Gage’s blood grew cold. “You’re hurt.”
“It’s just a small wound,” Ulric muttered, but his breathing was pained and shallow, and he’d clenched his jaw.
How deep was that wound? That knife hadn’t been clean at all, had it? Gage froze, his thoughts spiraling. “We need to get you to the hospital.”
“I’m fine,” Ulric hissed.
“No, you’re fucking not.” Gage hauled Ulric to his feet. Ulric staggered a little. The bundles of anxiety in Gage’s body grew into a larger mess. What if Ulric had hit his head? What if that stab wound infected him inside, and it slowly killed him?
Gage pulled his phone out and dialed 911, his heart clenching so tight, it almost burst.
“Hang in there,” Gage muttered. “Don’t die on me.”
“I won’t die,” Ulric said, but he looked uneasy. At least the bleeding seemed to be slowing down. At least he was still conscious.
Gage heaved him back to the sidewalk, sitting him on the bench. He told the emergency call operator about Ulric, and where they were. The whole time, he couldn’t tear his gaze away from Ulric. The way Ulric held himself tight, the way he stole glances at Gage, time and again, before looking at the fallen buns on the road.
Gage glanced at the side alley, at the bench, and he imagined not stopping by to check on Ulric at all. Ulric would’ve been in that alley, alone with his robbers, and... they might’ve killed him. Stabbed him, taken his phone, and left him to die.
That single thought seared away everything else, until it consumed him with the horror of it.
He imagined a world without Ulric. Without Ulric smiling at him, without Ulric all flustered. He imagined never joking with Ulric anymore, never kissing or hugging him again. He imagined not being needed by this man. Not hearing his laugh. Not holding his hand.
He’d been taking Ulric for granted, he realized. And maybe he shouldn’t have minded so much that Ulric had tried to give him money. Maybe he shouldn’t have cared that Ulric had been keeping secrets—those were Ulric’s decisions to make. None of which had harmed Gage at all.
If he’d lost Ulric today... Gage knew he would’ve regretted leaving Ulric behind. He would’ve lost the most important part of his soul, and it would’ve been the result of such a petty argument.
I should learn to trust him, Gage thought. Because he’s worth fighting for.
Was there time to fix this?
His heart pounding, Gage sat heavily next to Ulric, tangling their fingers together. Ulric stiffened, glancing down.
“Bad time to be having this conversation,” Gage blurted. “They said the ambulance will be here in a few minutes. Think you’ll survive until then?”
Ulric nodded. “Yeah.”
Relief seeped into Gage’s chest. “Thank the gods.” He leaned in, at the same time Ulric moved—Ulric’s nose bumped his cheek awkwardly. Then he pulled away, his eyes wide with surprise.
“What was that?” Gage asked. He didn’t dare hope.
“I just—” Ulric’s neck turned pink. Then he leaned closer and slanted his mouth over Gage’s, a warm, gentle touch that felt like uncertainty and longing. It felt like desire and affection. Gage’s pulse stumbled.
It was the first time Ulric had kissed him, without Gage initiating it.
The next moment, Ulric shoved himself back against the bench, looking away, his flush deepening. Gage’s throat grew tight. “You’re gonna pretend that you didn’t just kiss me?” Gage murmured.
“That—That was thanks.” Ulric wet his lips, looking nervous and awkward. Ever so adorable.
Gage’s heart swelled. “That’s it? Just thanks?” He leaned in, needing so much more. Needing to show Ulric how important he was. Needing to just—claim him again. “That’s not enough, babe.”
Ulric’s gaze flew up, locking onto him in surprise.
“I’m sorry,” Gage whispered, pressing their foreheads together. “I shouldn’t have left.”
“But I—I did things.” Ulric squirmed. “I should’ve just talked to you first, maybe.”
Gage huffed. “And me being a knucklehead, I would’ve just turned you down.” He pulled Ulric closer, cradling him. “I appreciate what you did for my family.”
Ulric snuffled, his eyes growing wide. “You’re not... pissed anymore?”
Gage shook his head. “Nope. I was being an idiot. I’m sorry.”
Ulric still looked disbelieving. In a smaller voice, he said, “I didn’t want you to work so many hours. I just—wanted you to stay home. With me. You weren’t hugging me much anymore.”
Gage’s chest squeezed tight. “You were always asleep when I got home. I didn’t realize that the hugs were so important to you.”
