Chapter Sixteen
Reid opened the door to his apartment, still recovering from the surprise of Gabriel turning up on his doorstep.
Doubly surprised that he seemed to have brought food, in the form of takeout bags.
“This is your favorite, right?” Gabriel asked, offering up a bag with the logo from the Chinese place on the corner.
“Yeah, that’s the place I always go to, but… how did you know?” Reid asked, backing away from the door to let him in.
“I noticed the menu on the fridge last time,” Gabriel explained. “And it was pretty old and worn, so I figured you’d kept and used it. I didn’t really… I mean, I wasn’t snooping, I was just getting a glass of water.”
Reid laughed. “This is easily one of the sweetest things anyone’s ever done for me,” he said.
“I thought you’d appreciate being fed first,” Gabriel responded, following Reid over to the couch. “I, uh… you said you were interested in more?”
“So this is a booty call?” Reid raised an eyebrow. “For a guy who’s supposed to be shy about sex, that’s pretty forward.”
“I wasn’t shy,” Gabriel corrected. “I didn’tgetit until now. It was… okay at best. But I actually want sex with you.” He paused. “Am I doing this wrong? It seemed like… I’m not sure how I’m supposed to…”
Reid chuckled, sitting down on the couch and sorting through the containers Gabriel had brought. “Food is a good start.”
“I stuck to a couple of soups and an assortment of dumplings,” Gabriel explained. “I figured I couldn’t go wrong that way. I can work out what restaurant you like, but I’m not Sherlock Holmes.”
“I dunno, man, that was pretty good. I have no idea what kind of food you like. Other than coffee and bacon.”
“You haven’t been to my apartment to see my collection of takeout containers. I’m super gross and I have no idea how you keep this place so clean.”
Reid shrugged. “Once you get it cleanonce, it’s pretty easy. I’m a minimalist.”
“I’m a hoarder,” Gabriel admitted, stealing a dumpling from the container Reid had just opened and shoving it in his mouth.
“Isn’t that hot?” Reid asked, staring at him.
Gabriel nodded, his face going a little red as he chewed and swallowed. “But delicious,” he said. “I like food to be fast and easy.”
Reid couldn’t help laughing at that. “Do you also like men to be fast and easy? Because I’m starting to get that vibe.” Reid plucked two pairs of chopsticks out of the bag and held one out for Gabriel.
Gabriel took it and broke them in half confidently. He was clearly no stranger to disposable chopsticks. “I like to minimize complications in everything outside of my work. It’s complicated enough. I don’t like to worry about things I don’t absolutely have to.”
“Hey, sounds fair to me. I guess I just care a little more how foodtastes. I love this place, but I couldn’t live on it.”
“Based on first impressions, I could,” Gabriel said. “You have excellent taste in takeout.”
“I think you’re Lee’s type, because this is more dumplings than you’re supposed to get per serve.”
“He’s gay, too?” Gabriel asked, clearly surprised.
“This whole neighborhood is pretty gay. That’s most of why I live here.”
“And the rest has to be the view, because the location sucks for you,” Gabriel said, taking another dumpling but blowing on it to cool it this time before shoving it into his mouth.
“It’s a little further away from my office than I’d like, yeah. But it’s good to have that separation between work and life.”
Gabriel raised an eyebrow.
“In this specific case, the crossover is fine,” Reid clarified. “IwishI’d met you in a bar or something, but I can live with it if you can.”
“I can live with it,” Gabriel said. “You would never have met me in a bar. I don’t do bars.”
