“Good, that was easy.” Gabriel straightened up, and when Joel turned to face him, his cheeks were bright red.
“It’s still too much, Gabriel. I feel a bit… I feel a bit like a rent boy, to be honest.” Joel looked down at his feet, and Gabriel reached forward to grasp his chin, pulling his face up.
“Never. Never, Joel. I've been alone for a very long time and I have more money than I will ever need.” Gabriel searched Joel's eyes and begged him to understand. “You like havingthings, Joel, and I understand why. Let me give you something...tangible. I know you can understand that, and appreciate it. Let me do this for you.”
Joel nodded again and Gabriel smiled.
“Kiss me,” Gabriel whispered, and Joel stepped into him, reaching up to press a kiss to his lips. Gabriel let loose an audible moan when Joel's hands came up and tangled in his hair. Gabriel reached down, grasping Joel's ass in his hands, squeezing hard and pressing their dicks together as Joel deepened the kiss, but the sound of someone clearing their throat caused them both to pull back.
“Did you gentlemen find what you were looking for?” The woman from earlier gave them each an appraising look, her assumptions about their relationship clear on her face.
Before she could say something disparaging, Gabriel spoke up. “Yes, we’ll take number seven.”
“Very well, Mr. Hunter. I’ll go find the reserve price for you and be right back.” She turned on her heel.
“It doesn’t matter. Whatever the cost, I want it.”
Joel kicked Gabriel, who squinted down at him and shook his head.
To do it, not to do it. To do it, not to do it.
Gabriel watched Joel look down at their feet, Joel's torn Converse against Gabriel's sleek leather boots. A frown flitted across Joel's face, then he sucked in a breath, his cheeks turning pink.
“And twenty-six,” Gabriel called after the woman.
“Gabriel!” Joel shouted and looked up. The woman turned, eyebrows raised nearly to her hair line.
“And twenty-six,” Gabriel repeated. The woman offered a curt nod and left them alone again. “It can be Athena’s Christmas present.”
“Gabriel.” Gabriel started to walk away, and Joel reached out to tug his hand. “It’s too much. The watch is too much and the necklace is far too much.”
“Little Red, listen to me. I’m going to tell you this one time, and only one time. I'm an attorney in Los Angeles. I'm asingleattorney in Los Angeles. I have no one and nothing to spend money on. This, whatever the watch and the necklace end up costing me, is nothing. I won’t even notice the money missing from the bank. For you, and for Athena, the items are more valuable. So you will take the things, and I’ll enjoy gifting them, and it’ll be a fair trade.”
For the third time, Joel offered him a silent yet somewhat reluctant nod.
“Besides, with how reliable your phone is, it’s a wonder you ever get anywhere on time.” Gabriel smiled, pushing his shoulder into Joel's side.
The woman returned with two keys and a smart phone. She extended her hand for Gabriel's credit card, about to open her mouth and read him off the total.
“Don’t even say it, you’ll give my sweet boy here a heart attack and I’m not ready to part with him yet.” Gabriel chuckled, but was completely serious as he removed his wallet, handing over the card.
She cracked the barest hint of a smile, swiping his card through the attachment on the phone and then opening both display cases. She removed the necklace, placing it securely in a velvet-lined box, and then went to place the watch in a similar package.
“I’ll wear it now,” Joel blurted out. “I mean, can I?” He looked up at Gabriel. “Can I wear it now?”
Gabriel smiled and nodded. The woman handed the watch over to Gabriel, who secured it around Joel's wrist.
Joel smiled down at it, and then looked up at Gabriel with a smile so blazing, Gabriel was certain it could melt the sun.
“Thank you,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around Gabriel's midsection and squeezing him tight.
Gabriel placed his arms around Joel's shoulders, pulling him in close. “Thank you, Little Red. Thank you.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Joel Gets a Push from Athena, Again
It was slow at work and Joel had tucked himself into one of the chairs in the back of the shop. He could see the door if he stood up, but it had been pretty dead in the store all day, so he could get comfortable and listen to music. He listened to Calvin Harris on the record player. After Gabriel had dropped him off, Joel had wanted to listen to something that matched his mood.
