Why the Straight One? | Book 1 | bxb

Excerpt 6

"Baby, that's over now. It's okay."

Pain shot though his body again, and he arched his back, holding my hand even tighter.

"Try to keep still, Alex. Please. The doctors are coming soon. They'll make the pain go away."

I brushed the hair back from his forehead, blowing cold air onto his sweaty brow. His face relaxed for a few second, and he closed his eyes.

"Stay with me, baby. They'll be here soon."

He blinked slowly, the first sign of him beginning to fade already in his eyes.

"I'm so tired, Tommy." His voice was quieter. So much quieter.

"I know, love, and you can sleep soon. But not yet."

He blinked again, confusion creasing his brow.

"Not yet?"

I held back my sob. His grip was loosening, and I laced my fingers through his, squeezing them gently. The gently pressure of him squeezing back was reassuring.

"Not yet. I need to tell you something, and I can't do that if you are sleeping."

He blinked again, slower this time, but he was trying. I knew he was trying.

"What?" I kept running my hand through his hair, trying to keep him here with me.

"Something I've been meaning to tell you for so long, but I can't wait anymore." Because you might not....my mind wouldn't let me finish that thought.

Alex sighed, shifting his head in my lap to look up at me better.

"You and your damn foreplay." He tried to laugh, but ended up coughing instead. His whole body shook, but it was almost as if he wasn't in pain anymore, because his face remained calm.

"Did the coughing hurt, love? Does it still hurt?" If he wasn't in pain then it could only be worse. He looked like he was trying to register what I had said. It took him a a few seconds to summon up his answer.

"It doesn't hurt anymore. I just want to sleep." I looked up at Mark, who met my frightened eyes before looking away quickly.

He closed his eyes, and let out a peaceful breath. My heart almost stopped for a second, and I shook him gently to get him to open his eyes. When he did, it was only with great difficulty.

"You can't sleep. You can't. I love you, Alex." He had to know. He had to understand what he meant to me.

"I..." His voice trailed off, and he looked like he was going to close his eyes again. I squeezed his hands again, and he looked back up at me with the smallest of glares.

"I was gonna say that first." I tried to laugh, but all that came out was the sob I had been trying to hold back this whole time.

He slipped one of his hands out of mine, and brought it up slowly to my face, caressing my cheek gently.

"I love you, Thomas." He whispered, the effort to speak almost too much now.

"You can't leave me now. You can't."

He frowned, a look of pain crossing his face.