One of the hardest things he had been dealing with, besides the flashbacks and nightmares, was his impulse control. Anything that allowed him to escape from his own thoughts, from his memories, was a possible addiction.
"You okay?"
Gabriel looked into Nick's eyes and could see that the other man knew exactly what he was doing. "You are such a bastard," he gritted out between clenched teeth. He could feel his nostrils flaring with each inhalation.
"Maybe. But you are much stronger than you think you are."
"So this was all a fucking test?"
Nick shrugged, sighed, and ran a hand through his hair, the confident air dropping for just a moment. "No Gabe, it wasn't. Fuck man, you could easily become just as much an addiction for me as I am for you. I like knowing you want to touch me, want to drop to your knees and suck my cock, but that you are stronger than the impulses attempting to drive you. I told you last night, I crave a submissive who is strong willed, but chooses to let me care for him. And every moment I spend with you, I find myself more and more drawn to you, until you're like a drug I need to survive."
Gabriel could feel tears welling in his eyes, but he fought them back. He wasn't about to cry like a pussy just because Nick made him feel like maybe, just maybe, some of the broken pieces of him could be put back together again.
