Page 101 of Should Our Hearts Catch Fire

Is this…is he feeling what Gabriel is feeling?

“Ellis,” Gabriel says, sounding impatient and out of breath. “Bed.”

“Was something in the slushie or are you always this bossy?” Ellis asks, hoping the sass will cover up for the way his heart is hammering in his chest. He climbs onto the mattress, suddenly grateful for the support. His legs aren’t jelly, but they feelunstable. Because a bossy, demanding Gabriel? That pushes buttons Ellis had no idea existed.

Slowly, Gabriel walks over, climbing on the bed on his hands and knees and caging Ellis in with his body. He hasn’t lost a single piece of clothing, and the contrast does something to Ellis.

“Oh, you’re about to find out very soon just how bossy I am.” He leans down until his mouth hovers over Ellis’. The ring of gold around his irises hasn’t disappeared since they left the theater. “And I have a feeling you’re going to love it.”

Heat flows to Ellis’ face. “Tell your mojo to tone it down.”

“Hard to do when you’re projecting your emotions so strongly.”

“Oh yeah? What am I projecting now?” He regrets the words right away, sure that Gabriel is going to enjoy the heck out of embarrassing him and making him squirm.

Turns out he’s wrong. Gabriel doesn’t tease him. What he does is much worse.

His mouth descends on Ellis in the tenderest of kisses, the gentleness sending a powerful quake through his body. “How badly you want to let go and have someone else take care of you for a change.” Gabriel strokes his cheek with his knuckles, his eyes overflowing with a kaleidoscope of emotions. “I can do that. I’ll take really good care of you, Ellis. Such good care.”

Ellis grasps his hips, clinging to him so as to not completely shatter before they’ve even done anything. The reality dawns on him then, this startling realization that it’s always going to be like this with Gabriel. He’ll always be able to unravel Ellis with a few words or a single look. Hell, he could probably do it with less. Until now, it hadn’t quite clicked how much power Gabrielholds over him. How little he’d need to completely destroy all of him.

It should send Ellis running for the hills.

Instead, he cradles Gabriel’s lovely face between his palms and lets emotion bleed into his voice. “You’ve been doing that all along.”

Gabriel’s eyelids slide shut, the space between his brows furrowing as if he’s in pain. But his energy slides against Ellis’ like a soothing caress, diffusing into each other. Gabriel’s energy is so pleasant and familiar that the whole process feels like one big, tight hug that promises to put all Ellis’ broken pieces together one by one.

At once, the safe bubble cocooning them pulses with something urgent and raw, intense in a completely different way.

Gabriel’s eyes spring open, the gleam in them unmistakable. Ellis has seen it before. He shudders as he remembers what will follow.

“I can do even better,” Gabriel rasps out. He sucks at Ellis’ lower lip and gives it a playful bite before pushing up to sit on his heels. “Turn onto your stomach.”

The order does something to Ellis, whether it’s the tone, the words, or the possibilities behind them. Blood turns into liquid fire in his veins, another fire burning low in his belly and causing his cock to throb and dribble. It’s almost a relief when he rolls over, as if Gabriel not being able to see his face could hide his vulnerabilities. As if Gabriel can’t feel every single thing.

Behind him, Gabriel utters a ragged “Fuck.”

“What?” He casts a glance over his shoulder.

Gabriel’s gaze is raking all over him, jumping back and forth like he can’t decide where to look first. Reverently, he slides his palms up Ellis’ toned calves. His legs aren’t normally sensitive, but Gabriel’s touch has positively turned them into an erogenous zone. Ellis shudders, the muscles of his legs flexing.

“You’re fucking gorgeous. Ridiculously beautiful, really.” Gabriel makes it sound like he’s annoyed by the fact.

“I’ve put on weight since you started feeding me cinnamon rolls.”

“Well, it’s gone to all the right places.” To make a point, he glides his palms over the back of Ellis’ thighs to cup his ass cheeks. They twitch under the touch, unused to the attention. “Yeah,” Gabriel says dreamily and gives Ellis’ ass a squeeze. Ellis muffles an embarrassing sound into a pillow. “Ellis?”

“Y-yeah?”

“Can I eat you out?”

Ellis’ heart gallops into his throat, and a raspy laugh is punched out of him. “I thought Zeke was joking.”

He can practically hear Gabriel’s eyeroll.

“As much as I hate to admit it, he does know me annoyingly well. But please, no more mentions of his name. Kind of a boner killer.” Warmth covers Ellis’ back when Gabriel stretches out over him, wet lips brushing his shoulder. “So? Can I?”

Ellis’ lungs burn, reminding him he needs to breathe. “I…um. I did take a shower after work, but—”