by Luna, David
The full-fledged grin zapped all the energy from Asher’s body and left him reeling. Now that was illegal. One man wasn’t allowed to go around being that gorgeous. It was some sort of crime. Had to be. Not to mention insulting to all the normal-looking people in the world. Goddamned blush.
Thornton leaned forward, his voice a soft, throaty purr. “God, you’re adorable. Are you planning to tattletale on me, Asher?”
Struck speechless and not wanting to move his head, his default expression seemed to be wide-eyed shock, mouth gaping open, unable to form words. Words came to his mind, though. Words like never, nuh-uh, nope, not gonna happen, and even no, Sir fluttered around in there like butterflies, trying to flit their way out of their confinement.
Nothing was coming out, however, and he was saved from having to say anything at all when Jess breezed in, bright-eyed and energetic like it was nine in the morning instead of the middle of the night when normal people slept. “Hi there.”
Her gaze drifted down, reminding him Thornton was still holding his hand. “You guys are so sweet together. How are you feeling, Asher?”
He cleared his throat and glanced once more towards Thornton, which was a mistake because, if he wasn’t mistaken, there was a note of mischief in the man’s eyes, and his raised brow and teasing smirk seemed to be some sort of challenge he knew he wasn’t ready for. He looked back at Jess and realized she was waiting for an answer. “Pretty rough.”
She nodded and took his vitals, making a few notes on the little pull-out computer next to his bed. “Ready for some more pain meds?”
“Yes, please.”
She administered the meds and told him the doctor would be in later that morning and was off to help her other patients. Sometime while he’d been occupied with Jess, Thornton had moved his chair even closer. He leaned forward, resting his crossed forearms alongside Asher’s thighs on the bed, the warmth of his presence seeping into Asher and making him feel somehow protected and safe, which made no sense.
Thornton’s gaze was intense but his smile was sweet when he said, “Thanks for not turning me in.”
The man was dangerous—that’s what he was. Because even when Asher should have huffed and rolled his eyes, all he could do was say, “You’re welcome.”
Chapter Four
Thornton
“You’re still here.”
Asher’s sweet voice drew Thornton’s gaze away from his iPad where he’d been keeping himself busy trying to get some work done. Thornton smiled, noticing the pink in Asher’s cheeks, happy he had more color, even if it was because he was shy. His gaze was captured by the most beautiful blue and green eyes he’d ever seen.
When Thornton and Asher had talked the night before, Asher remembered he had to call his friend to let her know he wouldn’t be at work the following day and to tell their boss. That morning, with Asher’s phone out of battery on the table next to his hospital bed, he’d asked to borrow Thornton’s.
When Asher made the call, Thornton stepped out of the room for several minutes so he could give Asher privacy. He stretched his body to loosen his sore and achy muscles. He wasn’t badly injured, but he was pretty damn banged up and didn’t want Asher to feel guilty. When he came back in, Asher’s face was aflame as he held the phone out to him. “I’m sorry. She wants to talk to you and won’t let me hang up until she does.”
Thornton smiled, liking the woman already, and brought the phone to his ear. “Hello?”
“Who are you?”
He knew Asher would have already gone over who he was, but he humored her. “My name is Thornton Hayes.”
“And you’re the one that ran over my friend and lied about being his husband?”
He couldn’t help but grin at her brazenness. “Well, I didn’t exactly run over him. But I did run into him…”
At hearing Thornton’s answer to his friend’s question, Asher had covered his eyes and whispered, “Oh my god, Madi.”
He’d chuckled quietly, and when Asher glanced up at him, he’d winked at the boy, so he knew Thornton wasn’t upset. He tuned back into what Madi was saying. “But basically, you’re the reason he’s in the hospital.”
His shoulders sagged, feeling the weight of her words. “Yes. I’m responsible for the accident.”
“He said you’re being really nice to him, but you lied and told the hospital you’re his husband. Are you a lying liar who lies and is going to try to manipulate him into admitting fault?”
