Page 97 of Gratification in Gluttony

“That’s because you don’t know him,” Gem whispered. “He can be sweet.”

“Sweet? Ew! That’s somehow worse than deep.”

Gem’s shoulders shook with an exasperated chuckle. “Shut up, Toni.”

“I love you,” Toni sang, blowing a raspberry into Gem’s neck and making him shriek with laughter.

“Sometimes, I wish I didn’t love you back,” Gem teased, and Toni snorted.

“You’re lying, and I love that for us.”

“Goodnight, Toni,” Gem said, effectively ending the conversation.

“Goodnight, Gem.” As Toni cuddled close, securing himself to Gem’s back, he said, “You and me against the world. Right?”

And Gem said, “Always.”

Chapter twenty-two

More Toni All Over

As the summer cameto a close, Toni still hadn’t heard from Jude. When Oliver was working upfront, Toni would strain his hearing to pick up any mention of Jude, but it was few and far between.

Oliver said, “Yeah, we’re going to a hockey game with Jude in October. Liel is really excited.”

He said, “Jude’s coming to the ranch. He said it’ll help soften up my parents because we both know they like him more than me.”

He said, “Jude’s finally done with his summer school, thank god. He’s been really stressed out. Like, I told him he should get laid, because it helps with stress, and he totally bit my head off. It was weird.”

Over the past few weeks, Toni had almost texted him. Just to check in. But he didn’t. Jude had been the one to first set the boundaries, even if those boundaries had moved and flexed, sometimes shattering entirely. So it had to be Jude who reached out first.

It stung when, even after Toni knew his summer school had ended, he still hadn’t called. But it had to be his choice. Toni knew what he wanted, and he’d communicated that. The ball was in Jude’s basket now.

On a Friday in September, the cafe closed early and everyone chipped in to clean it top to bottom until it shined in preparation for their weekend away at Oliver’s ranch. Gem stuck close to Toni, his concern already bleeding through as the clock ticked closer to the hour when Jude—according to Oliver—would arrive.

“Are you gonna be okay?” Gem asked for what felt like the millionth time.

“Yes, Gem, I’ll be fine,” Toni whispered. “It’s no big deal, okay? It’s not like we were together and we had a big break-up. We just… hung out and then stopped.”

“Right,” Gem said doubtfully. “And you saying you loved him was just, what? A joke?”

“I said I was half in love with him,” Toni defended.

Pressing a kiss to Toni’s cheek, Gem murmured, “If he acts like an asshole or treats you badly, I’m taking him down. I don’t care if he’s Ollie’s best friend. You’re mine, and I’ll kick any ass necessary to defend your honor.”

“Aw, thanks, Gemmy. That’s nice.” Toni kissed him back, turning it into a raspberry halfway through, and Gem squealed, shoving his face away.

“You’re such a child.”

To be honest, Toni was nervous. He didn’t want things to be weird or awkward, and not just between him and Jude. He didn’t want their quasi-break-up to ruin the weekend for everyone else. So he was determined to act completely normal.

Of course, it was easier said than done when Jude walked into the cafe, wearing jeans and a neon green button-up shirt with pumpkin heads all over it. Toni wanted to cross the room anddrag him into a hug simply so he could soak in his scent. He wanted to shove his tongue down the human’s throat too, but that was secondary to the scent thing.

Mostly.

It had been easier to ignore the ache in his chest when there’d been no contact between them. But seeing Jude again, looking beautiful and well-rested, had Toni’s heart twisting.

Jude searched the room, eyes gliding over even Oliver before he found Toni, and his lips parted on a sharp inhale Toni could hear from across the room. His heart tripped, then started racing, and for a moment, he looked almost scared.

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