Page 17 of Go Deep

“It must have been hard to lose your dad like that.”

Gabe sinks into a chair across from me, his fingertips still rubbing the polished wood. “I lost him long before he died.”

I swallow hard. Don’t I kind of feel the same way about my own father? “How do you mean?”

Gabe shrugs. “He didn’t support my lifestyle. Didn’t accept that I wasn’t the son he thought he’d raised. He blamed himself for me being gay. Thought it was his fault I became a deviant.” He lets out a humorless laugh. “His words.”

I stop myself from saying anything because I have so many questions. Here is a guy who was strong enough to face the hate, and I’m the guy who keeps burying himself deeper and deeper into a pit of lies because I’m weak.

“You did what you felt was right. You’re a real inspiration, Gabe. To so many people who can’t let down their guard.”

“Yeah, I’m sure everyone wants to be just like me.” He lets out a dry laugh and collapses against the back of the chair. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to unload on you like that. I don’t want to waste your time listening to my problems. Can we get started? You promised me your top analyst, right? The one who’s going to revive my dead positions and make me a ton of cash?”

A forced smile lifts his lips, but I’m still reeling from his words. The urge to learn more about the man sitting in front of me grabs hold. I want so badly to peel back his many layers and meet the person inside, the one who I sense is still hiding, ironically, since he recently exposed himself to the world. Whatever had been consuming Gabe’s thoughts a moment ago is now forgotten. At least, that’s what he tries to make me believe.

But I know it’s still there, lurking in the depths of his mind.

And I’m haunted by the same tortured thoughts.

“That’s right. And you’re looking at him.”

Gabe’s eyes light up and he sits up straight in the chair. For the first time since I walked into this room, he looks hopeful. Because of me. A rush of heat floods my groin as his lips curl upward.

“I thought you were too busy.”

I am, for anyone buthim. “I had a cancelation.”

“Someone dared to cancel on the all-powerful finance guru?”

“It’s not my money, therefore, it’s not my problem.” I spread the papers on the table.

“So you do let people slip inside?” The smooth as silk Gabe Kelly has just commanded the room, replacing his brooding alter ego. And damn, if I’m not turned on by the switch.

The blood in my veins has long since thawed, and now it’s damn-near boiling and pumping so fast and hard, my heartmay just explode out of my chest. “Not as often as you’d think.”

He leans forward, his hand creeping across the table, so close to mine. I close my fingers around my Montblanc pen, tight enough to turn the tips white.

Relax, Vince. He’s hurting about something. This is all a game, a way for him to compartmentalize the pain. He doesn’t mean the things he’s saying. It’s harmless. Get a fucking grip.

“But sometimes?” His deep voice makes my toes curl in my wingtips, and I grip my pen tighter.

I nod, my insides melting under his smoldering gaze like a pat of butter hitting a hot frying pan.

Oh fuck, it’s happening…stop him now, dammit!

We’ve done a U-turn away from “harmless” and are barreling full speed into “hazardous.”

He sits back with a smile and holds up a bottle of water he just grabbed from the center of the table. “Glad to see not everyone thinks I’m a lost cause.”

I open my mouth, planning to explain the investment strategy, but the words I’m searching for are stampeded by much more forbidden ones that should never have tumbled out.

But they do. Because I let them.

“You look like you can use something stronger than that water. Why don’t we grab lunch?”

Holy shit, did I just ask him out? I’m so fucked.

“Is that a service you reserve for your VIP clients?”

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