Page 46 of Go Deep

His words are tinged with disappointment and my throat tightens.

The confession jumps around on my tongue, aching to launch itself right out of my mouth. Barely a few inches of space separate us. My fingertips tingle with the need to touch him — to trace over his taut jaw, the outline of his lips, and his perfectly sculpted pecs.

Our breaths mingle in the air. Lust fogs up my brain, that familiar sensation of sparks inspired by Gabe fires deep in my groin. Desire floods my body, the need to show him what he does to me overpowering every sane thought.

Where the hell can this go? I don’t even know what “this” is, much less how to handle it. Is it real, or am I just desperate for control wherever I can get it?

I have no fucking idea.

“It’s…complicated.”

That’s the fucking understatement of the century.

“Okay.” He squares his shoulders, his lips pulling into a tight line. “Then why did you agree to come home with me?”

I swallow hard. “You invited me.”

“That’s a bullshit cop-out if I ever heard one.” Gabe stares at me, deep blue pools of heat glowing under the dim street lamp in front of his place.

My skin prickles, a chill snaking over the back of my neck and down my spine. His lips are close enough to taste. I could just lean forward and capture them with my own, just like I’ve imagined so many times over the past couple of weeks. The sweet scent of his spearmint gum wafts under my nose. A shudder ripples through me, my cock tenting in my pants atthe thought of him stroking me, him teasing my slit with his tongue…

“Tell me the truth,” he rasps, his voice tight like he can see right through to my soul and every dirty fantasy I’ve logged in my Gabe Kelly highlight reel. “Why are you really here, Vince?”

The glimmer of hunger in his eyes tells me he already knows my answer.

Chapter 19

Gabe

Vince never moves his eyes away from my face. His silence tells me so much and nothing at the same time. Every agonizing second that passes sends my gut plummeting further into my Nikes. Then something flickers deep in his chocolate brown gaze and he inches closer to me, his strong masculine scent taunting me as I breathe him in deep.

I know I haven’t imagined this connection between us. It’s too strong to ignore…or fight against anymore.

A nagging thought nips at my brain. The girlfriend. She may not have been with him the other night at the restaurant, but he didn’t deny she exists.

But then there’s the flirty banter and longing looks — I definitely didn’t miss the deliciously brutal eye fucking he gave me back in the locker room.

What the hell does it all mean? And why won’t he just say what he’s thinking?

My blood bubbles, lust coursing through me like erotic wildfire as the seconds tick past. Just when I think my heartis about to bust out of my chest, the opening guitar riff for “Back In Black” jars me.

Saved by AC/DC.

Vince pulls his phone from his pocket, his brows knitting together when he glances down at the screen. “Hey,” he answers in a husky voice. “Everything okay?”

I catch the sound of a female voice, but her words are muffled. Probably best that I don’t hear what she’s saying. I never should have suggested we come here. What the hell was I thinking? Vince Castro isn’t gay. We have a common interest. Maybe he wants to hang out with me because it makes him feel closer to the game he loves so much.

That has to be it.

I let out a breath, my shoulders slumping. I run a hand through my hair and lean back against the wrought iron fence that lines the front of my property. I can’t breathe in his air anymore. I can’t let this whole insane fantasy twist my dick. If we’re gonna be friends, we’re gonna be friends.

He finally breaks his gaze, turning away from me. I wrap my fingers into tight fists and pound them into my thighs.

Fuck.

I can’t just be his friend.

Another minute passes, and he clicks to end his call.

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