Onward!
_____
Blurb:
Five years ago, Sam pushed Gabriel away because he couldn’t
face his own fears about being openly gay in his small hometown. He had another
secret too, but he believed no one could help him, not even Gabriel. He took
actions that broke Gabriel’s heart, and his own, but then tragedy unexpectedly
freed him from the need for secrecy. And Gabriel returned.
Gabriel told himself he only wanted to comfort Sam, but in
his heart he knew he wanted more. He wanted answers, and he wanted Sam’s love.
Just as Gabriel is convincing Sam they can be happy together, events force Sam
to reveal all his secrets to his family. These revelations cause all the
disharmony Sam always feared, and Gabriel can only hope that this time Sam will
realize their love is worth fighting for.
Excerpt:
Gabriel
gripped the bedpost to keep from crossing the room to Sam, who stared out the
bedroom window and refused to turn and face him. Sam fingered the blue curtains
and intently studied the pattern on the material. Gabriel had been waiting all
night for Sam to say something, to somehow explain himself. He didn’t
understand how Sam could stay silent. Gabriel felt like screaming at the top of
his lungs.
“Sam, I
want an explanation from you. I’ll get it from Laura if I have to.”
Sam finally
turned around. “What do you want me to say? I didn’t think she would tell
everyone tonight at the party. I thought I would have a chance to talk to you
first and somehow explain what’s happening.” He fixed his eyes on the unmade
bed.
Gabriel’s
eyes flicked over the bed and the hunter green comforter bunched at the foot.
The bed hadn’t been made since the last time they had made love two nights ago.
He set his gaze on Sam again, unable to keep the bitterness out of his tone.
“Well, an engagement is big news.” He moved closer to Sam. “It was huge news to your boyfriend.”
“Gabe, just
listen to me. Laura is pregnant—”
Gabriel cut
him off. “Yes, everyone knows! It’s a very poorly kept secret that Michael
knocked her up. But you dating a guy? Fucking
a guy? That’s been kept well under wraps, and now I see why!”
Sam looked
into his eyes. “You don’t see at all. Gabe, I love you, but Michael has
abandoned her. I don’t just mean he dumped her. He has left town. She has no
job and no one to take care of her.”
“She should
have thought of that while she was fucking him without a condom. Tell her to go
home to her parents.”
Sam shook
his head. “Her mom’s dead. And her stepdad? They don’t need to be alone, if you
get what I mean.”
Gabriel
cringed. His anger lessened a little because he’d always suspected Laura had
had a rough childhood, but how was she their problem? “Sam, just be honest with
me. If this was just about helping her, you’d ask her to move in with you, not
marry you.”
“She…she
loves me.” Sam turned away again.
Laura had
always flirted with Sam, but she’d never made a hard play for him that Gabriel
had seen. “Since when?”
“Since
freshman year of high school. I never liked girls, ever, so I didn’t notice for
a long time. Lots of other people knew she liked me. To them it makes sense I
would come to her rescue now. How can I make you see? Colbert is my hometown,
Gabe.”
What did
that have to do with it? Gabriel shifted his stance and crossed his arms over
his chest. “I know. I never get a chance to forget. It’s the reason I’m the
only one who knows you like guys. I sure as fuck hope you don’t think we’re
going to still be together after this. I don’t care if the marriage isn’t real.
It’s just another way for you to hide from who you really are. With a wife and
kid, no one will every look at you and wonder again. Your family won’t have to
worry you’re a perverted freak anymore. They’ll all heave a huge sigh of relief
and dance at your wedding.”
“That is
not why I am doing this!” Sam said, putting his hands over his face.
Gabriel
grabbed Sam by the shoulder and turned him around. “Yes, it is. Now, I have
something to tell you.” He loosened his grip a little, letting his fingers
massage Sam’s shoulders. “I’ve gotten into the grad program at Stony Brook
University. For anthropology, I can hardly do better, so I have to go. I wanted
you to come with me. I was going to ask you tonight, but then…” He let his
voice trail off as he released Sam.
“That’s
great. Did they offer you money?”
“Yes, but I
don’t want to talk about what’s going on with my funding. I want to talk about
what’s going on with my life. My future.”
“I promised
her.”
The simple,
placid answer infuriated him. “Why?” Gabriel screamed. “Why the fuck would you
make such a promise? Is that the best explanation you can give me? I’m sorry
she’s had some tough breaks. I’m sure she is in love with you because I know I
am.” He sighed heavily. “You’re going to enter into a fake, loveless marriage
because she loves you and you pity her. But me? You can’t even touch me in public.”
