Awe.
Reverence.
Like looking at me was a gift, and he was so lucky to have the privilege.
“You’re so beautiful, Shemhazai,” he whispered, and I cleared my throat, averting my eyes to stare at the rustling canopy of feathers above us.
“Yeah. I don’t feel beautiful.”
Strong fingers pinched my chin and tilted my head down to face him.
“Let memakeyou feel beautiful, then,” he whispered, and I frowned.
He skated his hand down my chest toward my cock, and it leapt toward him, eager for his touch.
He smiled gently, but his hands didn’t stop there. He slid his fingers between my legs and hovered. My eyes widened as I realized what he was asking for.
“Would you let me… Would you let me make you feel good?” he asked, gently rubbing the space between my balls and my ass.
Fear rolled through me, and I tensed.
The only person that had ever been inside me had been Raz.
I’d sworn to never let anyone else in again.
But with Gabe’s protective canopy above us and his burning golden gaze staring at me with so muchlovein his eyes, I suddenly wasn’t sure I wanted to keep that promise to myself anymore.
“I’m… scared,” I admitted. It hurt when Raz had done it. The pain had always turned into pleasure eventually, but at first, it always hurt.
I remembered how I had fucked Gabe on Yule and winced. I hadn’t been gentle with him either.
Pain was all I knew.
I’d done to him what was done to me, and I hadn’t felt bad about it until now.
“We’ll go slow. I promise, Shemhazai. I won’t hurt you.”
He gently stroked that space again, and my hips rolled up involuntarily, giving him better access to where he wanted to be.
“Is that a yes?”
I swallowed.
“Yeah. Okay.”
Gabe smiled and kissed me on the mouth.
“I love you.”
“I know.” I sighed.
“Let me get these clothes off. Don’t move.”
It should have been awkward, but nothing Gabe did was ever awkward. He was smooth as fuck. It was something that used to annoy me about him, but now I could only admire it.
He somehow got undressed and produced a bottle of lube from one of the end tables, all while keeping me sheltered beneath his wings.
When he settled back over me, he stroked my face and met my eyes, his face as serious as I’d ever seen it.
