My destined partner would be someone literally half my age? And on top of that, a man who originally built his activist life around hating everything I stand for?
Truly twisted.
There’s another strange thing I’ve noticed in my relationship with Gabriel.
I feel this odd pull toward simply talking to him.
Just talking. About nothing and everything.
Asking him questions about himself, what he thinks, what he feels, what he likes… It's so…not me.
I glance down at my phone as it vibrates softly against the desk.
Another text from my nephew, Sariel.
I’m almost certain he wants to know whether anything came out of my visit to the contract fair…
But I can’t. I’m simply not ready to have that conversation with him yet.
He warned me not to attend that fair.
And I went anyway, only to come back with a twenty-one-year-old criminal who also somehow keeps making me hard…
I barely stop myself from chuckling.
I honestly think Sariel’s brain would explode, so for now I set the phone aside and lift my gaze toward Gabriel again.
Can a person even be built more beautifully than him?
He’s muscular while still remaining lean, not bulky or heavy-looking, just beautifully athletic, broad shoulders, narrow waist, slim hips, flat stomach…
At the pool I get the chance to admire his body freely while pretending my head is underwater, secretly watching him through my goggles with quiet enjoyment.
I squeeze my eyes shut and force myself to look away from the window.
Enough.
Enough, Blue.
You’re indulging yourself way too much, and you know perfectly well nothing could ever realistically come from this except disappointment.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t occasionally talk, right?
Conversation never hurt anybody.
I repeat that to myself with almost embarrassing naivety even though I know perfectly well that conversation is exactly how something deeper begins between people.
I return to answering emails.
Adams is still waiting for my response. I can’t let him down. He’s basically my right hand, unbelievably capable and reliable. I could safely leave the company entirely in his care.
I focus and type out a long email.
He’ll definitely be satisfied with it.
And the second I finish, my gaze lifts again and lands right back on Gabriel.
Dear Fate, this is becoming unbearable.
