Free Blackbird Knitting in a Bunny's Lair by Amy Lane Page B

mortgage, your rabbits in the hutch outside. You gonna be able to live with that?”
    Jeremy breathed in sharply and looked at Aiden with a plain face—which actually gave Aiden some hope and happiness, because if he wasn’t faking a smile or faking seriousness, then that meant he was being real and honest, and that was when Aiden liked him best.
    “I missed holding you,” he said nakedly, and Aiden swallowed hard. “You slept next to me for two months. Every night in the hospital, I wanted it back.”
    Aiden got out of his chair and fell to his knees in front of his stubborn, damaged lover. “I’m so pissed at you I could beat you twice,” he growled, but he had his head in Jeremy’s lap and was wrapping his arms around Jeremy’s slight waist, so perhaps Jeremy took that in the spirit in which it was intended.
    “I’d just as soon go to bed.” Jeremy’s voice, choked and bemused, accompanied a shaking hand through Aiden’s hair. “I’ll shower first.”
    “We’re not having sex tonight,” Aiden said, no-bullshit like, because it would take a while of reacquainting himself with Jeremy’s new skin to be able to be comfortable with the idea of sex again.
    “I’m not climbing into that bed with you smelling like hospital,” Jeremy said sharply.
    “You showered this morning!” Aiden protested. It was a bad memory to bring up, because Aiden had sat on the toilet the whole time, wanting to make sure he’d be okay.
    Jeremy’s face twisted. “It doesn’t smell like home,” he said apologetically. “Maybe our soap, my clothes… it won’t feel so temporary.”
    Aiden sucked in a breath. Of course. Jeremy spent two years getting used to his little apartment on the outskirts of town. He’d grown up in hotel rooms. Having that apartment taken away from him must have been earth-shattering.
    Aiden nodded. “Here, Jer. I’ll get the dishes. Go shower.” He stood awkwardly and pulled Jeremy into his arms. Like this, draped around his body, Aiden could protect him.
    For a moment Jeremy shook in his embrace, and Aiden squeezed tighter. He must have squeezed too tight, though, because Jeremy wiggled away, kissed his cheek, and trotted upstairs to the bedroom with the adjoining bath.
    Aiden made quick work of the dishes and bundled up the casserole. He went outside to check on the rabbits—the new breeding pair Stanley had bought them was happy in their rabbit hutch. The special heater was nice because there was still plenty of snow and a bitter wind in February, and Aiden couldn’t wait to introduce Jeremy to them in the morning.
    When he got up to the bedroom, Jeremy was coming out of the shower, shirtless, in a pair of sweats. He felt Aiden’s regard on his skinny, scarred body, and a flush traveled from his neck, down his chest, his ribcage, then down to his very concave stomach.
    “I was just getting a shirt,” he mumbled, and Aiden’s breath stopped so suddenly, he saw stars.
    “Don’t,” he growled. Without preamble, he invaded Jeremy’s space, wanting to heat him and cover him and maul that pale body with his own strong, healthy one. He bent and kissed Jeremy’s shoulder, and then the side of his neck, and then the center of his chest.
    Jeremy sighed softly, relaxing into his touch, and Aiden palmed his shoulder blades and kept kissing things. Pink nipples, the bumps on his broken ribs, the decreased muscle on his bicep. Aiden brushed his lips on all of it, and as Jeremy’s warmth and arousal started to permeate the smell of shower and soap, Aiden’s kisses grew more aggressive.
    He fell to his knees again and stripped Jeremy’s sweats off, placing little nibbling kisses down Jeremy’s hip bones and his thighs while Jeremy clung to his shoulders and thrust his hips in quivery, tight movements.
    Aiden took back everything he’d just said to Jeremy about no sex. Dammit, he had permission .He needed to know Jeremy’s body again, and the one thing he knew, the one thing he truly knew, in