Promises 2 (36 page)

The quiet was unsettling. Quick had been there last night. Had come to him, fought for him, held him, carried him, but he didn’t remember anything else. Did he leave? Did he not forgive Cayson? He sat up slowly, easing his legs over the side of the bed. He took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds before blowing it out. It did nothing to ease the pain. Sighing in defeat, Cayson stood slowly, careful for his first few steps that he didn’t get dizzy and fall. He was closing his bathroom door when he heard the sound of footsteps downstairs.

He moved a little faster to the railing, peering over the side. He saw Quick on his hands and knees, shirtless, in a pair of jeans, his long hair tied up into a loose man bun. There was a bucket of soapy, pink-tinged water beside him as he scrubbed the mess that’d been made on Cayson’s hardwood floors last night. Even though there was blood on his wall and in several other places in his trashed living room, he couldn’t take his eyes off of Quick. He was there. That was all that mattered.

Cayson smiled, his heart soaring. Even if Quick was there as a friend and no longer a lover… he’d take it. Every damn scrap or bone, he’d take it. “Rome,” he said, his voice sounding like a frog croaking. He coughed and tried to clear it, making his way to the stairs, but Quick was already taking them three at a time up to him and was stopping him from trying to come down.

“Baby. What are you doing out of bed? You should be resting,” Quick asked, dipping low to look into Cayson’s eyes.

Without another thought, Cayson flung his arms around Quick’s waist and held on. “I don’t need rest.”

“Yes, you do. Come on.” Quick held Cayson in his big arms, moving him back towards the bed.

“No. I’m fine. What I need is a shower. I smell like the dead.” Cayson grimaced. He also needed some answers, but he was scared to ask any questions. He fidgeted nervously, needing to at least say this before he made another move. “I, um. I also want to know where I stand with you. Have you cut bait and thrown me back in?”

“What?” Quick frowned.

“Nothing. Bad fishing reference my dad used to always say.”

Quick held Cayson at arm’s length. They stared at each other for several minutes and Cayson thought he might be getting ready to hear some disturbing news, until he saw a rapt determination spread over Quick’s rough features right as he went down on both knees, tightly holding Cayson’s hands in front of him.

“Marry me.”

Cayson gasped, then blinked like maybe he hadn’t heard right. Was that his answer to “Where do I stand with you?”

“Rome.” Cayson’s breath whooshed out of him. Holy shit! Was he for real? Yes! The answer’s yes!

“Cayson. I’m not trying to terrify you by asking you to spend your life with me. But, this is real. It’s what I feel.” Quick stood up and walked them back until they were sitting side by side on the bed. He kept Cayson’s hands clutched to his chest while he went into a long explanation of exactly what happened yesterday, from the time he left Cayson in his home before dawn, to the long stint at the precinct, to the misunderstanding between him and Ford. Laid it all out there. Even about his anger episodes. There needed to be no more secrets so there’d be no more confusion.

He was grateful that Brian was safe at his brother’s home, recovering from a concussion and a fractured jaw. Cayson was left short of breath when he found out that Brian had been the one to convince Ford to leave the hospital and come help him when he pushed the alarm on his watch. Brian wasn’t mad at him and didn’t blame him for Joe’s acions. Cayson was fine to let all of that burden rest heavily on Joe’s shoulders while he sat in jail, for however short a time that turned out to be, facing a couple counts of conspiracy and extortion and a few more of harassment.

According to Duke’s phone call to Quick that morning, Joe had already posted bond and was out on bail. He was not able to practice medicine or initiate contact with any of them. Quick’s voice was stern when he told Cayson to call the police immediately if Joe contacted him in any way.

“I’m not sure if all those charges will stick, but one or two might, if we both testify. This was not your fault, Cayson, and I hate myself for not being here for you. Not being at that hospital when Ford went crazy on you.”

