Page 250 of Seasons of Love
I saw movement from the direction of the kitchen door and looked to see Tiago leaning against the frame with my cake box in his hand. I smiled and crooked my finger to call him to me. He obliged and walked over, straddling me and placing the box next to us.
He was going to say something, but I was missing him too much for words, so I put my hand behind his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. He took advantage of his increased height in that position and took over the kiss, licking my lower lip before demanding entry. As if I'd ever say no to anything he wanted from me.
"Mmm… you taste delicious," he moaned into my lips.
I opened the box, and using the plastic fork I'd left inside, took a piece of the cake and fed it to him. The sounds he made as he took each of the bites I fed him made me so hard I wasn't sure how I'd be able to walk out of there.
"If I knew all it took was cake, I'd have baked you one ages ago," I said, pushing my hips up and showing him the effect his sounds had on me.
"You can bake, too?"
I chuckled and pulled him in for another kiss, tasting the chocolate filling from the cake on his lips.
"I baked this one."
He leaned back to look at me.
"When?"
"I was hoping to meet you earlier, but you weren't here, so I met your friend David and helped him with the workshop. This is the result of my effort." I grinned.
His mouth fell open. "You met David?"
"Yes, he's a nice guy but a little odd."
"How so?"
"He seemed apprehensive around me at first, but once we started talking about his workshops, he relaxed. It was like he was trying to find something in me, but I'm not sure what. Does that make sense?"
"David's a good guy. He's been through a lot. Anyway, what are you doing here? You didn't tell me you were meeting me here."
"I was hoping to whisk you away for a few days to Porto."
His face fell.
"Baby, you're on the brink of a breakdown. Fred has everything under control here, and there's nothing else you can do. Please let me take you away."
He got up and ran his hands through his hair fiercely, like he was trying to hold on to his sanity.
"No. Don't you get it? I can't leave. I can't take any chances. I'm too close, Vítor. Too close."
The last two words were cries into my chest as I got up and put my arms around him.
"Shh, that's okay, baby, we don't have to go. I just wanted to do something for you. I'm so worried about you, and I feel that there's nothing I can do to help you."
"I'm sorry. I haven't been the best person to be around. This wait is killing me, and after seeing him all beat up, I just can't take it anymore. I need to see him, touch him, and promise him that everything is going to be okay."
"You'll have a chance to do that. Just be strong for a little longer."
"I'm so tired."
"I know, baby. Let's take you home."
20
TIAGO
In the eight years of searching for my brother, I'd very rarely lost it, but it was becoming a regular occurrence and I didn't like, especially because of the strain it put on Vítor. I knew it was because we were so close, but the wait made the last eight years feel like five minutes and the last three weeks feel like ten years.
