Page 8 of Silk and Honey

"Ezra is busy," Avery whispers. He takes another step, his chest pressing lightly against mine. He tilts his head up, his brown eyes searching my face. His finger traces my arm. "And you're so damn quiet, Gid. The bashful act is really fucking sexy, but are you actually still shy around me? Even after everything we did five months ago?"

That’s it. The teasing, the memory of his soft skin, and the scent of sweet wax in the warm room completely break my restraint. I need him.

I grab his waist and press him backward. Avery lets out a soft, surprised gasp as his back meets the sturdy wooden shelving unit. The bolts of fabric behind him rustle, but I don't care. I step into his space, my heavy thighs pinning his legs against the wood. I trap him there, reminding Avery just how much I like to take control.

Avery’s eyes go wide, his breath catching in his throat. The playful smirk vanishes, replaced with lust.

"I’m not shy, Avery," I growl.

I cup his jaw with my hand, my thumb tracing his cheekbone, and lean down.

When my lips meet his, it’s like I lose my damn mind. The kiss isn’t gentle. It’s heavy, hungry, and filled with five months of frustration. Avery whimpers into my mouth, his hands instantly flying to my hair, pulling me closer. Closer.

I groan, my grip tightening on his hips. I lift him slightly, crowding him deeper against the shelves. He wraps one of his legs around my waist, grinding his hard length against me. The contrast of his eager body against mine makes my head spin. He tastes like sweet tea and temptation. Delicious.

And just like that, I’m hard as fucking steel.

Our mouths move together in a desperate, frantic rhythm. Every touch is hot and heavy. Animalistic. Five months ago was incredible, but this is different. So fucking different. Now, he is here to stay, and the realization makes me possessive.

I slide my hand down his back, pressing his hips firmly against mine, letting him feel exactly what his pretty body does to me.

Avery shudders, his fingers digging into my hair and tugging. I growl. Yes, growl… like a damn animal.

"Gid," he gasps against my lips. "Oh my god."

From the front of the shop, we hear the faint sound of Ezra clearing his throat.

The sound cuts through the fog in my brain. I slowly pull my mouth away, though I keep my forehead rested against his. Our chests are both heaving, our breathing loud and ragged in the small space. Avery’s lips are swollen and red, his cheeks flushed, and his eyes are completely dark with heat.

I look down at my hands, which are still gripping him tightly. My cock is throbbing. I’m pretty sure that dark crimson blush returns to my face. "We should... uh stop." Holy shit, my voice is wrecked. What the hell was I thinking?

Avery lets out a shaky, beautiful laugh. He reaches up, gently patting my chest. "Yeah. Probably. But for the record? You definitely aren't shy."

A small smile tries to tip my lips. I let him down slowly, my hands reluctantly leaving his body. I rub the back of my neck, my fingers tangling in my wavy hair as I try to get my breathing under control.

Yeah. Things between us haven't cooled down at all. If anything, the fire is only burning hotter.

Chapter five

Avery

My eyes snap open before my alarm even has the chance to buzz. I lie in bed for a second, a wide smile spreading across my face. My lips still feel a little tingly, a lingering phantom sensation from that desperate make out session in the supply room yesterday. Gideon might look like a stoic, immovable mountain of a man, but the way he manhandles me tells a completely different story. He’s all fire and intense possession beneath that quiet exterior. It’s hot.

Sunlight cuts through the thin curtains of my bedroom, painting long, golden streaks of light across the hardwood floor. I throw off the sheets and hop out of bed. The floorboards are cool under my bare feet as I walk out into the small kitchen. Kennedy is already awake, slumped over the kitchen table with a giant mug of black coffee in his hands. His dark hair is a messy nest, and he looks like he hasn’t fully registered that he is alive yet.

“Morning, sunshine,” I say cheerfully, dodging past him to stick a coffee pod into the Keurig.

“Do not use that word,” Kennedy groans. “It’s too early for all your sunshine, Avery. And why the fuck are you glowing? It’s disgusting.”

“I’m just excited for work,” I say with a laugh, reaching for the sugar and cream. I wonder if there’s honey in the cabinets? I make a mental note to ask Gideon which honey he recommends for coffee.

“Right. Work,” Kennedy scoffs, taking a slow sip of his coffee. “Does this excitement have anything to do with the fact that the local, gorgeous bee farmer practically mauled you against the fabric shelves yesterday? Because Ezra called Olly, and Olly called me. The whole town knows you two nearly fuc—”

“Kennedy!” I shout. Just then Kai, my new roommate, walks into the kitchen looking just as adorably rumpled as my best friend. Apparently, he isn’t a morning person either.

“Don’t mind me,” Kai says with a small smirk. “Carry on. I’d love to hear the rest of this story.”

My face immediately heats up, a bright flush spreading across my cheeks. “Ezra called Olly?”