Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 46699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Jared stared at him. “How can you like it but not that way? It was a kiss. Either you like it that way or you don’t.”
Gabriel shrugged, brushing his hand through his hair. “It’s—it’s hard to explain. You know I love when you hug me. I feel good, almost like I’m high.”
“That’s not unusual,” Jared said. “Hugs encourage your body to release oxytocin, which decreases the level of—”
“Yeah, okay,” Gabriel said with a fond smile and an eye-roll. “But that’s not the point. When you hold me, it feels good, but I still feel like I want more, you know? Like, I want you to get under my skin, inside of me.”
Jared sucked a breath in, all of his blood rushing south. His cock went rock hard, thickening with need, his heart pounding in his chest.
Gabriel flushed crimson red and smiled crookedly. “Okay, that sounded a lot better in my head.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Anyway, I…that’s why I kinda liked it when you kissed me. I wasn’t just enduring it. It didn’t turn me on, but it felt good, and I wouldn’t mind at all if you did it again.” Gabriel’s gaze dropped to Jared’s lips for a moment before he looked away, scratching behind his ear with his thumb. “It’s not pity, I swear.”
“What exactly are you suggesting?”
“Come back and I’ll try to give you everything you’d normally expect from a relationship.”
“Everything but sex,” Jared said.
“Well,” Gabriel said, shifting from one foot to the other and looking anywhere but at Jared. “Yeah. If you’re horny, I guess you can pick someone up—sometimes. But other than that, I’ll give you everything you need.”
Jared didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “There’s a difference between having sex with someone you love and fucking someone you don’t.”
Gabriel’s lips pursed briefly. “Then there isn’t much of a difference between a one-night stand and Mone, is it?”
That was a low blow, but Gabriel had a point. Actually, Jared was having trouble finding fault in Gabriel’s logic.
But there was one thing Gabriel had failed to mention.
“What about Claire?” Jared asked. “What would she say about it?”
For the first time, Gabriel seemed unsure. Not for long, though. “She’s smart. She knows how important you are to me, always did. She knows I loved you first.”
Jared shook his head. “Do you really think she would be okay with that?” How could Gabriel be so naive? No woman would be happy to share her partner with another person, even if the relationship was mostly innocent.
“I think she would be,” Gabriel said. “Besides, nothing would change for her.” He gave Jared a crooked smile. “I bet she would even be glad to have you back. She doesn’t have much patience for me when I’m in a bitchy mood.”
Jared didn’t smile. He eyed him for a moment before touching Gabriel’s chin and tipping his face up. “Do you understand what you are offering?”
Gabriel swallowed. “Yeah, I do.” He leaned in and brushed his lips against Jared’s.
Jared tensed, his body taut with need.
“I want it,” Gabriel said softly. “Come on. Kiss me.” He brushed their lips together again.
Jared’s control shattered. He pulled him flush against him and sucked on Gabriel’s lip. Gabe’s body was still against him, but his lips parted willingly. Jared’s tongue stroked the inside of Gabriel’s mouth, and Gabriel gave a small, surprised noise.
With an incredible force of will, Jared forced himself to pull back a little.
Gabriel stared at him wide-eyed. He seemed a little bewildered again.
“Okay?” Jared said and didn’t recognize his own voice.
Gabriel smiled weakly and nodded.
“You sure?”
Gabriel nodded again and swiped his tongue across his lip.
Groaning, Jared caught that tongue and sucked on it. Gabriel made that soft little gasp again, his hands gripping Jared’s shoulders hard. He didn’t kiss Jared back, just taking it and letting Jared do whatever he wanted with his mouth, and it was more arousing than it had any right to be. Jared thrust his tongue into the cavern of Gabriel’s mouth and pulled him tighter, kissing him deeper, hungry and insatiable. God, he wanted him. He wanted to shove Gabriel onto the bed, tear his clothes off and kiss him everywhere. He wanted to suck his cock and make him beg to be touched. He wanted to put his cock in Gabriel and fuck him into the mattress, wanted it so badly he could barely think. He pulled Gabriel in deeper, his mouth growing more insistent as the desire threatened to engulf him. He was literally shaking, but he could do nothing about it. He couldn’t control his body at all. It felt like something was broken inside of him now that he had kissed Gabriel once—he couldn’t stop himself from doing it again, and again, and again. God, he wanted to have him. He needed to take him.