Chapter 6

There was a breath of hesitation, and then Gideon’s strong arms folded around his back, pulling him flush against his chest. These were the moments when he could best believe everything was going to be okay. Gideon was the rock upon which Jesse had structured half of his life.

“I love you, boy,” Gideon murmured. “Don’t forget that. Ever.”

“I love you, too.” Jesse clung to him, completely unwilling to put even an inch of space between them. He needed the solid reminder of Gideon’s body.

He waited for the kisses, the touches that always came when Gideon held him like this. When so little else made sense, those always did. But the caress that followed was not what he expected, a brush across his ear as Gideon said, “I need to hold you, but you’ve had a long day. Let’s lay down.”