Page 73 of More than Need

Dawson pulled something—honey—out of the pantry and then slid the bowl in front of Gideon. The steam rising from it curled pleasantly over Gideon’s skin.

“Do you like honey on your porridge?”

“I think so.” It had been a while. Did he even have porridge?

“Say when.”

Gideon stared as Dawson drizzled honey.

Dawson chuckled and stopped after a few wonky circles. “That’s probably enough.”

“Porridge.” No, he didn’t have any porridge in the house.

“I brought some over with me. Riley said you liked it. Did I get the wrong kind?” He went to take the bowl, and Gideon dragged it closer to himself, sniffling as he guarded it.

“Don’t touch my porridge.”

Dawson bit back a smile. “No touching. Careful, it might be a bit hot.”

“It’s okay, I can’t feel anything,” Gideon replied. Except all the aches and pains. And a thousand razor blades in his throat. And the throbbing in his temple. Other than that, he couldn’t feel anything at all.

“Can I stir it for you, at least?”

Gideon reluctantly relinquished the bowl, and Dawson mixed the honey into it for him, stirring with an endearing, intense focus.

“How did you know to come over and feed me porridge?” Gideon mumbled. He knew the answer almost as he asked the question.

“Our resident surly lover.”

“Why do you think Riley knows all that stuff about me?” he asked, contemplating the steaming bowl.

“He’s pretty observant.”

Gideon nodded. That tracked. He probably knew all those things about any of them, didn’t he?

“I think he’s been watching you for a while, though,” Dawson followed up.

Gideon scrunched his lips as he mulled the words over. “You think so?”

“You’d probably have to ask him, but that’s my entirely uneducated guess. Who wouldn’t look at you? I noticed you from the second I met you.”

“When you thought I was Riley?”

“Cursing you for being so hot. Then cursing him for the same reason. Here, I think you can eat it now.”

“Are you going to feed it to me too?” Gideon felt like he might sneeze again and wrinkled his nose to stall it. The tickle at the bridge of his nose got stronger. Then it disappeared, and he deflated. He’d been all prepared for it. What a waste.

“Do you want me to?”

A little bit.

Dawson’s gaze sharpened. He coaxed Gideon’s arms back into his blanket fort, wrapping the blanket tighter, turning it into a cocoon. Dawson lifted the first spoonful, and their eyes met, heat rising between them. Gideon opened his mouth, and the first slide of the heated porridge warmed him even before he’d swallowed.

Dawson fed him until he’d eaten all of it. He wiped Gideon’s bottom lip and then leaned in for a slow kiss.

“I’ll make you sick,” Gideon warned him. Neither of them pulled away.

“You’re beautiful,” Dawson said softly.

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