“Stop,” Cayson whispered. “I think maybe we should both stop trying to accept blame and just—”

“I know it seems rushed and too fast, but you don’t have to continue to fulfill my life every day for the next two or three years before I realize you’re the one. You’re it.” Quick interrupted, sliding off the bed and getting back on his knees. “I love you, Cayson. I do. And, I haven’t said that to many people. My sweet Cays. I love you from a place so deep, that I feel like I’ve just started to live life. That a missing part of me has come alive, and it feels so good when I’m with you. I know I have my son, and my friends. But you soothe something inside of me that no one ever has. That’s how I know.” Quick pressed their joined hands over his heart. “You own this. Whatever your answer is. Yes or no. You’ll always own this.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“How many people have you told already?” Cayson rolled his eyes playfully, while he finished packing his bags. He was going to stay with Quick while he had a cleaning crew come in and clear the stench of blood, melee, deceit and any other disgusting shit that’d been left behind last night. Even though they were technically engaged – Cayson was still smiling from three hours ago – he wasn’t going to move in with Quick. Having his own space would be good for them while they continued to date and learn each other during their hopefully not too long engagement.

“Only a few,” Quick muttered, avoiding Cayson’s eyes. Quick’s fingers were flying over the keys on his cell phone, a wide grin sitting firmly on his face, the same way it’d been since Cayson said yes.

He’d been a little more than scared when he realized he was about to say yes, but he couldn’t dispute that he was in love with Quick as well. Hook, line and sinker, his heart belonged to Roman Webb.

“I was texting Vaughan. He’s at work, but he’s going insane. He wants to help plan the wedding,” Quick said, laughing as he read more of Vaughan’s responses. “Oh, hell. He and Duke want us over this week for dinner.”

Cayson finally started to ignore the slight twinge of pain in his bruised cheek from smiling so much, because there was no way he could stop. “How long do you think we’re going to be at the police station?” Cayson asked, zipping up one of his suitcases.

“Hopefully not long. You have to meet the detective at one, so maybe an hour or two. You’ll have to answer whatever questions they have, then write your statement.” Quick helped Cayson lift the suitcase off the bed and set it on the floor. He took Cayson in his arms for the hundredth time that morning and kissed him passionately.

“Then I want to go home, help you get settled and then….”

Cayson walked behind Quick, carrying his garment bag while Quick carried the other luggage and his toiletry bag. They locked up the house and packed his things in his car. “And then what?” Cayson asked when he got inside and started the engine.

“Then, since you’re on medical leave for the next couple weeks.” Quick leaned over the console of Cayson’s hybrid and seductively licked at his lips. “I want to make love to you for two weeks straight, where we only get out of bed to piss, shower, and eat, then it’s back to bed.”

If Cayson wasn’t a law-abiding citizen, he would’ve blown off his appointment with the police detective and sped back to Quick’s home, running every light that tried to slow him down, and been in Quick’s bed, spread wide open for him.

Quick

Quick turned and held his hand out for Cayson’s keys. “I’ll drive, gorgeous. You still look tired.”

“I am exhausted, a little. From being in there.” Cayson clutched the back of his neck, pointing behind him at the police station. “It felt like they were asking the same question over and over, just wording it differently each time.”

“Yeah.” Quick started the quiet engine. “They try to catch you in a lie.”

“But I wasn’t lying.”

“I believe you, baby. But they don’t know you’re not a liar.”

“Now we have to go to court, right?”

“Yep. In a couple months. Joe will probably get a lot of suspended sentences, and maybe probation, if they can’t make everything stick. He’s got more lawyers than OJ had.”

“Whatever. One of those cops was a dick. He made me feel like a slut.”

Quick laughed, picking up one of Cayson’s hands and kissing each knuckle. “I don’t remember that part.”

“He treated me like I was a bed-hopper. Like I went right from Joe’s bed to yours in the same night, as if I drove him to act desperately.”

“Um. Didn’t you?” Quick winked, then flinched when Cayson slugged him in his arm, rubbing it exaggeratingly as if Cayson could really hurt him. “I’d go crazy if you dumped me, too.”

Cayson slapped his hand on his forehead. “I didn’t dump him.”

