Ripped (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove) Read Free

hours.”
    “Not much of a honeymoon, huh?”
    “Just eat, we can talk later,” Kyle replied, visibly upset.
    Between bites, Roman said, smiling, “Just talk? I had hoped that we could…” He paused at the odd look on Kyle’s face.
    “Do nothing,” Kyle interrupted, finishing the sentence for him. “I think you should just take another dose of Demerol and rest until morning.”
    “Before you interrupted me, I wanted to say that I wanted us to make love again later.”
    “Probably no chance of that! Making love is not exactly the word I would have chosen, though,” Kyle said sarcastically, whispering an alternative under his breath, “and you seemed to be more than willing to do that last night!”
    “I was willing to be open and honest with you.”
    “That’s debatable! So how’s the pain responding to the medication?”
    “A dull ache, and probably will be for a few days. Is there something I am missing in this conversation?” Roman asked, setting the bowl of half-eaten soup on the nightstand.
    He felt Kyle take hold of his hand. “I have never meant anything more than what we shared last night on the beach and in this bed together.”
    “Yeah, neither have I.”
    Expecting Kyle to continue the conversation, Roman was surprised when his husband ran a hand over his face, abruptly standing, and ending with his back turned, looking out the window.
    “We need to talk,” Kyle finally said.
    “That’s obvious,” Roman said, limping slightly as he joined Kyle, wrapping his arms around him.
    Kyle leaned into his embrace.
    “Talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong. You know I am glad you were here for me today.”
    “I love you, Roman,” he murmured.
    “Come to bed,” Roman whispered.
    “I want to hear you say it.”
    “What?” Roman asked as he began kissing Kyle’s neck.
    “Stop,” Kyle replied, pulling away from his embrace as his sarcasm increased. “You didn’t seem to have a problem telling her grave last week, or every time we go, for that matter! How long have I been going with you now? Twice a week for the last year! Maybe we could make love. I could pretend to be Lisa, kind of a dark fantasy. What would you say to her?”
    Turning to face him, it shocked Roman to see fresh tears in Kyle’s eyes, and it equally shocked to see him so vulnerable. Usually Kyle was picking up the pieces for him. “Don’t act naïve, Roman! However, you’ve always been good at doing that!”
    “Silly boy, you know my feelings for you both publicly and certainly privately. Last night should have been proof of that,” he said as his hand wiped a tear present on Kyle’s cheek, and he tried to stay calm in spite of what he had said about Lisa.
    “I’m not your silly boy! I am a man deeply in love! Did you know I’ve loved you from the moment I sat down in your office for that interview at Ripped? I waited three years for you to decide that you felt some sort of an attraction to me! Then, I think I spent another six months watching as you tried to pretend that our kiss in the locker room never happened! I remember you turning off the video tapes for our after-hours therapy sessions, saying something about insurance liabilities ! I offered you my physical therapy services out of love, and have continued them even when the doctors have no explanation for the pain in your legs!”
    By now Kyle’s shouting had more than infuriated Roman. “Well, I seem to be the one with the bottle of Demerol!”
    “Thanks to me! Remember your pain management doctor? Edward? He’s providing you with those prescriptions as a personal favor to me. Yeah, that’s right! Edward and I were involved for almost a year during college. Why do you think I recommended him to you when you were unable to get pain meds anywhere else? I never felt for Edward what I am feeling for you right now. We were physical…very physical upon my recollection, but it was just that. I know we both cared for each other. I had never been with anyone