Avril’s Ploy

Without seeking agreement, Troy pulled Gideon’s face down to his and took his lips in a tentative kiss. A growl came up from deep in Gideon’s chest and he grabbed Troy by the waist and lifted and slammed the back of the smaller man against the wall by the door. He took over the kiss, hungrily pushing Troy’s lips open with his and giving him tongue. Troy moaned.

When they came out of the kiss, Gideon’s body relaxed and he set Troy’s feet back down on the floor. He started to say something, a look in his eyes that Troy didn’t want to see, but the student raised the fingers of a hand to Gideon’s lips, and said, “Don’t. Don’t say you’re sorry. Don’t say it again. Don’t be sorry for something we both want—that we both need.”

Gideon gave him a wan smile and took a step away from him. “I’ll go put the coffee on and then I want to listen to you talk of your life and circumstance. I’ve said enough tonight.”

“Better that you turn the heat up,” Troy said. “It’s colder than a witch’s tit in here.”

“If I only knew where the thermostat was,” Gideon said, showing that wan smile again. “It was something that Penny—”