Wow.
Okay, he hadn’t seen that one coming. “No. I’ve already admitted fault with my insurance company. It was after visiting hours when I was finally able get away from the accident scene and deal with the insurance claim and could make it to the hospital to check on him.”
“So, what, you were concerned about him?”
He took a seat in the chair he’d vacated earlier. “Yes, of course. I needed to make sure he was going to be okay.”
“Are you going to stay with him or leave him all alone?”
“Stay, unless he wants me to go.”
He watched as Asher’s eyes widened at his comment.
“I think he wants you there. But he’ll feel guilty you’re staying.”
“He shouldn’t. It’s where I want to be.”
“Promise you won’t leave?”
He’d chuckled at that. “I thought you’d want me gone.” He couldn’t help but ask, “You sure you trust me with him?”
“He seems to think you’re good people, and from what you’ve said, he might be right.”
“Well, thanks.”
There was a significant pause. “Treat him well. He’s fragile and too innocent for his own good.”
Not knowing what she meant by that, he could only say, “I will.”
“Okay. I’ll stop by after my shift to take over.”
“I’m sure he’d love to see you. But I won’t be leaving unless he asks me to go.”
Another significant pause. “You’d be good for him.”
A thrill raced through his body at the thought. Surprised by her easy acceptance of him and not knowing how much Asher had shared about their interactions, he finally answered, “We’ll have to see.”
She hummed in his ear and said goodbye, leaving him thinking long and hard about her comment about Asher being fragile and innocent and about him being good for Asher.
“I promised your friend I wouldn’t leave your side. And I’m responsible for putting you here in the first place. I’m not about to leave you alone without anyone to be with you.”
It was entirely too early to tell, but something about the boy was burrowing deep inside him already, which he knew was insane. But he always trusted his instincts, so he’d just have to take it a day at a time.
He had to admit the vulnerability and sweetness of Asher was doing a number on him, and he knew how those two combined always made him yearn to take care. But he also knew it was ridiculous to even entertain the thought when the way they’d met wasn’t exactly a meet-cute. More like a meet-disaster. And he wasn’t quite sure he wasn’t manufacturing the way he was feeling as a direct result of the way they’d met and the responsibility he felt.
That conversation continued to play over and over in his head ever since, but he shook it off, refocused, and watched as a frown marred Asher’s face as the boy concentrated on his hands in his lap. “She shouldn’t have made you promise that. I’m sorry.”
“She didn’t make me do anything. I’m here because I want to be.” More blushing on the boy’s face. “Would you rather I leave?”
Asher slowly raised his head to meet Thornton’s eyes. “No. I mean, you can if you want. I just… I don’t want you feeling like you can’t go if you need to. I don’t know of anyone who would stay with a stranger in the hospital because of a car accident.”
He gave Asher a gentle smile and said, “But I’m not a stranger. I’m your husband. And this is where a husband should be.”
Thornton hoped that by joking about th
e strange circumstances of his being there with Asher in the hospital, he might bring a smile to the boy’s face. It worked, and he grinned when he saw a tiny smile appear on Asher’s sweet face. “Even if you hadn’t asked me not to leave last night, I’d still be here because I want to be. Not to mention I put you in the hospital with my carelessness. Of course I’m going to make sure you’re taken care of.”
“It was just an accident. And it was raining really hard.”
Thornton shook his head. “It still shouldn’t have happened. Asher”—he waited until the boy met his gaze—“I don’t want to leave unless you ask me to. I’d like to stay until I can take you home.”
Thornton’s heart squeezed when tears gathered in Asher’s eyes, and the boy looked away, blinking quickly before they could fall, obviously embarrassed to have reacted so strongly. He wanted to get up and hug him, give him comfort, but he wasn’t sure it would be welcome. Figuring he could test the waters, he stood and sat on the side of Asher’s hospital bed and clasped his hand. When their gazes met, he squeezed Asher’s hand. “Are you going to ask me to leave?”
