Love Lies Bleeding by Remmy Duchene (carter reed txt) 📕

into a sitting position so he could sip a little of the water. The wetness flowed down his parched throat and he moaned in pleasure.

"How are you feeling?" the doctor questioned.

Leo turned his head to see Anderson standing close by and took a breath. "Like I was shot."

The doctor chuckled then scribbled against his clipboard. "Your sense of humor isn't gone, I see. I'm going to take a look in your eyes, check your pulse, and look at your wound."

"Andy, you want to take a walk?" Leo asked.

Anderson shook his head. "I'm staying right here."

"This is just routine, Anderson," the doctor explained. "I just want to give him the once-over."

There was reluctance in Anderson's eyes and at that moment, Leo fell further for this man. Smiling, he blew Anderson a kiss.

"I'll be right outside," Anderson stressed by pointing.

When he was gone, Leo turned serious eyes at the doctor. "Did it go near my spine?" he asked.

"Pretty close. Luckily there was no damage. You are one lucky man, Mr Kim. You are very lucky in a number of ways."

"Aside from the fact I'm alive?"

"Yes. And the fact that man hasn't left your side since you got here. You had a few visitors—cops mostly, an elderly couple, and though all of them went home, he stayed right here."

The doctor rolled Leo over, poked around against his back then pulled him over again. He wrote on his clipboard before checking Leo's eyes and pulse like he'd promised. When he was writing again, the doctor spoke. "Well, everything seems to be going well. No infection, so that's good."

"He hasn't left at all?"

The doctor shook his head. "Nope. He had you moved into this private room. He just used the bathroom over there. His friends kept bringing food and changes of clothes. He loves you. Never thought I'd say that about two men."

"Homophobic?"

"I used to be. I never thought two men could actually love each other in the real ways that count. Then my brother told me he's gay—he's a paramedic. Threw me for a loop. Took some getting used to."

"Look, we don't ask that you are okay with it right off the bat. Sometimes that's not possible. What we do ask is that you at least try to understand. That's the very least."

The doctor nodded. "Yeah. I learned I couldn't love my brother without accepting him. He isn't a bad person, so the fact he'd rather be with a man than a woman shouldn't affect me in the least."

"I wish more people were like you."

The doctor chuckled. "Too bad it took me almost losing him to learn that lesson."

"But you did." Leo smiled. "You did."

"Thanks. I'm going to keep you here for a few more days just to watch the healing a little bit more and if things keep progressing the way it has been, then you can go home. I'm going to ask them to send you some food and send Anderson back in."

Leo nodded with a smile. "Thank you."

With a smile and a small wave, the doctor left and soon Anderson was leaning against the door frame, watching him intently. Leo shifted his head and pushed up slightly so he could sit up. Anderson walked in then and sat on the side of the bed facing him. Leo put his hand on Anderson's thigh.

"Shouldn't you be at school?"

"I'm on sabbatical."

"Andy, you look tired. When was the last time you slept?"

"I love you."

Leo blinked. There was no way he heard what he thought he did. Squeezing Anderson's thigh, he held his breath. "I'm sorry. Wha-what?"

"I said, I love you. I thought I had more time to actually pussyfoot my way into this but almost losing you was a wake-up call. And I'm not saying I love you because you almost died but I just don't want that regret. Selfish, huh?"

"You love me?"

"Leo? Hasn't a man ever told you he loved you before?"

Leo shook his head. "Only your father, Coach, and Mildred. And that was a different kind of love—that was father-to-his-son love, not a lover-love kind."

Anderson laughed and kissed him. "You sound flustered."

"Well, yeah. You love me! That's a big deal to me."

"Leo, listen to me. It's just love. I feel alive when you look at me and even now, when you touch me—as simple and as innocent as that touch his, I feel so damn good. You don't have to feel the same way because these things take time. So, I had a plan. While you were sleeping, I did some planning. My father has a vacation house in Grenada on the beach. We can go there for as long as you want. Just you and me and we can take this slow and build."

"Anderson?"

"Yeah?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?"

Anderson eyed him but Leo simply laughed and pulled him down to him. "I love you too," Leo whispered just before he took what he'd wanted the moment he woke up and saw Anderson by his side. He kissed him, shoving his tongue into Anderson's mouth, and feeling that familiar pang of heat wash over him. "I've missed you," Leo admitted, feeling his cock grow. Anderson must have read his mind for his hand drifted across his thigh to the bulge and massaged. Leo groaned, arching slightly. He grunted in pain then.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

"Leo—I can see you're in pain. Maybe we should hold off on fooling around until you're a little better."

"I tell you, you suck," Leo pouted.

"You're awake!" Isha's voice dragged both their attention to the door.

Leo laughed as she darted into the room and hugged him. Following close behind was the coach, Mildred, and Byung.

Epilogue

Dinner was over and Leo was sitting in the living room of the beach house, staring at the computer screen. He'd been away from New York for a month but kept in touch with everyone via Skype. There were so many things to wrap up with the case. Leo even dug into his savings to pay for Mary's funeral. Her parents had