Page 55 of Rising Storm

“No.” He wanted to make love and he rolled Gareth onto his back and came over him. Gareth’s breath was hot on his face and neck. Helix reached between them and took both their dicks in hand and started stroking, using his other hand and his knees to prop him up. He wished he could see Gareth and the next thing he knew, the man was stretching toward the lamp. The light came on and those beautiful brown eyes met his.

He kept them both in his hand as he stared down at Gareth. Gareth’s mouth came open and he began to pant. It was so fucking hot, lust burned hot in his gut. But it was more than lust. The connection he felt with Gareth stunned him and he kept staring as he jacked them both. Gareth’s dick was silky in his hand, and felt incredible next to his.

Gareth stretched up to kiss him and their tongues met and tangled. He stroked them together, twisting his hand at the tops to add a little something. Gareth panted against his mouth before he fell back to the bed and watched him. Helix didn’t need anything more than this—feeling Gareth’s cock against his own as he jacked them both. Just the way Gareth looked at him turned him on. Somehow, this man had broken through all his barriers to the soft part of himself he hadn’t even known existed.

Gareth’s fingers brushed over his nipples. He gasped and Gareth’s quicksilver grin speared into him. He wanted to make Gareth smile like that. Wanted tokeepmaking him smile like that. He realized that what he felt was love, though he wasn’t quite ready to share that yet.

But he would. In time.

Gareth began to pant harder, thrusting his hips in rhythm with Helix’s strokes. He moved his hands down to clasp Helix’s ass. “So good,” he breathed.

“Yeah,” Helix agreed. “Fuck.”

He felt his orgasm hovering and wanted to see the man underneath him come first, so he sped up his strokes. Gareth’s mouth fell open, his eyes going half-mast. It hit Helix, just how beautiful this man was and he knew he was about to come. He stared at Gareth, at his full, sexy lips as he struggled to breathe, at his liquid, brown eyes that stared so intently at Helix. When Gareth went still and held his breath, Helix couldn’t stop watching his expression as the man erupted. Gareth shouted and that was enough to send Helix over. His orgasm slammed through him as he came all over Gareth’s stomach. It felt so good, his arm gave out and he fell on top of Gareth, who just wrapped his arms around him and panted.

Helix loved the way Gareth didn’t hold back in sex. How he let himself just go. He also knew he wouldn’t be getting enough of Gareth anytime soon. Possibly never.

He lay there, getting his breath back and feeling their cum smeared between them. Neither said a word and the silence was filled with all the emotions he could tell Gareth shared. He turned and placed a kiss on Gareth’s furred chin, nuzzling until Gareth pressed their mouths together. It was a long, tender kiss that made Helix’s belly flutter.

He’d never expected to find anything like this and he felt a mix of emotions. Tenderness, which was something new, mixed with love and affection. And fear. He didn’t want to screw this up and he knew he wasn’t the easiest person. Gareth was so friendly and forward, always wanting to talk about his feelings, while Helix’s instincts were to hold everything in. There was no doubt they would clash at times.

But right then, lying on top of him, he knew he’d do whatever he needed to do to make this work.

Gareth was worth it.

Epilogue

Four months later, Gareth woke with Helix wrapped around him. His warm skin was plastered to Gareth and with the cold November air settling in, it was so welcome. Snow was on the ground outside, while here in this bed it was nice and toasty.

He loved first waking to the knowledge that the man was his. Helix did not make a shit boyfriend. In fact, he threw himself into the relationship in a way that awed Gareth and made him feel more special than he thought possible. Helix was still often his grumpy self, but he’d softened around the edges and seemed to be having fewer nightmares. He also seemed really determined to be a good boyfriend, often going out of his own comfort zone when Gareth wanted to talk. He knew his propensity for emotional conversations got on Helix’s nerves, but the man did really try.

They’d returned to Maine with Helix’s brother and Sayer had taken on the task of cataloguing basement items. He had no interest in going on runs, except to possibly return things, though he hadn’t done that yet. He’d taken Helix’s old room.

Helix had moved into Gareth’s bedroom. There was nothing like sleeping with Helix, who held onto Gareth like he might disappear. The sex was still incredible. It was like nothing in Gareth’s experience and he felt like he’d never get enough. Gareth no longer worried that he’d gotten attached too fast. This relationship was different from anything he’d had before and his feelings were strong. And permanent.

Gareth rolled over and looked at the sleeping man who had become his whole world. Helix looked softer in sleep, his long eyelashes fanning his cheeks, his arm thrown up over his head. He’d told Gareth about the night he’d gotten the cigarette burn scars on his neck and arms and Gareth still couldn’t believe what he’d gone through. Couldn’t believe that such a good man had come from so many years of what amounted to torture.

Helix was a new man. While he might carry the strong and silent type to extremes sometimes, he was good through and through. And he spent a lot of time with his brother. Sayer was blossoming here among friends who’d welcomed him with open arms.

Gareth also no longer felt restless and had thrown himself into what they were doing here in Maine wholeheartedly. Lane and Isaac had the database built and they’d all be stealing back items for years. Plus, everyone had agreed that setting up a LGBTQ house was a good idea and they already had it in the works. Gareth was going to head it up and he couldn’t wait.

They were also expecting Isaac in a week. The man had quit his job to join them. Carter and Liam were coming, too, so Gareth would have his entire family with him. His life was going so well, he sometimes wondered if he’d stumbled into a dream.

Helix opened his golden eyes and blinked up at Gareth. “You watching me sleep again? Creeper.”

Chuckling, he rolled on top of the man and kissed him. “But you’re so pretty.”

“I am not pretty,” he grouched, but smiled and kissed Gareth back softly.

Gareth stared at him for several long moments, then he let out a breath. “I love you, Helix Rossington.”

Helix blinked at him, the corner of his mouth turning up. “I know. I love you, too.”

It was the first time they’d said it but he’d felt it for months now. Still, hearing the words meant more. He leaned down and kissed Helix, who responded with a moan and the opening of his lips. He didn’t care about morning breath, the moment too precious to worry about such things. He gently bit Helix’s lower lip, then pulled back. “I do, you know. Love you. Very much.”

Helix raised his arms and cupped the sides of Gareth’s face. He stared at him for long moments, the smile on his lips softer than any Gareth had ever seen. “I never expected to have anything like this and I feel like the luckiest man on Earth.”

“No, that’s me.”

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