Love Means No Boundaries - Andrew Grey

right.
     
Washing and drying his hands, he opened the door and walked back to the table, sitting in the same chair he’d used the day before.
    He heard when a plate was set down in front of him and Joey explained where and what everything was. Fried chicken and small potatoes. Robbie smiled to himself as he began eating slowly.
He’d noticed that after the first dinner, meals had consisted almost exclusively of finger foods. No one had said anything, but he’d noticed it happening just the same. Even breakfast had morphed into egg sandwiches on toast. They hadn’t said anything—
and he didn’t either—but silently, he said a “thank you” to Eli and his new friends for their thoughtful kindness.
     
After dinner, he was shooed upstairs to get ready. Robbie noticed something else as he walked up the stairs—he had a shadow that he assumed was Rex. Opening his bedroom door, he heard the bed squeak slightly as Rex jumped on the bed, followed by panting.
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Andrew Grey
    He reached out and stroked the soft creature. “You’re a good boy, aren’t you?” A wet tongue licked his fingers and hand. “You want to keep me company?” He felt the dog’s tongue on his face and stroked the dog’s hair. It felt so good on his skin. He’d always wanted a dog, but his mother was allergic.
    Moving to the closet, he located his tuxedo and laid it on the bed before sliding off his shoes and socks and then lowering his pants. Robbie stepped into his tuxedo pants. The cool, crisp material felt good on his legs as he slid them on. Taking off his T-shirt, he laid it next to his pants and felt around inside the bag looking for his dress shirt but couldn’t find it.
    “I think you have a friend for life.” Robbie jumped when he heard Joey’s voice, not expecting him since he hadn’t heard his footsteps. He heard a soft gasp, but didn’t know what it was for. “Is something wrong?”
“N-no.” The stammer just confused him more.
“Then why are you breathing funny and stammering?”
“You’re beautiful.” Joey’s breathy words took him by surprise.
“I’m what?” Robbie could barely believe his ears.
    “Um.” Robbie waited, hoping Joey would repeat the words he could barely believe he’d heard. “I said you’re beautiful.” Then nothing, and Robbie wondered if that admission meant what he thought it meant. His body sure hoped it did. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have….” He heard Joey’s voice trail off and retreating footsteps.
    “Joey.” The footsteps stopped. “I didn’t say I was upset.” He let his hands fall to his side, his attention tuned to the last footsteps he’d heard and waited for what seemed like an eternity. Most of the time he’d accepted the fact that he couldn’t see, but there were times, like right now, that he very much wished he could. He wanted to see Joey’s expression, look into his eyes. Maybe have a clue what 48
Love Means … NO Boundaries
     
he was thinking. But all he could do was wait and listen to his breathing and Rex’s panting from the bed. It was unnerving. “Am I really beautiful?” He’d never really wondered what he looked like.
    Since he couldn’t see, it wasn’t really important to him. But it suddenly seemed very important.
“Yes.” He heard the whisper, but no footsteps followed.
“Really beautiful.” Then a soft step reached his ears, followed by another.
He felt the heat from Joey’s body. Was he going to kiss him?
What would it be like? His body was ready to push him forward, but he waited, wondering.
Fingertips caressed his cheek and a thumb ghosted over his upper lip. He gasped and the touch retreated.
“I’m sorry.”
Robbie stepped forward. “Nothing to be sorry for, except maybe pulling away.” He reached out to Joey, his hands encountering a warm shirt, hard muscle beneath.
     
“You gasped.”
    “It was that good.” If it was possible to hear someone smile, Robbie did at that moment. The touch was back, fingers sliding over his cheek. Robbie didn’t know what to do, so he stayed still, afraid Joey would stop what he was doing. Then he felt a soft pressure on his lips, gentle and hot. He wasn’t sure it was really there.
The pressure increased, and he knew it for what it was: his first real kiss. And he responded, with gusto. Lifting his arms, he entwined them around Joey’s body as the kiss deepened.
     
Robbie’s mind began to swirl with every emotion imaginable, and his body felt like it was on fire. If this