“That’s why I gave your mom the money,” Ulric said. “I don’t want you to think I’m buying you, or anything. ‘Cause I’m not. I just...” He gulped.
“You just...?” Gage nuzzled him, just savoring the weight of Ulric in his arms, Ulric recovering a little from that altercation.
“I don’t want you to stress out over money all the time,” Ulric blurted, looking embarrassed. “I love you.”
The warmth in Gage’s chest built, like a steady flame growing in a hearth. “Love you, babe. I’m sorry it’s taken me this long to realize it. I’m sorry for all the crap I said.”
Ulric’s mouth fell open. “You... what?”
“Love you,” Gage said again. “And I’m sorry. You heard that, right?”
“But I...” Ulric looked at the buns on the ground. “I’ve been eating so much, Gage. All the weight I lost, I think I’ve put them back.”
“Doesn’t matter. It’s never mattered to me, Muffin.” Gage cupped his nape, pulling him close. Ulric made a soft sound of surprise; Gage kissed him, slow and sweet, a proper kiss that sent tingles exploding through his skin. Ulric groaned. “Gods, I’ve missed you,” Gage whispered. “Will you—”
And now his heart thumped, his stomach squeezing. Ulric had turned him down before. He could do it again. Gage swallowed. “Will you be my boyfriend? I know I’ve fucked up. I might fuck up again. But you have every right to tell me I’m being an idiot.”
Ulric’s mouth fell open; Gage wasn’t sure if Ulric was breathing.
“Please say yes,” Gage whispered, his pulse thudding in his ears. “I want you in my life, babe. For a very long time.”
Ulric was still in pain, but there was hope in his gaze now, disbelief and warmth. “I... Yes.” He ducked his head, leaning into Gage. “I’m sorry I kept putting it off. I just...”
The tightness in Gage’s chest eased. “When we get home, I’m going to kiss every inch of you,” Gage whispered. “Will you let me?”
Ulric sucked in a quick breath. “You—You promise?”
“Yeah. I promise.”
Gage held him tighter, stroking his scent all over Ulric’s skin. In the distance, the siren of an ambulance wailed.
This was a new beginning. And Gage wasn’t going to mess up again. “I’ll prove it to you, babe. However many times you need.”
Ulric looked down, smiling to himself. Gage didn’t want to let him go.
29
Gage Convinces Ulric That He’s Beautiful
Gage pressed Ulric up against the front door, slanting their lips together. “Mm, babe.”
Ulric’s heart skipped. This still felt surreal. Gage had been with him this whole time—he’d followed Ulric to the hospital, he’d stuck around anxiously while Ulric received his stitches. Then Ulric had been held under observation for some hours, and Gage had squeezed onto his hospital bed, unwilling to let him go.
“You haven’t hugged me enough yet?” Ulric asked, holding his breath. Was this a dream?
Gage smiled and kissed him. “Nope.”
He slipped his hands under Ulric’s shirt, caressing his back, his side, being careful to avoid the stitches. He pressed kisses all over Ulric’s face, his lips pulled into a warm smile. Then he reached down, grabbing Ulric by the ass. “Fu
ck, babe. I love your ass so much.”
Ulric’s face grew hot. That was the first time he’d heard Gage say that. “Because you like being inside?”
“Because I like holding you there. Mm.” Gage pushed his hands into Ulric’s pants, down his underwear, grabbing one cheek in each hand. Privately, Ulric thought his own ass was a bit much. But the way Gage kneaded his cheeks, squeezing them, cupping them, his eyelids half-shuttered in enjoyment... His bulge hadn’t been this big when they’d left the car.
Ulric had been watching Gage this whole time; Gage seemed to honestly like spending time with him. He’d been smiling and nuzzling Ulric, and Ulric felt like he’d been forgiven. It was such a weight off his chest.
“C’mon, let’s get upstairs,” Gage murmured, thrusting his tongue into Ulric’s mouth, tasting him again. “Wanna show you how hard you make me.”
Ulric groaned, reaching down to caress his alpha. There was no mistaking the line in Gage’s pants, the thick length he wanted to slide into Ulric. Gage smelled like musk, pine and, faintly, the liquor from his job last night.
Gage had called in to the gym today—so he could care for his sick boyfriend, he’d told his boss. He’d given his notice at the bar, too.
