Sergio’s smile faltered. “She passed when I was fourteen.”
“I’m so sorry.” Janet pressed her hand to her chest. “That breaks my heart. Well, you’re a member of our family for life now. I don’t know how you convinced Tobin to let you take care of him, but I’ll never forget it.”
Before he could stop it from happening, Sergio snorted. “He didn’t let me. I stole him and took over his life. He’s kind of a willing captive at this point.”
Janet eyes looked so much like Tobin’s, and they swam with laughter. Sergio couldn’t look away. “That’s the only way Tobin has ever made friends. Do you know, that’s how we got Damon as part of our family? Tobin’s car broke down and Damon stopped to help. Even though Tobin’s phone was dead, and he was twenty minutes from anything, he wouldn’t let Damon help. Damon finally yelled at him to get in his goddamn car so he could take him to his momma.” Janet laughed at her own story. “He was only sixteen, so I was furious he had gotten in the car with a stranger, but also so, so thankful it was Damon who stopped to help—like he had been sent by an angel. I have to think the same of you. Tobin won’t let anyone do anything for him. He’s way too determined to face life alone. I don’t know why. It’s always been that way. Even as a little boy, he always refused help with anything. He used to fight me to hold his own bottle and even tried changing his own diapers—like just frustrating as hell his whole life.” Janet crossed the room and squeezed Tobin to her chest. “But he’s my baby.”
Tobin didn’t pull away or seem embarrassed by his mom’s affection or stories. In fact, he leaned into her and wrapped his arms around her—like he wasn’t the least bit ashamed of loving her. In that moment, Sergio understood Tobin better than he ever had. Tobin wasn’t stubborn. He loved hard and didn’t want to burden the people he loved in any way. It wasn’t hardheadedness. Tobin wanted to make life easier for everyone else by taking on all life’s hardships alone. Each new detail he gathered about Tobin made Sergio’s respect grow. Tobin was more amazing than anyone Sergio had ever met. He deserved to be surrounded by people who loved him just as much.
Bill moved to stand next to him, cutting into Sergio’s thoughts. He patted Sergio’s shoulder. Bill kept his voice low and their conversation private while Janet stole all the hugs from Tobin. “Like Janet said, we genuinely appreciate everything you’re doing. Tobin won’t let us help, and that’s killing his mom. Knowing that he’s let someone in is the only thing keeping her sane through this.”
Sergio nodded. He felt warm all over and couldn’t explain why. “It’s no problem. Really.” An overwhelming need to say something and make Tobin’s parents feel even more secure about Tobin’s care rose to the surface. “He’s my boy. I have to be there for this.” Sergio knew he wasn’t doing a good job of explaining himself, but he didn’t know how to talk about his feelings, especially to parents. Valor was the only person to pull words from Sergio when it came to the heart, but Valor was like his dad or something similar. Bill was a stranger, except he was Tobin’s dad, and that hit Sergio in the feels. “I love him.”
Bill squeezed his shoulder. “It’s good to hear that. Nothing will make us less scared, but it matters a lot that you’re with him, especially since he had declined treatment when he first found out. It killed us inside that he had chosen to die rather than endure chemo again, but we couldn’t convince him to change his mind. Then, out of the blue about three months ago, he said he would fight. I don’t know if you had anything to do with him changing his mind, but we’re grateful nonetheless. We can’t lose our son.”
Sergio’s throat swelled as he watched Janet placing loud kisses on Tobin’s cheek until he laughed. They were an adorable family. After watching Tobin suffer these past few months, Sergio understood Tobin not wanting to do this twice in one life. Sergio could also understand Tobin not wanting to drag his parents through the ugliness of chemo and the days he was too weak to move. That was fine. Sergio had him. He wouldn’t let Tobin give up. That wasn’t happening on his watch.
“I can’t either,” Sergio said more for himself. As long as there was life left in Sergio’s chest, he would keep Tobin alive. Nothing would stand in his way.
By the time Tobin’s parents left, he was exhausted. Tobin only had enough energy left for a shower and then he was back in bed. No one knew how much he fucking hated being trapped in a body that wouldn’t do everything his mind still wanted to do. Sergio had been amazing with his parents. Of course, Sergio was always fantastic. Tobin just wished he could be equally great in Sergio’s eyes, but his body always held him back.
