The Dark Angels: Tied Together (7 page)

“Hey, up.” He grabbed Robin’s slender hands and tugged.

“Come on. Up you go.”

Seeing his sweet mouth still twisted in a pout took everything in Josh not to kiss those lush lips into a moan. But he didn’t.

He couldn’t. He put a brotherly arm around the slimmer man and walked him home ignoring the skipping of his heartbeat just because he had his arms around Robin.

As soon as the front door was shut, Uncle Leo called them into the living room. A box was sitting at his feet.

Shit! He is kicking us out.
Josh couldn’t believe it. He thought he knew Uncle Leo. He thought the old guy really cared about them. Josh was surprised it hurt more than when his own father had done the same thing.

“Sit down, boys.”

“No, we can be out in fifteen minutes.” Josh was moving towards their shared room. He wasn’t going to be forced to sit through a lecture. If he was being kicked out so be it but he wasn’t going to listen to any bullshit about him, or Robin, or any book.

Chuckling, Uncle Leo shouted to Josh who was already down the hallway. “Josh, please. Come back. Sit. We need to talk.”

Robin hadn’t moved from the doorway. He just stared down at the floor.

“What’s to say? You started to pack us up. We don’t need a picture drawn for us. We get it.” He pointed to the box all taped up.

“No, you don’t. Now please come sit.” Uncle Leo looked down at the box resting near his feet and shook his head. “Robin, would you open the box?” Josh still just stood there glaring at the man he had allowed himself to become fond of. He should have known never to give a damn about anyone other than Robin. A piece of him wanted to stop Robin from doing what Uncle Leo had asked in hopes of preventing more pain and rejection, but he said nothing.

Robin slowly moved forward as he swallowed back tears.

“Okay.” His voice was soft and shy. Clearly, wanting to be anywhere else. He moved to the box like it had rats that were going to jump out and bite his face off. He did as requested and a big smile lit up his face as he dug in the box.

Josh leaned over and peered into the depths of the mysterious box. It was filled to the top with books. On closer inspection, the covers had buff men looking into the distance or holding and kissing each other.

Looking over at Uncle Leo, Josh gave him a confused smile.

Uncle Leo pulled down his thick glasses lower on his nose to give him a big wink.

Robin plopped down next to the box then looked up at Uncle Leo as if he didn’t quite believe what he was seeing. His hand reached in to pull out a book with two half dressed men locked in a tender embrace.

Opening his mouth then closing it before anything came out, Robin shook his head a little and looked over at Uncle Leo again.

His cheeks were getting a bit pink as his eyes darted from them, to the book in his hand, to the box of books, and back again.

“My son is gay, Robin. Betsy and I belonged to PFLAG.

She was a true romantic and bought Sean romance books.” He chuckled and shook his head at a memory. “Let’s just say my son was not a real romantic at the time. A bad break-up along with some bad experiences… anyway, my Betsy. who was an avid reader, didn’t want the books to go to waste. As you can see she enjoyed them.” He laughed with pleasure, not sadness, at remembering his wife.

“So, you think…” Robin was trying to say something as he turned a brighter shade of pink.

“Robin, I don’t care if you are gay, straight, or bisexual.

Maybe you just like those types of stories. It doesn’t matter to me.” Uncle Leo said it in a way that not even Josh could question his sincerity.

But Josh wanted to clarify so there were no mistakes. “So you aren’t going to throw us out for the book Robin was reading?”

Uncle Leo looked surprised. “Of course not.” Hearing Robin’s little sniff and seeing his downcast head with shaking shoulders, their past situation must have become clear to Uncle Leo. “Is that what happened?”

“Yeah,” he said quietly. Josh move to stand closer to Robin as if to protect the younger man from the truth.

“Fucking son of a bitch!” Uncle Leo exclaimed with all the anger Josh had felt.

Both of them looked at Uncle Leo who never said a cross word to anyone let alone a string of curses. Then Robin looked up at him with a tad of concern. Josh looked over at the older man who was outraged for them and started laughing bitterly.

“Agreed.” He shrugged, as if to make it appear it didn’t break his heart to have such a father. Needing to change the subject, he reached into the box and pulled out a shifter book by the author Robin adored.

“Look, Robby, a shifter one.”

