An Ordinary Hero by Therese Woodson

Author:Therese Woodson [Woodson, Therese]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay romance
ISBN: 978-1-63476-567-1
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2015-12-08T16:00:00+00:00

IN THE dark hours of the morning, Ryan stirred. He tightened his arms around the warm body next to him and buried his face in his pillow. The body moved and elbowed him in the stomach. With a groan, Ryan reluctantly opened his eyes.

Phillip stared back at him, wide awake despite the hour.

“Hey,” he said, face half-hidden by the pillow. “I thought you weren’t done with me.”

Ryan’s cock roused. “I’m not,” he said, his voice husky from sleep.

“Good, but there is something I want you to do first.”

Ryan raised an eyebrow. “All right?”

“Nothing bad.” Phillip held out his arm. “I want you to hurt me.”

“What?” Ryan blinked, his tired brain and aroused body not quite sure he’d heard correctly. “What?” he asked again.

Phillip nodded to his arm. “Pinch me. I want you to.”

Confused and cautious, Ryan propped up on one elbow and trailed his fingers over Phillip’s chest and down to his navel, stopping where the blanket clung to the sharp jut of Phillip’s hips.

“Come on, do it,” Phillip challenged. He thrust his arm at Ryan, palm up, the skin of his forearm pale and smooth.

Ryan tracked the length of it, the thin skin of his wrist, the soft flesh of his bicep. “I don’t want to.”

“You can’t hurt me. Not really.”

“Are you sure?”

Phillip nodded. “I want you to see.”

With trepidation, Ryan fitted his fingers over the joint of Phillip’s elbow, and with Phillip’s quiet nod, Ryan pinched him hard. Years of working with his hands had forced Ryan to develop a strong grip, and it was obvious Phillip would bruise like a peach. A sharp inhalation of breath was the only indication of pain, but the skin reddened instantly, then darkened into the blue of a bruise.

“I’m sorry. I did it too hard.”

Phillip smiled lazily. “I asked you to. Just watch.”

Ryan fixed his gaze on the blemish and slowly, almost as if he were imagining it, the bruise lightened, yellowed, and disappeared. Trembling, Ryan ghosted his fingers over the spot.

“Amazing,” he breathed.

“Bigger injuries take longer to disappear. I don’t really know if I can die or if I’ll heal.”

“I don’t want to even think about it, much less have you test it.”

“Me neither.”

Ryan rolled on top of Phillip, the thought of bruises and broken bones a heavy weight in his chest. He didn’t want to imagine the actions Phillip would take once he left the safety of Ryan’s embrace, the things he would do to save others, the risks he would take. The idea of it scared Ryan, how Phillip had such a dangerous destiny ahead of him, all because he’d translated a few passages in a book.

“Hey,” Phillip whispered, “you’re thinking too hard. Whatever it is, worry about it later.”

Ryan framed Phillip’s flushed face in his hands, and positioned himself in the cradle of Phillip’s thighs.

“I don’t like the thought of you hurt.”

“Then don’t think about it.” Phillip arched beneath him. “Think about the more enjoyable ways you can bruise me.”

Ryan huffed a laugh and put the upsetting thoughts aside.

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