“If you’re not burning enough calories to cover your dinner, then you’re doing it wrong.”
Gabriel made a loud scoffing noise and jumped to his feet. “You were definitely not complaining about how I do it.”
“Why would I complain? I’ve never seen you swim.”
Gabriel’s mouth dropped open and bobbed wordlessly for a moment before he finally got out, “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I was going to suggest that we swim some laps in the neighbor’s pool. He’s got a nice, big inground and said I can use it whenever I want.” Justin batted his eyelashes at him, giving Gabriel wide, innocent eyes. “What did you think I was talking about?”
Growling, Gabriel stepped around the coffee table and placed his knee on the chair cushion right between Justin’s legs. With his right hand, he grabbed a handful of Justin’s short hair and pulled his head back. “Sex, Justin Mallory. I thought you were talking about sex. And I immediately remembered that time I fucked you through the mattress and you begged me for more.” Just to make his point, Gabriel leaned down and licked Justin across his Adam’s apple and then bit down on the delicious little spot where his neck met his shoulder.
A low moan rumbled up Justin’s throat. “Fuck. I think I just came.”
Gabriel chuckled and nuzzled Justin’s throat, kissing his way up to his jaw while loosening his hold on his hair. Seconds ago, he’d been ready to throw Justin against the wall and fuck his brains out until they were both a sweaty, panting mess. But there was something about Justin’s goofiness, his little center of joy, that left Gabriel wanting to move slower, to savor the satiny feel of his skin, the taste of his lips.
“You drive me crazy,” Gabriel murmured.
“So, that’s a no to swimming?”
Releasing Justin completely, Gabriel straightened and started to take a step away. “If you’d rather swim…”
Justin snagged one of the belt loops on Gabriel’s slacks, keeping him from moving away. “Sex sounds good to me too. You do come up with good ideas every once in a while.”
They raced up the stairs to Justin’s bedroom, laughing like lunatics, until Justin tackled Gabriel onto the bed. He lay back with Justin on top of him, his hand wrapped around his wrists and pinning them down to the mattress, but the position didn’t trigger a sense of panic or a need to flee. He only felt desire. He wanted to explore Justin’s muscular frame and for Justin to explore every inch if his body. With Justin, there was only a sense of safety and freedom.
“I want you inside me,” Gabriel murmured as Justin bent down to kiss him. But before those wonderful lips could touch his own, Justin stopped sharply, his body frozen.
“We don’t have to…”
“It’s what I want.” It was on the tip of Gabriel’s tongue to say that this might be the last time they were together and he didn’t want to miss out on it, but he held the words back. They didn’t need the reminder that their stolen time together was running short.
Justin’s kiss was savage. His tongue plunged into Gabriel’s mouth, possessing him in such a way that Gabriel felt as if he was handing over his soul. He’d happily do so if it meant that Justin would never stop kissing him. Muscles relaxed, and he sank into the comforter, letting himself get lost in Justin’s touch. Those strong hands slipped down his forearms and kneaded his biceps before stroking across his shoulders.
With a growl, Justin tore his mouth away and glared down at Gabriel. “Too many clothes.”
“Same goes for you.”
Justin jumped back to his feet and started pulling his clothes off. A shirt flew in one direction and the pants in another. Gabriel chuckled softly as he did the same. His pants and briefs were just hitting his ankles when Justin was attacking him again, driving him back down to the mattress. A soft hiss left them both as warm, bare skin met more naked flesh.
“I will never get tired of touching you,” Justin murmured against his neck as his kissed and licked his way across Gabriel’s collarbone.
Reaching up, Gabriel smoothed his hands down Justin’s chest and out to the sides. The stitches he’d placed on his left side had been removed and the wound was largely healed, but he kept his touch light on the tender area. The feel of his skin was amazing: the smoothness with the small ripple and bump of scars that drew his fingers like braille and the promise of some story. They’d never asked about each other’s scars, but Gabriel found himself wishing they had more time so they could swap those stories of pain and recovery.
