Zeke stood in the doorway of the living room and surveyed the scene before him. Gavin and his friends were sprawled out over the living room floor asleep. They were supposed to be separated, but they seemed not to care about his request.
He saw Gavin's beanie-clad head resting on Emily's thigh. He had two pillows tucked around him. He was holding one and the other was at his back. It was like he slept in their bed, except his big u-shaped pillow wasn't the one he'd brought down.
He walked through the throng of people and knelt down. Running his hand along Gavin's back, he watched him sleep peacefully. He looked so at ease, and it made him feel like he was holding him back. He wanted the college student to feel at ease no matter what he did.
"When did you get home?" Gavin muttered. His eyelids fluttered before they lifted to show his sleepy brown eyes. "You said you were going to be home early."
Zeke smiled and caressed his face. "I'm sorry. The weather was pretty nasty when I got on the tarmac. We had to wait for thirty minutes before we could taxi." He looked around at the other three still asleep. "Why aren't you upstairs where it's comfortable?"
"We were playing a game. Davis went to sleep first. The three of us were talking and naturally fell asleep." He lifted his arms and pouted cutely. "Help me up."
Zeke wrapped his arms around his back and lifted him up. Gavin surprised him by kissing him as he stood. He smiled into it, deepening it as he did. Gavin pulled away and rested his forehead on his check. Zeke held him close for as long as his arms would let him. When they started to burn, he set his feet on the floor and held him to make sure he was steady.
"Did you eat?" he asked.
"We snacked, but I wasn't completely hungry. I've drunk like four bottles of water though."
"Come on." Zeke led him to the kitchen then pointed to a chair. "Sit down."
Gavin did as he was asked. He watched Zeke move to the fridge and grab the oat milk. He went to the pantry behind him and grabbed the powdered peanut butter and chocolate protein powder. He brought them back to the counter where he slid the personal blender to him. Measuring the milk, he poured it in with both powders then he sliced a banana and tossed it in as well. He turned it on and watched it for a minute or two. Satisfied, he turned off and stuck a straw in it.
"It may not be as good as Mrs. Morgan's, but I tried," he said.
Gavin accepted it and took a sip. He nodded as he rolled it around his tongue, savoring it for a minute. "It's good. Add a little more milk so it's not as thick next time."
Zeke nodded. He watched Gavin drink it slowly. He was tired and sitting on his left side gingerly. He had a biopsy done the day before and the entry point had to bother him. He blinked slowly as he tried to blink the sleep out of his eyes.
"Gavin, I need to tell you something," he said. The young man looked up at him with his straw sticking out of the side of his mouth. His brow was raised in a question. "Evaline Rodgers will be joining us for dinner tomorrow."
"Who is that?" Gavin asked.
Zeke licked his lower lip slowly. "She was one of my lovers before you."
He watched Gavin's face go from completely open to completely closed. His eyes narrowed as his mouth tightened into a thin line. Zeke had never seen him look like this before, and it was somewhat unnerving. Gavin drained the cup and pushed it away from him. He got up and left the kitchen.
Zeke followed him, watching him walk awkwardly up the stairs. He kept a more sedate pace behind him until they got to the bedroom. Gavin turned to him and motioned to the door with his head. Zeke opened it and walked in first. He flinched when he heard the door slam. Gavin sat on the edge of the bed and glared at him.
"Explain," he demanded.
"She's spent every Thanksgiving with me for nearly twenty years. I can't just tell her no," Zeke said.
"And why the hell not? You probably told her no when she was with you all those years ago. Why is this time so different?"
The older man tilted his head with an amused look on his face. "Are you jealous?"
"Would you tell her not to come if I said I was?" Zeke shook his head. "Then no, I'm not jealous. I'm pissed off."
"She knows I have another lover, and she has known them all. She won't cross the line." Gavin started nodding his head, but his face never changed. He wasn't convinced. "She has never asked me to step out on a partner."
"You've also been with people closer to your own age. You're what? Thirty-five, thirty-six?"
"Thirty-seven. I had a birthday three months ago." That wasn't the right thing to say because his frown deepened even more. He had never really celebrated his birthday. It was just another day to him so he never mentioned it. "I've known her since we were seventeen. She's been my closest companion."
"Then what am I?" He ripped the beanie from his head, exposing his bare scalp. "Who am I to you?"
Fear rolled through him. Why did he get the feeling that if he answered this wrong he was going to lose something? Gavin had never staked his claim because he hadn't thought it was his place. Over the last six weeks, their relationship had deepened because Zeke had been there when Gavin needed him. They'd been intimate in different ways than just sex. Now Gavin needed him even more because he was asking him to be nice to someone he had long ended his romantic relationship with.
