23
If Will saw the same regret from before in Gabriel’s response, it would have hurt him. A lot. And he swore Gabriel knew from how fast he was to answer.
“That wasn’t what upset me,” Gabriel said. “I don’t mind that we kissed. But I don’t like the circumstances. You were high, and I was being…” His head turned away and he cringed as he searched for the right word.
Dominating, Will thought, and possessive, and jealous—but he’d liked how passionate the kiss had been. He’d liked all of it. It made him feel wanted, something he was lacking anywhere else in his life.
“I wasn’t kissing you like I should have been kissing you,” Gabriel finished. He turned back to Will, his gaze softening as he took him in. “I’m not sorry we kissed, I’m just sorry I wasn’t gentle.”
It thrilled Will that Gabriel had a certain way he wanted to kiss him. It meant he’d thought about it. Maybe he anticipated it too? Will had almost kissed him at school. Maybe Gabriel wondered how that day could have gone if he had let him. He knew from the heat in his cheeks he was blushing, and it was worse that Gabriel was watching him, waiting for his reply. “You don’t need to be gentle with me,” he said, embarrassed.
“I want to be,” Gabriel said. His gaze flicked over Will, taking all of him in. No doubt seeing the blush, he grinned and reached out. He traced Will’s cheekbone, taking a path that outlined the redness. “I definitely want to be,” he repeated, his voice lower with an undertone of longing.
The sound of his voice, deep and wanting, sent the butterflies in Will’s stomach into a frenzy. His gaze travelled down to Gabriel’s lips. “I wouldn’t mind a demonstration.”
Gabriel let out a laugh that startled Will out of his trance. When he saw Gabriel’s eyes crinkled in amusement, he couldn’t help but smile.
Gabriel grinned. “I was worried you’d get all shy on me."
“If I was shy, I wouldn’t be here,” Will answered. When Gabriel’s hand left to rest on the back of the couch, he laid his head down against the back of the couch as well. “And, I think I’m too tired to be shy,” he admitted.
“I won’t keep you up for much longer.” Gabriel twisted his torso so that they were facing each other. The smile faded, and the way he regarded Will was more serious. “You’re a student,” he began. “And until you graduate, I can’t be with you. I like you, but I can’t cross that line.” Gabriel stared at their joined hands, not letting go, but instead holding on tighter. When he continued, he was hesitant. “Did you mean what you said in the classroom? That we can still talk, without going further?”
Will stared at his down-turned face. The words said he was getting turned down, again , but Gabriel’s nervousness made him see it differently.
“If you don’t want that, I understand. And it’s up to you if you want to keep talking.” Gabriel finally looked up. “Whatever you decide, I’ll roll with.”
Will took in the hopeful way Gabriel was watching him. He wanted Will to say yes, and that he was okay with just talking. Will thought of their kiss and knew he wanted to repeat that experience as soon as possible. But his options here were a little or nothing, and Gabriel really didn’t look like he wanted nothing, and Will didn’t either. “I’ll wait.” Will couldn’t think of a reason why not. They didn’t need to rush.
Gabriel let out a long breath. “If you change your mind, it’s okay.” Will gave him a look, and Gabriel shrugged. “I want you to know there’s no pressure. If you get sick of just talking, I’ll understand.”
“I like talking to you.” Will was too tired to really worry about what he was agreeing to right now. The only thing he was focusing on was that Gabriel wasn’t cutting him out anymore, and he was willing to take what he could get.
Gabriel mirrored Will’s position with his head against the couch. “I’ll give you my number again.”
“I may not have gotten around to deleting it,” Will told him.
Gabriel shared a guilty smile with him. “Me either.”
Gabriel wrapped his arm around him and rested his chin on the top of Will’s head. When he sighed, his breath tickled the back of Will’s neck. They stayed like that, no longer talking, just relaxing.
Will was woken up by Gabriel’s gentle voice. “It’s just a few steps to the bed.”
“I’m comfy here,” Will objected tiredly.
Gabriel’s chest rumbled as he chuckled. “If you think my chest is comfortable, just imagine how the pillows will feel.”
Will pulled away with a sigh. He could only squint at the lights and let himself get led by the hand to Gabriel’s room. He flopped down on top of the covers, and all of his muscles gave out at once.
