The rich, savory smell of roasted duck lingered in the air, making everyone's mouths water with anticipation.
The four men joined the rest by the serene waters of Coldwater Lake, laughter and steam rising into the crisp afternoon air. They were half-naked, their damp skin
glistening under the sun. Muscles taut and sculpted from years of training rippled with each movement, broad shoulders, defined chests, and strong arms that spoke of battles fought and won. Their presence stirred a quiet awe among the group, a mix of admiration and unspoken tension weaving through the relaxed atmosphere.
Luren smiled as he saw Craige approaching. He was half-naked, droplets of water
clinging to his chest under the sunlight. Without hesitation, Craige pulled him into a tight embrace, completely unaware or uncaring of their surroundings.
"Hey, there are a lot of people here," Luren whispered, glancing over his shoulder. Though the others seemed preoccupied, he was still a little self-conscious.
"They already know about us," Craige murmured, pressing a gentle kiss onto Luren's hair.
"It's not that," Luren replied, gently pushing him back just enough to look into his face. "Let's join the others. They seem to be having fun."
Hand in hand, they waded back toward the group. Laughter echoed across the lake as they splashed around. Soon they were all swimming, Cassian, Craige, Keith, and
Matthew even challenged each other to a race. Cassian, sleek and focused, reached the rock first.
"He always swims here when he has the time," Gab said softly, watching from the shore.
"Did the two of you fight?" Arabelle asked gently, noticing his distant gaze.
Gab shook his head, eyes clouded with unspoken sadness.
"Don't worry. Everything will be alright. My brother will realize he likes you too,"
she said with a reassuring smile.
Gab tried to smile back, but it barely reached his eyes.
"Mommy, I'm hungry!" Faye tugged on her mother's shirt, breaking the tension.
"Me too…" Codie added shyly.
"Let's bring the kids to the table," Clara said, taking Codie's hand and leading them
toward the food.
Meanwhile, Gab and Luren swam toward the large rock jutting out near the lake's edge.
"So… how did you and the Duke end up together?" Gab asked, resting his arms on the sun-warmed surface.
"I kissed him," Luren laughed. "Well, technically, with some help from his little
brother, Cleven."
Gab chuckled and remember how he kissed Cassian, both of them are bold.
"I think I found the courage to act after seeing how good you two looked together. I used to think it was impossible… for a man to love another man," Gab said softly, staring up at the sky.
"I thought the same," Luren admitted. "For a while, I really believed I was into women."
"Really?" Gab raised an eyebrow, and they both burst out laughing.
"Go make him yours," Luren whispered when he noticed two figures approaching them.
"Gab, I need to talk to you," Cassian said firmly, eyes serious.
Gab's smile faded. He gave a small nod and followed Cassian without a word.
Luren and Craige watched the two walk toward the cave tucked behind the waterfall.
"Let's go over there," Craige said, pointing toward the vast forest stretching in the
opposite direction. Before Luren could answer, Craige had already taken his hand, leading him with a soft smile.
The others noticed but said nothing. They simply shared knowing glances and returned to their food, the unspoken joy lingering in the air like the warmth of the sun on their skin.
Craige pushed Luren gently back against the tree before capturing his lips in a rough,
urgent kiss. Luren gasped, a soft moan escaping him in surprise, but he didn't pull away, he welcomed it. Craige kissed him like a starving man, as though he had been holding back for far too long.
Luren wrapped his arms around Craige's neck, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss.
Their mouths moved hungrily against each other, tongues tangling in a heated dance as if trying to memorize every taste, every breath.
Craige had wanted this, needed this, ever since he saw Luren at the lake, his wet, white
shirt clinging to his body like a second skin. He looked otherworldly, so tempting, so ethereal, that Craige's control had nearly snapped then and there.
"Craige…" Luren's voice escaped in a breathy moan, thick with need, sending a rush of heat straight through Craige's veins. Craige grabbed the hem of Luren's shirt and
yanked it upward, slow and deliberate, baring smooth skin to the cold breeze. But the chill lasted only a heartbeat, replaced by the searing warmth of Craige's hands as they slid over Luren's chest, possessive and hungry.
The moment their skin met, something snapped. Craige crushed their mouths together, kissing Luren hard, desperate, consuming, before trailing fiery kisses down his jaw to the curve of his neck. He bit, then soothed with his tongue, marking him with heat and intention.
His hands explored greedily, fingers dragging down Luren's back, gripping his waist, then sliding back up to his chest and stomach. Every touch was rough with desire,
every kiss a promise of more.
Luren arched into him with a sharp gasp, nails digging into Craige's shoulders, his
body trembling, not from the cold, but from the storm Craige was unleashing inside him.
Lurens gasped sharply as Craige's mouth latched onto his left nipple, licking and
sucking with a hunger that sent waves of heat rushing through his body. His
other nipple was claimed by Craige's hand, fingers expertly rolling and massaging, driving him mad with pleasure.
A raw moan tore from Lurens' throat as he gripped Craige's hair, yanking him closer, his
back arching instinctively to offer more. His skin burned with every touch, his breath ragged, trembling between pain and ecstasy.
