Page 82 of Laken's longing

Jupiter laughed hard, pointing a spoon at Laken. “Told you, you should never mock the afflicted.”

“Jup, go and swivel,” Laken said around a wide, toothy grin that was all threat.

Isley’s wet chuckle eased a little of the tightness in Laken’s chest. The rest of the meal was the same, Jupiter lobbing taunts and Laken hitting them back.

Several hours later, exhausted but feeling elated, he pulled up outside Isley’s apartment. He’d put an overnight bag in the trunk when he’d gone to use the bathroom. He just wasn’t sure how to voice his lack of enthusiasm about leaving. Staying the last two weekends had revealed how much he loved waking up next to Isley, feeling his body tucked into him. He wanted more of that.

In the dimness of the car interior, it was hard to get a read on Isley as he sat looking at the building.

“What you said tonight, did you mean it?” he asked quietly.

“Which part?” Laken hedged, but pretty sure he knew what Isley was referring to.

“The part about me holding your heart until you can show me you’re worthy.” As he spoke, he twisted in the seat, the lights from illuminated windows casting shadows over his face, making it hard to read when his voice was cautious.

“I did, yes.” Laken bit his lip, worrying it as he waited to see what was going on in Isley’s head.

“How can I do the heart holding if you spend your nights somewhere else?”

Oh fuck.

“What are you saying?"Please say you want me to stay.

“I know my feelings for you have had longer to develop, and I’m possibly jumping all kinds of guns right now, but you said you needed to prove to me I’d not made a mistake. I believe that can only happen if you move in with me,” he blurted out in a rush. “I’m happy to wait for you until you’re ready to claim me, but until then, wouldn’t it be best if welived together?”

Laken hardly heard anything after ‘if you move in with me’.That pretty much blew his mind. The eagerness and nerves came across, but under it was want. He could taste it like it was his own, and it was. It matched his desire to always be close to Isley, something he’d pretended for a long time wasn’t true.

Isley’s shoulders hunched, and he turned to reach for the door handle, taking Laken’s silence as a no.Shit.

“Yes,” he screeched in panic when the door opened.

“Yes, I want that,” he said more calmly, but still sounding like his voice box was being squeezed. He reached out to grab Isley’s hand, finding it cold.

“Yes,” he reiterated, pulling Isley forward, their chests touching with an oomph, Laken’s mouth greedy as he traced his tongue over Isley’s plump flesh, encouraging him to open. When he did, Laken tasted the sweetness of the chocolate dessert. He groaned in approval, deepening the kiss until they were both breathless.

“Why is it that we always start the sexy times outside?”

Isley’s question made Laken chuckle. “A morbid curiosity at what it would be like to be done for indecent exposure?” he joked.

There was a second of silence, then Isley howled with laughter, full body shaking as he got out of the car. Laken followed,grabbing the overnight bag and walking to Isley, who continued to laugh as he eyed the bag.

“You could have said you’d packed a bag and saved me waffling,” he accused, the chuckles taking away any heat.

Laken swooped in for a brief kiss and grinned, his cheeks aching at the width. “Now what fun would that have been?”

“I’m not sure I like this teasing Laken. I prefer grumpy Laken,” Isley huffed.

Laken swapped the bag to the other hand when Isley opened the door to his apartment, and he scooped him up onto his hip to kiss him soundly. “Don’t worry, grumpy Laken hasn’t gone far. He’ll sit and wait like before, longing for a little sugar glider to swoop in and—”

“And rescue Laken’s longing heart to protect it and keep it safe,” Isley finished earnestly.

Isley’s sniffles came with big, serious eyes that brought a lump to Laken’s throat. It thickened so much he couldn’t speak. Words sat on the tip of his tongue, and he knew in that longing heart, Isley deserved to hear them.

He used his backside to shut the door, giving himself a moment. Dropping the bag to the floor, he freed up his hand to get a better hold on Isley so they were facing each other. This gorgeous man chose him. He didn’t care what came before. How could Laken not love him?

“I love you,” he said, with all the depth of emotions this man created in him. “I don’t know when it happened. I just know that my life was different… better, the moment you walked into my office and smiled like you’d won the boss lottery.” As he spoke he knew it was the truth.

“Well, I had.” Isley kissed him hard on the mouth until they were both panting, before easing back, grinning cheekily. “Then, for a while, you spoiled it by taking the grumpiness too far.” He smacked his lips together and winked slyly, something abouthis eyes looking different. “But we showed you the error of your ways.”