Chapter 30
Julian woke to Rob's blond head resting on his shoulder, his breath soft against his neck. How did he ever fall asleep last night after what happened. Julian couldn't believe it, but he knew it was thanks to Rob.
As Rob stirred, his sleepy, green eyes looked into Julian's, and he found himself thinking that this was heaven. Then Rob mumbled, "God, you're beautiful." And Julian felt like he had stolen the words from his lips.
Julian turned toward him and touched his mouth to Rob's like he wanted to steal those words back with a kiss.
Pulling back a little, Rob raised himself up on one elbow and stared down at him. Tenderly, his fingers stroked Julian's face. Julian felt himself smiling stupidly, but his touch felt so nice, so right.
Next Rob leaned in and brushed his lips over his cheek. The soft kisses made Julian sigh until Rob's mouth stopped to hover inches from his. One breath, two, and Rob's mouth was melding with his, lips gliding, tongue stroking. This was heaven too. Julian was flying. But then the kiss slowed and Rob pulled back to stare at him again.
Capturing Julian's hands, Rob held them tight against his chest as he told him, "Just now, I wasn't sure that I wasn't dreaming. I still can't believe you're real. I thought living was hanging on, surviving, not opening my arms and my heart to somebody and being happy. And now here I am with you."
"I think I was like that too. I didn't think anything like this was waiting for me, or anyone like you," Julian said as he gazed at him with a beaming smile on his face.
Their languid morning in bed didn't last. Once they got up, Christie helped Rob with breakfast, and Julian took a cup of coffee with him so he could attend to a few things at the office. When he got back to the kitchen, Julian overheard Danny warning Rob.
"Be careful, Rob. Don't put your feets in the doggy water," Danny told him though he wasn't anywhere near the dog dish.
"Feets? OK. I'll be careful," Rob told him.
"Julian put his foot in the doggy water," Danny said. Seeing him approach, he pouted at Julian disapprovingly. "He spilled it."
"And I was duly punished with a wet sock," Julian said, but Danny continued to pout at him. Julian finally had to promise, "I'll be more careful."
"Hear that?" Rob whispered to Julian. "He feels comfortable enough to scold you."
"That's what progress looks like?" Julian said with a sigh. Rob laughed at him, but then he consoled him with a kiss.
With breakfast done, Danny got some papers and coloring pencils. The "big kids" were always talking about their homework, so Rob made up some homework for Danny too. It was just writing his name with Rob's help but he did it eagerly and he was so proud to show off his work to Julian and Christie.
"This is D for Danny," he said, pointing out a squiggle that couldn't be called a D no matter which way Julian looked at it or how hard he squinted.
"That's a really good D," Julian told him anyway and smiled at Rob.
"This is big kid paper. It has the lines. See? It's for doing writing," Danny explained to Christie.
"And you did some good writing," Christie praised him.
"Rob helped me." Right after that, Danny wanted to get back to it. "Hold my hand again, Rob. I want to write more."
That was such a sweet sight, Julian wished he could sit there and just watch them all day. But after what happened to Thayer, Julian had more work than ever plus clients to reassure, so he was back sitting at his desk again.
Stretching, ready to take a break, Julian walked out of his office and saw Christie in the hallway watching Danny and Lenny. Danny was sitting on the stairs with a book in his lap and Lenny was sitting next to him.
As Julian went over to Christie, she told him what Danny was doing. "Danny is reading to Lenny. Or pretending to read, but Lenny doesn't know the difference. He has thatSuper Strong Little Beebook memorized."
"Danny was showing off that drawing of a bee you made for him," Julian told her. He was happy that Danny was so fond of her, and it seemed to be mutual.
"He's a great kid, and it's incredible to see Rob with him. I never imagined he could be so good with kids," Christie said. "When I made him babysit with me, he always complained and then said, 'never again'."
"Really? He got an excellent recommendation, and he's amazing with Danny."
"I'm glad he's doing well. Rob was always so aimless. I was afraid he would just keep coasting along and have nothing real in his life. But he is a new man." She sounded pleased and proud of him. "I think it's because he's needed here.
"He's loved," Julian corrected her. But she was right. They needed Rob. And Julian needed him like he needed air to breathe.
"Hey, there you are," Rob said, coming up behind them. He looked at both of them, but then focused on Christie. "Can you watch Danny and Lenny one more time before you leave?"
