Fall Beside You

By Riley Parks

HARD KNOCKS

Gideon Valsecchi had done the impossible when he busted out of the grueling poverty and pre-ordained existence his life had been on the South Side of Chicago. His free ride at college is the stepping stone to a career with a professional soccer team. And when his dream comes true it's not what he expects—sacrifice shouldn't taste this bitter, especially when the love of his life is what he's missing and can't seem to hold on to.

Elijah Tucker wants to give Gideon Valsecchi the world on a silver platter. And he has the means to do it. But Eli is learning the truth of the maxim that the way you hold onto the thing you want most is to let it go. And while his heart breaks into a thousand pieces, he doesn't come apart even when the worst happens. Because, even as cliché as it sounds...true love does find a way.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group
• Release date: Jun 26, 2018
• ISBN: 9781948029278

Book preview

Chapter One

Gideon knew that there were worse things in life than waking up in the middle of the night, alone in his boyfriend’s king-size bed. It wasn’t as though he’d lived a charmed life prior to his fateful run-in with Elijah Tucker two years earlier, but it was incredible how easy it was for Gideon to forget his prior struggles. He was busy as hell attending college, playing soccer, and being spoiled rotten by his realtor boyfriend, who was head-over-heels in love, and entirely obsessed with him. If he ruminated too long on the way that affection had changed him, he’d want to punch himself in the face, so he tried not to give it much thought. Instead, he focused on how cold his feet were and the fact that there were no warm shins beside him to tuck them under.

Elijah hated that Gideon stayed in the dorms Monday through Thursday nights during soccer season, even though it made the most sense with his insane practice schedule. He had two-a-days every weekday, games on Fridays, and sporadic practices over the weekend. Eli dealt out a fair amount of shit to Gideon for being so stingy, and he gave a good amount back to Elijah for being so needy. That was probably why he got so goddamn frustrated when Eli took calls from foreign buyers in the middle of the night. It was easy for him to have expectations when it was Gideon who needed to make the sacrifices, but when it came to devoting twelve straight hours to them time without worrying about work, Elijah wasn’t able to do it.

Sleepily, Gideon opened the drawer in the nightstand, grabbed a few of his things, went to the closet to fetch the apparatus, and padded over the hardwood floors into the dimly lit great room. He caught sight of his boyfriend, holding an iPad up by his face as he twisted to his laptop that was sitting on the couch beside him. He’d thrown on a light blue collared shirt, but remained in his boxer briefs and was careful not to let the camera fall below his waist. When he saw Gideon approaching, Elijah gave his boyfriend a minute shake of the head, a warning that he better not do what Eli knew Gideon was going to do. But he persisted, unfazed.

Already stark naked and mostly stretched from the hard fucking Elijah had given him hours before, Gideon placed the saddle onto the gray couch across from where Elijah was sitting and swiped a good amount of lube over his crack.

"As far as price per square foot goes, the Madison property is on par with the comps, but it lacks the certain je ne sais quoi that the loft in TriBeCa affords. It’s rare in that neighborhood to have a car lift and garage in the penthouse. Comparables won’t be able to reflect that, so when it comes to resale, you set the price and the precedent," Elijah explained into his headset, glaring at Gideon as he continued to set up the sex machine.

It had taken Gideon one off-handed mention of the standing vibrator a few months before to have Elijah running out to purchase it, figuring that a thousand dollars was a steal if he got to watch his hot-ass boyfriend ride it.

As Gideon untangled the extension cord and plugged it into the outlet under the kitchen countertop, he heard Elijah request that his client, Please hold on for a moment. Gideon peered at Eli as he fumbled to mute the Skype call, and smirked when he asked, Baby, what are you doing?

You know what I’m doing, Gideon replied, holding the remote control with one hand and spreading his cheeks with the other as he mounted the flesh-colored dildo. I woke up wanting to ride and you weren’t there, so I gotta take care of myself.

Give me ten minutes and I’ll take care of you, Elijah promised.

This shit will only take five. Gideon shrugged, biting his lip as he took in the tip. Through his half-closed eyelids, he could see the jealousy on his boyfriend’s face and grinned at the fact that even inanimate objects touching him drove Elijah absolutely crazy.

Just let me get off with them, okay? Elijah asked, rubbing his fingers over his scruffy face as Gideon bottomed out on the fuck machine.

How about we see who gets off first? Gideon challenged, turning the machine on low so it wouldn’t be too loud when Elijah continued the call.

Gideon closed his eyes and relished in the vibrations that worked through his body. Fuck, he moaned, his voice wavering with the reverberations, I bet it’s me. He let his head fall back and bit his lip as shocks of pleasure shot from his prostate to every one of his limbs. Elijah, he groaned, it feels so fucking good.

