Fuck, sometimes he felt so guilty for being happy away from his son and Claire. A part of him missed them, but living with Jared was everything he hadn’t known he wanted. There was something about sharing a home with Jared that felt achingly good and perfect. Even thinking about Jared waiting for him at home improved his mood tremendously. Jared usually got home later than him, but this time the coach had made the team train longer.
Gabriel unlocked the door and entered the house. He slipped out of his jacket and kicked his boots off before entering the living room.
Jared was stretched out on the couch, a pair of thin-rimmed glasses perched on his nose as he read something on his tablet, a small furrow between his dark brows. He was wearing a thick, comfy-looking blue sweater and gray sweatpants. Gabriel wanted to climb on him.
So he did. Gabriel ran and jumped onto him.
Jared didn’t look impressed. “Fucking hell—you nearly broke my ribs.”
“Oh, shut up. I weigh nothing!” Gabriel buried his face in Jared’s sweater and sighed happily. It really was as soft and as amazing as he’d expected.
Jared snorted. “Yes, one hundred and sixty pounds of nothing.”
“One hundred and sixty pounds of awesomeness.”
Although he couldn’t see Jared, he knew Jared was rolling his eyes.
“I was working,” Jared said pointedly.
“You’re home and tomorrow is your day off.”
“You know we’re understaffed because of the injury crisis.”
Gabriel made a face. It was an understatement. The club had never had so many injured players at the same time.
“Gabe, I was working,” Jared said again.
“Yeah, but now I’m here.”
Jared laughed, his strong fingers stroking Gabriel’s nape. “You’re impossible.”
Gabriel’s toes curled at the undisguised affection and love in Jared’s voice. “I’m serious,” he murmured and lifted his head to look at Jared. “I barely see you at the medical center. You’re always busy. And the impostor doesn’t like when I hang out there.”
“Don’t call her that,” Jared scolded him gently, taking his glasses off. “Dr. Boyle is an excellent doctor.” Jared grimaced slightly. “It’s bad enough with the staff. All the medical staff knows she will leave at the end of the season and I’ll go back to being their boss.”
“Ah,” Gabriel said, folding his arms on Jared’s chest and resting his chin on them. “It’s pretty weird for everyone, huh?”
“That too,” Jared said, running his fingers through Gabriel’s hair. “But mostly I don’t want to undermine her authority.”
“They look up to you more.”
Jared nodded.
“Well, they should,” Gabriel said. “We never had so many injuries when you were the senior club doctor. Seriously, we’re becoming worse than Arsenal! Half of the team is out injured. She must have been doing something wrong. You’re a better doctor, and smarter and—”
“Don’t you think you might be a little bit biased?” Jared said, a look of amusement on his face.
“I think I would know better than anyone how good you are,” Gabriel said softly.
“That’s exactly why you’re too biased to judge Dr. Boyle’s professional skills: you would think I’m the better doctor in any case.”
“You’re better,” Gabriel said stubbornly. “A better doctor, and a better person. You’re as close to perfect as it gets. People like you shouldn’t exist. You’re a genuinely nice person—how can you be so nice? And you’re—I mean, look at you.” He chuckled, sweeping his gaze over Jared’s strong, perfectly symmetrical features, cobalt blue eyes and thick dark hair. Gabe was far from being an expert on male handsomeness, but he wasn’t blind. “You’re ridiculously good-looking. People turn their heads when you walk down the street.”
Jared rolled his eyes. “They don’t.”
“They do,” Gabriel said with a scoff. “It’s so annoying.”
“Your point being?”
Gabriel wet his lips and asked the question that had been bothering him a while, “What do you see in me?”
Jared furrowed his eyebrows.
“I mean…” Gabriel licked his lips again. “Looks-wise, I’m nothing special. I’m not ugly or anything, but I’m pale and weird-looking.” He grimaced. “Claire used to say I’m ‘cute,’ but that’s not exactly a ringing endorsement. And it can’t be my personality. I’m not nice or anything.”
Jared just looked at him for a long moment before brushing Gabriel’s cheek with his thumb. “Who told you only nice and conventionally beautiful people deserve to be loved?”
It probably should have made Gabriel feel better, but instead, some ugly emotion twisted his stomach. Looking down at Jared’s chest, Gabriel frowned. He wasn’t sure why it mattered to him at all. “So you don’t really think I’m attractive. You love me despite my being plain and weird-looking.”
Jared gave him a pinched look. “First of all, you’re not plain and weird-looking. Your facial features are interesting and very attractive. Second, I can’t believe we’re having this conversation. Do you want me to objectify you?”
Gabriel scowled. “No.”
“You’re adorable,” Jared said with a smile.
Gabriel’s scowl deepened. “See, I’m right. I’m ‘adorable’ to you. I’ve seen you check out other guys— even that prick Tristan—but you never do it with me.”