against Brandon’s. “I almost called one of you to come get me today when I left work. I wasn’t sure I could even drive.”
“Dammit,” Stuart said. “Why the hell didn’t you call us?”
But Brandon got it. He slowly rocked Jeff as the man started sobbing in his arms. “I hate feeling like this. I feel useless and weak.” Stuart pressed himself along Jeff’s back.
“Cry it out, buddy,” Brandon said. “That’s why we’re here. This is why you gave yourself to me, remember? I can’t fix this, but I can take care of you. Both of us can. I need you to give them notice tomorrow. Forget transferring to a different position. We’ll get the license in the morning before I go to work, and get married this weekend. I’m sure Loren will do it for us. And you’re officially under orders from this point forward to not hide how you’re feeling from us. If you need help, you must ask. Otherwise, I’ll cane Stuart’s ass for it.”
“Hey,” Stuart joked, but he didn’t safeword.
It did, however, have the effect Brandon hoped and pulled a snotty, ragged laugh from Jeff. “Yes, Master. Thank you.”
“Thankhim? Hell, thankme. It’s my ass on the line now.” When Stuart lifted his head from where he’d been pressed along Jeff’s back, he wore a playful smile.