And it did. He clenched his ass around the artificial dick as he pushed his legs up and let them sink down. Using his thighs, he continued the squats and release, using his free hand to tug roughly on his cock.

Mr. Yokoshiro, Elijah greeted, taking the iPad off mute. I did a bit more research and was able to identify three more properties that fit your needs. How about I send them over to you in the next thirty minutes, and you can take your time reviewing them, then we can reconvene in a few hours?

It sounds as though someone wants to get his beauty rest, the man on the other end of the screen teased.

Something like that. Elijah laughed as he watched Gideon increase the intensity of the vibrator that was pummeling his ass. As he shifted uncomfortably, Elijah’s gaze was locked on Gideon’s bobbing and bouncing dick while his body shook from the sensation.

Gideon continued to put on a show, licking his lips wantonly as he leaned forward, causing the rod to drill into his sweet spot again and again. He bit hard into his fist to quiet his cries as he focused on Elijah.

Elijah hurried off the call, tossed his iPad and headphones to the side, and ripped off his shirt as he closed the small space between them. Really? he demanded, grasping Gideon’s neck as Eli slotted his mouth against Gideon’s.

He tilted his head back as much as he could and moaned into his man’s mouth. I needed you and you weren’t there.

Stop, Elijah ordered, staring down at Gideon lustfully as he grabbed the remote out of his hand and turned the vibrator off. That call was important.

So’s this orgasm, Gideon replied, slowly unseating himself from the saddle. What are you paying Kieran and Bryce for if you’re still having to take three a.m. calls?

I’m so fucking busy, G. Believe me, their plates are full, too. Elijah placed his palms on the sides of Gideon’s face and kissed him down to the couch. Hands and knees, baby, I’ll turn you out.

Gideon did as he was told, arching his back to present his ass to his lover, who was frantically yanking off his boxer briefs.

So perfect, Elijah complimented, using his thumb to probe Gideon’s hole. Pushing the muscles down, Gideon felt Eli spit into the gape and then double spanked an ass cheek.

A loud bang had Gideon swinging his head around and exclaiming, What the fuck? when he saw that Elijah kicked the saddle off the couch.

You’re lucky I didn’t throw it off the balcony, he said matter-of-factly. I don’t want you ever taking out that shit again to do your man’s job.

My man’s too busy with his other job, Gideon taunted, looking over his shoulder at Elijah and raising an eyebrow. If he was laying it down in the bedroom, I wouldn’t have had to ride a dildo.

Is that right? Elijah practically growled, giving Gideon a hard spank on the ass. I made you cum twice tonight. I’m not sleeping on shit.

Sorry I wore you out, Pops. If two’s your max now I can always jump back on the saddle.

Elijah squeezed Gideon’s face so his lips pushed out like a fish, at the same time he felt Eli’s cock lay against his entry. Eli spread Gideon’s legs a little wider than usual so Eli could mount him higher, Eli’s legs squatting on either side of Gideon’s hips.

You’re gonna do it like that, huh? Gideon smirked, glad his goading had earned him the hard fucking he was looking for.

I’m gonna do it like that, Eli confirmed, grasping around Gideon’s neck as he positioned his cock into his ass. Elijah began to pile-drive into him, hunching down to kiss his lips as Eli snapped his hips.

You needed it, didn’t you, baby? My little slut.

Yeah, I needed it, Gideon cried as his boyfriend ravaged his ass. Craning his neck to watch Elijah as best as he could with most of his face being shoved into the leather couch, Gideon admired the way the city lights beyond the wall of windows danced in the distance. Need you.

Tell me, Elijah demanded, delivering a succession of jabs to his lover’s prostate.

Always make me feel so good, Gideon crooned, gasping when Elijah clenched a handful of his hair and pulled forcefully. Nothing and nobody will ever make me feel like you do.

That’s fucking right, Eli promised. No man or machine will ever handle you like I do. He grabbed onto Gideon’s cock and tugged along with the rhythm he’d established as he rode his ass. I’m so crazy about you, G. I love you so fucking much.

I’m gonna cum, oh fuck, I’m gonna cum, Gideon chanted as his body shook and spasmed through his orgasm. Elijah’s strong hands pushed up Gideon’s back as Eli’s soft lips peppered kisses onto the crest of Gideon’s shoulder. Breathlessly, he asked, Are you gonna bust?

Nah, Eli replied, carefully pulling out. Dumped it all earlier.

That was so good, Gideon sighed, turning around to press a series of sweet kisses onto his boyfriend’s lips. Now, come to bed.

I have to send those three properties I promised to Yokoshiro, Elijah replied apologetically, heading back to his laptop.

Are you serious?

Very.

Rolling his eyes, Gideon stalked over to pick up his lover’s cell phone and shot off a text to his best friend.

