New Lease of Life (25 page)

Sitting there, several runners up the staircase, reminded him of a poem he’d had read to him as a child. With it brought back memories of the nanny who had been his main source of comfort in his pre-prep school years. He hadn’t seen her in forever. She’d moved on to nurture his cousins but had retired down to the South Coast several years ago. He should make time for a visit, before it was too late. Tears pricked at his eyes, gathering in his lashes.

“Pip, are you all right?”

Pip blinked, and Colby was right there. A little watery but standing at the bottom of the stairs, not daring to come any closer. His hands were rammed in the pockets of his jeans and his shoulders stiff, as if denim restraints and sheer willpower were the only things stopping him from reaching out to offer comfort or reassurance. Not daring to touch in case Pip fell apart.

“I would never agree with him.”

“I
heard
you.”

Colby shook his head and knelt on the second step, bringing himself within touching distance. “I’m not proud of myself, but I needed to lull him into a false sense of security. Get close enough to attack—”

“Attack?”

“I was so mad that he’d hurt you. That he was still hurting you, even with me there to protect you.”

“I don’t need protection.”

“I know.” Colby swiped his thumb over Pip’s cheekbone, smearing the tears.

“It hurt me more to hear his words coming from your mouth. Lips that had kissed me—”

“Shhh.” Colby cradled Pip’s jaw, stroked the side of his face. “Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t think. I understand how that would hurt, but you must have realized I didn’t mean it. Everything else I said and did after. The barman said it was the most romantic thing he’s seen in the bar.”

“Matt? He’d have been flirting with you.” Pip pressed his cheek into Colby’s palm. It sounded like he had screwed up royally by running away. He dropped his gaze to the carpet and bit his bottom lip. Confession time. “I thought….”
That you saw me the same way he did.
It sounded terrible to say those things to the sweet, caring man in front of him. “I ran away. I’m sorry.”

“Hey, I’ll tell you now if you like. Can I?” Colby held his free arm out in a welcoming gesture.

Pip couldn’t be sure what Colby was asking permission for, but he nodded regardless. The hand on his cheek slid to the back of his neck, and Pip found himself tugged forward and wrapped in strong arms. Colby pressed a kiss to the top of Pip’s head; then he settled in so his lips were just above Pip’s ear, the stubble on Colby’s jaw rubbing against Pip’s temple.

“I don’t care if you have to use the cane for the rest of your life. Hell, I will buy you a new one every year on the anniversary of the day I stepped into your house.” Colby brushed his lips over the shell of Pip’s ear. “I will happily try to coax a smile or laugh out of you every day that you allow me to be a part of your life, and I will treasure each and every one. From a sardonic quirk of your lips to a massive belly laugh to that smile that softens your eyes, I will remember them all.”

Colby pulled back but kept Pip safely cocooned in his arms. Scared of what he might find in Colby’s expression, Pip kept his gaze focused on the logo embroidered on Colby’s polo shirt just above his left breast. Matt, the barman, had been right: that was romantic. Certainly the most romantic thing anyone had ever said to
him
.

“You said all that to a stranger in a bar?”

“Well, no, I told him I didn’t care if the limp was permanent or if you were always grumpy. I’ve embellished it a little because I’m not talking to a stranger in a bar. I’m talking to you, and I want you to know how I feel. Pipsqueak, look at me.” Colby paused, but Pip didn’t move. “I’m not going to finish telling you what I said to that bastard until you look at me.”

Pip lifted his gaze so fast that his vision swam. “There’s more?”

“Uh-huh.” One of Colby’s large fingers hooked under Pip’s chin, bringing their faces level. “That’s better. Pip, you’re not damaged goods and you never have been, not to me. You’re a flawed hero. No, you’re
my
flawed hero, and I would be honored to be your sidekick. If you’ll have me?”

“Oh my God.” Pip laughed, ignoring the beached fish flip-flopping in his stomach. “That sounded like a proposal. It wasn’t a proposal, was it?” Although the thought of spending the rest of his life being worshipped by Colby didn’t scare him as much as it should.

“What? No.” Colby’s touch disappeared, and he scrambled to stand up. “No. We’ve only known each other a week. We’re not living in a romance novel.”