“You know
why we have to be careful.”
“After four
years, that excuse is getting old. What did you think would happen when we
graduated?” He’d endured four years of hiding and lying because Sam made him
happier than any other man ever had, but continuing the deceit would eventually
destroy that happiness.
“I don’t
know.” He gave a tight shrug. “I guess I hoped something would happen.”
Gabriel ran
his hands through his hair. “Like what? My getting into Stony Brook is perfect.
We’d be getting away from your family and their judgment.”
Sam didn’t
say anything.
“But you’ve
made a promise.” He shook his head.
“There’s something wrong here. You’re not telling me something.” Before now,
Sam had never kept any secrets from him. He’d always told Gabriel the things he
couldn’t tell anyone else.
“It’s
complicated. She turned to me, and I couldn’t live with myself if I turned her
away. The baby deserves a chance. It’s innocent. What can I say to make you
understand?”
“What can
you say?” He put his hands on Sam’s shoulders again. “Tell me you don’t love
me. If you’re not hiding anything, you must be able to turn your back on me
this easily because you don’t actually love me.” He gave him a little shake and
whispered, “If it’s true I can take it, Sam. You’ve always been honest with me
before. I’ll accept all of this if you don’t love me.”
Sam shook
his head.
“Come on.
Tell me.” Gabriel backed him against the bookshelf next to the window. “Tell me
you don’t like me touching you.” He ran his hands down Sam’s shoulders, wanting
to toss him on the bed and take him right then. He needed to be inside him, to
feel Sam’s flesh encompass him as they both moaned.
Sam shook
his head again.
Gabriel
brought his lips to Sam’s for a tender kiss. He brushed them gently, and then
licked Sam’s lower lip. When Sam softened and parted his lips, Gabriel left the
tenderness behind. He pressed Sam against the shelf and kissed him hard, his
tongue invading his mouth, possessing it. Sam’s arms snaked around his neck as
he moaned, and Gabriel rubbed his erection against Sam’s thigh, knowing how
much Sam liked for him to be aggressive. He loved Sam’s reactions, loved the
way they came together.
When the
kiss broke, Gabriel ran his hand between them. He looked into Sam’s blue eyes
as he stroked Sam’s cock through his jeans. It strained against the material,
wanting Gabriel’s touch. “Tell me you don’t want me to suck your cock.”
“Gabe,
please.” The words came out in a whimper of need.
“Please
what? Please suck you off until you scream?” He unzipped Sam’s pants and freed
his cock. “Scream the way you did the last time?” He got down on his knees and
tongued the head, licking a drop of pre-cum from the slit. Then he took Sam’s
dick into his mouth. Working his tongue along the underside in slow circles, he
looked up into Sam’s eyes as he pulled him deeper. Sam gazed down at him for a
moment, but then he closed his eyes and pressed his lips shut.
What did he
want to say? What was he holding back? Gabriel held Sam’s hips firmly in place
as he bobbed his head back and forth. Taking the head to the back of his
throat, Gabriel breathed in Sam’s scent as Sam bucked forward and groaned. Then
he raked his teeth all the way along the length of Sam’s cock before sitting
back on his heels to look at him.
Sam’s
breaths came in gasps as he looked down at Gabriel. “This isn’t fair, Gabe.”
Gabriel
stroked the shaft. “It isn’t fair? You fuck me four or five times a week and
tell me you love me, and then I come to a party you invited me to only to find out you’re engaged to marry someone
else?” He leaned forward and nipped at the head of his cock, then licked it
slowly. Peering up into his face again, he asked, “How in the fucking hell is that fair?”
“I didn’t
have time to tell you.”
Another
short, meaningless answer. Something had changed, but Gabriel didn’t know what.
The openness he’d always loved in Sam was gone now. Gabriel stroked harder and
faster, loving the way Sam swelled in his hand. He wanted to make him come
hard. “Didn’t have time? Telling me must not have been very important.”
He pushed
Sam’s jeans down so he could play with his balls. He sucked one into his mouth
as his fingers strayed back to Sam’s hole. Gabriel massaged the tight ring of
muscle as he licked Sam’s cock. Then he swallowed it again, deep-throating him
right away.
Links:
Website: http://mariemedina.weebly.com/
EP Author Page: http://www.evernightpublishing.com/marie-medina/
Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/marie-medina
Thank you for having me!
ReplyDelete