Bernard pulled Rory to him and wrapped his arms around him. Rory laid his head against Bernard’s chest and let out a breath.
“I want to be with you,” Bernard said.
“I want to be with you too.”
Bernard began snoring as Rory drifted off.
He shook Bernard awake. “You should probably go to bed and use your machine.”
“But I like holding you right here,” Bernard said.
“I like it too, but I don’t want you to stop breathing. It scared me.”
“Okay. What if you stayed the night?”
“I’d like that. Let me run home and grab a few things, then I’ll be right back.”
*
RORY PACKED THEsupplies he needed for the night, fed and watered Mina, and cleaned out her litter box.
“I’ll be back tomorrow,” he told her as he walked out the door.
*
BERNARD LET HIMshower first. He was going to spend the night with Bernard in his bed.
Will he expect something? I don’t want to disappoint him. Will he want sex? I don’t know how. I’ll just disappoint him.
“I normally sleep in just my underwear,” Bernard said, “but I’ll put on a T-shirt and gym shorts if it makes you more comfortable.”
“Just sleep how you normally do,” Rory said. “I’ll be fine.”
“Underwear it is,” Bernard said. “I can’t say I won’t get hard while sleeping next to you, and you might feel it.”
Rory’s heart warmed at the consideration. He’d always slept in pajamas. He didn’t know why he still did, but he did.
They got into bed. Rory couldn’t help but notice the bulge in Bernard’s underwear. He didn’t appear hard. Was Bernard turned on by him? Just looking at Bernard half-naked caused his cock to stir. He concentrated on keeping it soft.
Bernard curled up behind him and wrapped his right arm over him. He tucked away his left arm under the pillow.
“While I enjoy holding you, I need to face the other direction so that my CPAP works properly,” Bernard said after twenty minutes of cuddling.
“Okay.”
Bernard filled and started his machine.
“You can hold me if you want. I’ll just sound weird when I talk.”
“That sounds nice.”
Bernard faced the edge of the bed, his back facing Rory. The hum of his machine echoed in Rory’s ears.
Rory positioned himself behind Bernard. He wrapped his arm around his big body. Bernard grabbed and squeezed it against his chest.
They were together after twenty years of friendship.
I’m in a relationship for the first time in my life. How long have I yearned to hold someone? How long have I yearned to hold Bernard? We have a lifetime ahead of us.
