Page 4 of Lay It Bare

“I told him to bugger off.”

That was a new term coming from Lisa. Usually, he didn’t use British vernacular. Perhaps he’d been in England, except the British weren’t known for sun. “And he let you?” Rei poured water into the mug, added the tea bag, and poured the cream in. He handed Lisa the mug without waiting for the tea to steep. The point was warming Lisa up, not making beautiful tasting drinks. The mug would help his hands.

Lisa took the mug, eyes focused on the surface of the liquid. “I’ve been good. Very good. He told me you were here.”

Okay. Rei swallowed. This was a sanctioned rambling, then. Although being “good” could mean a great many things when it came to Alexi and Lisa. “What did he have you doing?”

“Looking pretty, in Morocco.” Lisa shrugged like it didn’t matter. But it did.

“He’s not in Morocco.”

Lisa shrugged.

Rei sighed and leaned back against the counter, gripping it with both hands. Lisa had been there on his own, then, doing something where he was looked at and perhaps more. “Did you get sick?”

Lisa shook his head. His hands trembled a little on the mug. Rei sighed. He grabbed Lisa’s sleeve and towed him back to the living room. It was warmer there. He pushed Lisa down onto the couch. Lisa put the mug on the coffee table and lay back against the arm with the pillows behind his back. Rei pulled off his overshirt and crawled up Lisa’s legs, pushing Lisa’s shirt and jacket up his chest. He lay down on top of Lisa, skin to skin.

Lisa shuddered. His hands gripped the fabric on Rei’s back.

“You’re a lunatic,” Rei grumbled. Even the soft skin of Lisa’s too-flat stomach was cold.

“You were on that island. And I was . . . there.” Lisa’s hands tangled in Rei’s hair and stroked over his face and neck and slid over his back.

Rei closed his eyes and made himself heavy, letting Lisa touch as he needed. Without Alexi, Lisa would be touch starved. He didn’t let anyone outside of Alexi touch him without a fight. Unless it was Rei. “You should have told Alexi you needed touch.”

“Still mad at him.”

“For sending you to Morocco?”

Lisa grunted.

“What made it so bad?” Rei let his own hands wander, just petting Lisa, calming him like he would a dog.

“People.”

Rei shook his head.

Lisa sank lower into the couch, pulling Rei up so their faces were close and Rei was almost stuffed between Lisa and the back of the couch. Lisa cupped the back of Rei’s head, holding him protectingly. Rei kept his breathing regular and stayed loose, letting Lisa move him about as needed.

“All the rich yuppies wanting this and that. The collars, ugh. Hate starch. Suits. Feet hurt.”

“You were on the yachts?” Rei guessed.

Lisa nodded.

Rei rubbed Lisa’s back. That would have been hell on him. Being seen but not seen. Serving. Taking orders. Wearing restrictive clothing.

“Sounds awful.”

Lisa cursed in agreement.

Rei hugged him. “You didn’t let Alexi help you.”

“Wanted you.” Lisa nuzzled into Rei’s hair. “Told him.”

Rei could conceive how Lisa had most likely told Alexi what he wanted. It had probably been one or two words and a long, level stare, with Lisa leaving Alexi to fill in the gaps. Years of being treated like a dog and kept in a kennel had limited the vocabulary Lisa was willing to use. He had words, he just avoided fraternizing with them. “Tell him you’re here.”

“No.”