“Come back.” Pip grabbed Colby’s arm and tugged on it before he could get too far away. “That was the most amazing thing anyone has ever said to me. And if maybe… in the future, if you ever do need to propose to… someone, then that is the way you should do it.”

Colby relaxed and slipped his arms back around Pip. “Yeah. I’ll remember that. For future reference.”

“I’m sorry I walked away.”

“Enough. Stop beating yourself up about it. It was just a big misunderstanding, and I’m partially to blame. It would be easy to let this build into a huge obstacle that we struggle to overcome. I think we could be good together, so let’s not sabotage it out of anger and bloody-mindedness before we really get started. And just to be clear, the anger is mine.”

“So I’m bloody-minded?”

Colby smiled and raised an eyebrow. “Just a tad.”

“I love….” Pip faltered. “Your eyebrows.”

“They’re too thick. And you’re either drunk, tired, or in pain.”

“Seriously.” Pip cupped Colby’s face in his hands and traced the strong lines of hair with his thumbs. “They frame your eyes perfectly. Your perfect eyes.”

“Drunk, tired, or in pain?”

Pip didn’t need the shift of the eyebrow beneath his touch to know Colby was asking a question this time. He shrugged and admitted with a grimace, “A combination of the last two.”

“Let’s get you up to bed, and I’ll deal with both those problems. If that’s okay?”

Pip snorted. “I’ve wanted you to take me to bed since you walked through my front door a week ago.”

“Ditto, but that’s not what I have planned for tonight. Can you walk?”

Pip nodded. Reluctantly he let go of Colby’s face and grabbed his cane in one hand and the banister in the other. He managed to raise his body a couple of inches before he sank back down onto the stair.

“Okay, then,” Colby muttered to himself. In a move so quick that Pip didn’t even realize what was happening, Colby swept him up into his arms and carried him up the stairs.

“You said we weren’t living in a romance novel. Put me down.” But Pip contradicted the waspishness in his tone by snuggling against Colby’s broad chest and letting out a contented sigh.

Colby chuckled, a deep, satisfied sound that rumbled through his chest. “Gladly.”

And Pip was falling. It was only a couple of inches but enough to make him bounce on his mattress. “Bed.” He sighed and patted the space next to him. “Are you going to join me?”

“Nope. What do you sleep in?”

“Nothing.”

“Oh, so what are these?”

Pip cranked open one eye to see Colby waving bunched-up material in front of his face. Of course his twice-weekly housekeeper had been in today, so his pajamas had been neatly folded on his pillow.

“Snoopy PJs. Cute.” Colby dropped them on his face with another of those chuckles. “Put them on, but don’t get into bed. When I get back, I want you to still be in this position.”

Most of his body was on the bed, but his lower legs hung over the edge. “Bossy.”

“You better believe it. I’m going to get you some water.”

Sitting, Pip stripped himself of his shirt and set to work on his trousers. He considered ignoring Colby’s instructions and laying himself out naked on the bed. Except he couldn’t, could he? Not when the memory of the last time was so prevalent in his head after the run-in at the bar. The last thing he needed was to be rejected again. And while the other guy hadn’t mattered in the grand scheme of things, to be rejected by Colby would hurt.

In the quiet of the house, Pip heard the toilet flush, then running water, followed by Colby’s quick, jogging footfalls on the stairs. He pulled on his pajama top and then struggled out of his trousers and tight boxer briefs as one action. By the time he heard Colby’s measured steps returning up the stairs, Pip was cocooned in the warm comfort of loose-fitting cotton.

“Water.”

Pip didn’t even bother to open his eyes as the glass hit the nightstand. He trusted Colby to place it on the coaster there for that purpose. He waited patiently to see what Colby would do next. The rattle of hangers from the dressing room gave him a clear indication of what that might be. He stretched his arm out to the place on the bed where he’d left his trousers and waistcoat. Nothing. He couldn’t hold back his smile.

“You don’t have to hang my clothes up. I could have done it in the morning.”

“Yeah, right. You’d have seen the creases and gone ballistic.” Colby’s voice no longer held that echo that seemed to emanate from someone talking from inside the dressing room. “Anyway, I know the way to your heart is through care and consideration to all things vintage. Or a foot massage.”

“You don’t need to find a way,” Pip muttered as Colby’s hands cradled the back of his foot. “I think you’re already there.”

