Page 43 of Adored

“Oh, is that so?” he asked. “Did you mess with the boys?”

Poe was honest.

“Discreetly. Truth be told, my mother wasn’t keen on me being gay. She kept trying to have my father send me to some camp or school to get me interested in girls. It never happened. Hemmingway was trouble, and he was sent to an all-boy’s school so he couldn’t sleep with all the ladies.”

Gamble listened.

“When I went to boarding school at thirteen, I was sent to a co-ed one. I missed my brother in the worst way, but I discovered boys in showers. It’s still my favorite place to have sex. It brings back memories,” he teased.

Gamble saved that to his pleasure database. He loved a rousing bout of shower sex. With Storm, it was just one more thing he had to give up.

It was going to be healing to be able to experience everything with Poe.

And he meantEVERYTHING.

“Oh, you don’t say. Let’s sit down and you can tell me all about it. Gamble won’t tell a soul. You can trust him,” he said, in the third person.

Poe laughed.

Oh, this man was insane, and he was crazy about him. They never talked about sex because it was mostly inappropriate as his doctor unless it was related to his PTSD. They were going to have fun navigating their likes and dislikes.

Poe was looking forward to it.

How could he not?

Together, they sat at the café table, their knees touching beneath it.

They began eating.

Poe watched him bite into his toastie, and waited for his initial impression. It was going to be hit or miss, and he knew it. British food was…crazy at times.

The whole time, Gamble chewed.

“Well?” Poe asked.

He was honest.

“It’s not bad,” he said. “The chutney is a little sweet, and it reminds me of charcuterie. Like fig jam and cheese on a cracker. I don’t hate it.”

Poe relaxed.

“Would you eat it again?” he asked.

Gamble grinned.

“Not my favorite thing to put in my mouth, but yeah, I’d eat it again.”

Poe blushed.

“Exactly,” Gamble said. “Now, let’s talk steamy shower stories. If you tell me about your first, I’ll tell you about mine.”

Poe laughed and ate some of his sandwich, feeling much better.

He couldn’t remember the last time he ate since he’d been in mourning.

Plus, he was curious about Gamble’s past. He knew about Storm, but there had to be so many other women before her. Gamble was sexy, and there was no doubt women wanted on that ride.

You’d have to be blind to not notice the female staff checking him out.