Justin’s wandering mouth latched onto one nipple and he bit down, making him jerk up. Gabriel met his playful gaze and he licked across the hardening peak. “Just making sure I have your attention.”
“I don’t think that was really in doubt.”
Justin continued to kiss lower but skirted his leaking cock in favor of the soft flesh along the interior of his hips and then to his sack. Sucking in one of his balls, Justin slowly laved it with his tongue before moving on to the other. Gabriel clamped his hand around his cock, staving off the orgasm that was building.
“Get the damn condom and the lube,” he bit out.
“I want my time to explore,” Justin said and then licked along the side of his cock. “When you fucked me, you were quite thorough.”
“Fuck. Then at least put it in your mouth.” Gabriel’s snarl was cut off when Justin did just that. This achingly hard dick was enveloped by the warm, wet cavern of his mouth. He moved his hand out of the way and gave a little thrust, tapping the back of Justin’s throat. The feel was both relief and torture. He wanted to keep thrusting, to come down his throat. And Gabriel knew that Justin would let him. That he’d let him off the hook and they’d finish this way yet again.
But it wasn’t enough anymore. If this was potentially their last night together, then he wanted to feel Justin inside him, wrapped around him.
Grabbing a handful of Justin’s hair, he pulled him off his cock with a groan. “Stop. Get the condom. I’m serious. Need you.”
For once, Justin didn’t argue, and Gabriel was grateful. He released Gabriel and quickly moved over to the nightstand where he pulled out a bottle of lube and a condom. It was while Justin was rolling it on that Gabriel realized he hadn’t even gotten to touch his dick yet. He’d been too wrapped up in what Justin was doing to him, and he was willing to guess it was exactly how Justin wanted it. Gabriel was so fucking hard he just wanted some relief, but he was stubborn enough to hold on for one specific thing: Justin inside him.
He rolled over, resting his weight on his hands and knees. The night he’d been inside Justin, he knew he’d been pushing things by forcing Justin onto his back, but he couldn’t do that now with Justin. There were too many feelings resting close to the surface that he couldn’t worry about what Justin would see. It was just easier this way.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” Justin swore softly just before a hand smoothed along his ass cheek and then down his spine. “You are so fucking beautiful.”
Gabriel bent his head down to rest against the bed and nearly whimpered when he felt the light brush of kisses inching up his spine toward his shoulders.
“I would love to spend hours pounding on you just like this. I want you to feel me for the next several days,” he continued and then paused. Gabriel tensed, knowing there was something heavy coming. “But I need something else, G.”
“Justin—” he started in warning.
“Lie on your side for me. Give me this.”
When he said it like that, Gabriel was pretty sure he’d give Justin whatever the fuck he wanted. As he lay down, he felt Justin move in behind him. He hooked Gabriel’s top leg over his own, spreading him open. The soft snap of a cap opening was the only sound in the room over Gabriel’s ragged breathing. Justin reached over and squirted some lube onto his cock.
“Touch yourself,” he whispered in Gabriel’s ear. He nipped at the lobe, and Gabriel grabbed his cock again, groaning at the slick, easy slide. A second later, he felt two lube-covere
d fingers circling and pressing against his hole. Not actually trying to enter. Just teasing enough that Gabriel was now panting with need, waiting for Justin to finally enter him. But he didn’t. He just kept circling, teasing those muscles until Gabriel finally moaned and pushed backward. One finger slid inside, and Justin groaned loudly in his ear.
“So fucking hot. Everything about you is so hot. You drive me insane,” Justin growled. He kissed and bit along Gabriel’s shoulder while steadily working the finger deeper inside.
“More. Give me more,” Gabriel begged.
Justin pulled his finger out and then pressed in with two. The stretch and burn was perfect, sending Gabriel pushing back hard until he was sure he’d taken both to the second knuckle. He’d forgotten how good this felt, how much he’d loved having someone touch him like this.
