Love Means No Shame - Andrew Grey

was hugging him again. “I’m sorry I scared you.” Talking was becoming easier, but he didn’t want to push it.
    Len stood up. “I need to get back to the farm, but I’ll stop by this afternoon after you’ve seen the doctor, and you can tell me what he says and when they expect to release you.” Geoff lifted his hand and Len took it, gripping it carefully. “You gave us quite a scare, son, but I’m glad you’re all right. I’ll leave you in capable hands.” Len had only called him son a few times over the years and always when he was worried or scared for him. Geoff pulled on his hand, releasing Eli, and Len leaned over the bed, giving him a hug. “I’ll see you this afternoon.” Len then straightened up and quietly left the room, his footsteps fading as he walked down the hall.
    “Have you been here the entire time?” Geoff was starting to tire and he yawned.

    Eli nodded. “Most of the time, anyway. Len took me home with him yesterday afternoon for a while, but I pestered him and he brought me back last night.” Eli started to sit in the chair, but Geoff patted the edge of the bed and Eli sat there instead.

    “When I woke up, I wondered why you were sitting in a chair next to the bed, but I didn’t have the energy to try to figure it out.” Geoff yawned again and felt his eyelids getting heavy.
    “You should sleep.”
“So should you.” Geoff scooted over on the bed and made room.
“I can’t do that; I might hurt you.” Eli started to get up.
    “Shhh… I’ll be fine.” Two shoes hit the floor, and then Eli was resting next to him, his head on Geoff’s shoulder. Regardless of how tired he was and the fact that he was in a hospital bed, his body reacted immediately, and he had to move so Eli wouldn’t feel his arousal. After getting comfortable and thinking of unsexy things, he 100
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sighed softly, happy that Eli was here in his arms, and they both drifted off to sleep.
    Geoff was having a lovely dream, the warm summer breeze blowing across their bodies as they held each other close, Eli’s lips on his, the horses nearby, a huge shade tree above them, its leaves rustling peacefully.
    “Well! What do we have here?” Like a needle scraping over an old record, he was jerked out of his dream and into a nightmare—or daymare. Opening his eyes, he was confronted by the frowning countenance of his Aunt Janelle. Geoff closed his eyes and counted to ten, hoping she’d be gone when he opened them again, but no such luck. Eli had heard her voice and jerked out of the bed, trying to find his shoes, his face red with embarrassment. Geoff reached out and took Eli’s hand in his.
    “Hello, Aunt Janelle.” He saw his Aunt Vicki and his Aunt Mari enter the room, his Aunt Vicki putting a huge vase of yellow roses on the tray where he could see them before leaning over the bed and giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Hi, Aunt Vicki, thank you for coming.” She stepped back and his Aunt Mari gave him a hug as well, and he whispered in her ear, “Couldn’t leave her home, could you?”
    Mari kissed him on the cheek and whispered back, “I tried.” He kept from smirking as she stood back up. “I’m so glad you’re feeling better. I was here yesterday, but you were asleep with a guardian in the chair the whole time.” Aunt Janelle had planted herself in the chair by the bed, looking like she was making herself comfortable. Eli brought chairs for the other two aunts, and he sat on the edge of the bed, by Geoff’s feet.
    “The flowers are beautiful. Thank you.” 101
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His Aunt Vicki smiled; the flowers had obviously been her idea. “Have they said what happened?”
    “They told me that it was pneumonia, probably brought on by a severe cold, but I’m feeling better, and they took me off the oxygen this morning. The doctor hasn’t been in yet, but the nurse said I’m doing much better.”
    His Aunt Janelle interjected in her usual way, like a buzz-saw at a symphony. “I’m glad you’re feeling better, but what I want to know is what you were doing with him in your bed?” Geoff could see Eli trying to disappear. “Aunt Mari, Eli has been here for almost two days straight; would you take him to the cafeteria? He’s got to be hungry.” Eli stood up, looking dejected and miserable. Geoff put out his arm. Eli came close, and Geoff pulled him into a one armed hug, whispering, “It’s not you. I just don’t want you to hear her spite.”