Page 77 of Choke Up

“So empty,” I say.

He chuckles and stands, pulling me back against him. “Don’t worry, baby, you know I’ll always fill you up.”

I look over my shoulder to reach his mouth, turning in his arms to chase the breathless feeling I get when he kisses me. I help remove the last of his clothes, but instead of tackling me, or bending me over and fucking me, he just holds me against him and kisses me until I’m trembling.

Gabe pulls back, holding my chin to look into my eyes. “I love you, Ellis Hope. I’m sorry it took me so long to figure it out. I think I always knew there was something there, but it wasn’t until I kissed you that first time that I realized how strong it was. It scared me. It still does.”

“What are you afraid of?”

“That I’ll do something wrong. That I’ll hurt you again. That I won’t be enough.”

“Gabe. We’ve known each other almost our entire lives. I know you. You’re more than enough,” I say, kissing him lightly. “And we’ll probably both screw up sometimes, but we’ll work it out. Whatever comes next, we’ll figure it out together. Nothing can ever hurt me as long as I have you.”

He bends down to scoop me up by the backs of my thighs, wrapping my legs around him. Smiling into his kiss, I hold on as he walks us to the center of the bed, then sits with me straddling him.

We kiss until all the air is sucked from our lungs. Moaning and touching and writhing together until I can’t stand it anymore, and I’m begging him.

“Gabe, please. I need you inside me.”

A sound almost like purring comes from his chest. He grabs a bottle of lube from the bedside table, pouring it directly on himself and his hand. Two fingers push the slick liquid inside me, but I’m too impatient.

“I’m ready, I promise. I just need you.”

Finally, I’m sinking down his thick length, and I let out a shaky sigh. When I’m fully seated, Gabe just holds me like that, straddling his lap with my legs wrapped around his waist. Our arms are locked around each other, bodies pressed as close as two people can get.

Every move is slow and sensual. We pant and cry against each other’s mouths, breathing each other’s air. Fingers comb through sweat soaked hair, nails rake over skin, hands knead and grip and hold on for dear life. Rocking against each other, we hold nothing back, pouring every ounce of love we have for each other into every move of our bodies. A blinding peak overtakes me, a wave of pleasure that takes my breath away. All I can do is gasp and hold on, panting against Gabe’s mouth, trusting him to hold me through it. Tears prick and join the droplets of sweat rolling down our bodies.

“I love you,” he whispers.

CHAPTER 32

GABE

I forget to look anywhere else but at Ellis the moment we walk into the student center. His nerves are apparent, but the smile that breaks out over his face when he sees all of us is brighter than the spotlights around each piece of art. When he sees me, I think he puts the sun to shame.

Yeah, so I’m a poet now.

I shake myself out of my mushy thoughts so I can force myself to blink. He’s just too damn beautiful.

Like a moth to a flame, I make my way directly to him, ignoring everyone in my path. I wrap one arm around the small of his back and lift him against me, pressing a kiss to his pouty mouth before looking down into his fathomless blue eyes.

“You look beautiful,” I whisper. He looks amazing, in a pair of ankle length fitted trousers and a black satin suit jacket. With his usual Converse sneakers, a simple white t-shirt, and the arms of the suit jacket rolled to his elbows, he manages to look both elegant and casual. His hair is slicked back in a way that makes me think of James Dean and it’s making me feel all kinds of hot under the collar.

“Antoni’s doing,” he says, biting his lip to avoid smiling at the way I narrow my eyes at him.

It’s not until his brother and our friends are pulling him away from me that I realize we’ve just been holding onto each other and staring for longer than is polite. I begrudgingly let him go, and after Elliot hugs and congratulates him, Ivy, Tyrell, Sean, Jamie, and Antoni converge. He hugs and talks with them all, but keeps tabs on me, looking up to find me watching him every moment.

Ellis’ eyes widen as the rest of his friends join us. Behind us, nearly the entire baseball team makes their entrance, dressed in suits and looking at the programs handed out at the door.

“What are you all doing here?” he exclaims.

“Why wouldn’t they be here?” Elliot asks. Ellis gives him an incredulous look, and I chuckle, pulling him into my side to kiss his forehead.

“They wanted to come,” I tell him. “Elliot mentioned the exhibition, and they just showed up.”

Ellis looks a bit shell-shocked as he accepts handshakes and shoulder pats from the team before they all disperse to walk around the gallery. I can see in the way he blinks after them how much it means that they came. He knows they’re all getting on a plane early tomorrow morning to fly to Nebraska to play in the College World Series, because obviously I’ll be going with them. He’s going to meet us there, and then operation Bang The Bat Boy can commence. I didn’t even come up with the name for the idiotic plans to sneak Ellis into the team’s hotel. I just made sure he has a room booked nearby for backup.

Eventually, Ellis is pulled away to talk to someone from the student newspaper, and the rest of us are left to our own devices. We find Mr. and Mrs. Hope somewhere in the middle of the gallery. I’m moving through the exhibition faster than most.

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