Sergio climbed into bed and settled onto his side next to Tobin. They held each other’s stare. Tobin didn’t know who reached out first, but their fingers met and linked. A smile tugged at Tobin’s lips.
“Thank you for today. I know Mom and Dad are overwhelming.”
“Nope. You’re lucky they’re still around to wear you down. They’re welcome here anytime. This is your home. You’re allowed to invite people to visit.”
Tobin avoided that last bit because he still felt strange about camping out at Sergio’s. “What were your parents like?”
Sergio lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “My mom never talked about my dad other than to say he was an abusive ass, and I was too stubborn to ask more. I thought I had my whole life to get over being angry at him. But then she was gone and there was no one left to ask. Mom was... legit crazy,” Sergio said with a laugh. “She was always loud. That was her way of keeping me out of trouble. If she saw me acting too big, she would get loud-mouthed and embarrassing. She would turn bright—like singsong as she followed me all the way to the door of the school, yelling how much she loved her big boy. It was embarrassing as shit.” Sergio’s smile slipped away. “I miss her.” For a moment, Sergio seemed to stare at nothing, seeing only what went on inside his head. Tobin’s chest ached while he stared at Sergio. He wished he could give her back. Finally, Sergio blinked and focused on Tobin again. “Your dad said you declined treatment when you first found out.”
Tobin winced but didn’t respond. There was nothing to say. He wished his dad hadn’t told that to Sergio.
When he didn’t speak, Sergio pressed on. “He also said you changed your mind three months ago... around the time we started dating. What made you decide to start treatment?”
Tobin shrugged, feeling exposed. He could feel the heat climbing up his cheeks and he prayed his face wasn’t as red as it felt. “Does it matter?”
“Yes.” Sergio scooted closer. He urged Tobin to drape one leg over his hip so he could get even closer. “It matters to me. Choosing to die is a fucking huge commitment. It had to take something just as big to change your mind.”
Tobin drew a shaky breath. He could tell by the way Sergio looked at him that Sergio wouldn’t let this go. Tobin chose to be honest, even though it was humiliating. “It was kind of an epiphany. I was sitting in the middle of Reid and Valor’s engagement party and reality sort of slammed into me. In that moment, I realized I would never have that. Of all the things I haven’t gotten to do or experience, that was the one thing I regretted more than never traveling or anything else.”
“An engagement party?”
Tobin shook his head. “Not getting to fall in love and having someone look at me the way Valor looks at Reid. I regret that the most.” Tobin swallowed, wondering if he should stop. Sergio looked as if he held his breath and Tobin kept going, even though his voice turned quieter by the second. “Then you walked in the door and looked my way. Suddenly, I wasn’t quite so ready to die. I realized I had at least one more thing I wanted from this life.”
Sergio’s gaze hooded as he inched even closer. His hand found its way inside the back of Tobin’s shorts. He stroked Tobin’s ass as the air around them grew heavier with desire. “Have you finished scratching me off your to-do list?”
Tobin shook his head. His hand slid across Sergio’s waist. “Not yet.”
“Good.” Somehow, Sergio’s e
xpression turned hotter. “You’d better have my name written in permanent ink on that list. Fuck, tattooed on it.”
“Should I?” Tobin couldn’t stop the teasing note in his voice.
Sergio nodded. “If you haven’t noticed, you have someone who looks at you the way Valor looks at Reid. Is that all you wanted? Because I don’t want to stop at a look.”
The space between them got smaller by the second. Their lips nearly brushed. Tobin’s eyes slipped closed. “That’s not all I want.”
“Tell me what you want,” Sergio demanded on a whisper.
Held captive by the spell Sergio weaved, Tobin confessed his deepest secret. “Your heart. Forever.”
“Done.” Sergio overcame Tobin as the single word left his lips. Tobin swore he tasted the promise on Sergio’s tongue. On his back, with Sergio straddling his body, Tobin believed in that moment like never before that he had—by some miracle—stolen Sergio’s heart. The instant that reality sank in, Tobin made another discovery. Sergio couldn’t be scratched off his list. He was the paper the list was written upon. Everything Tobin wanted to do before he died, he wanted to do with Sergio. Right now, he craved feeling Sergio’s skin against his.
