Page 81 of Go Deep

My throat tightens. Shit, here it comes.

“…I was actually happy. Keeping a secret like that must have been really painful. And I know I’m a big reason why you kept that closet door closed.” He squeezes my arm. “I love you, son. Every bit of you. And if some people can’t accept that, fuck them. There are plenty of people who will.”

“Thanks, Dad. But I don’t really give a shit about some people, only the one person I managed to drive away.”

He nods. “You were always good at that. But maybe you need to rebrand, too. You’ve always gone after what you want. And you always come out a winner, even after a big loss. You can do it again. Be like that phoenix.”

Eva waits for me in the hallway. “Just so you know, one of the nurses just told me there’s a whole gaggle of photographersoutside. They’re practically pawing at the windows of the Emergency Room waiting area, ready to pounce on you like a cat on a can of tuna.”

“Gross, I hate tuna.”

“Just be prepared.” She links her arm with mine, and I take a deep breath before shoving open the double doors.

Flashes pop through the glass, nearly blinding me. Security tries to corral the photogs and the press who managed to make it inside the revolving doors. I hold an arm over my eyes and walk fast past the doors until Eva stops short and nudges me.

I lower my arm, peering over the top.

My breath hitches.

Gabe stands in front of me. His expression is a mix of hunger, lust and…fuck me…love. He steps forward, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. “I came as soon as I saw the press conference. Is your dad okay?”

I nod, shocked into silence. My pulse leaps into my throat, preventing my mouth from forming words.

Eva releases my arm and moves away from us. Flashes still pop in my periphery. A hint of Gabe’s cologne swirls in the air and I breathe it in, letting it infuse me with everything that he is...everything I want and everything that I need.

God, I’ve missed him, and it’s only been hours.

I can’t be without him again.

“And the other thing you mentioned.” His lips curl into a half-smile. “I wanted to talk about that.”

“The thing about me being in love with you.”

“That’s the one.”

My skin prickles under his heated stare. “I meant it, and I wanted the world to know it. Even if you…even if you didn’t want me anymore because I was a colossal asshole who was too stupid to realize what he had right in front of him.”

“You were a colossal asshole.”

Eva snickers and quickly covers her mouth when I fire a glare at her. “Sorry, you were.”

“I’m still in love with you, so what does that say about me?” Gabe cocks his head to the side. “Not much, I guess.”

“Definitely not.” I close the space between us. “Fuck, you smell good. You make me want to do things to you. Very, very bad things.”

“Whoa, save that for later, please?” Eva shudders and claps her hands over her ears.

I grin and slide my hand over the back of Gabe’s head before pulling him close. I crush my lips against his, wrapping my other arm around his back. His muscles tense under my demanding grip. Our tongues twist and tangle together, hot, wet, coiling with lust and desire.

Somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind a loud cheer rising up around us registers. Not that it stops me from kissing the man I love. I drink him in, his normal pepperminty flavor dancing on my lips and tongue. Everything tingles, from the tips of my hair to the tops of my toes. And after helping me finally find myself, I want to get lost in him, over and over again.

When we reluctantly pull away from one another, I stare into his twinkling blue eyes. “I fucked up by saying that about you. I wasn’t thinking about backlash. I’m sorry.”

He places a finger over my lips. “Fuck backlash. I have something better.” With one swift movement, he whips out his phone and shows me a picture that makes my jaw damn near slam into the tile floor.

“Is that…Bob?” I gasp. “What the fuck is he doing?”

Gabe quirks an eyebrow. “Honey, it’s not obvious?”

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