“That’s it, G. Take what you want. Tell me. I’ll give you everything.” Justin twisted his fingers and crooked them just right to brush across Gabriel’s prostate, sending him jerking and shouting as pleasure screamed through his body.
“Yes. Again!”
Justin did as commanded and then pulled out to thrust in again. “Is this what you want? I can make you come just like this. I can make you feel so good.”
“No!” Gabriel shouted. He clenched his teeth against another wave of pleasure. Fuck, he wanted to come. “Need you inside me. Now. Don’t want to come until you’re inside me.”
Justin froze for a moment and then rose up enough to seize Gabriel’s mouth in a blistering kiss that wiped away any lingering worries or doubts about what they were doing. He needed Justin, needed him more than he’d needed anything else in his life.
When Justin’s fingers left him, he heard the snick of the plastic lube cap again and then the slick head of Justin’s cock was pressing against him. Gabriel took a deep breath and pressed back against him. The burn was back, but it was worse than before. Justin moved inside of him, inch by slow and steady inch, giving him time to adjust. Sweat dripped down from Justin’s jaw, and he could feel it making their bodies slippery where they touched.
“So tight,” Justin growled when he was finally fully seated within Gabriel. Without shifting, he moved one arm under Gabriel’s neck so he could press his hand to his chest, while his other hand came down to wrap around his cock. Gabriel was encased in a perfect cocoon of Justin’s strength. There was no escape, but he was sure there was nowhere else he would ever want to be.
Justin slowly stroked his cock while at the same time, he shifted his hips, pulling out ever so carefully before pushing in again.
“Oh fuck, Justin!” Gabriel cried out. The burning evaporated, and the pleasure was so sharp he was nearly seeing stars. “I’m not going to last.”
“Good, because you’re hugging my dick so tight right now, I’m ready to blow.”
Justin started to move. Gabriel was held captive with Justin working both his dick and ass at the same time. Reaching over his head, he threaded his fingers through Justin’s hair and held on tight. There was nowhere to run or hide from the pure pleasure streaking through his body. No slowing it down. Within only a couple of minutes, his orgasm barreled through him like a runaway train. A scream was torn from his throat as long ribbons of semen landed across his stomach and Justin’s hand.
The moment he started to come back down, Justin released his cock and grabbed his thigh. He lifted his leg up just slightly and increased his thrusts, pounding into him hard enough Gabriel wanted to come all over again. Justin shouted a moment later as his body jerked and his rhythm fell away. And on a sigh, he said, “Gabriel.”
A low, contented sound rumbled from Gabriel, and Justin’s mouth stretched into a smile. That was a sound of pure pleasure and happiness. It wasn’t just pride that bubbled up in his chest when he thought about how he’d created that feeling in Gabriel, it was joy in seeing the sexy man stretched out next to him looking so happy and relaxed. There was something in him that hated the darkness that clung to Gabriel, that hounded his steps and stole away his happiness almost within seconds of him finding it. Gabriel’s nightmares had stopped almost entirely after they’d started fucking. There had only been a few nights that he had woken to sounds of sleepy shouting from Gabriel, and he wanted to think that maybe he was helping to keep those ghosts at bay for him.
“I need to move,” Gabriel mumbled against the pillow. He turned his head and blinked slowly at Justin as if he were fighting sleep.
Justin bit his lower lip in indecision and then finally said the words he’d wanted to say for nearly two weeks. “You could stay.”
Gabriel’s eyes opened a little wider and he was definitely more awake than he’d been just a couple seconds ago. It had been an unspoken rule each night that after all their fun stuff, they’d retreat to their separate bedrooms for the night. No actual sleeping together.
Sleeping together in the same space was too intimate. So far, it had only happened once when Gabriel had watched over Justin the night he’d been wounded. But now, sleeping together felt dangerous for a different reason, and Justin still wanted it.
“I don’t think that would be wise,” Gabriel said carefully.
Justin forced a grin and stretched his arm over Gabriel’s bare stomach, as if he could hold the man there when he could already feel him pulling away. “Why? Afraid I snore?”
