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Ryder didn’t even givehim the chance to knock when he returned to their building. As soon as he stepped into the hall, Ryder’s door opened and the vampire stuck his head out, concern written in the lines on his handsome face.
“You look like you were worried about me,” Gideon teased as he ambled over to Ryder. His lover retreated so Gideon could enter his place. After Ryder closed the door, Gideon wrapped his arms around him and snuggled in close for the nice, tight hug he knew Ryder had waiting for him. Ryder hugs were some of the very best. His amazing man squeezed until it felt as if he were going to sink into Ryder’s chest.
“Apparently, I shouldn’t have been,” Ryder murmured as he placed his head on top of Gideon’s and breathed him in. “You ran into Rafe.”
He’d known full well Ryder would pick up Rafe’s scent on him and couldn’t help a little tease. “What’s wrong? You jealous? You don’t trust me with Rafe?”
Ryder huffed at him but still tightened his hold on Gideon. “I trust Rafe, but that doesn’t mean I’m not jealous of anyone who gets near you.” Ryder’s voice dropped so that it was nearly a pout. “I want to be the only one who touches you.”
Gideon laughed and stepped back so that he could see Ryder’s sad expression. His big, scary man was so perfect. Grabbing one of Ryder’s hands, Gideon pulled him into the living room where they sat. Well, it was more that Ryder sat and Gideon snuggled close, half in Ryder’s lap and half on the couch.
“Well, this was a pleasant conversation I had with Rafe that you will probably like,” Gideon began, resting his head on Ryder’s shoulder.
“Forgive my skepticism when it comes to our boss.”
A soft snort jumped from Gideon. Rafe’s idea of helpful rarely matched everyone else’s idea of helpful.
“We’re dating, right?” Gideon inquired.
Ryder turned his head toward him, one eyebrow arched hard. “Yes?”
“And it’s exclusive, right?”
“Very exclusive,” Ryder growled. That was a very definite answer. Ryder wrapped one arm around his waist and pulled him completely onto his lap. “I don’t share, Gideon. I can’t share you with anyone.”
Gideon placed his arms loosely behind Ryder’s neck and pressed a tiny kiss to the tip of his nose. “I don’t want you to share me with anyone else.” Gideon paused and let out a long, deep sigh. “But I have to say that the current living arrangement isnotworking for me.”
Ryder tensed under him. “What do you mean?”
“I’m running out of excuses for why we need to sleep together each day. We can’t sleep separately anymore. My bed is too big without you. And too cold. We have to figure something out. Like you sleep in my bed on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and I’m in your bed on the other days of the week. Or maybe we rotate weeks. One week we sleep at my place and the next, we sleep at yours. I don’t want any more anxiety over wondering if I’m invading your space and how I’m going to lure you into spending time with me. You—”
Ryder’s lips cut off Gideon’s torrent of crazy words. It began as a small kiss, but it steadily grew more heated with each pass of Ryder’s talented tongue as it stroked along Gideon’s.
When Ryder ended the kiss, he simply said, “Done.”
Gideon rested his forehead on Ryder’s, his brain mush and his dick hard. “Huh? What were we talking about? Wasn’t it important?”
“We were,” Ryder murmured, sounding as if he were barely holding on to his laughter. “You said that we can’t be apart any longer. I agree. That’s why I’m going to pack up all my clothes and move into your place tonight.”
Gideon jerked so fast he would have fallen out of Ryder’s lap if his lover wasn’t holding on to him. “Really? You will? You are?”
Ryder chuckled. “Why are you so surprised? Since the first moment I met you, all I have ever wanted is you. An eternity stretching on as a vampire was a prison sentence until I met you. Now I look forward to each night because I know that I’ll get to see your smile. I’ll hear your laugh. Gideon, you are my happiness, and I love you with everything that I am. I’ve loved you for years. I’m happy to live with you.”
Pure joy was exploding in Gideon’s heart, threatening to choke him. Never in his life had he thought he’d hear such beautiful words from Ryder. He placed a trembling hand on Ryder’s cheek, smoothing his thumb across his cheekbone. “I love you too.” With an impish grin, he added, “But are you sure you want to live with my messiness?”
Tightening his hold on Gideon, Ryder swung him so that Gideon’s back was on the cushions and Ryder was hovering above him. “You mean how you always leave the wet towels on the floor rather than hanging them up to dry? Or how you have stray socks spread throughout every room? Or that when you can’t figure out something to wear, you’ll leave a pile of clothes on the bed instead of putting them away?”
Gideon’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open.Oh, shit!Ryder had noticed all his bad habits.
“Or how you’re always cranky the moment you first wake up each night and you roll yourself up in the blankets like a vampire burrito?”
“Hey!”
But Gideon’s argument was swallowed in the next second as Ryder’s hand slipped under his shirt and plucked at one of his nipples.
“I’ve learned that if I want my sweet Gideon after the sun sets, I just need to push my cock deep inside of his ass.” Ryder flicked his hard nipple with his fingernail as he spoke. The sensation combined with Ryder’s words was sending the most delicious heat surging through Gideon’s body. “I can also suck on that perfect dick of yours until you’re coming down my throat. That’s another way to make you less grumpy.”