Asher slowly shook his head, turning his gaze away. “No,” he answered, as his eyes slid back to Thornton’s. “Thank you for staying.”
“You’re welcome. I’ve already admitted fault with my insurance, so they should be paying out. Your car is totaled, so sadly, you’ll need to get a replacement, but I’ll help you with that. It’s my fault you no longer have a car.”
The color drained from Asher’s face so fast he grew concerned, and the boy shook his head a little too quickly and gasped in pain, his other hand reaching towards the gauze, wincing. Thornton caught Asher’s other hand in his before he could make contact. “I know you want to touch it, but that’ll just make it worse. Okay?”
Asher’s eyes closed at the pain, and he let out a slow breath. “Yeah. Okay.”
Curious, he couldn’t keep himself from asking, “What made you so upset? I’m the one that ruined your car, so I’m going to be the one to replace it.”
“I don’t want it.”
He kept his voice as gentle as possible, “Asher—”
“No. I don’t think I’ll get another car. I get rides from my friend most days, and for the days I don’t, I’ll call for a Lyft, or… something. I just can’t… I don’t want to…”
He could hear Asher’s breathing begin to get choppy, and he could feel the boy’s whole body stiffen. Thornton’s brother suffered from depression and anxiety, so he knew a panic attack when he saw one. Drawing Asher’s hands to his chest, he spoke quietly, calmly, “Asher, look at me. There you go. You’re having a panic attack. I want you to feel my chest moving and take slow, deep breaths when I do. Focus on our hands, all right?”
Guilt slammed into him like a battering ram. Goddammit. If the accident had caused Asher’s panic at just the thought of driving again, he didn’t know what he’d do. Asher struggled for another couple of minutes before he could slow his breathing. “That’s it. That’s better. I’m sorry if I triggered your anxiety. Did the accident…?”
Asher closed his eyes, and his throat moved as he swallowed. “No. I hate driving.” Asher pulled his hand free and lifted it to press against his ribs where they must have been throbbing. His fingers were trembling, and Thornton ached to help him. When Asher finally continued, his voice was a whisper. “Fucking hate it. I don’t want to do it anymore.”
“Hey.” He squeezed Asher’s other hand gently in his. “Deep breaths, okay? No one’s going to force you to drive. I just thought since I totaled your car, I’d replace it. But if you don’t want to drive anymore, you don’t have to drive anymore.”
“Sorry. I just…” Thornton watched as Asher drew in a deep breath and was saddened when it caught several times with the boy’s pent-up emotions. “I know it’s stupid. But I don’t want to.”
“It’s absolutely not stupid. I’m not sure why you hate it so much, but it’s enough that you do. We’ll figure something else out. Okay?”
“You don’t have to do anything. It’s my problem, and I’ll deal with it. After this, I don’t even want to think about driving.”
“Jesus, Asher, I’m so sorry.”
“No. It’s not… It’s not your fault. I’ve been afraid of driving for years. I… My parents died in a car crash, but even before that I hated doing it but forced myself to, just in case of an emergency.”
Not knowing what that meant, Thornton decided to let it go. “Then it sounds like driving isn’t worth the stress it causes you. Don’t do it if it fills you with anxiety. It’s not worth it.”
Asher nodded, and his grateful smile warmed Thornton’s heart. “Yeah. You’re right. It’s not worth it.”
Thornton let a few moments of comfortable silence pass them by before continuing. “You mentioned your parents. Do you have any siblings?”
Asher shook his head. “No. I was an only child.”
Thornton waited a few beats, hoping Asher would continue, but he didn’t, obviously not feeling talkative. He wondered if Asher was extremely private or if he just wasn’t a talker in general. Seemed he’d have to pull information rather than him offering it. But as he saw it, they had nothing but time, so he didn’t mind. He wanted to get to know the boy, so he had no problem putting the effort into doing just that. Asher was worth it. Thornton had no doubt.