Robin squealed and reached for the treasure. “Ohhhhh, let me see!” He flipped the book over to read the back cover and grinned as a blush stole up his cheeks. He dropped the book and knee walked to Uncle Leo to throw his arms around him.

Uncle Leo gave him a big hug and started to pet Robin’s long shiny hair. Robin was undone by the tender gesture and started to cry like his heart was broken. “It’s okay, son. Nothing wrong with being who God made you.” After a couple minutes, he waved Josh over to join for a big group hug.

“I want you two to know, you are both good boys and you will always be a part of my family.” He sniffed. “My Betsy would have doted on you both.” He petted both of them on the heads like they were children. “But I will do the best I can.” Slowly he moved back to his original seat to watch Robin go through the books.

Josh sat over on the couch next to Uncle Leo and just rested his hand on the old man’s, squeezing it as he watched Robin’s excitement over the stash of books. “Thank you” seemed inadequate but Uncle Leo understood.

Robin looked like a five year old on Christmas morning.

Though the book covers were anything but innocent. Some were close to pornographic and those Robin put in a pile face down on the opposite side of the box away from Uncle Lou’s smiling eyes. After he went through them all, he grinned over at them.

Josh’s heart squeezed a little as it filled with emotion. “Want me to help you carry them into our room?”

Robin started restacking them in the box. “Yeah, I think it is a bit heavy.”

He went over to heft up the load of books. Robin tried to assist but Josh said, “I got it.” He walked down the hall to their bedroom very much happier and relieved.

“So do you even know this guy?” Josh asked the question in what he considered a calm fashion. Although his tone might have made him sound like a jealous shrew he couldn’t be sure.

But watching Robin dress and fuss with his hair for a
date
was really too much to ask of him.

“Not much. Uncle Leo asked me to meet him. Brad is just visiting his grandmother.” Robin sounded like he thought it was nothing. Like him going on a Saturday night date was nothing.

Catching his frowning grimace in the mirror that hung on the back of their door, Josh tried to erase it. Sighing, he knew he needed to stop. It was no big deal.

“So it’s not a date…” Did that come across as desperate to Robin as it did to his own ears?

Robin shrugged. He stood in front of the mirror and frowned, clearly not happy with his appearance. Dressed in his new black jeans, a blue-green shirt made by some famous designer that Robin couldn’t believe he found in the thrift store on Main Street, and a pair of black goth lace-up boots. He looked gorgeous even if the shirt didn’t match his eyes perfectly. His hair was shiny and hanging around his face. Robin slipped on the black leather jacket then took it right back off. He continued to make faces at his reflection as if something was terribly wrong.

Frowning, Robin turned to Josh for an opinion. “Do I look okay?”

Josh wanted him to stay home with him and watch movies like they always did on Saturday night. Robin would usually fall asleep and cuddle up to him. He loved Saturday nights! He didn’t want Robin dressing up to impress some other guy.

But he couldn’t stop himself from reassuring Robin. “You look great, Rob Rob.” Walking over to him, Josh smoothed down the shirt collar even though it was already perfect. He held out the super light leather coat to help Robin put it back on. Josh’s hands ran over Robin’s leather covered shoulders. Stepping back before he pulled him into his arms and kissed the smile back on his face.

“Really?” Robin asked insecurely.

Josh sighed. “Really.” He couldn’t let Robin think he was anything but stunning even if it gave him confidence to go out on a date with someone else.
What the fuck was wrong with him?

Josh heard the dreaded doorbell, Uncle Leo’s slow shuffle to the door then his greeting, “Hello, Brad. Let me tell him you are here. Your date is here, Robin.”

Biting his lower lip, he looked at Josh. He looked nervous.

Maybe Josh was projecting but it didn’t seem like Robin wanted to go. Robin swallowed hard and turned towards the door.

“Robby,” he said as he tried not to look at those mouth wateringly tight jeans that cupped Robin’s ass in the most delicious way.

“Yeah?” Robin asked over his shoulder.

Josh inhaled deeply. He realized even if he didn’t really mean the words he needed to say them. “Have a good time.”

Robin’s face fell a bit as if he were looking for him to say something more but then he pulled a smile up onto his face. He nodded and left.

