The Reluctant Assistant - Book One

Secrets Part 16

Not again, was Raymond's first thought as he woke up being crushed by pure muscle. Typical Jackson, only he would take up a whole bed. He tried to push Jackson off, who was still dead to the world.

"Jackson!" he pushed his shoulder with little success. He should go to the gym more if this was going to go on, he thought, trying again push Jackson off, who was laying half across Raymond, pinning him down. "Jackson!" he shouted, giving Jackson a punch, for all the good it did him. The man was built like steel.

He heard the rumble of laughter starting in Jackson's chest. "You call that a punch?" he lifted his head slightly, snaking his arm around Raymond's waist, moving slightly off him, so that he was not bearing Jackson's full weight. "I think you should stick to your superpower," he grinned down at Raymond

"I would, but you dragged me away like a caveman. And I was just about to enter their mega bucket challenge!" he moaned.

"Well, I wouldn't have dragged you off, were it not for all those things you whispered in my ear." he reminded Raymond. "What did you say? I get a whole month of free bedtime visits?" he grinned widely.

"What? No!" Raymond tried to push him away, his hands on Jackson's chest. "I would never say that."

"Well, you did and you did it in front of your friends." he rolled over, so that Raymond was on top of him, but still holding him in place. "A promise is a promise Cook. Even drunken ones. You've been making enough deals to know that by now."

Lowering his head, so that his forehead was resting against Jackson's chest, Raymond groaned out loud. "What have I done?" he started to beat his head against Jackson's chest. "this is bad. What am I going to do?"

"I take it that conversation was supposed to take place in your head?" Jackson laughed at him.

Raymond blushed furiously. "Okay, one night down. But this does not include other services."

"I'll pay extra." Jackson chipped in with a lewd grin.

"Shut up and let go of me. I swear sharing a bed with you is like living on the edge, you never know where the attack will come from." Raymond pushed one more time and got up when Jackson let go. "You know this isn't healthy what we're doing, right?" Raymond asked looking around for his clothes that seemed to have disappeared, leaving him standing in his boxers.

"That's okay, I regularly go to the gym, so I'm as fit and healthy as they come." He moves closer to Raymond, pulling him in, so that they were face to face. 

"Um-" Raymond was flustered by the fact that Jackson was so close, especially since neither of them were wearing anything other than their boxers. He should start bringing pj's, if this was going to go on for a month, he reasoned. Of their own accord, his hands reached up and held on to Jackson's arms, feeling the muscle ripple at his touch.

"Marry me?" Jackson asked, feeling it was the right moment to do so.

"No." Raymond said firmly, looking up at Jackson who frowned down at him. 

"Why not?" he couldn't understand why Raymond was being so stubborn. They were perfect for each other.

"Because you still don't get it." Raymond moved off to raid Jackson's cupboard for clothes.

"Well, it would help if you tell me what I'm not getting." he said sourly, taking the clothes Raymond handed him. 

"Enough! Take me out to breakfast, so that I can spend the rest of the day in peace."

--

"Em- Raymond?" Glenn asked tentatively Monday afternoon, while they were working in relative peace.