Elijah (3:46am): Get up U lazy sack of shit. I’m trying to go to sleep and UR boss is busy doing the grunt work U should be doing.

Bryce (3:49am): It seems I’m receiving a text from my boss’s nagging wife right now. Am I correct in this assumption?

Elijah (3:51am): Fuck U. He’s gonna call U in a min and tell U what U gotta do.

Bryce (3:52am): I’m waiting with bated breath.

Gideon tossed the phone into Elijah’s lap. Call him and tell him what to do.

You’re a handful, Elijah chided, seeming to be at least partially amused by Gideon’s gall. He touched his phone a couple of times and put the call on speaker so Gideon could hear it ring.

You got big hands, Gideon called nonchalantly as he walked toward the bedroom.

He knew Elijah would be right on his tail.

Chapter Two

Elijah barely showed up to his own open houses anymore, recognizing that Kieran and Bryce were more than capable of representing him appropriately. Though it had been difficult for him to loosen the reins a bit, he knew that delegating more and busting his ass less would be better for him in the long run. According to his boyfriend, who was endlessly giving him shit about his micromanaging, Elijah still had a long way to go. Luckily, Gideon had understood the importance of him showing up to today’s particular open house and hadn’t popped off about it, even though he didn’t have practice that day.

It had been nearly impossible for Elijah to peel himself away from Gideon to get ready. His man had woken him up by giving him some bomb-ass head before riding him into the mattress. The soccer player may not have used his words to tell Elijah he had wanted him to stay, but he sure as hell had used his body. Eli hoped Gideon would still be lying in the bed where Eli had left him by the time he got home.

As he walked the few short blocks to the building where the open house would be held, Elijah smoked a cigarette and attempted to calm his flaring nerves. It wasn’t like he was new to the game; he’d been working in real estate for a while. There was no doubt in his mind that he’d be able to get done what he needed to do, but it didn’t lessen the anxiety he felt knowing he had to get there at a rate that would be awe-inspiring to his extremely impressive client.

Elijah had been expeditious in selling a few of the other units in the building, but he needed the sale of this particular apartment to be the pinnacle. He was fortunate that the apartment was gorgeous, with contemporary lines and walls of glass. Walking down the hallway from the impressive entry toward the main living area, Elijah double-checked that everything he passed was in order and presented in the best possible light. He was glad to see Bryce was busy at work in the kitchen doing the same.

Happy Saturday, Bryce greeted as he arranged an impressive bouquet of cherry red angelonias in a vase on the stainless-steel countertop.

Those look great, Elijah complimented, appreciating the contrast of the flowers in the mostly white kitchen. Is Kieran picking up the muffins and hibiscus orange juice from FIG?

Yup. I put strawberries on the glasses, Bryce said, gesturing to the rows of champagne glasses he’d set on the island, each adorned with a berry. And the champagne is chilling in the refrigerator.

He should be back already. Elijah frowned. I don’t want him walking in here with boxes when the agents arrive.

I’m guessing he’ll be here any minute.

And I’m guessing he’s more interested in chatting up Amaya than checking his watch.

Grumpy, grumpy, Bryce noted, clicking his tongue. I would say you need to get laid, but I know for a fact that you got laid last night, so it’s not a lack of sex.

Come on now, Bryce, it’s never a lack of sex. Elijah grinned as memories of his brazen boyfriend’s show the night before flashed through his mind. I need today to be seamless.

Why nervous, though? You’ve sold places triple this price.

Triple the price but not as valuable. I wasn’t kidding when I said I want it under contract today.

In what market? Bryce joked. I mean, it’s not likely, right? Things aren’t moving that quickly.

For other agents, Elijah reminded him, not for us. This is a test. Mr. Brewster wants to see how we perform with this before he gives us the honeypot.

His pussy? Bryce questioned, confused.

What?

Honeypot is totally a pussy.

No it’s not. It’s like, the spoils you’re working toward.

Which is legit for anyone who fucks with women and that’s what they’re working toward, Bryce replied with a cheeky grin. He pointed to the smile Elijah was trying to hide. That was a good one. You have to give it to me. That was top tier.

Middle tier, Elijah relented.

So tell me about the honeypot.

As far as we’re concerned, it’s an exclusive contract for high-rise condos on Lakeshore. A million dollars for each of the ten units on the first floor, increasing incrementally as you get higher.

Holy shit.

Yeah, so this has to go well. Eli glanced at the oversized blown-glass door and sighed. I’m anxious.

I can see that. Why don’t you go for a walk, grab a smoke, and by the time you get back, this place will be all set up and ready to go.

All right. Elijah nodded, patting his suit to make sure his cigarettes were in its interior pocket. I’ll be back in ten.

