Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 71212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
I cleared my throat. Gabriel’s eyes flicked over my shoulder before going down to the swirling red wine. “Listen, about earlier. I was serious when I said I only want to put a pause to us, not an end.”
I filled my lungs with air before taking a chug. Part of me believed him, and the other part was saying, “Yeah fucking right.” Once this case was over, then he’d be assigned to another one, likely somewhere other than Atlanta, and he’d jet off to his next destination where his big, muscular, Clark Kent–looking self would easily find some other boy to distract him from coming home to me.
“I’m serious,” he said, likely sensing my disbelief. “Something about you has gotten under my skin, Trist. In a good way. You make me smile and laugh in ways I haven’t for what feels like ages. I like being around you, not just protecting you. I don’t want to ruin that, but I want to make sure I do my job right.”
“I also want to make sure you do your job right,” I teased, both of us damn well aware of the outcome of Gabe failing at his job.
His words were comforting, even though all I wanted to do was rip his clothes off and go back to exploring every single inch of him, letting him do the same with me, our bodies entwined in a dance I’d never forget the steps to.
I thought about it. Thought about tossing caution to the wind. Saying “fuck it” and going in for a kiss. After all the shit I’d been through, it felt deserved. Like blowing off a little steam with a handsome Adonis of a man was the least life owed me.
But life didn’t owe anyone. She was the bank and the gambler. She held the cards and the chips and the entire damn casino.
Those urges, those fire-hot desires that licked at my core, were stuffed down. Snuffed out. I couldn’t give in. No matter how badly I wanted Gabriel back in my mouth.
“Alright,” I said, “I think I’m going to finish this and go to bed. It’s been a long day.”
“It has,” Gabriel said. His eyes dropped to my lips. The moment froze as if encased in a sudden jet of ice, except the fire inside me kept me from freezing over. He inched closer. If he kissed me, then I’d let it go further, deeper. I’d unravel, throwing all caution out the window. We were safe here; we were together here.
We could be together here.
If he was thinking it, then he changed his mind. He gave a nod and a smile before saying good night. I shouldn’t have felt disappointment, but the bitter pill clanged its way down my esophagus. I washed it down with a big gulp of wine.
Cabernet, I think.
Gabriel closed the bedroom door. I got my toiletries from the suitcase and went into the adjoining bathroom, finishing my wine as I got ready for bed. The entire time, I kept thinking about how Gabriel was only a room or two away from me, doing God only knew what.
At least it was better than obsessive thoughts over the serial killer trying to get me.
I finished up in the bathroom (and finished my wine), going back into the room. I glanced at the window, the blinds still drawn shut. I wasn’t a fan of how close it was to the bed. It brought back childish fears of monsters breaking through and snatching me by my feet, dragging me off into the night.
Childish but not all that far from my current reality.
I swallowed down a gulp. The wine helped blunt some of the scarier thoughts. I turned on a lamp on the nightstand before turning off the overhead lights. The room was painted in a warm yellow glow. I gave a long yawn as I stretched, touching my toes and rolling my neck before climbing into bed.
Moments later was when I heard a tiny crack followed by a loud crash, and a shrill shout ripped straight out of my throat.
12
GABRIEL FERNANDEZ
I heard the sound and leapt out of bed, hurtling across my bedroom and ping-ponging into the hallway, going straight into the adjacent guest bedroom.
The nightstand lamp was on, but it had fallen to the floor, which made the light cast intimidating shadows on the far wall. I looked down, seeing Tristan getting up from a broken bed. The leg must have cracked and given way, nearly tossing him off the mattress.
I offered a hand and helped him up to his feet.
“I swear, Gabe, that happened just as I was laying down. It’s not like I was doing jumping jacks or anything.”
I laughed and felt relieved that it was just a broken bed that caused the noise. “Don’t worry about it. This was one of the first pieces of furniture I ever bought. I probably should have replaced it years ago. Now I’ve got an excuse.”