Chapter Eleven
Awkward Moments Can Turn Into the Best Moments
Ender
He finally breaks his silence with ten minutes left in the game. “No offense, but your goalie is having a terrible fucking night. They aren’t going to make it into the playoffs playing like that.”
“There’s still time. You can’t give up just because they’re down a few points.” There’s an unintentional sharpness in my tone that I don’t correct before it’s too late, and Gabe’s head jerks back in surprise.
Before I get a chance to apologize, Gabe takes our dinner plates into the kitchen and begins cleaning up.
“I’m sorry,” I say as I enter the kitchen area. “I didn’t mean to snap at you, but please stop acting like you’re walking on eggshells. I’m not going to breakdown and trauma dump all over you.”
He shuts the water off and rests his hands on the edge of the sink, hanging his head. The view of his defined forearm muscles flexing makes heat rush to my groin. There’s something about thick, dark-haired forearms that I can’t resist.
“It’d be okay if you did, Ender.”
“I know it would be,” I tell him, wrapping my arms around his waist and kissing his neck as I rest my chest against his back.
I sigh at the serenity of his skin against mine, my shoulders dropping as the tension fades.
Every touch, every caress, has one of two effects on me: either setting my skin on fire with lust, or easing my mind and body out of the constant state of dejection I’ve lived in for more than half my life.
It’s just another reason that makes me want to keep him.
“I’ll never ask you to tell me something you don’t want to, but don’t get pissed at me for trying to comfort you until you’re ready.”
I can’t argue with that, and I nod in agreement. “Understood.”
Gabe abandons the dishes and leads me back to the couch, pulling me into his arms and reclining against the cushions as I try to watch the end of this game without throwing the remote at the TV.
I don’t remember falling asleep, but when I wake up and stretch with a groan, it pulls Gabe from his slumber.
“Don’t make that kind of noise when I already have a half-chub brewing.” His voice—and the vision of his half-hard cock—makes my dick twitch. I already know what it wants is off-limits with all his restrictions on us fucking tonight, but I cup his semi and massage it anyway.
Of course, he stills my hand before I even start having any fun. “Can I at least suck you off? I promise I won’t ask for more.” I nestle into his neck, trying to tempt him. “Consider it a thank you for taking care of me.”
“I’m not expecting a thank you, Ender.”
Sighing at his bullheadedness, I tell him, “Then I’ll consider it a gift from you to make me feel better.”
My head starts bouncing on his shoulder as he laughs. “Hey Ender,” he says, snark in full force. “Hope you’re feeling better. If not, here’s my cock to suck. That should do the trick.” The absurdity of it makes me laugh along with him.
I look up at him, hoping he’ll see sincerity in my eyes. “Jackass. I’m just saying I’ll enjoy it just as much as you will.”
His chest rises beneath my chin, then falls as he releases my hand, giving in to my pleading.
I quickly pull down his sweats, before he changes his mind, and rest them under his balls, taking a second to admire his thick cock before swallowing him.
The staggered coolness of steel against my tongue feels weird, but I embrace it.
As I suck, I hone in on all the ways his body guides me.
His hand, slowly rubbing my back and shoulders, as I work him over.
His moans, turning from a low hum between his lips, to open-mouthed panting as he starts thrusting deeper into my throat.
“Fuck.” Gabe’s hands grab fistfuls of my hair, holding me still. “I’m coming.”
I feel him start to swell just before he releases a burst of salty cum, and I relish in the pulsing on my tongue as I moan around his cock.
I drink down every drop and enjoy the sting on my scalp from his tight grip.
I finish with one last swipe on his tip, slipping my tongue into his slit, causing him to shiver even more with the aftershocks.
I barely give Gabe a second to catch his breath before I'm lying on top of him. As we kiss, our tongues tangle, sharing the remnants of his release until the saltiness dissipates and I want to go for round two. Already, Gabe’s bare cock is beginning to swell again between us, but I stop his frantic hands on the back of my waistband.
“No,” I say, pulling away from him. “I said I wouldn’t ask for anything more.”
The intensity in his eyes fades into something so foreign I can’t understand it. His forehead drops, resting against mine with a sigh. “Maybe later?”
I smile even though he can’t see it. “Maybe.”
I don’t know which one of us moves first. Fixing Gabe’s sweats between our bodies, we move to lie down across the length of the couch with our legs twisted around each other, wrapped in each other’s arms.
