as he exhaled a shaky breath, waiting for a tell that the switch in position wasn’t welcome. Ben yanked him down for a searing kiss that left him breathless one second, and then mindlessly thrusting with unrelenting force the next.
Strong hands fisted his hair. His heart jackhammered a savage beat as he hooked his arm under Ben’s leg and shifted their bodies, driving himself deeper into Ben’s welcoming heat, wanting it to singe his soul.
“I love you,” he whispered into the crook of Ben’s neck, needing to say the words even though Ben couldn’t hear them. With the words whispered, he felt freer in that moment as his hips plunged into Ben, chanting the words in his head as he drove their connection deeper with each pounding thrust.
Ben threw his head back, the uninhibited sound of his yelled release bounced off the walls of their bedroom. With a final deep thrust, Bull tightened his arms around Ben and grunted and gasped his release, spilling himself deep inside the man who had stolen his heart.
They held each other, neither one letting an inch sneak in between them.
A stroke to the back of his neck drew his attention. He stared into those green eyes and swore he saw something hidden within their depths. Ben stroked the sweat-slicked hair away from Bull’s face and then pressed a gentle kiss to each of Bull’s features. After one last, gentle kiss to his lips, Ben tightened his arms around Bull’s neck and rested his head on his shoulder.
Bull turned his head and brushed his lips against the dark strands, breathing him in, reveling in the tenderness of the perfect moment. He closed his eyes, knowing the words he had whispered were true and forever etched into his heart and branded into his soul.
Ben adjusted the heat under the skillet as he poured the pancake batter. Reaching into the cabinet above, he pulled out two dishes and a pair of glasses, setting them aside. Preparing breakfast was the least he could do for Gabriel, considering he had worn the man out last night and hadn’t given him a chance to recover.
The pain in his ass was proof of that. So was the fact that he was up before Gabriel.
He grabbed the juice from the fridge and shoved the door closed. He poured one glass and started on the other, stopping midway when he felt the weight of a gaze on him. He didn’t need the visual confirmation. He felt Gabriel’s presence in the room, sensed each time that heavy gaze landed on him. Refusing to look up, he finished pouring and closed the carton before stuffing it back into the fridge.
A thick arm snaked around his waist from behind, pulling him back against a wall of muscles. He closed his eyes and leaned back, reveling in the warmth and safety of the man holding him. He turned in the embrace, throwing his arms around Gabriel’s neck and resting his head on his shoulder. This was what he wanted. More of this.
All of this.
Gabriel held his chin between his thumb and index finger, pulling his face up.
Ben couldn’t look him in the eye, not when everything was so fresh in his mind. His gaze slipped to Gabriel’s mouth. Damn those lips were beautiful. Full yet masculine. He wanted to do wicked things to that mouth. He wanted to memorize those lips tracing every inch of his body.
“Why are you getting shy on me now?” Gabriel asked.
Ben shrugged and looked away. Gabriel grabbed his chin with more force and turned his face again, those brown eyes staring back at him were hard and unyielding. Ben pulled himself out of the hold and returned his attention to the stove, turning off the burners and stacking the pancakes onto both plates. He couldn’t do this right now. His mind was flipping through snapshots too quickly to keep his body under control. With a scowl, he gestured toward the barstool, urging Gabriel to take a seat.
They ate their pancakes, the weight of that stare like a heavy chain bearing down on him. Avoiding eye contact, Ben kept his rapt attention on the stack of pancakes, occasionally taking a bite or two. A large hand touched his forearm, squeezed, then pulled away, drawing his attention.
“Do you regret last night?” Gabriel slowly signed.
What? Ben vehemently shook his head. “Never,” he signed, his hands moving rapidly.
“Then why can’t you look at me?”
Ben looked away, his cheeks burning. Another snapshot from last night flickered in