Fuck. I feel like I’m just losing over and over and over right now. What is wrong with me?
Gabriel swallows, his face twisted with emotions I don’t recognize, although I see the fear in his eyes. “Spencer. This could go bad. We could disappoint each other.”
I freeze.
That’s not a rejection. That’s not a no.
My throat gets tight. The force of the tennis match is still crashing in my body, and the intensity of the moment is so vivid, everything feels unreal.
Is Gabriel telling me that he’s open for more? As soon as the possibility is there, alive in the air between us, I know how much I want that.
“Then let’s not disappoint each other.”
Holy crap. I really am falling in love with Gabriel.
He shakes his head softly. “You don’t even know about all my flaws yet. Like how I use the washing machine as a laundry basket. I somehow pulled that fish dinner together in Seattle, but I can barely cook. What if you decide I’m not good enough for you?” He tilts his eyes down, lets out a heavy breath, and looks back up to me. “What if I lose you like all the others?”
I grab the back of his head, my heart pounding. “I would never treat you the way your exes treated you.”
“But I could still lose you,” he says, blinking back tears.
I swallow, holding his eyes. I want to make him promises that I shouldn’t, that I can’t. But that’s not what he needs.
“We could lose each other,” I agree. “But Gabriel, I feel more for you… More than just friendship.”
He touches my face, and his expression lightens. “You shouldn’t just go and give your heart away to the first guy you marry.”
I cough out a surprised laugh. “I can give it to whoever the hell I want,” I tell him.
Gabriel grins. “I guess you can.”
We’re chest to chest, toe to toe. I’m hot from the match and still drenched with sweat, but he doesn’t mind. In fact, he seems turned on by it. Gabriel’s hand is on my chin, his other roaming my hip, my side, my back.
He nearly kisses me, and I want him so bad it hurts.
“Spencer,” he says softly, his voice rough and musical. “I’m falling hard for you, man.”
Light floods my vision. This is real. Gabriel feels what I feel.
I pull him into a kiss. His mouth closes over mine, his stubble scraping my smooth skin, and I grab him by the hips to hitch him close. Our tongues slide together, pushing, and he groans my name as he clutches me to his chest.
Blood pumps through me. I’m rock hard, and the fire of the tennis match still burns in my veins.
“We’re falling in love,” I say, my mouth against his lips.
“We’re totally falling in love. Like a couple of damn husbands.” Gabriel puffs out his breath. “And I need to get you back in that honeymoon suite to celebrate immediately.”
I grab at the bottom of his polo. “No time.” I drag my fingers across the bare skin of his hard abs, my breath heavy. “Need you right now.”
He drags his thumb over my lip. “Fucking a playboy in the back of the tennis arena?” He kisses me softly on the mouth, his thumb still pressed to my lip. “I really must be influencing you.”
And he’s right. Even though I know the door is locked and fairly soundproof, this is not the kind of thing I could imagine doing a few months ago. But there’s a lot more at play than just realizing I’m in love with Gabriel. Even after a frustrating loss, with him, I feel light. Free.
I bite down on his thumb. “This is one way to get over a loss.” With a quick shift of my weight, I have his back against the tall locker in the corner of the room.
Gabriel turns and faces the locker as he rolls his ass, dragging it up my dick. I’m burning hot, my balls heavy, and his cheeks torture me with raw friction.
I paw his chest and thrust against him, rutting him through our clothes. My other hand snakes around his neck, holding him as we buck our hips together.
