I roll my eyes to stop the sting behind them, forcing my gaze anywhere but on him. But he lets go of my neck to hook a finger under my chin and pull me back into his aura. “It doesn’t negate what we have. It doesn’t cancel it out or take it away. Accepting Evangeline . . . all it does is add to this beautiful thing we’ve worked so hard for.”
“What happened to choosing between me and her?” I ask, pursing my lips together.
Sterling shakes his head, more tears falling from his eyes. “I never wanted that. You were the one that insisted it had to be a choice. But it’s never been about choosing between the two of you, Zeke. It’s always been both, to me.”
I cock my head, swallowing hard as I take him in. This male that knows me more than anyone else in existence. He’s seen me at my worst, stood beside me through the darkest moments, and he’s never once turned away. Even when he’s found the love of another, he’d rather have us together than lose me.
And maybe I could see it. A life for the three of us. I don’t know how the hells we would make it work, but maybe there’s something to what he’s sharing. Maybe it’s time for me to allow myself the smallest glimpse of happiness.
Sterling smirks, leaning in to rub his nose against mine. “I can see those wheels in your head turning. You’re considering it, aren’t you?”
“No,” I lie, but this time the corner of my mouth twitches, giving me away.
“Well, perhaps you just need more convincing." He hums, leaning in till his lips are brushing over mine. He kisses me, soft and tenderly. Just the way he knows I melt for.
“Sterling,” I warn, my voice a low vibration in my chest. He smiles against my lips.
“You taste like her, you know?”
I stiffen, forgetting the kiss that led to this moment. But Sterling isn’t surprised to find the taste of her on my lips. It only seems to spur him on. He runs his hands down my arms, letting his fingers interlace with mine and guiding me to the bulge in his denim jeans.
“Do you see what it does to me? The idea of the two of you together? I’m so fucking hard for it, Ezekiel. Please, don’t deny me.”
He presses my palm flat against him and my eyes roll back in my head as my scalp presses into the bark of the tree behind me. “Fuck, Sterling,” I growl. “What are you doing to me?”
He smirks, knowing he has me. He trails a line of kisses down my jawbone, over the planes of my chest, and down the middle of my stomach till he’s sinking to his knees before me.
“Still have that handgun on you?” he asks, staring up into my eyes as he undoes the buckle of my jeans.
“How the fuck did you know about that?” I ask. I pull it from where it’s been tucked into the waistband of my jeans, securely at my back.
He shrugs, not stopping as he lets the belt buckle fall slack against my upper thighs, getting started on the button and zipper. “I know you well enough to know you’d never go anywhere unarmed. You gave me the rifle." He nods down to where he’s propped the gun against the tree. “So you must have had something else on you.”
I huff out a laugh but my words are cut off as he reaches into my boxers, stroking me. “Fuuuck me,” I drawl letting out a long, raspy breath.
“Gladly,” Sterling responds, a quirk to his lips. “Every day. For the rest of my life.” His silver orbs look up at me, mirroring the reflection of the moon high above us. And the sight of it takes my breath away. “Now take that gun and keep an eye out, Ezekiel.”
I smirk down at him. “I thought I was the one who gave the orders in this relationship.” But I do as he says, cocking it so that it’s ready for anything that wanders too close. I set a perimeter up around the cabin on our first day here, but it’s not impenetrable by any means.
“You are,” Sterling hums. He eases me out of my boxers, leaning in as he blows a soft, punishing breath over me. I bristle, knuckles going white against the grip of the gun. “But your job is to protect me, right?”
“Right,” I grit out, trying to maintain my composure.
He hovers over me, his eyes finding me as his tongue darts out to wet his lips. “So protect me.”
My head lobs back as he takes me in his mouth. There’s no teasing, no hesitation. Just him devouring me till not an inch of me is visible. I grip the back of his head, pushing him against me and holding him there. His mouth feels too damn good, and I need a moment to adjust to the sensation. He slaps my side, bringing my attention back to him and I remember the gun I’m holding. The one currently pressed flat against the back of his head, not aimed towards the forest full of threatening magic.
I clench my jaw, switching hands as I keep the gun poised at my side. My eyes narrow, watching the woods beyond us. I try, and fail, desperately to focus on that and not the male sucking on my dick like it’s his last meal. This is reckless, idiotic. At any point something could attack. Or I could lose my control and misfire the loaded gun in my hand. And as I glance down to watch Sterling’s head bobbing on my cock, I’m struck by how incredibly vulnerable he is in this position. He’d never know if something was coming to strike. Never know if the gun slipped to point down towards him, rather than out into the woods.
The trust he’s putting in me to protect him is nearly crippling. But it’s always been there, hasn’t it? His trust, his love. It’s never wavered. Not even when the girl showed up. Not even now, when he knows I’m lying to him.
He pops off my dick, running his tongue down the underside of my length before cupping my balls and tugging. His lips wrap around my tip, his tongue toying with my slit and I jerk, not prepared for the sudden wave of ecstasy washing over me.
“Fuck, Sterling. Stop, stop, stop.” I can’t keep my eyes open anymore, can’t stand to hold on to my control for another moment. He’s got me so close, it would take nothing to push me over the edge. But I don’t want him here, like this. Not yet.
He obeys immediately, backing off, but still teasing me as he looks up at me from where he’s kneeling on the forest floor. “What’s wrong, Ezekiel? See something dangerous out there?” His eyes flicker with amusement.
I hike him up to his feet, fixing my jeans and tucking the gun behind my back once more. “That mouth of yours is going to get you in a world of trouble,” I growl. But I pull him to me, our lips crashing against each other. I let my hand slide down his back, landing on his ass and pushing him closer so I can feel how hard he is against me.