We got this, Boss Daddy, Bryce assured with two enthusiastic thumbs-up.

I told you not to… Elijah’s voice trailed off when he realized it wasn’t worth protesting anymore. At work, his assistant called him Boss Daddy, which was, of course, strange, but over the past year Eli had grown more used to it than he’d expected to. As if the moniker wasn’t embarrassing enough, Bryce still referred to Elijah as daddy as fuck every time he did something nice for his boyfriend, which was…often.

Though he’d never admit it, Elijah couldn’t help but be oddly touched that Gideon’s best friend was such a fan and so supportive of their relationship. Elijah didn’t find it half-bad that when Bryce was privy to an argument Eli and Gideon were having, Bryce usually told his best friend he was being a dick, a much-appreciated gesture when dealing with the obstinate soccer player. Luckily, they’d been arguing less over the past year than they had the year before.

Their first year as a couple had been difficult. From Gideon’s reluctance to come out, to fears a relationship between them wouldn’t work, and the bullshit with Officer Millipede, it seemed there had always been something standing in the way of their happiness. They’d done the best they could to move past the stressful situations, but that hadn’t meant they hadn’t created more issues for themselves. Frequently the issue they fought about the most was time.

Though neither was willing to admit it, they were both needy as hell. Elijah was sure he was borderline obsessed with Gideon, wanting to be around him as much as humanly possible. He knew freshman year had been an adjustment for his boyfriend. Not only had Gideon been managing courses that were harder than he’d expected, but transitioning from high school to college soccer had presented its own challenges. Gideon was used to being a big fish in a little pond and hadn’t expected to fight for the position Coach Lumiere had recruited him to play. And while Gideon had earned his spot, it hadn’t been without a lot of extra practices, workouts, and excess stress. It was during that time that Gideon had enacted the sleepovers only happen on the weekend rule, which Elijah really fucking hated.

Supposedly it helped his boyfriend concentrate, but all Elijah could focus on was how much he missed Gideon when he wasn’t lying in bed wrapped up in his body. Gideon would still come over to fuck, eat, and chill, but he’d leave to go back to his dorm before it got too late, and it had been, and continued to be, brutal for Elijah. If it hadn’t been for Gideon’s own neediness, Elijah would have doubted that his man was as invested in the relationship as he was.

While Gideon had demonstrated the capability to muster significantly more self-control than Elijah had been regarding the time they’d spent together, his constant desire for affirmations of how important he was to Elijah proved that he was equally as smitten. Gideon lapped up every I miss you and I love you like it was a puddle of sustenance in the middle of the most arid desert.

Yet, he’d been reluctant to use his words to tell Elijah the same things, and still held back even after two years together. Elijah couldn’t deny he craved the verbal confirmation.

Walking on Lakeshore, Elijah let the chilly mid-October air cool his warm cheeks as he lit a cigarette. Letting the filter hang from his lips, he pulled out his phone to text Gideon.

Elijah (9:46am): You better still be in my bed when I get home.

Gideon (9:48am): Or what?

Elijah (9:49am): You don’t want to find out.

Gideon (9:49am): Maybe I do.

Elijah (9:50am): Just stay there. I’m stressed. You’re my relief.

Gideon (9:50am): Corny

Elijah (9:51am): Stay

Gideon (9:52am): I will if U come 2 the soccer party 2night

Gideon (9:53am): I’ll buy ur cup

Elijah (9:54am): lol where is it?

Gideon (9:54am): Benzo & Nate’s

Elijah (9:55am): Their basement smells like fish

Gideon (9:56am): It’s all the pussy they get

Elijah (9:56am): Ew

Gideon (9:57am): Will U come?

Elijah (9:57am): Will I cum?

Gideon (9:58am): Duh

Elijah had been to his fair share of house parties. Hell, when he was growing up, practically every night in the Tucker residence was a rager. It wasn’t that he felt like he was above the practice of drinking shitty beer out of red Solo cups in a dank basement, but his life had shifted so significantly from those days that it was vaguely uncomfortable to participate.

He’d grown much more accustomed to swanky dinner parties and luxurious brokers’ opens than to case races and crowded makeshift dance floors. And yet, he’d still attended most of the college parties Gideon had invited him to. At first, Eli worried that his boyfriend had begun including him out of obligation, so Eli had thought he was doing the right thing to turn him down, but quickly he learned that wasn’t the case when his man’s puffy pout became more pronounced, evidencing his disappointment.

Though it was strange to stand in a crowded living room surrounded by wasted co-eds rather than at a roof party with haughty uptown types, Eli showed up anyway because Gideon wanted him to. It wasn’t that he minded the time travel back to his teen years; in fact, it bothered him much less the more drunk his boyfriend got. In terms