William cringed. He might have pushed the poker analogy a little too far there.
“He wishes he’d been taught that life lesson a lot earlier, but it’s never too late to grow. And with the help of the two strongest people he knows, he has the firm certainty that...” Adathan looked up. “He has a shot at true happiness.”
William let out an awkward chuckle. “That was a little lame, huh?”
Adathan closed the notebook and stood up from his chair. He circled the table and sat down in William’s lap, wrapping his arms loosely around his shoulders. “Nothing is lame that comes from the heart,” he said, looking into his eyes.
“You make me happy,” William blurted.
Adathan cupped his cheek, the warmth in his gaze giving William the courage to keep going.
“Meeting you is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Since you set foot in my life, it’s like everything suddenly makes sense. Like I broke the surface of a deep lake and can finally breathe.”
He wrapped his arms around Adathan. “I want to be with you.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “More than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life. And it’s pretty scary, I gotta admit. But first, I need you to promise me something. Somethingveryimportant.”
Adathan nodded.
“Promise me that... if I ever make you unhappy, you will let me know. If I do or say something that hurts you, you will let me know. And if you no longer want to be with me... you will let me know.” William cupped the back of Adathan’s head, looking deep into his eyes. “I don’t own you, and I never will. You’re your own person, and you deserve to be happy just as much as I do. So please promise me. Promise me you’ll never pretend you’re happy to be with me if you’re not.”
William’s pulse pounded in his ears as he held Adathan’s gaze, waiting for him to say the words. But he didn’t. Silence stretched on torturously, making William’s heart sink into his stomach. Had Adathan been pretending all that time? Was it all fake?
A wave of nausea hit William. Had he let himself be fooled into believing someone like Adathan truly wished to be with him? Had he done all this just to end up getting rejected—humiliated?
Adathan let out a long breath, melting into his arms. He rested his forehead in the crook of William’s shoulder, his arms wrapping tightly around him. “I promise, but only if...”
“Only if...?” William echoed, barely daring to breathe.
“You promise the same,” Adathan whispered.
It was William’s turn to let out a breath. He held Adathan tenderly, one hand rubbing his back, while the other caressed his hair. Now he understood why Adathan had hesitated—the prospect of losing William must be terrifying. But just because they made this promise today didn’t make it more likely for them to grow apart in the future. If anything, it was a reminder that their relationship should be treasured.
“I promise.”
Adathan sighed, squeezing him tightly. He pulled away and looked into his eyes. “What you wrote so far is beautiful. I’m looking forward to learning more about you.”
William smiled, closing the distance between their lips. “Me too.”
CHAPTER 21
All-in for an Angel
9 MONTHS LATER
A bead of sweat rolled down William’s spine, tickling his skin like tiny spider legs. He panted as he climbed the stairs to his apartment, breathing in the humid stench of mildew, dust, and old cigarettes. As far as William knew, none of his neighbors smoked. The heat wave seemed to make the ancient building sweat out ghosts from past generations.
He wrinkled his nose. He couldn’t wait to move out of this shithole.
Soon.
A smile tugged at his lips as he reached the fourth floor, his clammy skin tingling with excitement. He opened the door, sighing with relief as he was hit by a cool, lavender-and-citrus-scented wall of air. William had always survived summers with just a regular fan to cool himself off, but lately, he’d had to invest in an A/C unit. A necessary improvement with Adathan around—who was a flesh magnet of the overheating variety.
Adathan stepped out of the bathroom wearing his favorite lounging outfit: William’s oversized cashmere sweater from the tournament, big fuzzy socks, and nothing else. “How did it go?”
William grinned. “She said I was the quickest study she’d ever mentored and offered me the manager role early. I’m starting in two weeks.”
Adathan gasped, pressing his hands to his face. With a brief squeal, he dashed across the apartment and leaped.
William caught him in his arms with a chuckle. He twirled them to the sound of their combined laughter, his chest light with joy. As soon as he slowed to a stop, his mouth was claimed by a delicious pair of lips.
