He lets the silence linger, a subtle victory dancing on his lips.
“But he’s Alex’s type, sí?”
He knows he’s landed the blow. I can feel the weight of his words, the sting of them cutting through the air between us.
But I’m not one to back down so easily.
I squeeze his fingers with a little more force than necessary, but he doesn’t flinch. Narrowing my eyes, I speak slowly.
“Do not get involved in mine and Alex’s business. Do I make myself clear?”
He doesn’t blink. Instead, he matches my grip, just as firm.
“And what business are you referring to?”
“The bedroom,” I say with a snicker and a stare sharp enough to carve him open.
We both knowexactlywhat I’m referring to.
“Mmm… I wouldn’t think of bringing Noah into your bedroom, love. His ass isn’t up for grabs.” He drags his tongue across his lips, slow and obscene. “My ass, on the other hand, is?—”
“Don’t go there, Gabriel.” I hiss the words through clenched teeth, twisting his wrist hard enough to make a point. “I will never let Alex near your ass.”
Despite the flare of pain I know he feels, he still manages to grin. Of course he does. He’s always loved the burn.
“Elijah, love. As appealing as it is to have Alex all up inside me—and trust me, that isveryappealing—but the only dick I will ever take is yours, mi amor.”
His face softens, and a sudden urge to kiss him washes over me.
Gabriel’s love for me has always been disarmingly honest. I can’t remember a time he ever held back. He just doesn’t feel emotions—he lives them. Whether he’s crying, loving, laughing, or simply being, it’s all raw, all real. His feelings run deep, rooted in the marrow of who he is. And he’s never ashamed of them. Never hides them. Never has to.
My gaze drops to his lips. It’s impossible to stay mad at him—not when I know where all this intense energy is coming from.
Slowly, I lift my eyes back to his. They’re blazing… and then they fall, tracing the shape of my mouth.
I know what he’s doing. He’s a fantastic lip-reader. No words are needed for him to understand me.
And what I want to say is this:
I love you.
I wish I could lose myself in your kisses and your arms.
That despite everything, you’re still my world.
A small, albeit sad, smile tugs at the corners of his full lips as he reluctantly drags his eyes away from my mouth. A tear slips down his cheek, catching the light. I loosen my hold on his wrists, my thumbs sweeping gently across his pulse points.
He swallows, the sound thick with everything he’s not saying.
“Gabriel…” I murmur. I bring his hands to my lips, pressing soft kisses along the backs of his fingers.
My eyes catch the pale circle on his ring finger, and I brush my thumb over the tender skin where his wedding band used to rest.
“Go find Noah, love.”
He closes his eyes and inhales deeply, pausing long enough to steady the storm inside him.
When he opens them again, he leans across the table and places a gentle kiss on my cheek. His lips linger there for a moment before they trail a slow, damp path down the side of my face. They stop just shy of my mouth, brushing the corner in a ghost of a kiss that steals a piece of my breath.