“I already know you snore.”
“Then why not?”
“Don’t do this. You know we can’t.” Gabriel pushed Justin’s arm off him and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He got up and started hunting for his briefs. Justin lay back and watched his jerky, agitated movements.
“Why?”
“Stop asking why! You’re not a child. You know why.”
“G, it doesn’t have to—”
“Staying means wanting to stay more. It means wanting a hell of a lot more than just sleeping together and that’s not an option for either of us. It’s bad enough that when a contract comes up for your head, I’ll have to pass.”
Justin flashed him a crooked grin. “If someone put a hit out on me, you’d pass?”
Gabriel stopped his pacing at the foot of Justin’s bed and glared at him. The look alone would have shriveled lesser men into cowering balls of fear, but Justin just felt joy. He wasn’t really surprised, but it was still nice to hear that Gabriel at least felt enough for him not to kill him if the money was right.
Justin sat up in bed, letting his smile fall away. “You know that you don’t have to stick with this life until it kills you.”
Gabriel resumed his pacing with a shake of his head.
“Are you really going to tell me that you don’t have an exit strategy already laid out in your mind?” Justin paused, watching the agitation growing in Gabriel. He wanted him to want more, wanted him to have something that didn’t involve a gun and risking his life every moment. He wanted Gabriel to have a life that included himself. “I’ve got mine laid out. Even got my new name. Chris Smith.”
Gabriel stopped and looked over his shoulder at Justin, a small smile pulling at one corner of his mouth. “You might want to keep thinking. You don’t look like a Chris to me.”
“Then think about staying and help me pick out a name. And I’ll help you pick out yours,” Justin said. God, his heart was pounding so hard in his chest. It was like he was balanced out on this thin branch over damn Niagara Falls, and he was reaching out his hand for Gabriel to join him. It was insane and stupid, but if Gabriel would just take his hand, they’d figure it out.
Gabriel turned to face him, pain clear in his handsome features. An ugly frown was tugging down the corners of his mouth. But before he could answer, the silence was broken by a strange chiming noise. It took Justin a second to realize that it was a cell ring.
“That’s not my phone,” Justin murmured.
“It’s mine. It’s Marilyn.”
Pain slashed through Justin’s chest. Of course it was Marilyn. They were close to finishing up this job. She’d be loo
king to get Gabriel lined up with his next contract, sending him away from Justin.
“Don’t answer it,” he barked.
Gabriel stared at him for a second before starting for the phone that was likely still in his pants pocket. “It’s not what you think.”
He thought it was a job. That’s what Marilyn did. She was a handler. She linked mercenaries and assassins up with jobs. If she wasn’t notifying Gabriel of a job, then he couldn’t imagine what she’d be calling about. Swapping casserole recipes?
Justin flopped back onto his bed, arms folded over his chest. He should have known better. What he had with Gabriel was good, but the key thing was that it was temporary. Just a little bit of fun.
As Gabriel walked to the bedroom door, Justin couldn’t help but overhear Gabriel’s half of the conversation. “Yes…How much?...No, I can finish this…It’s safe for now…It’s time to take care of this…”
The rest of the conversation was cut off by the sound of the other bedroom door closing behind Gabriel as he retreated to the guest room he’d been using. That was an odd conversation. Not the typical job talk. What did he need to take care of? And why?
Justin sighed loudly and rubbed his hands over his face. What the hell was he supposed to do? He’d played his hand and Gabriel just walked away. He’d said no, but his heart wanted to say that it was more complicated than just a sound no. Fucking hell, of course he would start falling for a guy that would be complicated.
For now, the ball was in Gabriel’s court, and that really sucked.
Chapter Seventeen
Loud banging jerked Gabriel from a dead sleep, sending him gasping into an upright position with his gun aimed toward the sound before he could even open his eyes. His heart thudded painfully, and he tried to even out his breathing.
“Brianna is on the phone. She’s got something,” Justin said through the bedroom door and then there was only the sound of him thumping down the stairs to the first floor.
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