Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
GABE
Istare into the darkness, frozen, unable to think. What do I do? How the fuck do I fix this epic fuckup?
Breathing carefully—but not too deeply, in case it becomes noticeable—I try to make my brain engage.
There has to be something I can do. Or more to the point, I have to do something, because Tom absolutely cannot wake up to find me spooning him, legs tangled with his, arm possessively holding him close, and my hard cock pressed against his ass.
Given the amount of panic I’m feeling right now, there’s no way I should still be hard, but being this close to Tom apparently overrides physiology.
In my dick’s defense, even though I’m freaked out about poor Tom waking up and finding that he’s being non-consensually dry humped, I’m still really enjoying this.
He fits into my arms perfectly, and the curly hair tickling my nose smells really good.
His body is amazing—I noticed it last night when he took his shirt off.
He’s not as bulky as I am across the chest and shoulders, but there’s still plenty of lean, defined muscle.
When you add that to him being a nice guy, cares about his family and friends, disciplined with his sport, noticed when I needed support and gave it… basically, he’s just my type.
Which is probably why my subconscious decided to latch on to him while I was asleep, letting me wake to this predicament.
On the surface, the solution is simple: let him go and move away.
But when I tried that, he made a sexy little noise and snuggled closer, his butt pushing back against me, and I quickly abandoned that idea.
I want to avoid waking him, not speed up the process.
I’m not even sure what time it is—still dark—but I’m not stupid tired still, so I’m guessing it’s close to six, at least. Which means the alarm I set last night could go off at any time and wake him. I need to take control of this situation.
Too bad control hasn’t been mine for a few days now, and completely left the building last night when we finally got to our room and saw this fucking king bed.
I’d immediately called reception to see if they could give us a cot or something, but apparently the hotel really is full to the brim, and that includes all their extra bedding.
Then I offered to sleep on the floor, at which point Tom gave me a disbelieving look, whipped off his shirt, and told me not to be a baby.
I had no choice after that but to pretend getting into bed with him was totally normal and that I wasn’t thinking of his nearly naked body just inches away at all. Thank god for underwear.
I need to stop pretending this is all about panic that he’ll wake up and not that I’m enjoying the feel of him pressed against me. Step up, Gabe.
Slowly, trying not to hold my breath, I start to ease my arm away. I’ve just got it clear of his body and am starting to pull it back when he yawns and reaches out to switch on the lamp, then turns onto his back, blinking up at me sleepily in the sudden light.
“I wondered how long it was going to take you.”
The sound I make is not that of a constipated chicken. I scramble to sit up, making sure to keep the covers over my lap. “You were awake this whole time?” How did I not know that?
He yawns again. “Depends how long ‘this whole time’ was. I’ve been awake for a few minutes. Long enough to enjoy snuggling and know you were freaking out.” He smirks at me.
“I wasn’t freaking out.” Damn it, how does he know?
“Gabe, you were stiff as a board, and I’m not talking about your cock.”
The words hang between us, and my face gets hot as he steadily meets my gaze. I swallow. “Okay, yeah, I was a tiny bit concerned that you might wake up and be offended that I’d wrapped myself around you like a giant squid.”
He grins. “I appreciate your concern, but believe me, no squid ever turned me on.” He tosses the covers aside so I can see his dick straining against his boxers. My mouth waters. “This is all you.”
I manage a nod. “Good to know. That you’re not sexually attracted to invertebrates, I mean. That could be awkward. If you went swimming.”
“Lucky for me, there’s no ocean anywhere near here.” He props himself up on his elbows. “Is this really what we want to talk about? The fact that I’ve never been to an ocean?”
“No,” I agree reluctantly, “I guess we shou— Wait, you’ve never been to an ocean? Ever?”
“That’s what you wanna focus on?”
Involuntarily, I look at his crotch and the way the fabric of his underwear lovingly outlines every ridge and crevice. “We have to talk,” I manage hoarsely.
He moves, sitting up and propping himself against the headboard.
Reluctantly, I drag my gaze away from his dick and look at his face.
The warm light from the lamp casts half of it into shadow, but I can still clearly see his lovely brown eyes.
“Yeah, we have to talk,” he repeats. “Gabe, I…” He stops, seemingly at a loss.
“When we first met, I was attracted to you. A lot. I planned to spend the car ride flirting and then see if you wanted to hang out after you’d done whatever it was your visit was about.
” He winces. “Nonna kind of cockblocked me.”
A laugh bursts from me. “Uh, yeah. Having her lecture me about imaginary sins and my eventual eternity in hell distracted me a bit from how cute my driver was. And since she told me you were her grandson, I wasn’t sure if I’d imagined the vibe I got from you.”
“Definitely didn’t imagine it,” he declares, shaking his head. “I can never say enough times how sorry I am for everything she said. She was out of line, but she also maybe screwed things up for us?”
The question seems to echo in the silent room. Or maybe it’s just echoing in my brain. Either way, it’s a pretty strong hint that Tom’s into me.
“There’s a lot going on right now—”
“I know,” he interrupts. “And I was going to wait until everything was normal again. The thing is, though…” He doesn’t finish, letting the implication hang there.
