Page 83 of Ring Rust

“Right. I probably just need to lie down.”

“Do you want to get into bed?”

“No, no. I need a shower. I can’t get into bed like this,” Ryan said, looking down at his dirt-dusted body.

Jasper nodded. “Yeah. Do you have a shower chair?”

“I don’t,” Ryan lied. He’d moved it earlier as part of his plan.

Jasper stopped walking. “Well, hmm. Will you be okay in the shower? Maybe you should just do another sponge bath while I get lunch?”

Things weren’t unfolding exactly the way Ryan had hoped. His goal had been to get Jasper to shower with him immediately, but he could admit, that was far-fetched. But he always aimed high. That’s what his parents had taught him, and it had worked pretty well so far.

So, he pivoted. “I’d like to try a shower. Can you, um. Just help me get in my shower sling?”

“Of course.”

“It’s in the kitchen, I haven’t opened the packaging yet because it’s hard with just one arm,” Ryan said pitifully.

Plan B started now—Jasper would help Ryan get into his shower sling and hopefully take such great pity on him that he’d offer to bathe him. And if Ryan was honest, that was even more tempting than just getting help in the shower.

“I’ll meet you in there in a second,” Jasper said. He tilted his head sweetly. “Will you be okay? Standing up all by yourself?”

“I’ll be fine.” Ryan kept his eyes locked on Jasper for a few seconds before Jasper turned around.

Ryan made his way down the hall and shut the bathroom door behind him, leaning against it while he gathered the courage to progress his plan. He listened to Jasper move around in the kitchen, tidying up, closing cabinet doors and putting dishes in the dishwasher. DomesticJaspersounds Ryan had missed over the past week, making him ache worse than the slowly healing wound across his chest. If he’d been on the fence before, which he hadn’t, his plan to seduce Jasper was now in full swing.

He stripped carefully, pulling his shorts off first, wishing Jasper had been there for that part, then slipped his arm out of his sling and removed the tank top he’d been wearing for days because it was easy to get on and off.

The door opened and Jasper walked in, closing it behind him again. He smiled across the bathroom and tiny, fragile threads of hope curled themselves through Ryan’s scarred chest.

Jasper didn’t avert his eyes—they were locked on Ryan’s. There was a flash of something between them that made Ryan’s dick swell, and he was desperate to know if Jasper was feeling the same, but he was too nervous to look down.

And it was a good thing he didn’t—he’d clearly misread things, because Jasper pulled out the shower sling with a huge grin.

“Okay, big guy. I also brought a plastic bag for your cast. You’ll have to take frequent breaks to make sure it’s not getting wet.”

“Oh, yeah. Okay.” The direction of Ryan’s plan was moving from a sexy and fun one to something pathetic and sexless right in front of his eyes.

Jasper pulled the plastic bag over Ryan’s cast and slipped the shower sling over his shoulder, his hands surprisingly gentle compared to the way he’d been tugging on him outside in the garden. It was nice, since Ryan was now in a bit of pain, not that he’d ever tell Jasper that.

Although… Maybe he should. Seducing Jasper wasn’t going to plan, and Ryan was about to get into the shower—probably alone. He blew out a shaky breath and hissed through his teeth, causing Jasper’s hands to lift from Ryan’s body.

“Did I hurt you?”

“No…” Ryan said, his voice trailing off.

“Are you sure?”

“Well, actually, maybe a little.”

“I’m sorry,” Jasper said, securing the final piece of Velcro on the sling. He put his hands on his hips and nodded. “Okay. Stay still so you don’t fall.”

Seconds later, he was down to his briefs, helping Ryan into the shower. Ryan made a show of not staring obscenely, but it wasn’t enough, because Jasper glared at him.

“Eyes to yourself,” Jasper said. He stepped into the shower to stand behind Ryan, bumping into him with—Ryan could swear—a half-hard cock.

Ryan grinned and dipped his head under the water, letting out a groan at how good it felt—both the water and Jasper’s hands around his waist. He did it again, accidentally that time, when he felt Jasper soap up a washcloth and scrub it on his back.