“I’m gonna drink from your spout,” Gage whispered, grinding roughly into Ulric’s palm. Ulric’s blood surged between his legs. And Gage slipped his fingers between Ulric’s cheeks, searching out his entrance.
“You just want that hole,” Ulric muttered.
“I want to kiss it.” Gage smiled. “Make love to it like how I’m gonna make love to you.”
Ulric flushed. “That’s too cheesy.”
“Only too cheesy if I sprinkle some parmesan on you.”
“Please don’t.”
Gage’s eyes gleamed. “Why? Afraid I’d love licking you all over? Every tiny crack? Or... here?”
He slid his fingertip over Ulric’s hole, a feather-light touch, too faint to do anything but tease. Ulric’s nerves tingled all over. “Gage.”
“Yeah?” Gage licked his lips. “What do you want?”
Ulric squeezed Gage’s covered cock, a demanding pressure that made Gage’s eyes darken and his cock shove against Ulric’s palm. It would stretch Ulric open so nicely.
“Fuck,” Ulric groaned. They weren’t even undressed yet, and his pants were growing tight. “I always thought you were perfect. But it figures that your cock’s perfect, too.”
“For gods’ sakes,” Wilkie said somewhere behind Gage. “If you’re making up like that, I think I have to move out.”
“Use the back door.” Gage didn’t even turn to look at him. “But the house’s back door, not Ulric’s. That’s mine.”
Ulric spluttered. Wilkie swore and stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Gage’s smile turned hungry; he ground a fingertip against Ulric’s hole, circling it, tapping on it, never once dipping inside. In fact, he spread Ulric’s cheeks apart, exposing Ulric’s hole. And he teased it again, soft strokes that promised.
Ulric growled, yanking on Gage’s shirt. “You gonna go in, or what?”
Gage laughed. Then he surged forward, crashing their lips together, sweeping into Ulric’s mouth with all the force of a ravenous beast. “I’m gonna go slow because you’re hurt,” Gage whispered. “When you get better, I’m gonna ruin that pretty hole of yours, babe. Just like what you did to mine. All it’ll know is my cock claiming it inside.”
Ulric’s hole squeezed. Gage would leave his entrance gaping by the time he was done with it. And Ulric could already imagine his alpha’s come leaking down his thighs. “Gods.”
Gage released him, yanking open Ulric’s pants. Ulric’s cock shoved out. “Look how hungry this is,” Gage whispered, stroking it lightly. Pleasure sizzled down Ulric’s nerves. “This is how I want to kiss you.”
And he sank to his knees, leaning in so his breath feathered across Ulric’s sensitive skin. Ulric swallowed. He’d never imagined Gage kneeling in front of him. An alpha like that, looking up at Ulric with adoration in his eyes. Being at Ulric’s mercy.
It felt as though Gage had given him all the power in the world.
He wet his lips, cradling his alpha’s face. “Gage—”
“Love you,” Gage murmured. And he pressed a damp, gentle kiss to Ulric’s underside. He trailed kisses up Ulric’s desperate length, rubbing his lips against the bundle of nerves beneath Ulric’s tip. Sparks burst through his skin. Needing more, Ulric hissed and thrust at him, trying to push his tip into Gage’s mouth.
“Not so fast, babe.” Gage planted his hands on Ulric’s hips, shoving him back against the door. But the smirk Gage wore—Ulric wanted to wipe it off, he wanted to claim Gage inside.
As though he could read Ulric’s mind, Gage kissed down Ulric’s cock, all the way to his aching balls. Gage cupped those and kneaded them; electricity jolted up Ulric’s spine. He jerked, swearing. And Gage kissed back up to his tip, every touch slow and purposeful.
It wasn’t enough, not in the slightest.
“Damn it, Gage,” Ulric growled, grasping Gage’s hair. “Don’t tease.”
“All right,” Gage said. “Just a little suck.”
He licked Ulric’s head, his tongue a flat, soft pressure. Then he closed his lips around the bead of precome at Ulric’s tip—he was just right there. Ulric’s control fractured. He hauled Gage closer and pushed, and his cock parted Gage’s lips, sliding into the snugness of his alpha’s mouth.
Gage looked so good like that, his lips wrapped around Ulric’s sensitive flesh.