A soft gasp was the only response. Then Colby ran a finger up the sole of Pip’s foot, and there was the faintest choked-off sound in his next words. “Socks on or off?”

Of course he’d left his socks on. Pip gave the question a moment’s thought, but he couldn’t. Not tonight. “On.” He listened for the sound of disappointment, but none came. Colby just started massaging his feet through his socks. “Sorry, after everything tonight I’m just not—”

“Haven’t we already decided that we’ve both used that word enough for one night?”

Pip relaxed back onto the mattress as Colby’s fingers traced a similar path to the one he had followed on Friday, stopping occasionally to press his thumb against certain points or rub firm, circular motions into Pip’s flesh.

With his pain receding, Pip mumbled, “I can’t believe you called me a flawed hero. I like that. Wish I’d been there to see it. Can I get a cape?”

“I’d rather you had the tights.”

“Nope.” Pip popped the
P
. “If you’re my sidekick, you get to wear the tights.”

“With
my
legs?” Colby laughed.

Pip pondered those firm muscular thighs stretching out skintight Lycra.
Does Colby cycle?

“The barman recorded it all for their security in case they came to press charges. I could phone the club and get the barman to send the video to me. He’s got my number.”

“I was out of your sight for a couple of minutes and you gave your number to a slutty barman.” It was harder work than he could imagine to raise his head from the bed, but he wanted Colby to see that he was joking.

“It was in case you came back to the bar. Anyway, he’s got a boyfriend.”

Colby ran his thumbnail down the center of his foot, and Pip dropped his head back onto the bed with a satisfied sigh.

“Matty, that’s the barman, has had more dicks than you’ve had hot dinners. He and his boyfriend have an open relationship, or they did have back when I used to go in there on a regular basis.”

“I didn’t know.”

That
sounded like
sorry
.

“Is it common knowledge?”

Pip struggled to his elbows and glanced down at Colby. “Matty isn’t backward in coming forward, if he sees something he likes. I’m sure he flirted with you.”

“He called me honey and tiger. And he growled at me.”

“Growled? Are you sure it was Matty? He’s far too camp to growl.”

“Grrr.” Colby lifted a hand and clawed at the air.

“My God, you look ridiculous. Endearingly ridiculous.” Pip nodded. “That was Matty.”

“Did he ever flirt with you?”

Pip glanced away, already feeling that burning sickness and shame as he recalled that night.

“You and him?”

“No. Well, they invited me back for a threesome, but I bottled it. Instead I ended up going home with….”

Pip trailed off.

“Jerkface,” Colby grunted.

Pip looked up, confused.

“The dick from the bar.” Colby actually growled, and not the cute Tony the Tiger thing he’d just done but an angry noise that Pip recognized from the bar earlier.

“Yes, him. About the things he said….”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m in no rush to get you into bed.”

“Says the man who’s put me to bed twice now.” Pip tried to keep it light, but he couldn’t disguise his hurt, though. “It’s a real ego boost to know that you
can
wait to get your hands on me.”

“God, you’re infuriating.” Colby dug his thumb into a point on Pip’s foot and then soothed the hurt away almost before Pip’s brain could register it. “You make me so bloody hard just touching you, but I’m not going to do anything until you’re comfortable with it.”

“I’m comfortable.”

“You can’t even take your socks off in front of me.”

“Don’t need to take your socks off to fuck.” Even as the crass words left his mouth, Pip wanted to suck them back in again. He didn’t want this thing with Colby to be like all the other times. He wanted to be cherished, and he knew Colby would be up to the task. Colby wouldn’t treat him like an easy lay or a cheap thrill. Pip sighed. He barely dared think the words, let alone say them aloud. Colby would—

“When I make love to you, the socks are coming off. Anyway, you’re practically asleep.”

Hmm, he
was
drifting and drowsy. Colby had the most amazing hands. Just like the last time Colby had done this, Pip knew he was sporting a semi. “We’re alone. You promised to show me the Bubbling Spring.”

“You’re too tired. Although… no.”

“What?”

“The things he said. Jerkface.”

“Are true. I couldn’t get it up for him.”

“And….”

“And I’ve been too scared to try again with anyone else in case I really am broken.”

“Do you trust me? I won’t follow it through because I don’t think either of us are in a place for sex tonight, but it might alleviate some of your fears.”