Page 48 of Someone to Call My Own

“I love you, Emory.”

I soundlessly came apart in his arms, unaware that I was holding my breath as I came all over my stomach until my lungs started to burn. I sucked precious air into my lungs as I watched Jon join me in nirvana. He kept his eyes open, and I could see the pleasure of his orgasm slowly wash over his beautiful body.

“I love you too, Jon.”

Jon collapsed on top of me after he was fully spent. I wrapped my arms around him and held him tight, even though it made it harder to breathe. I didn’t care that his dick was still in my ass and he didn’t care that he was lying in my cum. Hell, if it were up to me, I would stay in bed naked with him all day. Jon had a different idea though.

“Do you think your water heater has anything left in the tank?” The pillow muffled his words.

“Why?” I asked suspiciously. “I thought you liked smelling like me.”

“I do, but I’m not sure how Gabe and Josh would like it.” Jon raised up and looked into my eyes. “They’re worried sick about you. They love you. Let them be here for you right now.”

“Okay.”

I showered again, dressed, and took my medication with the soup and sandwiches Jon made us for lunch. While we ate, I told Jon about the symptoms I’d experienced that prompted me to seek medical attention, and I repeated everything my surgeon had told me. I could tell he was still going to read every single word in that folder later that night. After lunch, Jon drove us to the Roman-Wyatt’s house so I could tell them what was going on.

“What time is your surgery?” Josh quietly asked. I could tell how much it hurt him that I had planned to go through the procedure without telling them. They’d been so generous and kind to me already. I just didn’t want to be a burden to them while they had their hands full with the twins.

“I have to check in at seven and surgery is at ten.”

“We’ll be there,” Gabe said.

“You guys don’t…” I let my words trail off when I saw Josh’s Don’t Fuck With Me expression.

“The grandmas will have everything under control here, and we can be there for Jon while he waits and foryouwhile you recover.” Josh wasn’t asking; he was telling us how it was going to be.

“I’m sure Jon and Memphis will be glad to have company.”

“Memphis?” they all asked at once.

“He’s my cousin and best friend.” I told them about some of our less colorful shenanigans growing up. “You guys are going to love him.”

Two tiny cries split the air, and we laughed as Josh and Gabe hauled ass over to the bassinettes to pick up their babies.

“What do you think? Hungry or stinky?” Gabe asked.

“I don’t think I care for the new nicknames you’ve assigned to our angels,” Josh said, earning a glare from Gabe. “Hmmmm. Dylan has his poop face rocking, and Destiny is trying to eat her fist.”

“One of each,” Gabe said, nodding.

“We’re going to take off so you guys can enjoy time with the twins,” I told the new dads.

“You don’t have to go,” Josh said. “We’ll just go change their diapers, and you guys can help us feed them.”

“We don’t have the right equipment,” Jon teased.

“And we do?” Gabe countered then rolled his eyes.

“What if we drop one?” Jon asked, getting to the crux of his wariness.

“Try your best not to do that,” Josh quipped as they headed upstairs to change the babies.

Fifteen minutes later, Jon and I sat on the couch feeding Destiny and Dylan. Josh had tucked a pillow beneath my arm when I told him about the potential for sudden weakness. I glanced over at Jon, and he smiled at me.Dear Lord, those big strong hands were meant to cradle babies.He squinted his eyes like he could read my mind and wanted to discourage me from getting big ideas. Too late!Maybe someday,I said to myself.

Ibarely slept the night before Emory’s surgery because too many wild thoughts jockeyed for attention and I couldn’t shut my brain down. The predominant emotions were joy and happiness that Emory was finally in my arms and admitting he loved me too. Unfortunately, I was afraid of what drove him to that point. I wanted to believe it was an epiphany that we belonged together, but I figured it had more to do with the tumor they discovered.

We’d spent every private moment talking and getting to know one another, and I came right out and asked him some tough questions while he was tucked up against me in the privacy of his bedroom. “Em, do you think we would’ve arrived at this moment if you hadn’t found out about the tumor?” As much as I tried, I couldn’t push all the doubt out of my mind to focus on the positive. A person didn’t shake their lifelong habits overnight.