Page 31 of Touched By Destiny

“Thank you,” Gabriel murmured.

Eric tangled his fingers in Gabriel’s blond tresses and grinned again.

“Be sure I’m holding up my side of this relationship before you thank me,” Eric teased.

“You’ll be way better at this than me. That’s a given. I barely know where to start.”

“Promise me something.”

“Anything,” Gabriel said, lifting his head so their eyes met. He’d dropped any pretense of shielding his emotions, and Eric saw in his gaze a mirror of his own riotous feelings. “Anything at all.”

“Promise me you’ll talk to me. Promise me that if you get overwhelmed or things aren’t working out, you’ll come to me and discuss it. That you won’t decide you know what’s best and refuse to allow me to have any say in the matter.”

“Your entire life is full of things far beyond your control. I wish it wasn’t, and I shouldn’t have added to the constraints you’re forced to live with. It was wrong of me to decide our future without giving you an opportunity to even voice your thoughts or feelings. I promise not to discount you or your feelings again.”

Eric leaned down and brushed his lips over Gabriel’s too-tempting mouth. Then he smirked. “Did you use the condoms my mom ordered for you while you were on vacation?”

Distaste was stamped on Gabriel’s handsome features. “Rosalind ordered those?”

“Yep, she was worried about your lack of hot male ass.”

“It’s always the quiet, dreamy ones who keep people on their toes,” Gabriel muttered. “Please stop putting Rosalind and sex in the same context. Or you might never get laid again.”

“I’m kinda thinking you can’t resist me.”

“Obviously.”

“Answer the question, Gabriel.”

“In the past five years, you’re the only one who’s been near my dick.”

It was probably wrong to be cheerful about Gabriel’s long period of abstinence, but Eric couldn’t help it. The last thing he wanted was to share the inspirit. “I’ve had sex two times in my life. I can’t help but think that we’re already in a hotel room…we might as well make use of it again.”

Gabriel’s smile was wicked. “You’re always beautiful, but this look tonight is delicious. Not that I don’t always want to fuck you. But yeah, I don’t see why we can’t indulge ourselves. We’ve snuck off twice now though. I’d prefer not to get tongues wagging any worse among the entire hotel staff. Next time, we do this at my place. Put one of your crystals in my house; you can teleport whenever you want.”

“Hmm,” Eric said, delighting at the compliment and the way Gabriel’s fingers dug into his ass as he spoke. Although his dick was ready to play and growing harder by the second, Eric’s brain was also grinding into gear. “I wonder if I could put a second crystal in my bedroom so I could teleport back. No one ever uses more than a single crystal at a time.”

Gabriel stood and wrapped Eric securely in his embrace. Need had already darkened his green eyes. “Can we maybe discuss it later?”

Shoving his hands into Gabriel’s mussed hair, Eric kissed him.

“Absolutely,” Eric replied, then forced the thinking part of himself to shut the fuck up. He refused to miss any opportunity to explore the fervent desire sparking between him and Gabriel. Their tongues teased, and they clung to each other as the world beyond them disappeared.

Chapter 15

Richard stared studiously at Eric the entire car ride home. Although Richard usually sat next to Eric, they’d taken a limousine to the club, which allowed his brother to sit on the opposite bench and stretch out. Doing his best to ignore the questions in Richard’s eyes, Eric latched his gaze onto a random point in front of him. At his side, Gabriel was pure temptation.

They’d shared a hotel room for an hour before returning to the club. Maribeth had been long gone when Eric sauntered in with endorphins still rushing through his system. Like Eric, she’d opted for privacy, and he hoped she was experiencing the incredible bliss he’d shared with Gabriel.

His soulmate had kissed him with unhurried passion, then wrapped his mouth around Eric’s cock. By the time he’d spurted his seed down Gabriel’s throat, the inspirit had already come with his dick in his hand. They’d spoken little afterward.

Everything was too new, but not awkward. It was a risk to open himself to Gabriel and allow them to test the waters of their relationship. And while Eric loved to dream about a happy-ever-after with Gabriel, there were no guarantees.

United as their souls were, they still had to build a relationship—one that would work for them both. Eric neededto stay cautiously optimistic. It would be difficult since Gabriel already held his heart, but he had the power to hurt Eric again. The last thing Eric wanted was to be miserable.

He’d already crafted a magical crystal, and it rested in the pocket of Gabriel’s jacket. Eric hadn’t expected an open invitation to visit him whenever he wanted, and he refused to be a nuisance. So, he’d take cues from Gabriel and ask him before he popped into his house. And Eric intended to create a second crystal to hide in his own room. That would allow them to keep their secret far better than if he were scurrying out of Gabriel’s domain in full view of his parents’ mansion.

But before Eric could do that, he had to face Richard. The car rolled to a stop, and the warmth of Gabriel at his side disappeared. Eric climbed out of the limo after him, and their eyes met. Although Gabriel’s face was expressionless, there was a fondness in his gaze that made Eric smile.

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