Tobin pushed Sergio’s pajama pants down until Sergio’s erection sprang free. A happy hum escaped him as he wrapped his fingers around Sergio’s cock. “Mine.”
“That was so possessive and adorable coming from you,” Sergio said with a chuckle as he worked on peeling Tobin’s shorts down just enough to let him play with Tobin’s dick.
A tiny mewling sound fell from Tobin’s lips as Sergio stroked him. Sergio pushed Tobin’s hand aside and reclaimed Tobin’s mouth. Before Tobin had time to be disappointed over Sergio stealing his toy, Sergio moved against him. Their cocks massaged each other. Tobin gasped. Sergio changed angles and set a pace that had Tobin scratching at Sergio’s skin while their tongues fought. Sergio did all the work. All Tobin could do was relax and get pleasured. Sergio was a master at keeping their relationship strong while Tobin still got the rest he needed. If Sergio felt neglected or like they were lacking in any way, he never showed it. Right now, they felt hotter than most relationships ever became.
Tobin’s cock throbbed as pressure climbed his shaft. He tore his mouth away and gasped for air, straining for release.
Sergio licked his ear. “That’s it, bebé. I want that hot cum all over my dick. You have no idea how hard I had to fight to keep my hands off you all night. I wanted to set your ass in the middle of my spaghetti, then eat it off your skin. Fuck, I can’t function from wanting you. Let me have that cum.”
A chant roared in Tobin’s mind. Before he could stop it, the words fell from his lips. “Please. I love you. Please.”
A roar sounded against Tobin’s ear as Sergio came. The sound sent Tobin over the edge. His entire body shook with waves of ecstasy. Sergio grabbed his jaw and held tight as he reclaimed Tobin’s mouth. “I love you too,” Sergio whispered between kisses. Tobin felt a tear slip from the corner of his eye and roll back into his hair. He never expected Sergio. Yet here he was. For the first time in his life, he believed in a higher power. He felt blessed—like someone had intervened to save him right when he had given up. Tobin would cherish Sergio for all the days he was given. He knew a miracle when he saw one. Sergio was one hundred percent Tobin’s savior. Tobin would love him forever.
Six
Tobin: Doctor’s appointment went good today. Numbers look great. I’m feeling halfway human. Maybe I can come to the game Monday?
Sergio: Did your doctor give the green light for that?
Tobin: **sad face** I didn’t think to ask.
Sergio: I would feel better if you waited until he said it was okay. Miss you.
Tobin: I miss you too. I’m ready for you to come home.
Sergio: Three more days and I’ll be there. I’m so tired. There’s nothing I want more than to be with you.
Tobin: I know. Stay safe.
Tobin: Okay. The doctor said, if I wear a mask, I can go to your next game. Yay!
Sergio: Do you really want to suffocate in a mask while watching something that bores the hell out of you?
Tobin: Yes. Besides, I’m not bored when you’re playing. I like staring at your ass.
Sergio: Can we compromise?
Tobin: I suppose...
Sergio: If someone will come with you, in case you need to leave, then that’s fine with me. I’ll be stuck there, but you shouldn’t be. Will that work?
Tobin: Yes. Yay.
Sergio: Someone has to come. Someone who will make you leave if you start feeling bad.
Tobin: I’ll bring Damon. He’ll take charge.
Sergio: Okay. I love you and I want you there, but not at the risk of your health.
Tobin: I love you too. I’ll be good. Cross my heart.
Tobin: Reid is here to kidnap me for coffee at The Back Porch. I don’t really want to go, but I also kind of do. He’s my friend and I also don’t want to lose my contacts for the business.
Sergio: Go. Have fun. Practice is running late tonight anyhow. Coach is riding our asses after yesterday’s loss. It’s all good.
Tobin: Okay. Love you.
Sergio: I love you too.