“Will,” Gabriel said with a chuckle. “Help me out here.”
Will felt the mattress dipping down near his side. He kept his eyes closed and stretched out. “I used the last of my energy getting this far.”
He grinned when Gabriel rolled him onto his side and tried to get the blankets out from under him. He peeked out between his lashes, examining his room. It was fairly tight for space. There was a massive desk at one side with a computer and stacks of books, a shelf next to that with more books in it, a chest of drawers, and what looked like a yoga mat rolled up in the corner next to some weights.
“You do yoga?” Will asked, rolling back to Gabriel and interfering with his attempts to get the blankets out from under him.
Gabriel’s gaze flicked to the corner where the mat was and then back to him. “Yeah,” he said with an embarrassed smile.
Will lifted himself onto his elbows, examining Gabriel’s body. He was very built, and Gabriel had the kind of muscles that needed work to maintain, and Will also imagined that those muscles would make a lot of yoga poses difficult. “Isn’t it hard?”
“Okay, football star,” Gabriel playfully pushed him over, “no need to make fun.”
Will sat up fully and crossed his legs. “I’m not making fun. I mean, I’m flexible, but I don’t have a lot of bulk.”
Gabriel raised an eyebrow. “I’m bulky?”
“You’re built-up. Muscular.” Will shrugged. Gabriel was filled in the way guys Will’s age weren’t. Dune was buff, but compared to Gabriel, he was unmistakably a teenager.
Gabriel sat with him on the bed. “My boxing coach, my uncle, told me to pick it up. Apparently, I’m prone to stiff muscles, and that leads to injuries. It’s part of my routine now.”
“Can I see you do the stretches?” Will asked.
“No.”
“Why not?”
Gabriel gave him a look.
“I won’t laugh,” Will said. “And you could show me some moves.”
“Where did this burst of energy come from?” Gabriel mused. “You were asleep five minutes ago.”
“Why did I get excited when we got in your bed?” Will asked with a small smile. He was too tired to put any real enthusiasm into his voice, and he wasn’t expecting anything, anyway. But he wanted to stay in Gabriel’s company for a little while longer.
Gabriel raised an eyebrow. “Just talking, Will,” he reminded him.
“I am just talking,” he said back.
A sudden rush of shivers raced through Will. He wrapped his arms around his body, and Gabriel stood up. “Come on, under them.” He held up the blankets for Will, who crawled underneath.
He lay on his side facing Gabriel. “I’m still cold.”
“I’ll be a minute.” Gabriel left the door to the living room open as he went out, and Will watched as he got the blanket that had been left behind on the couch. It was tucked around Will again within seconds.
“Are you used to taking care of people?” Will asked. “You’re good at it.”
Gabriel paused by the light switch. “I only learned recently how to take care of myself. Well, aside from Sarah.”
“I bet you spoil her.”
“Do you feel spoiled?” Gabriel asked.
Will thought about it. “No. I’m still cold. You could spoil me and help me warm up.”
Gabriel let out a breathy laugh. “You’re impossible.”
The light flicked off. Will listened to the bed sheets rustling as Gabriel climbed in next to him. Seriously? Will’s heart went into overdrive. Trapping him in his small blanket, Gabriel wrapped his arms around him. “There,” he said with an amused tone, “do you feel spoiled now?”
Will wondered if Gabriel could hear his heart racing. He tried to roll over and face Gabriel, but the arm on his side didn’t let him. “I don’t trust you to behave,” Gabriel said. “If you want me to stay, face away from me.”
“I thought you just wanted us to talk?” Will asked. He could feel the heat from Gabriel’s body against his back, even though it came through a layer of blanket. His warm breaths caressed the back of his neck. He closed his eyes as he shivered, this time not from the cold.
“Yeah.” Gabriel sighed. “Until you graduate, we can’t go further. But I think tonight is already a cheat night.”
“If it’s a cheat night—”
“Will.”
“Okay, okay.” Will sighed. “I’ll behave.”
It took a long time for him to drift off, but exhaustion dragged him toward sleep. When he was too tired to move, Gabriel pressed a soft kiss to the back of his neck and wished him sweet dreams.