His moans echoed through the forest, wild, needy, unrestrained.
---
Cassian and Gab reached the cave hidden behind the waterfall. The chill in the air bit into their skin, and the spray from the falling water clung to them like mist. Gab shivered, wrapping his arms tightly around himself, as if trying to hold together everything that was falling apart inside.
"I'm sorry for what I did," Gab began, his voice barely above a whisper. He couldn't bring himself to meet Cassian's eyes. The weight of guilt sat heavy on his chest. He
already knew what was coming, Cassian would cast him aside, and maybe that was
what he deserved. Perhaps resigning first would at least let him keep the last shreds of his pride.
"I want to thank you… for accepting me, for helping me all these years," he continued, his voice trembling. "I was just an illegitimate son of a baron, a nobody… and yet, you took me in, as your aide, and as your friend. I'm sorry I broke that trust."
His head dropped, and tears streamed silently down his cheeks, falling to the cold, damp stone beneath them. His chest ached with a sorrow he hadn't prepared for. He
hadn't realized that saying goodbye, leaving him, would hurt this much.
"I shouldn't have done it. I knew how much you hated that kind of betrayal," he murmured, still unable to look up.
"I'll finish my duties... then I'll hand you my resignation, Your Grace," he added, his voice cracking slightly at the title he hadn't used in years, one that now felt like a wall between them. Cassian had always insisted he call him by name.
"Who said you could resign?" Cassian's voice rang out, firm, commanding. "Look at me, Gabrielle."
Gab froze, trembling. His breath hitched. Slowly, hesitantly, he raised his tear-filled
eyes, but before he could fully look up, Cassian's hand lifted his chin.
And when their eyes met… time stopped.
Gab's breath caught in his throat. The fire in Cassian's gaze was not just anger, it was pain, betrayal, longing. It made Gab's knees weak. The intensity in those emerald eyes pierced straight through him, pulling out every buried feeling he'd tried to suppress.
"Then what do y—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Cassian silenced him with a sudden, desperate kiss.
Their lips met in a clash of confusion and longing, a kiss that searched not for pleasure, but for answers.
"Cass?!" Gab pulled back, eyes wide with disbelief. "You don't have to do this. I know
you like women… please, don't force yourself," he said, voice trembling, pain
and doubt etched across his face. He wiped the tears escaping down his cheeks with the back of his hand, trying to smile through the ache in his chest.
But even as they kissed, Gab felt no spark, not the overwhelming tide of emotion he once felt for Cassian. His heart ached with the clarity of that realization.
"Thank you," he whispered softly, pressing his hand gently against Cassian's chest and
pushing him back. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, each step echoing in the cave like a farewell.
Just before he reached the mouth of the cave, Cassian rushed forward and wrapped his arms tightly around him from behind. Gab froze, feeling the familiar warmth surround him.
"I still don't know what I feel," Cassian murmured against his back, his voice raw. "But I don't hate it… kissing you, holding you. What I hate most… is the thought of not seeing you. I want you by my side, like always."
Gab's body tensed. Memories surged, of stolen glances, unspoken words, quiet sacrifices. Cassian had once asked him to stay… even while marrying a duchess. And Gab had stayed, heart breaking silently for the man he loved.
"Are you planning to marry again and keep me as your aide?" Gab asked, voice heavy with restrained pain. His heart teetered between hope and heartbreak.
"No," Cassian whispered, pressing his forehead against Gab's shoulder. "You know I married her only because I needed an heir. But now… I need you. Stay with me.
Help me understand what I feel for you."
Gab turned slowly, eyes glossy with tears that now fell freely. The burden he carried for
so long lifted slightly from his chest.
"Are you sure… you're okay with being with me?" Gab asked softly, searching Cassian's
face, needing more than vague promises.
Cassian gazed at him, his expression open, vulnerable. "We've always been together,
haven't we?"
"You know that's not what I mean," Gab said, his voice barely above a whisper. He needed
to know, was he being accepted as a
companion… or as a lover?
Cassian reached out and gently wiped the tears from Gab's face. For the first time, he
truly saw him, the pain, the devotion, the beauty in his vulnerability.
"I didn't know a man's tears could look this beautiful," Cassian said tenderly, tracing
Gab's jawline with his thumb, letting it glide over his lips, slowly parting them.
"You're beautiful," he breathed, before leaning in again, this time with no hesitation.
Their lips met once more, but it was different now. Fierce. Hungry. Full of need and
silent promises. Cassian's hand cradled Gab's cheek as the kiss deepened, tongues tangling in a desperate rhythm. He sucked on Gab's lower lip, drawing out a soft moan that echoed against the cave walls like music in the silence.
Gab's fingers curled into Cassian's shirt, his body responding despite the ache in his chest. Their breaths were uneven, shared between gasps and kisses, hearts racing and souls trembling.
In that cave, beneath the weight of unspoken years, two men stood at the edge of
something terrifying and real and kissed like it was the only truth they had left.