Free My Brother's Keeper by Adrienne Wilder Page B

Ellis.” Could he even hear Jon? “Ellis?”
    Ellis gripped his cock. There was no hesitation when he said, “I want to feel you come.” The small cry preceding every breath he took transformed into a low keen. “Jon, I want to feel you, let me feel you.” He arched, tightening his body until Jon had to fight to move.
    The feel of Ellis, the knowledge that he was Jon’s, pushed him over the edge, on a wave of euphoria. Jon’s guttural roar joined Ellis’s pleas.
    The haze of static withdrew and the sound of the rushing water returned with the sticky feel of steam, and the warmth of Ellis against his skin.
    Jon put a hand on the shower door to keep from putting too much weight on Ellis.
    Between ragged breaths, Ellis said, “I can’t lose you. I just can’t.”
    Jon kissed him on the shoulder. “You won’t.”

Chapter Five
    Jon put a plate in front of Rudy. “Since we didn’t get hotdogs at the carnival, I made my famous chili cheese super dogs.” The split hotdogs were tucked into a bun and drowned in chili, onions and cheese.
    He handed one to Ellis. “This looks so disgusting it can only be good. I think I’m going to need a fork.”
    Jon caught his arm. “Nope, no fork. You eat these babies with your hands.”
    “Then I need towels.” Ellis retrieved paper towels from the kitchen. He layered Rudy’s lap and tucked some in the front of his shirt.
    Jon fought to pick up one of the hotdogs and not wind up with a lap full of chili. He took a bite. Slightly sweet with mild spices, the meaty flavor made his stomach growl for more. This had to be his best batch yet.
    Rudy stared at his plate.
    “What’s wrong?” Jon caught a wayward drop of chili off his lip. “I thought you liked hotdogs.”
    “It’s yellow.”
    “What’s yellow?”
    “Rudy, it’s cheese. You like cheese,” Ellis said.
    “I like white cheese, this is yellow cheese. I can’t eat it.”
    Ellis shrugged at Jon. “Sorry.”
    “No problem. I should have remembered.” He took Rudy’s plate to the kitchen. With some creative scraping he removed the cheese and patched the holes in the chili pile with a few fresh spoonfuls from the crockpot.
    He returned the plate to Rudy, who said, “No more yellow.”
    “Nope.”
    “And what are you supposed to say?” Ellis nudged Rudy.
    “Thanks, Jon.”
    “Any time. Now eat up.” Jon took another bite and lost a glob on his chin.
    Ellis wiped at a stain on his shirt. “You and your hands-only idea.”
    “Take small bites and don’t spill.” Rudy gave a demonstration.
    “You know,” Jon said. “It’s pretty bad when he’s doing better than either of us.”
    Ellis gave Jon a dirty look. He tore loose more paper towels and stuffed them in the collar of his shirt, then handed some to Jon. Now they could all look ridiculous.
    At least, they wouldn’t ruin their clothes.
    Rudy talked around a mouthful of food. “Can we have these every night?”
    “You’d get tired of them,” Ellis said.
    “No, I wouldn’t. I love famous chili cheese super dogs. But with no cheese.” A glob hit the napkin on the front of his shirt. “Uh oh.”
    “That’s what the napkins are for.”
    “I’m not in trouble?”
    “No, now eat your lunch.”
    “I still think he’s doing a better job than you or me.” Jon nodded at Ellis’s makeshift bib which was suffering heavy casualties.
    “You’re one to talk.”
    Jon’s bib had even more ever-growing red stains.
    Rudy licked the last of the chili from his fingers. “Can we go to the park and play baseball? They have a field there. It’s not as big as a real field but it has bases, lines, a pitcher’s mound, and seats for people to watch.”
    After what happened yesterday? Jon cast a look toward Ellis. He went into the kitchen, and came back with a wet rag.
    “Ellis?”
    “Let me think about it.” Ellis cleaned Rudy’s face.
    “But I really want to go.”
    “I know.”
    “You’re still mad about last night.”
    Ellis removed the