Since Sergio had no family, his family dynamic was a bit odd. As a teenager living on the streets, Sergio had played sports with Valor—a local cop. Normally, Sergio wouldn’t have messed with any type of law man. Valor was different, though. He didn’t fake concern. For whatever reason, Valor genuinely cared and wanted Sergio to have a good life. He was the reason Sergio had made it big and Valor was his dad in Sergio’s eyes. Valor being a father figure meant that another guy Valor had saved—Dawson—was kind of like a brother to Sergio. Dawson and he weren’t as close as Sergio felt to Valor, but today, Sergio appreciated Dawson more than words. Without him, Sergio might have been crawling out of his skin with nerves.
Dawson squeezed his shoulder. “Don’t worry, man. You’ve got this.”
Sergio did not in fact have this, but he was trying. “Sure.”
Dawson’s eyes lit with humor, as if he could read Sergio’s mind. “Seriously, Sergio. Go with your gut. It’ll never lead you wrong. I’ve known my entire life that Milo was the one for me. When you know, you know.” Dawson’s gaze slid past Sergio. He nodded toward the small round window behind Sergio. “He’s here.”
Sergio turned and stepped to the side, ensuring Tobin didn’t catch sight of him. He had been planning this moment since the day he met Tobin’s parents three months ago. Soccer season was winding down and Tobin was getting out more. Sergio could practically feel Tobin getting restless and ready to move on. Tobin had already started dropping hints about getting back to work, which meant moving back to his apartment. Sergio couldn’t have that. He had to convince Tobin to stay.
Wrecker led Tobin and Reid to a table near the back. Even from a distance, Sergio could make out every detail of Tobin’s face. Since the day they met, he hadn’t been able to get enough. Forever wouldn’t be long enough with Tobin. He genuinely couldn’t let Tobin move out. Each time Sergio left for practice or went out of town for a game, he spent the whole time scared shitless Tobin would decide he could live without Sergio and leave. No one understood how terrified Sergio was of being abandoned. Every time he loved someone, he lost them in some fashion. He couldn’t lose Tobin. That wasn’t an option. He had to lock him down.
Valor slipped through the back door of the coffeehouse with Bill and Janet. Bill gave him a thumbs-up, and as a group, they headed inside the dining area.
Sergio kept one eye on Tobin as he headed for the stage Wrecker had set up for the Wednesday night talent showcase The Back Porch held each week. Reid kept Tobin distracted until Sergio stepped up to the microphone and the entire shop fell silent. Wrecker nodded to let Sergio know the microphone was hot.
Sergio took a breath and dove in. “Hey everyone. Tonight’s talent showcase doesn’t start for a few more hours, but Wrecker is letting me tak
e over the stage for a few minutes.”
Tobin’s head shot up and his gaze locked on Sergio. A deep line appeared between his eyebrows.
Oddly, Tobin’s confusion over Sergio’s presence fed Sergio’s confidence. “It’s taken me a few months to get everyone I care about under the same roof, but with a bit of planning and deceit, I managed to pull it off. Don’t worry. I won’t take up a tremendous amount of your time. I just wanted everyone here so they could be a part of this. Tobin, I love you.”
A smile snapped to Tobin’s lips and a blush touched his cheeks. “I love you too.”
Tobin’s yelled words made several people laugh. Maybe Tobin had no clue what was going on, but he didn’t let Sergio down by not playing along.
Sergio held Tobin’s stare and leaned close to the microphone. “Do you love me enough to marry me?”
Tobin’s smile grew. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
A laugh burst from Sergio at Tobin’s response. “No pressure.”
“Don’t be an idiot. Of course I want to marry you.”
Laughter and loud clapping filled the air as Sergio jumped down from the short stage and crossed the room. He pulled the ring he had bought from his pocket as he overcame Tobin. Uncaring of who watched, Sergio claimed Tobin’s mouth while whistles sounded around them. Sergio pulled away and then buried his face against the crook of Tobin’s neck. He kept his words for Tobin alone. “I realized too late how much I put you on the spot. If you want to say no, I understand.”
Tobin lightly punched him in the ribs. “Give me my ring.”
With a laugh, Sergio pulled away and slipped the ring on Tobin’s finger. Tobin’s eyes swam with happiness as he stared down at the gold band encircled with diamonds. “Oh my god. I can’t believe you did this.” He glanced around. “Holy shit. Everyone is here. My parents and Damon.” Tobin pinned Reid with an accusing look. “Were you part of this?”
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