“Yeah.” We’re going to do our best, but there’s a good chance things won’t ever be normal again. And that we won’t be alive to take a shot at being together later.
“If you’re not interested, or if you really do want to wait, that’s cool.
No pressure from me,” he assures me. “But, just saying… I really liked waking up with you wrapped around me. I really like you. Even more now that I know who you really are. And if we don’t make it back to normal, I’d like to finish this life knowing what it’s like to be with you.
There’s a lot of comfort to be found in starting a relationship with a great guy. ”
I clear my throat and blink. “That’s… a nice thing to hear.
” That he feels like this about me helps to soothe the place inside me bleeding from my parents’ betrayal.
“I’m interested,” I add. “Very interested. I was going to wait until after… if there is an after. But you’re right.
What’s the point in waiting?” I stumble to a stop, and we both just look at each other in the glow of the lamp.
“This is kinda awkward, though. How come they don’t show this awkward bit in movies?” He grins, and I laugh, all the tension in me dissolving.
“I think this is the bit where they kiss and the screen fades to black,” I suggest. I’m about to lean in and do just that when I remember that we both woke up recently and morning breath is going to be an issue.
Tom doesn’t hesitate, though. He sits up, lifts a hand to cup my cheek, and presses his lips to mine. My eyes fall closed as I tumble into the electricity of our first kiss. I feel it in every cell of my body, and when he pulls back, I chase him for more.
We fall sideways to the mattress, limbs tangling together as we explore each other’s mouths, groping, feeling. There’s nothing quite like discovering every tiny thing that makes your lover sigh and moan and cling tight—
The strident tones of my phone alarm shatter the intimacy. For a second, we ignore it, but then the volume begins to increase, and I break the kiss and rest my forehead against Tom’s shoulder with a sigh.
He kisses the side of my head. “Guess we should start the day.”
I nod, then start to untangle myself from him. My whole body wants to cry in protest.
“Although,” Tom muses, “if we shower fast, we probably have time to get each other off first.”
I pause halfway to grabbing my phone. “Oh?”
“Turn that off and I’ll make you come,” he promises, and the look in his eyes sends a lustful shiver down my spine.
“Let me make sure the boys are awake first,” I mutter, canceling the alarm and hitting the contact for Matt’s phone. It rings out, which is a pretty good sign they’re both asleep.
Or that someone’s found them.
No. I push away the fear. They do this all the time. They’re sleeping. I try Ian’s phone next, and just when I think it’s on the verge of ringing out, the call connects.
“Ungh,” my almost-brother groans down the line.
“Wake up,” I order. “We leave in thirty minutes.” I raise a brow at Tom, who smirks back. He’s up for the challenge.
“’M awake,” Ian mutters.
“Thirty minutes, Ian.”
There’s a sigh, a moan, and then he says, sounding more aware, “Yeah, okay. We’ll be ready.”
I disconnect the call, toss my phone aside, and meet Tom’s gaze. “What’s the plan?”
“Shower?” he suggests. “You, me, hot water, soap…”
My boner perks up at the thought. “What an efficient idea. Such a time saver.” I grab his hand and pull him off the bed. He crowds behind me as I make for the bathroom, and by the time I get the shower started, his hands are sliding around my waist and into my boxers.
I turn in his arms and capture his mouth in a kiss. “So impatient,” I murmur, even as my own hands roam over the curve of his ass and shove his underwear to the floor. “We’ve got time.” Except, we don’t. Dammit.
He pushes off my boxers, then his, and backs me into the now steamy shower stall. I step under the pelting spray and lean up to kiss him again. I could get lost in his kisses.
“Mmm.” He abandons my mouth to kiss a path down my neck. “How can you taste this good? Is it part of your gatekeeper magic?”
I laugh and gently push him back. “Sure. I can guard gateways to the otherworld and taste great to sexy men. All part of the service.” Grabbing the tiny bottle of hotel conditioner, I drop my gaze to his cock. “Speaking of service…”
His hand closes around his dick, and he gives himself a stroke. “Want this? C’mere.”
Dumping a healthy amount of conditioner into my hand, I step up close and take over his grip. One stroke, two, and then I grab my cock and line it up with Tom’s. His breathing is getting shallower, and when I glance up, I’m met with a heavy-lidded stare.
“You’re so hot.” The words fall from my lips unbidden, and as I begin to jack us both with a steady, measured rhythm, I lean in to kiss him again.
Steam billows around us as our tongues duel, the hot water pounding behind me, my balls getting tighter and tighter as Tom’s breathy moans vibrate through me.
He tears his mouth away from mine. “Gabe, fuck, faster.”
Tipping my head back, I obey, tightening my grip and picking up the pace. My breath hitches. I’m so close. So, so—
Tom slides his hand over my hip, cups the curve of my ass cheek, and lightly fingers my pucker. That’s all it takes, and I squeeze my eyes shut and yell as I come hard. Tom’s dick jerks in my hand as he joins me, his forehead dropping to rest on my shoulder.
Holy fuck.