Josh looked at his watch for the hundredth times in fifteen minutes. It was after ten.
Where were they? There was no reason for
coffee to be taking this long. He should be home by now.

“Your brother will be fine,” Uncle Leo patted his knee as he handed him a dish of vanilla bean ice cream. “Millie was Betsy’s best friend. Her grandson is a very nice boy.”

“He’s
not
my brother.” Josh jumped up to pace with the dish of frozen goodness. He knew he shouldn’t have snapped.

“Sorry.”

Uncle Leo froze and stared at him. “Oh. Is that how it is?”

Looking away, Josh damned his mouth for over sharing!

“No.” He said it quietly not wanting to voice it loud enough for it to be true.

Cataracts did not stop Uncle Leo from seeing how things were. “But you would like it to be that way?”

Turning his head to face the man he had come to love as family, Josh nodded. “Yeah, but he doesn’t.”

Uncle Leo shook his head. “I usually hold my tongue Josh.

You know, I rarely give advice.” It was true Uncle Leo never lectured or pushed his opinion on them. “But let me say if you want something, give it time. And if you really want it, make it happen. Sometimes people need to be shown what they need.”

Josh turned and gave Uncle Leo his full attention. “How?”

Just then footsteps could be heard walking up the front porch stairs. He was up and at the window trying not to peer out like a mad stalker.

Voices could be heard through the screens covering the window without any effort on his part. So it wasn’t Josh’s fault that he heard. “Well, I had a very nice time Robin.”

“Um, yeah. I really didn’t know that much about the stuff we, um talked about.”

Since he could hear was there really any issue if he just took a look? He watched as Brad stepped forward and Robin stepped back. Stupid Brad with his handsome face was putting the moves on Robby who seemed defenseless against the wolf.

“I had a nice time,” Robin said back-pedaling away from Brad’s forward advance. His butt hit the door stopping any further retreat.

“I would really like to do this again.” Did Brad’s voice drop an octave as he moved closer to the Robin?

Josh moved from the window to stand in at the partially opened front door so he could watch the scene unfold. He didn’t really give a shit that Brad saw him. The fucker just grinned at him before moving in for a kiss. A kiss! He was going in for Robby’s lips.

Not knowing what else to do, he flicked on the light. This made Robin turn his head at just the right moment, so Brad’s lips landed on his cheek. He would have preferred for Brad’s mouth to be on his fist but at least he didn’t mac on Robin.

Robin was embarrassed at having been caught in such a position, he muttered a quick, “Thank you, Brad,” and left Brad and Josh glaring at each other.

Grinning at having shut Brad down, Josh closed the door on his frowning face without a word. He followed Robin in to listen to Uncle Leo ask him about his night. The guy took Robin for coffee and they browsed the stores since it was the town’s ‘late night’ where shops stayed opened until eleven. Then he took him for ice cream.

“How romantic.” The sarcasm and accusation dripped from his words.
Shit
! Robin looked hurt. Uncle Leo shot him a warning look, which he apparently was going to ignore. “You seeing that jackass again?”
Way to play it cool!

“
Josh!” Uncle Leo said sharply trying to pull him back from acting like a dumb ass but it was probably too late for that.

“Robin, I am glad you had a nice time.” Looking at Josh yet again with a mix of sympathy and warning, he tried to convey more than his words. “I suggest everyone get a good night’s sleep.”

Turning towards the stairs he moved slowly up them. When he reached the top he called down, “Night, my boys.”

“Night, Uncle Leo,” both called up to him.

Robin asked, “Why are you smelling me?”

He was? He was. He was sniffing at him like a curious dog.
Robin usually smelled of amber and lavender. It was a mix of his products and the essence oil blend he had made for Robin’s birthday. Josh, psycho that he was, kept a vial of the stuff in his drawer and would sniff at it on occasion remembering what they’d shared that night that now seemed so long ago. So yeah, he was smelling Robin and his boy smelled off. “Take a damned shower, would you? You stink of him.”

“What?” Confusion and hurt warred as Robin sputtered.

“How do I
stink
of him?”

“Well, you were rubbing all over him. Rather slutty for a first date don’t you think?” Shaking his head in clear disgust.
Stop, he
was not! Shut your jealous mouth!