Page 59 of Go Deep

The buzzing finally stops. I put the phone back on the bar and lean forward into my hands, my shoulders slouching.

“Gabe Kelly. I knew it was you.”

A seductive male voice hits my ear, smooth as syrup and full of sinful promise. I slowly turn to see a tall guy with green eyes and thick, longish caramel-colored hair that’s styled to look like he just rolled out of bed.

His gaze tells me he wants to roll back into it.

With me.

I tilt back my glass and drain what’s left of it before giving him a hard stare. I know his type. Groupie football fuckboy.

The perfect distraction.

He takes a seat next and scoots his stool close to me. I breathe him in. Damn, he smells good. Like…manly good.

“You’re a superstar in these parts,” he says in a husky voice.

“I’m a superstar in all parts.” I snicker and raise the full shot the bartender just served me to my lips.

“So you really are a cocky asshole.” The guy moves in closer. “I’ve heard that a lot.”

“And you still came over here.”

“Well, you’re a hot as fuck cocky asshole.” The guy leans in close, his lips brushing against the side of my head. “I’m Dex.”

I grin stupidly.

Dex. Rhymes with?—

Fuck.

I can’t do this. I don’t want a distraction. I want Vince.

I sit up straight on the bar stool, careful to grab onto the bar before I end up on my ass. The glass revolving door opens over Dex’s shoulder. Vince walks in with his phone stuck to his ear. Kim is beside him with a pouty look on her face. She flips her hair over her shoulder, pushes past him, and stomps over to the elevator. After she stabs the Up button, she turns to roll her eyes at Vince, who’s still on the phone. He looks up for a hot second, startled as if he feels me watching him, and turns his head toward the bar.

Lust clenches my heart when his dark eyes smolder in my direction. There’s so much in that look. The heat of his stare sears my insides from across the room.

I hate the way I look at him and the way only he can make my heart thrash in my chest like I’ve just sprinted for a touchdown. I hate how much I want to tear out Kim’s bleached-blonde extensions because she gets to drape herself all over him in public and in private. But most of all I hate that I opened myself up to rejection again because it hurts. So fucking badly.

And all I really want is to be happy, to give myself every chance to live the life of my dreams. Football is so much of it, but the sport alone can’t fill every void.

Irecoil and shake my head at Dex. “I’m sorry. I’ve got to go.” I pull some bills out of my wallet and drop them on the bar.

The hotel lobby spins a little bit as I cross the floor toward the front desk. I steady myself with the marble countertop.

The young guy behind the desk smiles at me. “Mr. Kelly, how can I help you?”

“I need a room number for Vince Castro. He’s my financial advisor and I have a few things to discuss with him.”

The guy furrows his brow. “If he’s your advisor, why don’t you know his room number?”

“He left the stadium before I could ask him.”

“So why don’t you just text him?”

I clench my fists. “Look, just tell me what it is, okay?”

“Well, I’m not supposed to give out that information.”

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