worked. A sweet ache reminded him of how he had spent his day with Gabriel. Bless Natalie for the short notice and letting him take the day off. He was paying for it now with the early start and the long night ahead, but their daylong date had been so worth it.
The timer flashed in his vision’s periphery, alerting him to pull the tray from the oven. Finally, the last of the cakes he needed to bake tonight for the weekend orders were ready. He glanced up at the wall clock. A few hours from now, he would have everything finished up. It would be late, but since Gabriel had a conference call scheduled with Anthony to discuss the first phase of some new security plan, it was likely Ben wasn’t the only one pulling an all-nighter.
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he recalled Gabriel’s reaction to his voiced declaration. Ben didn’t know how his voice compared to others, but Gabriel made him feel as if the sound was sheer perfection. Had he gotten that kind of a response from the kids in school, he likely would have ended up being a chatterbox.
Or not.
He shrugged to himself as he scooped the icing into the pastry bag. He still remembered the kids from school and how they laughed when he had spoken. Some tried hiding their reaction by covering their mouths while others just laughed in his face. The pain from those bullies ran deep. It had taken years, but finally voicing a few words every now and then to Gabriel was a feat.
He tightened his lips, holding back a smile, thinking about the big softie waiting at home. A few words always turned on the waterworks, even when Gabriel tried fighting it. He was strong yet vulnerable, protective as hell while still allowing Ben to be true to himself. Ben loved his Bull. He teased, but the stuffed toy couldn’t compare to the warmth and safety he felt nestled in those big, thick arms.
Glancing up at the wall clock, he finally let the smile break free. He would be back home soon. And he couldn’t wait.
= ♥ =
Ben’s fingers grazed his skin, tracing a line down his chest. He moaned as kisses pressed against his neck. One, two…then a lick. He hissed a breath when teeth grazed his shoulder…
Bull opened his eyes. Frowning, he glanced around the empty living room, then down at the tablet resting on his chest and the stylus held between his fingers.
He had definitely been dreaming.
He threw his head back on the cushion with a deep sigh. He held up his hand and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he glanced at his wristwatch.
Almost ten thirty.
Ben had texted him progress updates. He should be getting home at any moment.
As if on cue, the beep of the front door’s electric lock sounded. Ben. With a smile tugging at his lips, Bull sat up on the couch and slid the stylus in the tablet’s sleeve before turning to set the case on the coffee table.
He stilled.
The hairs at the back of his neck prickled.
The moment he turned, his blood chilled.
“Hello, Bull.”
His gaze bounced between the two masked men standing alongside the man who had spoken, and the barrel of the gun aimed at Bull’s face. Masked men with handguns in his living room. He definitely wasn’t dreaming anymore.
Judging by the bulge under their shirts, they likely had at least one more gun tucked away. Their stances were steady and disciplined. Likely from some time in service. Overpowering these guys wouldn’t be easy.
Bull scowled as a thought raced through his sleepy brain. He glanced toward the entryway and back at the men in his living room, wondering how they had gained access.
“I’ve been waiting a long time for this,” the man in the middle said. His voice was muffled by the mask, but it was still enough to trigger Bull’s brain to scan his mental database of voices for a match.
Nothing pinged familiar.
“Can’t say the feeling’s mutual,” Bull said.
“Of course it is. You’ve been searching for me for a while.” A ghost of a grin thinned the man’s lips. “I’m your breach.”
Bull returned the stare with equal intensity.
“You sped up my timeline. I would have preferred toying with you a bit longer, but your new security plan would have locked me out.” There was something brewing in the man’s dark eyes. “Stand,” the man pushed the word through gritted teeth.