Page 94 of Reluctantly You

He groans and rubs his stomach, which grumbles loudly. “I want both. But my insulin and glucose monitor will beep at me aggressively, so I have to make a choice. I hate choices. They’re the bane of all my existence.”

“I’ll make a choice for you,” Gideon says, and I eye him as he clutches Emery’s shoulder. “The cinnamon roll.”

“Oh thank god. I would have been here for ages making that decision.”

We order at a small counter and take a seat, Gideon and Emery already starting to catch up before our coffees even arrive.

“Have you kept up with anyone that I know?” Emery asks, and Gideon taps his finger on the small metal table.

“Rory and Shiloh.”

“Oh my god. Are you for real? I’d love to catch up with them.”

“Give me your number and we can arrange it.”

They quickly swap as the coffees are brought over and Emery’s gigantic cinnamon roll. Gideon’s and my breakfast burritos are taking a bit longer to make.

“Oh my god,” Emery groans, taking his finger and dipping it right into the extra serving of frosting. “This is heaven and so much better than working out.”

Gideon grins and then looks at me, putting his finger in the frosting as well and lifting it up to my lips.

“Fuck off,” I murmur, but I can feel my cheeks flaming.

Emery is wiggling in his seat, not paying any attention to us, just happily whispering to the cinnamon roll.

“I’m gonna devour you,” he says, and Gideon’s grin widens, holding his finger up closer and smearing it onto my bottom lip.

Fuck.

My cock twitches between my legs and my tongue sneaks out, swiping across my lip and the tip of his finger.

Gideon’s eyes darken as I lean forward and suck it clean.

His cheeks flush and I watch as his nostrils flare. But his finger disappears when Emery apologizes to his pastry and stuffs his mouth full.

“Oh ma gaw,” he moans and then leans back and stares at the ceiling. “So gooo.”

“Was he always like this?” I ask, and Gideon shakes his head.

“When I knew Emmy, he was…broken. Chaotic, but broken. He’s happier now.”

Emery leans forward and nods. “So much happier. Wait till you meet my man, August. He’s a dreamboat. We’re technically stepbrothers, but…you know how I like it.”

I have no idea how he likes it, but before I can ask, our breakfasts are set before us and I dig in while Gideon and Emery chat. I catch bits and pieces of it—a past long gone, the shame and trauma of growing up in the foster care system and the hope they now both have after finding peace.

Fuck, the idea of him, Gideon Masters, pulling himself from his lowest point and making something of himself.

It’s impressive. Worthy.

And part of me wonders, if he can do it, can I as well?

We make our way out of the breakfast place, Emery loping off to his car, a to-go bag with another cinnamon roll in his hand. We watch him get into his car and then Gideon turns to face me.

“That was unexpected, seeing him again.”’

“Yeah, I bet,” I say as his finger comes and twines with mine, pulling me into him. I go willingly, not even hesitating.

Who have I become?

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