A Wealth of Unsaid Words by R. Cooper Read Free Book Online

then
    Everett moved again, and the moment was gone.
    Everett turned away to pull up his socks, though he
    didn"t need to turn to do it. The room was small and the floor
    space limited with their luggage everywhere. There wasn"t
    even much room for him to turn.
    “I"m really not. I"m actually very selfish. Greedy too.” The
    socks were also knitted. He ought to stop wearing every
    horrible gift he"d ever gotten just to be polite. If only it
    weren"t so endearingly Everett that he did.
    “You really are.” Giving himself a year to stand on his
    own feet, while remaining in therapy and on his pills of
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    A Wealth of Unsaid Words • R. Cooper

    course, meant real clear and rational thoughts came easily.
    Courage, however, had to be fought for.
    Everett glanced over, taking a moment before grinning.
    “Am not.”
    “Are too.” Alex was ready for him. Everett let out a small
    laugh before walking over and falling heavily onto the bed. It
    was a king size he"d had to get after another growth spurt in
    high school, but it rocked at his weight. His hand brushed
    Alex"s thigh, and Alex turned to look at him, breathing hard.
    “So fucking wrecked.” Everett sighed at the ceiling, then
    angled his head to look at him. “And I"ve got a ton of baking
    to do in the morning.”
    Alex nodded, enjoying another moment with Everett"s
    hand on him before remembering he had to get up. He had
    no reason to feel shy either, except for Everett"s eyes on him
    as he stood up and removed his clothes, which suddenly felt
    like a damn good reason, because unlike whatever he"d told
    himself during similar moments in the past, Everett was
    watching him. Everett was watching him, and he would not
    turn away unless Alex did.
    Alex was used to stares, but not these, not from
    someone who knew every awful thing about him, from
    someone as remarkable as Everett. He couldn"t quite make
    himself look back as Everett had done, but he didn"t twist
    his body away. He"d gained some weight while on his meds
    and gained a bit more this last year, though he was still
    slim, but he had a feeling Everett approved, the same way he
    had a feeling Everett approved of his arms, his ass, his back,
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    A Wealth of Unsaid Words • R. Cooper

    even his choice in sleepwear. When he was in warm, soft
    flannel at last and yet still bare before Everett"s hot gaze, he
    pulled out his toothbrush and his pill case and hurried down
    the hall to the bathroom where he could catch his breath
    and try not to think of what it would be like to look down at
    Everett and have Everett look back at him.
    When he returned, Everett was still awake but under
    the covers on the side of the bed by the window, either
    knowing Alex"s worries and working to calm them, or just
    that tired. Alex paused. Everett was studying him.
    “How are the side effects with the lower dose?” Everett
    was quiet.
    “Not bad.” The safe question meant Alex could move
    again. He shrugged and put his things away. “Better.” He
    shut the door. He hadn"t had real tremors or trouble
    concentrating in a very long time, but he never wanted them
    again.
    “That"s good.” Everett didn"t say anything else while Alex
    hesitated over the light switch then turned off the light and
    stumbled toward the bed. Ally must have made the bed that
    day since the sheets smelled clean. Everett"s side was
    already warm.
    “I mean… that"s really good,” Everett added, in almost
    the same tone he"d used that afternoon, as if he had to
    repeat it to make it true. He moved, shaking his head. He let
    out a small, pained laugh. “I suppose it"s just… a part of me
    was always so happy to see you that I never minded taking
    care of you.”
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    A Wealth of Unsaid Words • R. Cooper

    Alex froze. Everett moved again, sliding away from him
    to almost the very edge of the bed.
    “I told you I was selfish.” He laughed at himself again,
    unconvincingly, then stopped. He rolled over, and his eyes
    must have adjusted to the