By Hand and Heart by Yolande Kleinn

Author:Yolande Kleinn [Kleinn, Yolande]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781946316059
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

#

He dreams of Gale—as he always does—this time in more casual attire, in Luis's own living room. There's unaccustomed sadness on Gale's perfect face, and they watch each other from opposite ends of a blue couch Luis hasn't owned in years.

"Tonight is goodbye, isn't it?" Gale asks. "Your patron will expect delivery tomorrow."

The question lodges painfully in Luis's chest, and he's shocked at the force of denial twisting beneath his skin. He doesn't mean to speak—his throat has gone suddenly too tight—but the word is out of his mouth before he can give it conscious thought.

"No."

Gale blinks at him in surprise. "No?"

"I can't," Luis says. His hands clench into helpless fists atop his thighs. "I won't part with you."

There's something curious and cautious in Gale's voice when he starts, "But your contract—"

"I don't care about the contract." Luis glowers across the couch, meeting Gale's eyes as steadily as he can. "I can't just hand you over like a piece of furniture. Not when I'm—" He cuts himself short, but it's too late.

Gale's stare cuts into him, piercing and familiar. His gaze is unrelenting, his eyes narrowed as though sussing out Luis's most intimate secrets.

"Not when you're what?" Gale presses, voice deceptively gentle.

Luis's gaze slips toward the floor, and he feels his face heat. There's no point in anything but honesty. No good can come of lying to his own subconscious, even if what he's about to admit is the height of delusion. He draws a steadying breath and stares at the carpet between his bare feet.

"When I'm completely in love with you." The words come out in a confessional hush, and for several painful seconds he can't bear to look at Gale. The quiet of the apartment is broken only by the sound of traffic far below the living room window. If Gale is breathing, he's doing it silently.

Finally, Luis manages to raise his eyes. The expression he finds waiting for him is softer than he expects.

"I'm only a statue," Gale points out.

"I don't care." It's not entirely true. Luis does care, because more than anything he wishes Gale were real. He's been alone with his art for years, has never wanted anything more. Suddenly he does want more—he knows exactly who he wants—but Gale is charm and perfection that exist only in Luis's head, and in the carefully crafted marble waiting in his studio.

A smile breaks across Gale's face, sudden and startling, and Luis gawps at the unexpected grin.

"What—" he starts to ask, but Gale is already moving toward him, shoving him so Luis falls awkwardly back against the armrest behind him. "Gale, what are you—?"

Then Gale is settling astride him, startling heat as his knees bracket Luis's hips, and Luis stops trying to ask stupid questions. Just in time, too, as Gale leans close and claims a first, greedy kiss. Gale's mouth is cool, but also fierce and sure, and Luis reaches without hesitation. His right hand twines in the messy curls as he cups the nape of

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.