Page 101 of Wayward

“Oils from where?”

“And take Misha because he’ll cry if you leave him, and I won’t be here all night trying to console him. Plus, Gale will think it odd if you show up without him.”

“Yeah, but—”

“Get. Out,” she ordered and then wheeled around and exited the room dramatically, leaving me stunned.

Gale, like me, had assumed that Ada would want us there with her the first night home. He was surprised when I walked through the front door.

“What’s going on?”

“Ada threw me out and told me to come over here and have my wicked way with you.”

His face was priceless. I had probably looked just as horrified. “What?”

“Don’t worry about it. Just get the dog settled. I need a shower.”

He waved a hand toward the bathroom. “Anything, just don’t ever say wicked way to me again as long as you live.”

“It’s a deal,” I assured him, heading for the shower.

I was standing in the bathroom after a very long, very hot shower, staring at myself in the mirror, wondering at the changes that had happened so quickly, when I saw Gale in the mirror. He was looking at me, and I could see what Ada meant. His eyes were utterly molten.

“Man, you always look so good in just a towel.”

“Always?” I teased him, even though watching him come near me in only sweats and a T-shirt was making my mouth dry. “You’ve only seen me like this once before.”

“And it’s burned into my brain,” he croaked out, reaching me and putting his hands on my hips, tracing the top of the towel. “Tell me you’re ready and that I can have you.”

“I was always ready,” I rasped, looking at him, loving the way he took firm hold of my ass before he kissed the side of my neck.

“Maybe your body, but not your heart. Not quite.”

“I am now,” I promised.

“That’s very good,” he whispered, stepping back, grabbing my hand and tugging me after him out of the bathroom, through the open door, to the king-size bed.

Yanking the covers down, he then tugged off the towel and shoved me down onto the bed. As he stripped out of his clothes, I got to see all the roping muscle, the long, beautiful lines of him, the miles of gorgeous golden skin.

“Gale,” I gasped as he dropped to his knees between my open legs and took my already hard cock down the back of his throat in one long, seamless swallow.

I yelled his name the second time.

He pulled off, and I saw the wicked smile before he licked at the leaking precum, taking my shaft in his hand, stroking me from balls to head before taking me in again, the suction and rhythm so good. That fast, I knew I was going to come.

It had been so long. Even before my life ended in Chicago, it had been months between lovers. Already I had soured on the quick, dirty fucks in bathrooms and the backs of cars, the secret blowjobs behind buildings. I wanted a person, my person, and that, the need for more, for intimacy, connection…love…was the only thing that would work.

And now here was Gale, who had looked past the guy I’d been to the man I could be. He saw me like few others did besides my mother, brother, my cousins, and Sava. Five people in the world before him and Ada and the other people in town now, my community who wanted me there. I would be trusted and loved, and I wanted all that. More than anything, I wanted Gale.

“No,” I cried out when he pulled off.

“Just do as you’re told,” he growled, rolling me over on the bed, smacking my ass, ordering me to my hands and knees.

I moved quickly as he darted to the nightstand and returned with lube.

“I’m ready, just fuck me.”

He scoffed. “Love the enthusiasm, but I’ll tell you when you’re ready.”