Page 48 of The Laughing Game

“A glass of wine would be great,” I said, marveling at how my day had turned out.

“Red or white?” Gideon asked.

“Doesn’t matter. I guess, white?”

“Gideon, open the bottle of Riesling in the fridge. I’ve been saving it for a special occasion.”

I scoffed. “Oh, you don’t have to open a special bottle—”

“Nonsense,” Vihaal said with a smile. “We’ll do what we like.”

He gave me a lingering once-over and I almost combusted.

“Please make yourself at home, Angel,” Vihaal said. “Take a seat. Anywhere.”

“Sure. Thanks,” I said. I chose the corner spot on the sofa from which I could see glimpses of Gideon puttering about, uncorking the wine and pouring three glasses.

Vihaal excused himself, so I took my time looking around their comfortably appointed living room. A built-in bookcase spanned one wall, filled with books of all kinds.

Gideon came back with two glasses of wine, handing one to me and putting one on the coffee table.

“For Vihaal.”

He went back to the kitchen and returned with his own glass and the rest of the bottle, which he set on the table.

“I saw you two playing pass the M&M. I don’t think you paid much attention to the movie, did you?”

I gave him a look and he laughed.

“Okay, fine. I can’t blame you. Vihaal’s unbelievably distracting. Particularly when he’s deliberatelytryingto be.”

“There was a movie?” I joked, giving Gideon a smile.

Gideon took a deep breath. “V can be a lot. Make sure to speak up if he’s moving too fast, all right? The last thing we want to do is scare you off.”

“Are you kidding?” I said. “I’m having so much fun.”

Gideon surged forward and stopped within an inch of me, his gaze moving to my lips as I tried not to spill my wine. His breaths puffed against me and I couldn’t resist him. I sat forward and took his sweet mouth with mine and literally devoured him as he struggled to keep up.

“Oh fuck yes,” he gasped, opening wide as I kissed him deep and hard, dragging my tongue over his and clashing our teeth together. I moaned as Gideon straddled my lap and cupped my chin in his hands, attacking me with equal fervor.

“Angel. God. You’re so hot,” Gideon murmured, as we kissed and fumbled together. My arms wrapped around him and I splayed one hand against his back.

I was beyond words but Gideon kept talking in between panted breaths and soft gasps.

“You’re like, literally a gay…virgin, but you’re not…like…fourteen, which would just be gross.” He pulled back and gazed at me quizzically. “How the fuck old are you, anyway?”

I looked at him, dazed and so fucking turned on I couldn’t keep still.

“I’m thirty-six. I thought you knew that.”

“I thought you were younger. You look younger.”

“Good,” I said, my gaze fixed on those wet lips that demanded my attention. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-six. Jesus, we’re ten years apart,” he said, giving me an incendiary look.

“Does that matter?” I gasped.

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