Zeke rolled up a shirt and stuffed it in with his other clothes before answering. “Nothing. Just wondering where you were for two hours.”
“I had some things to pick up.”
Rory had never cheated on Zeke. Never. It just wasn’t in his character. When he was there, he was there just for Zeke. He might be a bastard when it came to sticking around, but that went with the package. Rory had commitment issues to the extreme. Zeke understood them, he was just sick of dealing with them. Sometimes, it was too fucking much to ask.
“When are you leaving?” Zeke asked. As soon as he said the words, he regretted them. He wasn’t really in the mood for the truth. He wasn’t sure he ever was but he was pretty sure he wasn’t now.
When he said nothing, Zeke looked up at him. Rory was frowning. “What the bloody hell are you talking about?”
Of course, Rory had no idea what he was talking about. They never addressed the issues they had. Not the ones like this. He would start to discuss it and Rory would disappear. It was the way he had dealt with things in the past.
“Look,” Zeke said as he went into the bathroom and started to shove things into his shaving kit, “I know what’s going on. This time though, I’ll have to replace you at the office if you are going to disappear, so at least give me a head’s up.”
Rory said nothing. Zeke wasn’t sure if he was confused or stunned that he had confronted him on it. He brushed past him back into the bedroom.
“Stop,” Rory said.
Zeke shoved his bag into the suitcase. “I’m not in the mood to have a fight, but if you’re leaving, I need to know.”
Rory walked to him then and took his hands. “Stop.”
Zeke shook his hands away. “This is my life here—my reputation. I can’t let you drop off the side of the earth because things got too intense.” He couldn’t look at him. Zeke knew if he did, Rory would talk him back into bed easily. He was sick of that. Hard truths had to be said.
“What the fuck are you talking about? I’m not planning on going anywhere.”
With a sigh, he turned to face him and felt a sharp punch to the gut. The pain in Rory’s gaze was enough to undo Zeke. It was his downfall to love stubborn people. Maura was just as bad. And when he shoved them, Zeke tended to hurt their feelings.
“I’m not leaving you. Not now, not unless you want me to.”
Zeke wanted to believe him. The sincerity in his voice was genuine. And he understood that many times when Rory left, it wasn’t because of their relationship but of the ghosts he fought from his past.
Rory skimmed his hands up his arms and then cupped his face.
“I am not leaving. Ever.”
Then he leaned closer, brushing his mouth over Zeke’s. The taste of him, the feel of his lips against his pulled a sigh from Zeke. He rested his forehead against his. Rory sighed.
“I can’t leave you, Zee. Not anymore.”
The words tightened Zeke’s heart. Desire and love threaded Rory’s voice. So many times he had watched the one man he had always loved walk out of his life. This time…it might kill him. But never before had Rory promised him not to leave.
Rory kissed him again, invading his mouth. Zeke’s heart raced as his cock hardened, his blood heated. Rory’s tongue brushed against Zeke’s as he slid his arms around him and down to his ass, pulling Rory tight against him. The feel of his cock against his own, even through the layers of clothing, was enough for Zeke to start losing control. Rory was already hard and Zeke groaned. It was difficult not to. For over ten years, it hadn’t changed for them one bit.
Just like the first time, Zeke felt himself falling. Rory always did this to him, could always make it impossible to resist him. He needed him like an addict needed their favorite drug. Every cell in his body urged Zeke to surrender to him. All the concerns he’d had just minutes before dissolved under Rory’s sensual assault.
Rory kissed a path down Zeke’s neck as he grabbed the bottom of Zeke’s shirt and practically tore it off. Then, Rory started to work his way down his body, kissing and nipping at his skin. Zeke’s cock hardened further and he shivered when he felt the hard bite of Rory’s teeth against his flesh.
There was an urgency to Rory’s movements and it fed Zeke’s need. He needed the connection, needed to feel flesh against flesh. Rory grabbed the waistband of Zeke’s jeans, yanked it free of the button then jerked down the zipper. Zeke wasn’t wearing any underwear and his cock sprang free. Rory wrapped his hand around it and gave it a few long pumps.
“Like, that, do ya, love?” Rory asked. He didn’t wait for an answer. He took Zeke’s mouth in a hard, punishing kiss as he continued to pump his shaft. Fuck. With each stroke, Rory pulled him closer to the edge. At that moment, he was completely and absolutely under his spell. Rory bit down on Zeke’s bottom lip before pulling back and releasing his cock.