“I’m just ribbing you. Get used to it in this family.” Quick headed to his home, in Cayson’s tiny clown car. First thing he’d request was for his doctor to get an actual vehicle that he could fit in, and that wouldn’t crumple like a piece of paper in the slightest fender bender.

It was after five by the time they left the station. Cayson declined Quick’s offer to go to a restaurant and surprised him by asking for a basic club from Subway. God, he loved a low maintenance partner.

When they got to Quick’s place, they wasted little time putting Cayson’s things in a couple drawers. Quick was happy to make plenty of space in his bathroom and anywhere else, so Cayson would feel so welcome, he never wanted him to leave. With that thought in his head. Quick was starting on Cayson’s welcome right now.

After his shower, he put new linens on the bed while Cayson washed up. It was only dusk, but they were getting ready for a long night and hopefully morning, in bed. Quick had his weapons stashed and was waiting on top of the covers for his fiancé when he opened the bathroom door.

“I’m in love with your showerhead.” Cayson was drying his hair with a large, fluffy, royal blue towel.

“I thought you were just washing up, you showered this morning.”

“But the water felt so good, I wanted another.” Cayson smiled. Quick would never get bored of seeing it. Most couples probably said that in the beginning of most relationships, but he truly believed it. Cayson pulled on a pair of white Hanes boxers and crawled next to Quick, settling in to his side. A perfect fit. 

He and Cayson laid there with the curtains open to Quick’s lavish backyard, watching the last of the daylight leave for its time of rest. Neither were asleep as Quick lazily rubbed soothing circles on Cayson’s back and his sweet doctor ran his hands through Quick’s long hair. There was no more talk of Joe’s uninvited imposition on their relationship or police reports, no talk at all. They didn’t feel the need to fill the calming moment with chatter. Quick was perfectly content lying there with his love in his arms, protected from the cold and bitter world.

~~~~~~~~~~

Quick slowly opened his eyes, adjusting to the pitch darkness of his bedroom. He stretched like a lion – having no clue what time it was, and not caring – and popped the few kinks in his neck, then burrowed back into Cayson’s warmth. He wasn’t surprised they’d fallen asleep in each other’s arms. That was the way it was supposed to be. A real soulmate could sense his lover’s inner conflict and soothe him with something as simple as a touch or a look. Cayson had been upset when he left the police station, but Quick’s touch had put him right to rest.

He leaned over Cayson’s back and began to kiss down the side of his face, not stopping until he got to those ripe lips. He couldn’t believe he thought he’d never get to kiss Cayson again. If he never knew another thing, he knew he couldn’t live without Cayson.

Quick moaned and responded to Cayson when he blindly reached behind him and urged Quick’s hips to move. “Ohhhhh.”

Damn, the sounds his doctor made. 

Quick tucked his hair behind his ear, leaning in further to deepen the kiss. He slowly eased Cayson to lie flat on his back. Propped against him, Quick had to know one or two things before they started.

“You sure you feel okay? Are you still resting? There’s no rush to do anything right now, ya know. We have all our lives to make love. I understand if you—”

“Rome. Be quiet and make love to me. Slow and deep,” Cayson moaned, inching his boxers down his pale legs.

Quick was up on one elbow, leaning against Cayson. He let his head fall back the second Cayson wrapped his slim fingers around Quick’s turgid length. “You like that.” Cayson breathed hotly against his throat.

“You know I do.” Quick held Cayson’s hip while he ground his erection into the warm cleft of his ass cheeks. God, his ass was so perfect, so delectable. Quick couldn’t help but worship it. He kneaded the soft, round mounds with the same intensity as his thrusting. “Cays, baby?”

“Hmmmm,” Cayson moaned long and deliciously, matching Quick and pushing his ass back just enough to excite him.

“I’m clean. I haven’t told you that yet. We have to have regular physicals for work. Mine was two months ago, but I wanted you to know, I’m negative for everything.” Quick fumbled on his wording, because he knew what he was needing from Cayson was a big deal. Especially for a doctor. Having intercourse without protection was morally and socially irresponsible. That just wasn’t Cayson.