“What do you do for a living? I know you called to talk to your boss about being unable to come in for the rest of the week.”
The first truly heartfelt smile, one that not only brightened up the boy’s already beautiful face but reached his eyes, would have knocked Thornton flat on his ass if he hadn’t already been sitting down. “I guess I’d call myself an uneducated horticulturist.”
Thornton couldn’t help but chuckle at the unabashedly self-deprecating grin on Asher’s face. “Okay, I’m hooked, and I need to know more.”
Asher blushed and let out a small chuckle, catching himself and raising a hand to his side. He grimaced a bit, and Thornton couldn’t help but join him. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have teased you. Laughing isn’t exactly good for you right now.”
“It’s okay.”
“So, an uneducated horticulturist…”
Asher’s little smirk had Thornton’s heart beating just a little bit faster. “Yeah… So, my mom worked at a local flower shop where I grew up. She always used to bring me along with her when I was old enough because the owner, an older woman named Beth Channing, didn’t mind it. I’d always sit in the back and sometimes read or do homework, but most of the time I’d do whatever I could to help with orders and eventually learned how to do some planting as well. Beth had a tiny attached greenhouse where she used to grow some of the flowers she’d sell and other plants she liked.”
“Did you enjoy that?” He knew by the excitement Asher was showing, he did, but he wanted to keep him talking.
“Oh yeah. I think it was more of a hobby of hers because she mostly had flowers delivered to make her arrangements, but she loved growing and tending to her plants, and they sold well. So, I’m not sure why that wasn’t a bigger part of her business. Maybe because it was so time consuming. Anyway, that’s how I got interested in it. So, when I was old enough to stay home alone, I’d still go in with my mom when she could still work and sometimes even when she couldn’t.”
Thornton figured there was a story there when Asher got a sad, faraway look in his eyes, but he didn’t want to take them down a path that would take away the boy’s smile, so he asked, “What did you like about it?”
Asher shrugged. “There’s just something about plants that calms me like nothing else. I never feel anxiety or stress when I’m growing and tending my plants. I guess I liked the quiet of it too, and the progress there always seemed to be each time I’d go in to check on the plants and flowers. Beth would let me stop in any time after school and tend to the plants I’d started and the ones she’d planted herself. I guess it kind of became my home away from home. I was ther
e a lot, and eventually, when I was old enough, she started paying me.”
“So, is she still your boss today?”
Asher gazed down at his lap and shook his head. “No. I work at The Glasshouse now.”
“Wait, the huge greenhouse on the outskirts of town?”
Asher’s grin was back full force. “You know it?”
“I think everybody knows it. It’s huge. And you grow pot there.”
Asher snorted out a laugh and then sucked in a gasp, clutching his ribs.
Fuck.
He rested his hand on the boy’s thigh. “Jesus, Asher. I’m so sorry. It was an offhand comment, and I wasn’t thinking. Are you okay?”
Asher nodded, breathing in and out shallowly. “I’m all right.”
Thornton clasped Asher’s hand when he rested it next to his on Asher’s thigh. “I’m really sorry. I’ll be more careful.”
A small smile flitted its way across Asher’s lips. “Yes, please don’t amuse me.”
“I know you’re kidding, but I really will try not to make you laugh.”
That smirk returned, and Asher nodded. “Yeah, maybe that’s a good idea.”
“So, you work at The Glasshouse as a horticulturist.”
“Don’t forget the uneducated part. I had to find a job when I dropped out of college, and I applied there at the right time. I was lucky because Beth knew the owner through a state chapter of a national association for florists and nurseries. When she learned where I was moving, she told me about Jennifer Cook, the owner of The Glasshouse.”
Asher grinned, remembering how it had all just fallen into place. “It just so happened Jenn was hiring. It was kismet, because of the timing and the fact the job didn’t involve working with a lot of customers, mostly just the plants. And since the women had known each other for years, Jenn gave me a chance. It probably helped I was the only person with experience who applied.”