Gage groaned, hollowing his cheeks. The pressure around Ulric’s cock spiked—it went straight to his balls and pulled them tight. Ulric cursed; his hips snapped up. His cock hit the back of Gage’s throat.
“Fuck,” Gage growled around his cock. And the fabric at his tip began to grow dark. Ulric bit off his moan, plowing again into his alpha, over and over. Just savoring the friction between them, the exquisite slide of Gage’s tongue against his sensitive head.
The harder he fucked his alpha, the larger that wet spot grew.
Ulric’s instincts snarled to the surface. They wanted him to pin his alpha, they wanted him to search out Gage’s hole with his cock, and claim him inside.
“Gage,” Ulric hissed.
Something must’ve changed in his voice, because Gage pulled away, his lips glistening. “Break time,” Gage murmured, blowing cool air all over Ulric’s desperate length. “I haven’t kissed the rest of you yet.”
Ulric’s cock ached. “I want to fuck, not kiss.”
Gage smiled. “Nope. Too late, babe.”
Then he grasped the hem of Ulric’s shirt, lifted it, and kissed Ulric’s hip. Before Ulric could move, Gage lifted the shirt higher, kissing the curve of Ulric’s belly. And he lifted it further, until Ulric could see his own navel.
Ulric froze. If there was anything he was self-conscious about, it was his belly. Or rather, his entire body. But his belly was where it was most obvious—he didn’t have sculpted abs like Gage did. And it was right in front of Gage’s face.
Gage met his eyes. “Relax, Muffin.”
“I’m exactly that. A muffin.” Even though they’d talked about this, having Gage kiss him all over... This was scary. It was real. And Ulric couldn’t help the way Gage felt. For all he knew, Gage might regret his decision.
“But you’re my Muffin.” Gage kissed around the stitches, where they still hurt. “And you’re damn fucking adorable, Ulric.”
Ulric bit his lip, watching as Gage pulled his shirt higher, exposing his chest. That, too, wasn’t anything like Gage’s.
Gage buried his face in Ulric’s chest, groaning. “Been dreaming of you naked, babe.”
Ulric winced. “Naked?”
Gage took Ulric’s hand, pressing it against his bulge. “Not convinced by this, huh?”
Ulric shook his head.
“Looks like we’ll need a better way to do it.” Gage linked their fingers. Then he tugged Ulric up the stairs
with him, to Ulric’s bedroom. That smelled too much of honey oak and musk, and not enough pine.
Gage shut the door and lowered the blinds until shadows filled the room. “Get on the bed.”
Ulric sat gingerly on the edge of the mattress, looking down at his curves. He’d never been fully naked in front of Gage before. Or anyone else.
This terrified him, just a little.
“Here. What if we use this?” Gage found a dark pillowcase, folding it up. Then he pressed it gently over Ulric’s eyes. The room went black. “Just for today, stop judging yourself. Let me show you how I feel about you.”
Uncertainty slithered through Ulric’s chest. But Gage had said he loved Ulric, and... maybe Ulric should learn to trust him. He bit his lip. “Okay.”
Gage secured the blindfold around Ulric’s head. Then he helped Ulric scoot further up the bed. He plucked off Ulric’s socks and stroked Ulric’s calves and thighs. “Remember me touching you here?”
He’d done that, sometimes. When they’d snuggled together on the couch and Ulric pulled his legs up. Gage would reach over and touch Ulric’s knee, or his lap. “Yeah.”
“Here, slide your pants off,” Gage said.
Ulric didn’t mind removing his pants—Gage had seen him a few times without. Hell, Gage knew what his hole looked like. And... maybe Ulric didn’t mind giving Gage an eyeful of his cock. He squirmed out of his pants, the cool air of the bedroom skimming his thighs.
“Mm.” Slowly, Gage pressed Ulric backward, until his back thumped against the mattress. Ulric’s stitches twinged. “Lie back for me, babe.”
The sheets rustled. Gage caught Ulric’s knees, spreading them open. Ulric’s face grew hot. “But this is fucking,” Ulric said.
Gage chuckled. “Nope. Still kissing.”
He lifted one of Ulric’s legs, kissing from his ankle up the side of his calf, to his knee. Ulric held his breath. He’d never been kissed there before. And Gage’s lips trailed over his skin, a light, damp touch. Ulric bit back his groan.
Weight of Everything Page 20