Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 63481 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63481 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
“You got it all wrong,” Will said, wondering how they could have completely different interpretations of their past. That wasn’t how it had been from his perspective. He hadn’t been the one to put distance between him and Scott’s family. Or was he?
“Did I? You haven’t had a single relationship that lasted more than a few weeks, Will. You make fun of me for my fleeting infatuations, but you’re worse than I am! At least I actually try to fall in love and make it work. You start ghosting your girlfriends if shit gets a little real.”
Will frowned. “I don’t.”
“Maybe not intentionally—you aren’t actually an asshole—but you totally do it, man. Every single time. It’s kind of hilarious that you’re one of the most dependable people I know—as long as feelings aren’t involved. The closer people get to you, the more distant you get. Laura bitched at me for months about your ‘emotional unavailability.’ Months, Will.” Scott snorted. “You must be amazing in the sack to get them so hung up on you. It’s certainly not your personality.”
“Even if you were right—which you aren’t—what does that have to do with Gadiel? We aren’t in a relationship. He’s a guy.”
“A guy you want to fuck. You, the straightest man I’ve ever met. That has to mean something. And I think that scares you. To be honest, the fact that you’re still sticking around is amazing to me. I would have thought you’d have already pulled your ghosting act.”
“The only thing I’m scared of is hurting the kid’s feelings,” Will said testily. “That’s all.”
“Right,” Scott said, his voice full of skepticism. “If that’s all, pack your things and move out. That’s the surest way not to hurt the ‘kid’s’ feelings. That’s the rational thing to do. The logical thing. Right?”
Will hung up.
This time Scott didn’t call again, probably content to have the last word and feeling smug about it, the dick.
Running a hand over his face tiredly, Will got to his feet and returned to his bedroom. He strained his hearing but there were no sounds coming from Gadiel’s room.
Will looked at his suitcase in the corner of the room. It wasn’t too late to leave.
He checked the time on his phone. 11:32.
He had twenty-eight minutes to make the decision.
Chapter 25
Gadiel sat in his bedroom for hours, listening for any noise coming from Will’s room.
He wasn’t even sure whether he wanted Will to take him seriously or not. If Will took him seriously for once, that would mean he would leave. The mere idea made his heart pound so fast he felt nearly dizzy with panic every time he thought about it. But rationally, he knew it would be the likely outcome. The smartest outcome. The inevitable outcome. Will would leave, sooner or later. Putting it off just delayed the inevitable and made things harder, though it was difficult to imagine.
But if Will didn’t... Gadiel would have to follow through on his threat.
That thought made his heart pound too, though for a different reason.
Could he do it? Would he dare?
The wait was nerve-racking.
He heard Will go out onto the balcony and then return and pace his bedroom for a while, and then nothing.
When midnight rolled around, Gadiel didn’t move. He felt sick with nerves. Had Will left? It was possible he had missed it.
At long last, at half past midnight, Gadiel forced himself to leave his room and check.
There was light coming from the crack under the door.
Gadiel took a deep breath before pushing the door open.
Will was asleep.
He clearly hadn’t intended to fall asleep if the way he was half-dressed was any indication—his shirt was unbuttoned, revealing his muscular torso, and his belt was off, but other than that, he was still mostly dressed. He was stretched out on his back, his phone by his hand.
Slowly, Gadiel walked closer. With any other man, he would have ogled his half-naked physique, but it wasn’t any other man. He stared at Will’s face, unable to look away. It was such a striking face, the five o’clock shadow only accentuating the mouthwatering firmness of Will’s jaw and strong, bold features. Even in his sleep, Will gave off the air of a man you could rely on. Could depend on. Depend on too much. Grow to need too much.
Quietly, Gadiel got into the bed.
Lying down next to the other man, Gadiel turned onto his side and stared at him hungrily. This close, he could see every little imperfection on Will’s face, every little wrinkle and scar. He took them in greedily. He’d never felt so obsessed with anyone’s face before. He wanted to take it apart, examine every little detail, and tape them all back together in his own image before kissing it all over. He wanted to catch the air Will exhaled with his own mouth.