On day seven, the rain refused to surrender, as relentless and determined as Gale, and it was time to raise the stakes.
Ignoring the rain, Gale retreated to the far end of the garden, searching for a tranquil spot to enjoy a smoke in the hope Jude would be more receptive with the illusion of privacy. He’d stolen the last of Jude’s fottai and hung out under a tree, waiting, dressed for the heat in basketball shorts and no shirt. The rain was warm, different from days ago when it cut like ice.
After five minutes, Jude appeared in a similar outfit, the result of an indoor basketball game, except he’d thrown on his T-shirt. “What did you do with my smokes?” he asked, gruff and ice cold.
Gale raised an eyebrow at the tone and took a drag, refusing to speak when Jude was in a foul mood.
Rolling his eyes, Jude took the cigarette from Gale’s hand and put it to his lips before leaning against the tree.
It wasn’t worth wasting a good smoke to resist. “Do you find me repulsive?” Gale pulled a spare cigarette from his waistband.
Coughing on his drag, Jude scowled. “What?”
“I’m asking—” He leaned in to light his smoke from Jude’s cigarette. “—if you find me repulsive. I mean, getting you off doesn’t make you my bitch. We had a good time.” Gale wouldn’t show his hand early, as Jude may not have sensed the bond forming. “You’ve been avoiding me.” And Jude was being a coward.
“I haven’t been—” Jude knew better than to finish. He took a drag, blew out the smoke, and shook his head. “How did you know?”
“Know what?”
“I was—” Again, he was smart not to spell out his vulnerability. “To play the bisexual video. Why didn’t you choose straight porn?”
Gale watched Jude closely as he answered, “You wouldn’t have enjoyed it.” To reassure Jude he wasn’t willing to lie, he explained, “I have eyes. I see you staring at me. I feel your eyes on me. I canfeel youwhen you’re near me.”
Jude gulped, clearly swallowing the lie on the tip of his tongue, so evident from the guilt in his eyes. To help resist the temptation to find more lies, Gale threw his cigarette into the rain pooling around their feet and added Jude’s cigarette.
Jude dropped his gaze to whisper, “You weren’t supposed to know.”
“How was Inotsupposed to know, when your eyes have been on me every second we’ve been here? Are you ashamed of me?”
“No.” Those eyes rose to claim his, defiant and angry. “But I don’t know if I want…this…either,” Jude insisted, gesturing between them.
“Why not?” Gale caught Jude by the neck and stepped close, bringing them chest to chest. “Because I’m not a skinny pretty-boy you can dominate?” he asked, knowing that would be acceptable in Vihaan. “What is it aboutmethat scares you?”
Jude ground his teeth and pushed at his chest, jaw tightening when Gale brought his free hand to his neck to strengthen his grip. Thumping a fist against his chest, Jude barked, “The way you look at me.”
That wasn’t the answer he was expecting.
Dropping his hands to the waistband of Jude’s shorts, he tugged. The little bastard shoved him and tried to step back. Gale wound the fabric around his fist and pulled hard, making Jude stumble.
Taking a fistful of hair in one hand, he kept hold of the shorts with the other and let his fingers slip behind the band to the bare skin beneath. “Go ahead and fight me. Show me how strong you are,” he urged, eager for a good tussle in the rain. He hadn’t had a fight in ages, and his blood was singing, itching for a worthy opponent. Only, this time, the reward would be sweeter than winning.
“Fuck you.” Jude grabbed his hand and tried to shove it away.
“You wish!” Gale nipped at Jude’s bottom lip, full and glistening. The brat shoved, putting space between them as he tried to twist free. Two could play that game.
With a sharp tug and a twist of his arm, he had Jude backed against him, one arm around his chest, the other across his hips. He whispered, licking Jude’s earlobe as he fought the urge to do more, “You’re the one craving dick. You can bet your sweet ass the only dick you’re taking is mine.”
If he couldn’t scent the distinctive and unmistakable spike of lust and need between them, he’d think Jude didn’t want him. But he felt the bond, how deeply they connected—no denying it, no fighting. A bond disappeared when it was refused, and Jude wasn’t about to refuse, no matter how hard he fought.
A shiver rippled through Jude, and he momentarily sagged in Gale’s hold, tilting his head to flick his tongue against Gale’s jaw. Tempted, Gale caught a plump lip in his mouth and sucked.
In a flash, Jude spun and dug fingers into Gale’s hair, feeding on his mouth like he’d been starved. Gale tugged him closer, blood sizzling, temperature rising, heart pounding as they stood in the rain and devoured each other like savages. Long fingers tugged his hair, and Jude’s lips drifted down his neck, a welcome temptation to bite.
About to suggest he leave a mark, his feet were swept from under him and Jude backed away to crouch in the sodding grass.
A fucking leg sweep. If he thought that would beat Gale, he was mistaken.
Gale flipped onto all fours and caught a bare ankle, pulling hard. Jude thudded into the grass, and Gale was on his feet before Jude could get off the ground.
