But maybe having something shiny and unique might be nice. It had crossed Gabriel’s mind more than once that maybe the reason Garrison hadn’t devoted himself to their relationship was because Gabriel was so boring andplain.
“That’s a shame.” Sir brought the car to a stop inside a carport. A cheerfully white side door awaited their arrival no more than a few feet away. “While we’re unpacking, tell me about some of the things you like. I want to get to know youbetter.”
“There isn’t very much to tell, Sir.” Gabriel undid his seatbelt, but waited for permission before opening the door. Until he knew exactly how hard Sir intended to be on him, he would not push hislimits.
Sir had turned at the hip to face him, one arm rested on top of the steering wheel. He lifted a brow in a playful way and let the beginning of a grin lift the corner of his lips. It was a charming look, but no matter how it made Gabriel feel, he reminded himself that his time with Sir was only temporary. Temptation would not win. “Then tell you what… I want you to lietome.”
“L-lie?” Gabriel stared holes through the thighs of his jeans, not sure whether to be alarmed orexcited.
“Yup. Lie to me.” Sir swung the car door open and stepped out. He bent at the waist to look in at Gabriel, and Gabriel tried not to think about the kindness in Sir’s green eyes. “Come up with another life for yourself. Imagine you’re… I don’t know. Imagine you’re Adrian. Pretend that you have all his likes and dislikes, and then tell me whatyoulike.”
“Oh.” Gabriel tried to hold back a laugh, but he was only partially successful—it slipped into his words as he replied. “Adrian doesn’t like anything or anyone, except for maybe me, and Sterling, andLilian.”
“Shit, you’re right. Bad example.” Sir stepped back and set his hand on the car door, like he was getting ready to close it. “I guess you’ll just have to pretend that you’re someone else—someone that you know. Can you think ofanyone?”
“Yes, Sir,” Gabriel said withanod.
“Then come on out and help me unpack. I want to get you settled before it gets too late. We don’t have muchdaylightleft.”
Was that permission to leave the car? Gabriel thought so. He set his hand on the handle, glanced at Sir to make sure he was doing the right thing, then swung the door open. Once he’d exited the vehicle, he closed the door as politely as he could and followed Sir to the trunk. It had already been popped, and Sir eased it open with asinglehand.
It occurred to Gabriel that he was expected to talk, but he had no idea who to talk about. The friends he’d kept at The White Lotus hadn’t been the kind he’d spent much time getting to know on a personal level, and the individuals he’d met at Stonecrest he hadn’t paid much attention to. The only person Gabriel knew was Garrison, but what was it that Garrison liked? Gabriel thought he should know, but he couldn’t come up withanything.
Sir hefted his duffel bag from the trunk and tucked it over his shoulder. It was heavy, but he made it look feather light. Gabriel examined him for a moment, then remembered himself and looked away. “I… I like tohavesex.”
Sir almost dropped the duffel bag. “Excuseme?”
Molten lava didn’t compare to the heat that radiated from Gabriel’s cheeks. “You asked me to pretend to be someoneelse,Sir.”
“Right.” Sir adjusted the bag on his shoulder and rubbed his mouth. “I did. Keep going. You just took me by surprise,isall.”
Was there a hint of color in Sir’s cheeks? Gabriel picked up his backpack from where it had been laid in the trunk and swung it over his shoulder. “And I like to meet new people. In fact, I know so many people that sometimes I don’t even remember theirnames.”
Sir shut the trunk. The heavythunkstartled Gabriel, and he took a few steps back forsafety.
“How many people do you know?” Sir led the way to the cheerfulwhitedoor.
Gabriel followed. “I don’t know… seventy-five, maybe?Probablymore.”
“You must be popular, then.” Sir slotted a key into the lock. With a turn of his wrist, it clicked, and he pushed the door open. “Are they all yourfriends?”
“No.” Gabriel didn’t want to play this game anymore. He didn’t want to think about who those people were toGarrison.
“If they’re not your friends, then whoarethey?”
Gabriel came to a stop in the carport. He knew that he should follow Sir through the door and obey his command, but he couldn’t. His mind spun, remembering the sleepless nights when Garrison left him alone in bed, and the times he’d walked into Garrison’s office to find other boys sitting onhislap.
All because Gabriel wasn’t attractive enough, exciting enough, or engagingenough.
Garrison’s favorite, Seth, and the way Garrison had made eyes at him. The lust in his eyes when he took Seth’s heat was never the same as when he was with Gabriel. But Garrison had promised that they’d make a family. He’d told Gabriel that helovedhim.
“Gabriel?”
Words betrayed him. Gabriel’s vocal cords clamped, and his jaw locked. He backed away from the door, only stopping when his thighs smacked the side of the car. His backpack squished, caught between his weight and the vehicle, but he couldn’t bring himself to worry about whether his toiletries leaked or not. The whole world was closing in on him, and as it did, it pushed the air out of Gabriel’s lungs and left him struggling tobreathe.
“Gabriel.” Sir stepped down from the stoop and crossed the carport, but Gabriel couldn’t bring himself to face him. Sir would be angry he disobeyed. He would punish Gabriel for falling short of expectation, and then he would force Gabriel to tell him what he didn’t want to say. “Hey. What’s going onwithyou?”
Gabriel’s gaze darted to the side. The carport was tidy, and the driveway was a straight shot to the road. Across the street was the preserve and all the beautiful trees with their green and orange and red leaves. If he couldmakeit—
