Page 87 of Peach Tree Family

"What is it?"

"We lost our parents so losing things that remind me of them, that I could share with Ace..." Theo trailed off but then continued. "Whenever Dad would go to the store, he'd buy some little thing for Mom, just silly things that they put by the registers. Dad would give them to her and she loved them. Sometimes it was candy then she would eat it all sneaky. I told you she had a raging sweet tooth. She kept a whole box of little things Dad had bought her. Once she was gone, I wanted to keep those things, but our aunt threw it out while we were at school. Like it was garbage."

"That had to be hell for you." Seth could see it on his face.

"Hell. That's about right. I wanted to scream at her and cry, but Ace was already crying, and for his sake, I had to act like it was all right."

Without even thinking, Seth took his hand. "The most important thing is that Ace has you." Tightening his hold on Theo's hand, Seth drew him closer and put an arm around him. "Is this OK?"

"It's more than OK," Theo told him and leaned his head on Seth's shoulder.

They stayed like that for a little while with Seth not daring to move an inch. When Theo pulled away, Seth didn't want to let him go, but he knew it would be wrong to offer him comfort and then ask for more.

It wasn't long before Theo decided to go to bed. First he helped Seth get up, and his touch was like fire that wouldn't go out.

A little later, sitting on the bed, Seth was surprised to see Theo at the bedroom door. "I have my stuff here. I wanted to get something to sleep in," Theo said as he came in.

Having him there, Seth was yearning to tell him how much he thought about him, how much he wanted to be with him all the time, that it hurt not to see him.

"Theo. I know I don't always do the right thing with you. I can't help what I feel," he started to say, but Theo shook his head.

"Don't give me excuses."

If he didn't want to hear it then Seth wasn't going to say it. But maybe he could show him. As Theo passed by him, Seth grabbed his hand.

"Can you stay?" Seth asked, looking up into his beautiful, dark eyes. With only the light from the hallway shining in them, Theo's eyes were unreadable to him.

Afraid to breathe, waiting for the answer, Seth didn't let go of his hand.

***

His hand in Seth's, the way Seth was looking up at him, Theo didn't have the will to move. But he had to. Freeing his hand Theo went to the door and shut it then locked it.

"Thank God. I thought you were leaving," Seth said.

Theo turned to him but couldn't see him clearly. The only light came from the new window. It wasn't much, but Theo didn't have any trouble finding his way back to Seth. He placed his hands on Seth's shoulders, but he wasn't sure what to do next.

Feeling Seth pulling away from him, Theo asked, "What are you doing?"

"I want light," Seth told him and he tried to get up.

Theo didn't let him though. "What for?"

"I like looking at you."

His words made Theo's breath hitch in his throat, but he remembered his ankle. "Stay put. I'll turn the light on."

The lamp was on and Theo was back standing by Seth's bed. With more light to see by, Theo knew what he wanted. "Arms up," he said and took off Seth's hoodie then the t-shirt he had on underneath. Seth's bare chest held his gaze too long, but it was so gorgeous and Theo was glad the light was on. His eyes moved to his abs, then to the erection tenting his sweatpants. Somehow he managed to remember to be careful with Seth's sprained ankle.

"Get comfortable," Theo told him.

Already flushed with desire, Seth nodded and pulled himself up to lie on the bed. Theo wanted his sweats off but couldn't just follow his instinct to yank them off. Carefully, he slid them down Seth's powerful legs then dropped them off the side of the bed. His boxers were next, but Theo didn't rush. He pulled the waistband down first and watched his cock pop free. At the sight, his mouth watered.

"I'll come if you keep looking at me like that," Seth warned him in a husky voice.

"No, you won't," Theo said, but now he hurried and dragged Seth's boxers over his thighs then more slowly the rest of the way so he wouldn't hurt him.

With Seth's eyes on him, Theo climbed on the bed and kneeled next to him. Seth sat up and put his arm around Theo's waist to draw him closer until Theo was straddling him.

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