Page 5 of More than Need

“You look like you could use a hug.”

“No, I don’t.” He’d never once looked like he wanted a hug, and no one had ever been stupid enough to try. Not even Quinn, and they’d been friends for years. He didn’t know why he hadn’t moved away from Gideon, but it wasn’t because he wanted ahug.

Gideon’s mouth tipped up dangerously.

“Don’t even th—” Too late. Gideon’s arms circled him, a comfortable weight, cocooning him in.Warm. He smelled of lavender soap and some kind of citrus shampoo. The pleasant combination invaded his senses. He’d never get the smell out of his mind now.

He tentatively returned the embrace, unable to resist getting this one chance to know what Gideon felt like. One arm slid around to Gideon’s back, and the other made its way around his head, hand burying itself in his thick hair. Riley didn’t do affection, not outside of his immediate family. Hugs were rare, and he preferred it that way.

He couldn’t make himself let go.

Hands splayed across his back, fitting themselves in the curves of his muscles, getting comfortable. Riley tightened his own hold, unable to help himself.

It’s you.

That’s my mum.

You’re my brother.

Riley squeezed his eyes shut, willing away the useless words. The confession that meant nothing to him. He bent enough to bury his face in Gideon’s neck, curl his fingers against his scalp. If only his appealing, fresh scent could wash it all away.

How long could he respectably hold the embrace? How long could he keep this with him? He didn’t know the etiquette. He’d never done this before. Other than Quinn, his only friend outside of his family was a lawyer who didn’t know how to keep his mouth shut. They traded barbs and got each other out of trouble. They didn’t hug.

“You smell nice,” Gideon mumbled, snuggling deeper into Riley.

Riley’s heart skipped a beat, arousal stirring. Did Gideon have any idea what his actions conveyed? He pulled back enough to see Gideon’s flushed face. There shouldn’t be anything in his eyes other than a friend giving another friend comfort. Less than that. They weren’t friends. Gideon worked for him. That’s where the familiarity ended.

Gideon didn’t know anything about his irrational pining. And Riley intended for it to stay where it belonged: in the past, and unnoticed. Gideon went home to his family every night, and Riley stayed late in the office, making use of the couch in the corner when he couldn’t be bothered driving back to his apartment. It happened enough that he had spare suits in his locker.

Except that Gideon didn’t do that anymore. He and Lucia had split, over six months ago. Single. Bisexual.Single.

It didn’t matter. Riley didn’t care, because his feelings no longer existed. He’d been young, and dumb, and neither of those things applied to him now.

Riley told himself to move away, and instead, his hand shifted to cup Gideon’s cheek, thumb resting against his jaw. He’d come in fully shaven that morning and barely had any growth.

Gideon’s breath caught, and Riley glanced at his lips. He’d thought a lot over the years about what they would feel like. Never thought he’d get a chance to find out. Had always considered that a good thing. Not knowing meant he hadn’t lost anything.

Gideon’s chin tilted imperceptibly. Giving him permission. A line that neither of them should be crossing. One that shouldn’t have needed to be drawn in the first place. Gideon had no idea about all the things Riley had once wanted to do to him. That he couldn’t do to him now even if he had that permission. He had no business going anywhere near someone under his direct command, no matter who it was or past feelings.

None of that stopped him from leaning down until their lips were so close Riley could feel the warmth of them, the brush of Gideon’s breath against his cheek. Gideon inched that last step closer with perfect softness.

Riley abruptly stepped back before he could register the firmness of the touch. No. He’d done a lot of things in his life that skirted the line of morality and legality. He couldn’t do this to Gideon.

“Get back to work,” he said gruffly, clearing his throat.Get out of my space before I take us down a road we can’t go down.The fact it had suddenly become an option sat heavy on his chest, and he clenched his hands to stop himself from reaching out.

“Uh. Yes, sir,” Gideon said, sounding dazed. He turned and ran into the wall before fumbling for the doorknob and flinging the door open.

Chapter 2

Dawson Sheppard critically surveyedthe wooden square-top arch laid on the grass. The trellis sides were lopsided. He knew it hadn’t gone together right. For fuck’s sake. He should have checked the pieces before he’d started.

He glanced behind himself to where one of his bosses, Elijah Devlin, sat cross-legged on an egg chair, an open folder in his lap. Dawson envied the way he successfully ignored the chaos of the construction of the wedding venue happening around him.

“Who delivered the pieces for this?” Dawson asked, nudging his boot against the wood. There were at least three or four vital pieces missing, and he couldn’t finish it like this. The second he lifted it into position, it would topple over and break, and then he’d have to start all over again. His patience only extended so far.

“No idea,” Eli said, flicking a page without looking up. “Some idiot that almost scratched my fucking car when he took the wood out. I told Jay to fire him.”

“He doesn’t work for you; you can’t fire him.”

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