Page 71 of Love Language

He half expected Greg to decline—maybe because of some stereotype about older white men—but Greg was eager to go.

Marco got the sense that Richard hadn’t been too keen on dancing and that Greg hadn’t gone out since. Man, if he had known that, they would have gone dancing every weekend.

We’ll have to find you something cute to wear, he suggested.

Greg followed him happily, and Marco’s heart surged with the prospect of another opportunity to dress him. Greg had seemed to find comfort in it during the week of the funeral, but he hadn’t had much opportunity to do it since then.

This was the kind of caretaking that he loved. It wasn’t anything sexual, just the poignantly commonplace experience of Greg letting him take control of something that usually he would do on his own.

He started by dragging down Greg’s sweatpants, nudging him to lift each foot to remove them.

Then, feeling a bit more daring, he removed his boxers as well. Greg stood passively, letting him work, and not attempting to hide the arousal that the actions inspired.

Marco pressed a kiss to his hip, completely ignoring his growing erection. Sexuality was involved in this, but it certainly wasn’t the most important part.

Greg waited patiently as he explored his neatly folded top drawer, returning with a much more revealing pair of black briefs. Marco slid them up, then pressed another chaste kiss to his shoulder as he rose.

He tried a couple more drawers and came up with a pair of dark jeans that he knew looked good. Greg seemed relaxed and happy as he pulled them on, gently easing the zipper over his tender, trapped flesh.

Marco had promised himself that he wouldn’t over-analyze every action, but this felt like a good sign, something to balance out everything that had made him doubt himself yesterday.

If Greg enjoyed this, maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing to ask Greg about making this more permanent.

Marco turned to the closet to find a shirt. He flipped through the rack, seeing mostly boring work attire. No, there, on the far right, was the section he’d been looking for. Trendy cuts, some slinky fabrics, and even a leather harness.

He definitely wasn’t going to pull out the harness tonight. Not only was it inappropriate for dancing, but it was likely to remind Greg of Richard. He wouldn’t mind getting Greg a new one, though.

Marco finally narrowed his choices down to a navy-blue shirt with casually rolled up sleeves and a shiny, red shirt with diamond-like buttons. He wanted Greg to shine tonight, so he chose the red one.

As soon as he caught sight of Greg’s face, he knew he’d done something wrong. Really wrong.

He shoved the shirt back into the closet and slammed the door. He was pretty sure that the hanger hadn’t made it back onto the rod and the shirt now lay crumpled on the floor, but he didn’t really care.

He held out his arms hesitantly, and Greg dove for them. At least he hadn’t fucked up so much that Greg turned away from him.

But dammit. Why did Richard have to take everything away from him? He couldn’t compete with a ghost. It just wasn’t possible.

Greg was doing that horrible shoulder-shaking thing that he did when he wanted to cry but couldn’t quite manage it.

How had their evening turned around so quickly?

He led Greg over to the bed, planning on having them both sit on the edge, but Greg immediately lay down and tugged at Marco’s hand until he arranged himself beside him.

Marco held his boy, projecting calm and reassurance. But inside, every doubt that he’d had come rushing back, fourfold.

He knew that grief didn’t have a timeline. And he knew that there was no one to be angry at. Richard was a pointless target and Greg was doing his best.

He just wished it didn’t hurt so much.

Greg’s shoulders had gradually relaxed, his breath now calmer against Marco’s neck.

How are you doing?

I… I think I’ll be fine, now. That just took me by surprise.

Can you tell me what happened?

Greg closed his eyes for a long time. The pause stretched on for so long that Marco finally assumed that he wasn’t going to get an answer.