He held out his hand and waited. Gavin looked at it before he put his hand on top, palm down. Zeke closed his fingers over it then stepped into him. He brought his hand to his mouth and kissed the smooth skin, nibbling gently on his protruding knuckles. Gavin watched him, lips twitching ever so slightly.
"Now would be a bad time to tell you she works for me as well," he whispered.
"Get out." Gavin pushed him, jerking his hand from his. "Get out. If you're going to be this much of an ass, just get out."
Zeke grabbed the back of his head and forced him to look at him. Fear mixed with hot anger raced across Gavin's face. He didn't try to pull himself away because he knew what Zeke was capable of, but he was fairly certain he wouldn't hurt him.
"You do remember whose house this is right?" the older man asked. His hot breath fluttered across his face.
Gavin pulled his head from his grip. "I do, but I also remember who was the one that said I could do whatever I wanted. I could say when I was unhappy." He shook his head and looked at the floor. "If you want to keep your tradition, go ahead. We'll go somewhere else so we don't disturb you."
"Gavin, what the fuck are you saying?"
The eyes that turned to him were a pair he had never seen before. They were hot, angry, and full of passion. He wanted to feel that on his body, but he knew Gavin would definitely leave if he tried anything.
"I don't want to mess with an already solid thing. So we'll find somewhere else to eat for today."
"You're not leaving." Gavin's lip quivered as he tried to contain his anger. Zeke liked the look of it. He hadn't seen him this angry before, and it was a complete turn on. He felt his body starting to react, but he didn't let on. "How can I tell her about my lover when he's not here?"
"I'm not your charity case," Gavin argued.
Zeke leaned forward until his fists were planted on either side of Gavin. His body crowding him until they were nearly chest to chest forced him back, but the anger never left his eyes. Zeke rubbed his nose with his, further inciting his anger.
"No, you're not," he whispered. "You're someone I love dearly."
Gavin stopped, and Zeke watched the anger slowly fade from his gaze. His mouth fell open only for it to close again, his bottom lip folding under his top one. Zeke was so close he could hear him swallow.
Zeke wasn't sure which expression he was seeing when Gavin looked up. His blood caught fire as the younger man ran his hands up his arms until they encircled his neck. Instead of kissing him like he thought he was going to do, he lifted his face until it pressed in his neck. He ran his nose along Zeke's artery before he bit down rather hard.
"Fuck!" he cried. But Gavin didn't let go. He lapped at the spot a few seconds before he kissed it. Zeke stared at him for a while as he tried to curb his anger. "What the fuck was that for?"
"Hopefully she understands that you have an owner," Gavin said. "Your lifestyle may be a little outrageous, but that doesn't mean you can step out on me. You promised I was the only one. Now hopefully you can see it physically."
Zeke couldn't retaliate because if Gavin started to bleed, it may be hard to stop. But he desperately wanted to show who really owned whom. But another part of him was glad that Gavin felt the same. He hadn't said it outright, but he was acting like a jealous brat. Zeke wanted to revel in it, but they didn't have a lot of time.
This time, he kissed Gavin soundly. He heard the shocked gasp and swallowed it as he pressed him back onto the bed. His hand traveled up his side to his neck until it spanned it flawlessly. He wanted to squeeze but hesitance stopped him. He pulled his mouth away, fluttering it across his cheek until he was by his ear. His breath was shaky has he exhaled.
"God, I want to fuck you right now," he whispered.
Gavin laughed, turning smiling lips to his cheek. "That would be nice, but right now isn't the best time."
"I know." Zeke dropped his head to Gavin's shoulder with a heavy sigh. "I used to think the person I couldn't live without would understand all of my needs. I was sadly mistaken. It turns out the person I can't live without is an easy-going brat." He looked up. "Though I'm sad about how things started, I'm glad you came here."
Gavin rubbed his hands gently. "So am I. I don't think I would have gotten this far had I stayed in New Orleans."
Zeke kissed him again then stood up. "You should go back downstairs to your friends. We'll have to start early tomorrow so we can have the food ready for lunch."
Gavin nodded and accepted his help in standing. He was a little light headed but he felt fine. Zeke watched him disappear out the door. He wanted to follow him but he needed a shower, and he knew Gavin wanted to spend more time with his friends. So he walked to the bathroom to get ready for bed. He just hoped Evaline acted like he'd just told Gavin she did.