The soothing motion on my back helps me relax, until Gabe purrs, “It’s really hard to fall asleep with your hard-on still begging me for attention.” His gentle thrust lets me know right where I’m resting my erection.
“Shhhh, just let it happen and go to sleep.”
His chuckling is the sweetest sound in the world as I begin to drift away.
As we walk into The Garden, my back is killing me from the position we fell asleep in last night on Gabe’s couch— but waking up in his arms after the day we had yesterday was well worth the pain.
Before I left early this morning, he said he was coming out with us tonight, although I’m still terrified that he'll change his mind after having some time to think about yesterday. If he’s smart, he’ll walk through that door, telling me we’re better off as friends.
Given how he took care of me all day, respecting me no matter how hard I tried to get in his pants, I’d be happy to at least have him in my life—he seems like he’d be a good friend to have on your side.
I’m truly hoping it doesn’t come to that, though.
Connor and I grab beers and find our friends in our usual spot. Everyone’s here except Gabe, Luke, and Kaden. My pulse picks up with anxiety. Did he change his mind?
Thankfully, those thoughts silence— temporarily—when he wanders our way, grinning like a cat that swallowed a canary with two beers in his hands.
My nosy as fuck best friend makes it obvious that he knows about us, allowing Gabe to take his seat next to me on the couch. Polite as ever, Gabe gives a nod of appreciation to Connor.
“Hey, cutie. Fancy meeting you here.” Gabe’s immediate playfulness has me feeling immediate relief.
“Hey, babe.” The words leave my mouth before I can catch myself. I don’t have to guess if he heard my mishap—it’s written all over his face.
What the fuck, Ender?
As I hang my head in shame, I feel a warm hand on the small of my back that sends chills up my spine.
“It’s not the worst thing that could have happened tonight, right?” His words are not as reassuring as he thinks.
“The night is still young. Don’t count me out of the running for ‘Who can say the dumbest shit of the night?’ contest.” His grip on my hip feels like a warning to stop the negative talk.
In my poor attempt to change the subject, I say, “Are one of those for me, or are you just double-fisting tonight?”
“Double-fisting. Ooh kinky.” We get curious looks from Faith and Connor when they hear me laughing over the loud debate they are having with Lanie, Jackson, and Dakota.
“You know damn well what I meant.”
“Nah, it’s for the other man in my life,” Gabe says with a smirk.
My mind immediately goes to the worst scenario possible: of Gabe actually asking another guy to meet up with us tonight. But then Gabe rises from the couch with the second beer in hand and walks toward our newly arrived friends.
“Hey brother, glad you finally made it. You’re buying the next round for being late,” Gabe tells Luke—‘the other man in his life’—and I feel embarrassed having doubted him.
“Hey guys. Sorry we’re late. What did we miss?” Kaden asks as they take seats next to Connor and Faith on the bigger couch.
“Well, Faith and Dakota have been arguing about which series was better—The Wire or The Sopranos.” Connor cups his mouth and leans into Kaden to whisper something that only Kaden and Luke can hear, judging by the smiles on their faces.
Connor continues, directing his ramble at the rest of us.
“You know where Faith and I stand on that—The Wire all the way.” Connor’s theatrics are typically amusing to us, but he must’ve had a few extra shots of espresso today with how animated he currently is.
“Dakota swears by The Sopranos, insisting the psychological aspect is more interesting. Then, of course, you know Lanie has to throw in her two cents, saying Breaking Bad is better than both of them. Jackson obviously agrees with her because he doesn’t want to be in the doghouse.
Lastly, Ender and Gabe are pretending to not be making heart eyes at each other, like the rest of us have no idea what’s going on with them. ”
I’m not the only one stunned by his assessment of the group’s interactions, particularly of mine and Gabe’s status—or whatever you would call what’s happening between us.
Is there a status to speak of?
“What?” Typical Connor, acting like he doesn’t know exactly what he was doing just now.
When he hugs and kisses Kaden, Luke acts like a caveman grabbing his boyfriend’s hip and pulling him closer. He doesn’t realize that it only adds fuel to the fire of Connor’s antics.
“My, my, hasn’t someone gotten a little possessive of his man? Nothing turns me on more than a little ‘he’s mine’ behavior. If Kaden wasn’t my best friend, I’d be dragging you out the door already.” Connor wiggles his brows at Luke making Kaden give him a stern look.