Page 29 of More than Need

Riley lifted his head with a thumb under his chin, kissed down his throat and then up again, leaving Gideon’s skin buzzing. When their lips found each other, Gideon couldn’t help the breathless sigh, eagerly fitting himself against Riley’s body. He’dalways been bigger than Gideon, but it had never been more obvious than right now. Not bulky like Dawson, more tightly coiled, lean muscle that filled out a suit in all the right places. He would still completely cover Gideon’s body if he pressed him into the bed.God. Just the image of that alone could get him going again.

Riley kissed him thoroughly, swallowing all of the sounds that Gideon couldn’t control. He’d never been a loud lover; he wasn’tlikethis.

Riley spread a hand across Gideon’s throat, holding with light pressure, and then rolled his hips, holding tight to Gideon’s ass and adding pressure.

Oh God.More needy sounds climbed out from his chest as he panted.Don’t stop. Please.

“Show me your bedroom,” Riley whispered.

Wait. Wait. They needed to slow down. Gideon had a way-better idea, and he needed to get it out before he really couldn’t think anymore. “No,” he panted.

Riley tensed. “No?”

“We should—” Gideon licked his lips, breathing not quite under control yet. “I have his number.” Somewhere in the mess on his dining table, where he’d dropped it earlier.

“I assume you mean Dawson.”

“We could call him and—”

Riley gripped his chin, lips flat, stare both heated and dark. “And what, Gideon?” He said Gideon’s name like a sinful curse.

“We can finish what we’ve all started.”

Chapter 5

Riley had made onemistake after another in the last few days. Somehow this particular one had to be the absolute worst. Waiting for Dawson to arrive at Gideon’s apartment. To have sex? To talk about the strange tornado of heat that swirled around all of them?

Gideon returned to the room, now wearing a clean set of clothes—a pair of loose-fitting black sweatpants and a dark-grey wool jumper—his hair damp from his quick shower. He dropped his phone on the counter. “He messaged back and said he’ll be here in fifteen minutes. Ten minutes ago.”

“In Sydney traffic?” Riley asked, raising an eyebrow.

Gideon shrugged and sat beside Riley. He spread out, nudging Riley’s foot with his own. “He was nearby on a job, apparently.”

“It’s almost nine.” Nearby on a job doing what, exactly?

“Guess he works hours as weird as we do.”

Riley didn’t even know what Dawson did. Something to do with weddings?

“Is something burning?” Riley asked, noting a distinct smell in the air.

“Oh my God, the cheese.” Gideon burst up from his seat and bolted towards the kitchenette.

Riley watched, bemused, as Gideon pulled out a dish from the oven. A little worse for wear, though not unsalvageable. “Don’t you have a timer?”

“I forgot to put it on.”

Of course, he had. At least he hadn’t burnt the place down. That would have made for an unfortunate night for them all.

Riley absently flicked through the colouring books on the table. “Why do you colour?” he asked. He had for as long as Riley had known him and had never been ashamed of it, always ready to freely admit it to any random person willing to listen to him. Riley had even seen him take one into an interrogation room a few times. Somehow him sitting there colouring while waiting for them to speak put people on edge. Not a technique any of his other detectives had any desire to try.

“My mum is an artist,” Gideon said. He draped a tea towel over the baked dish and pushed it off to the side, presumably to cool off. “And I got none of her artistic talent. Zero. I’m sure you can confirm that; you’ve seen my stick figures.”

“I have.” Some nightmares didn’t go away, and Gideon plastered them all over the precinct as a constant reminder. “I suppose you had to give up something in exchange for the stunning good looks.”

“You think I have stunning good looks?” Gideon asked as if he didn’t know. He had a mirror; he couldn’t be that oblivious. He’d only gotten more handsome as he’d aged, which Riley hadn’t appreciated.

“The colouring, Gideon.”

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