Zude awoke after a full night's sleep feeling well-rested and secure than he remembered ever being. His arms were wrapped around Jude's waist their feet tangled and awareness came to him that he hadn't dreamed the details of last night.

That was a good awareness.

He closed his eyes reminiscing the details of their steamy night. When he opened his eyes he found Jude awake. With messy bed hair, open clear brown eyes watching him and his stomach did a summersault at the sight of his lovely face and sexy lips.

Jude had woken up with no memories of dreaming last night, he liked the feeling of less dreams. Because dreams for him were mostly nightmares that made him worry about their meaning behind in one form or the other.

"Morning love." Zero's husky voice fell like a sweet melody on Jude's ears.

"I can't believe you slept in here," Jude mumbled, trying not to think about awful he must've woken up looking. After they'd fell asleep after having sex together - twice. Each time more explosive and bonding than the last.

Zero brushed a strand of hair off Jude's smooth cheek, with a gentle caress. So gentle a lump formed in Jude's throat.

"I can't believe you wanted to kick me out right after we had sex." He pulled Jude's body closer to his and kissed his forehead "But I'm glad I didn't listen to you."

However Jude was determined to keep the morning light and carefree to prove to himself and to Gideon that last night was nothing more than a one night stand.

Or in guys' terms...an easy lay.

No matter how slow and personal intimate their night was.

He winced at the notion but forced a smile "What do you say I put something together for breakfast?" he asked sliding out of his arms and missing his warmth immediately.

Zero pulled him back into bed and started kissing on him. Long, deep and so sensual it was arousing Jude's still sensitive body all over again.

"Mhm," Jude protested the distraction. Placing a hand over Zero's firm chest and stood away from the bed. Repeating himself in a paraphrase, "I'll go prepare some breakfast for you."

Gideon leaned back arms crossed behind his head, with a winning smile. "Dinner the other night, breakfast morning after sex. Careful Jude or you'll spoil me." He winked in a way that made Jude feel all desired and appreciated.

"You're just lucky I'm willing to include you in whatever I make." Ignoring his state of undress wasn't all too easy and so was hiding his arousal but he forced himself to the closet for something to cover up and left for the shower first. Where he emerged fresh and fully dressed which disappointed Gideon a bit. Then he went for the door but before he reached the door he turned back and asked: "Can I ask you something personal?"

He nodded warily.

"Did you call Sam back?"

He drew a long breath then exhaled "Not yet."

"Well, maybe you should." Jude hated advocating that the man he'd just slept with establish contact with his ex. But he kind of felt shitty for bedding a guy who didn't seem to be all that over his ex. He turned to go, twisting the Victorian Gold door handle.

"Jude?"

He pivoted, heart, pounding in his chest "Yea?"

His gaze velvety soft met his then shook his head "Nothing."

Gideon watched Jude leave with a yearning heart.

An hour later he was sat across the window in the kitchen where Jude had left him to eat on his own as he took the animals for a walk before work.

Gideon never lost awareness, last night had been a surreal night in many ways than just the smashing. From the mind-blowing sex they'd shared, to the trust he'd allowed him by sharing his deepest secret and biggest shame, to the connection he'd felt buried in him.

Sex was nothing new to Gideon, though he'd grown more discriminating and even more careful with age. Feeling while doing it and enjoying it immensely was something else though and man had he felt last night with Jude Reynolds.

But he refused to let himself be suckered by emotion.

Last time he'd let emotion take over it turned out to be gasoline on fire for his heart and head. Which is why he stopped himself before he'd said something stupid to Jude. Something mushy like a boyfriend would. Something that would indicate he wanted Jude all to himself and exclusively in monogamous terms.

He reached over the counter and picked up his phone, then punched in some numbers. The phone rang twice before "Hello?" Sam's chipper voice answered.

His voice irritated him and he clenched his jaw "I heard you called?"

"Gideon! Hi, it's been a span?"

He exhaled hard, folding a hand behind his head as he stared at the high kitchen ceiling. "Just tell me what you want or I'm hanging up."

"Money." He said quickly "I need money Mi Amore."

He narrowed his gaze "You got plenty in the settlement and I even went above and beyond with enough even for you to keep shut."

Silence followed for a while before Sam spoke again. "It's not easy for someone with my intelligence to admit this but, I've run up some high credit. I need help or I wouldn't be asking you. I mean do you think it's easy for me to come to you? I legit have a double degree in teaching and art. So give me a break because like I said, it's not easy for me to come to you if all people."

"No, I'm sure it's not. Give me time to think about it ok?" as much as he resented Sam he couldn't help but pity him for he sounded desperate.

"You're thee best Gideon. If you ever do get back into dating I bet you'd make someone's dream daddy." Sam laughed.

Gideon didn't find it funny, nor did he like being called that word.

Sam continued "On a serious note though, I'm pleased we can put the past behind us."

Gideon wondered; had he said he'd forgive and forget? As usual, Sam heard what he wanted and went with it.

He heard the steps of Jude puttering around in the kitchen entrance just as his phone screen lit with another incoming call from his parents home office. Neither of these negative forces in his life could dim the thrill of Jude being in his home nor his dumbass grin thinking about Jude.

"Listen I really have to go ok." He cut the call as he strode to the other side of the massive kitchen and settled himself in another chair beside Jude.

He glanced at his cereal choice "Dry cereal?" he asked.

Jude shrugged with a bright, ridiculously gorgeous smile that was as much contagious. Zero couldn't help it he stole a peck at the corners of Jude's lips and soon they settled on the topic about the lodge and PR.

A few minutes onto the topic and Gideon slashed a hand through the air to emphasize his point "No I'm not doing an expose on my life."

Jude narrowed his eyes at the player and he could read that look very well.

Zero managed to put some of his thoughts into words, "Listen you're thinking numbers and all I'm thinking about are the repercussions at home. If a kid admits they can't learn like everyone else. Trust me it's better to pretend you don't like school than be laughed at for being stupid."

"I don't buy your theory, it's limiting every kid to a single experience. You're assuming every family with a similar case will react the way yours did."

"Maybe but I'm suggesting that I don't force the issue."

Jude rolled his eyes as he rose from his seat "It sounds like you're running Gideon."

Gideon turned soft at the sound of his name off Jude's tongue; he ran his fingers through his hair not caring if this would make him seem mushy "I called. Sam." He paused to search Jude's eyes and carried on "He only wanted money."

"Oh?" is all Jude said as he cowered his head slightly.

"I told him I'd think about it. Should I?" Gideon asked

Jude laughed a defeated, humoured laugh and crossed his hands over his chest. "Why the hell would you even ask me that?"

"Last night we...." Zero started.

"Had sex one time." Jude finished.

Zero slid his iPhone across the marble counter to count on his long fingers. "One. Two. Three...uhm yea three. We had sex not once but three times last night."

Jude rolled his eyes as he got up, "Like I said, it was just sex."

Zero smiled and pulled Jude by the waist flat against him "The thing is..." his sentence was cut short again when his doorbell rang off.

Cursing under his breath he hit the intercom on the phone near the wall. "Who is it?"

"Get the hell out here and let me inside the damn house boy." Carl Morgan ordered with the ferocity of a drill sergeant and a man used to getting his way no questions asked.

At the sound of the man's voice, Gideon's stomach plummeted he hadn't been expecting the man and from the look of his nephew's eyes neither had he.

The last thing Gideon thought of and needed whilst buried inside his romantic feelings. For Jude Reynolds was for his hurricane of an Uncle to stroll in and find out that he had literally fucked his beloved nephew.

"F!ck" he cursed silently.