Page 37 of Devotion

Silly tears have started streaming down my face as I stare down at the piece of paper. “I can’t believe this. It’s… it’s like a miracle.”

“I used a few connections to get him the job, but he’ll have to hold it on his own. If he can’t do the work, they won’t keep him on.”

“He can do the work.”

“Okay, good.” Gabriel searches my face. “Why are you so surprised? I told you I’d take care of it.”

“I know.” I gulp. “But I didn’t think it was… it was possible. For him to move up to a desk job.”

“Evidently it’s not done very often, but if he can do the work, why shouldn’t he have the job?”

I nod. Then I wrap my arms around my chest, hugging myself in an attempt to not burst into tears. “Thank you so much. I can’t believe it.”

His expression is briefly uncomfortable. “It’s not a big deal. Just took a couple of conversations. You told me it was my responsibility to take care of you, so that’s what I’m doing. You shouldn’t be surprised about it.”

“I really appreciate it. Can we send the messenger now?”

An hour later,the messenger returns with a response from my father, confirming he received the information and he’ll be at the workplace first thing in the morning. He also thanks Gabriel very sincerely, but when I read the note out loud to him, Gabriel just shrugs it off.

“I don’t need all this thanking. I didn’t do that much.”

He changed the course of life for my entire family, but he probably already knows that. So I don’t argue.

Gabriel does only an hour’s more work until he starts drifting off again into that exhausted daze. When I suggest he take a shower and go to bed early, I really don’t expect him to agree.

But he does.

It’s oddly thrilling. That he’s listening to me. That he’s letting me make him feel better.

He’s in the shower for a lot longer than normal, but he finally comes out in the soft, loose sleep shorts he always wears to bed.

The fabric is very thin. It leaves nothing to the imagination.

When my eyes make an automatic detour down the attractive, masculine lines of his body, I give a little twitch of surprise when I notice that his cock is hard again.

“I have no idea what’s wrong with me,” he says, evidently seeing that I’ve noticed. “I’m so tired I’m about to fall over, so what the hell does my dick think is supposed to happen right now?”

I giggle at his dry, clever tone. I like that he’s not at all embarrassed about it. “Why don’t you lie down in bed and I’ll do you again real quick. You’re never going to be able to sleep with all that going on.”

He gives a huff of amusement and walks over to his bed. “You sure? You already did your job for the day.”

“My job is not just one quick session. I can take care of you as many times as you need.” As soon as he’s pulled back the covers and stretched out on the soft sheet, I climb onto the bed too, kneeling beside him.

“Thank you,” he murmurs, closing his eyes as I gently pull down his shorts and retrieve his hard cock.

I lean over and take him in my mouth.

It’s strange, doing this for him in the bed. We’ve never done it anywhere except his desk chair. It feels intense. Oddly vulnerable. I have to lean all the way over to get into the right position.

Maybe it’s simply because he’s so tired, but Gabriel seems equally adrift. He holds my head with one hand, but his other arm is stretched out on the mattress, fumbling restlessly with the bedding. He groans just as uninhibitedly as he did earlier as I suck hard and bob my head. It’s like he’s too tired to maintain his normal control. As he approaches orgasm, he starts bucking his hips up into my mouth.

He wants to fuck. It’s so clear to me. It takes some effort to keep from gagging as I adapt my motion to his, letting him get as deep as I can manage.

He doesn’t last long. He’s coming before I know to expect it. Fortunately, he doesn’t have much ejaculate since he came acouple of hours ago. He’s still moaning with carnal satisfaction as I swallow down what I can and keep sucking until his shaft is fully soft in my mouth.

He’s moved his other hand back to hold my head now, keeping me in place as he rocks and shakes through the final aftershocks. “Fuck, baby,” he mumbles. “That was so good.”

He’s never called me that before. No one uses that endearment anymore. At least no one I’ve ever heard. I’ve read it in books though. It’s weirdly old-fashioned. A remnant from the old world. But for some reason that makes it feel special.

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