Gabriel sighed, pressing his nose against the side of Jared’s face. “I just—I don’t trust him. Not with you. Promise you’ll be careful with him. Don’t let him wrap you around his little finger like he has everyone else.”
Jared almost laughed. He was a healthy man with needs and he wasn’t blind—Tristan was stunningly beautiful and flirted with him openly—but if there was anyone who had him wrapped around his little finger, it was Gabriel.
“Promise me,” Gabriel asked.
“I promise,” Jared said, resigned. He had long since lost any delusions about his ability to say no to Gabriel. He couldn’t stand hearing the note of insecurity in Gabriel’s voice. The world knew Gabriel as a confident, arrogant guy who didn’t give a shit about anything, but they couldn’t be more wrong. Gabriel just hid his vulnerability well. Sometimes too well.
No, Jared wasn’t blind to Gabriel’s faults. Gabriel was far from being an angel. He had a selfish, ruthless streak, he was too possessive for his own good, and he could be an asshole towards people he disliked. Gabriel was also infamous for being a bad loser. If the team lost a match, Gabe was impossible to be around. He didn’t know how to lose. He sulked, he pouted, and he threw tantrums like a toddler when things didn’t go his way. But underneath all of that, he had the kind of vulnerability that made Jared want to wrap him in his arms and protect him from the entire world.
Among other things, Jared admitted to himself ruefully.
Clenching his jaw, he looked straight in front of him as Gabriel hugged him. “Thanks,” he muttered, his lips brushing Jared’s ear.
Damn it all. Sometimes Jared felt like killing him. But he let himself wrap an arm around Gabriel and pull him closer. He savored the feel of Gabriel’s body against his and drank in his scent as if it was air and he was a drowning man. It was a special kind of hell: to be so close to him and know he could never have him. “Now stop trying to choke me and go back to training.”
Laughing, Gabriel straightened up. “I’ll come back after the training session. Don’t leave without me.” He pecked Jared on the cheek.
Then he was gone.
A hush fell over the room after the door closed behind Gabriel. It was too quiet all of a sudden. Too empty. His skin was tingling where Gabe had kissed him.
“You should tell him.”
Jared looked up. Rebecca was leaning against the doorway, a deep frown on her face.
He returned his gaze to his computer. “What for?” There was no point; it would just make everything awkward. Gabriel might love him, might be overly affectionate with him, but he was one hundred percent straight. He had a lovely girlfriend he was in love with. Jared was nothing to him but his friend and would never be anything more.
Rebecca let out a heavy sigh. “Then move on, Jared. You deserve better. You can do much better than him! Look at you. How can a man with your looks be single? It’s been how many years now? Three? Four?”
“I go out. I get laid.” Sometimes.
Rebecca scoffed. “Don’t you want more? Don’t you want a fulfilling relationship? Someone to love—and be loved back? Someone—”
“Enough, Becca,” he ground out.
“It’s been years, Jared. And how many more years will it be? I’ve heard his girlfriend talk about getting married and having kids. I’m sure he’ll be insensitive and oblivious enough to make you his best man. How are you going to cope with that?”
The numbers blurred on the screen. As I always do. That was what he had intended to say, but his throat was tight and painful.
“Enough,” he snapped. “Leave me alone.”
Shaking her head, she shut the door, and Jared was left alone with his thoughts once again.
Leaning back in his chair, he closed his eyes. Rebecca was right, of course: this was completely hopeless. He should quit. Alexander, his cousin, had told him the same thing when he had found out about this half a year ago. Alexander wanted him to leave England—leave Gabriel—and return to the States.
Truth be told, if it weren’t for Gabriel, Jared would have never left the States in the first place. He had left his home and everyone he knew for the young man who had crawled so deep under his skin Jared couldn’t imagine being an ocean away from him. But in some ways, being so close was far more painful than he had expected. Watching Gabriel become infatuated with Claire had cured him of any delusions he might have had.
This was pointless. He should return home. The problem was, the States didn’t feel like home anymore.
The phone rang again.
“What now, Rebecca?” Jared said.
“Mr. Mewes wants to talk to you.”
Jared frowned. “Let him in.”