Chapter 46
ELIJAH
“You look amazing, Dad!” Ana whistles from the doorway of her bedroom.
It’s date night, and I’m dressed to impress.
Black designer trousers and a camel-colored long-sleeve shirt that completes my look.
Three buttons are purposely left undone, knowing Alex is a fan of my stubbly chest hair.
Plus, it looks fashionable… and if I’m stepping out with a famous supermodel tonight, then I need to step up my game.
“Thank you, sweetheart.” I pause just outside her bedroom and peek inside.
Clothes are neatly folded and set aside on her bed, alongside a few shoeboxes, which I assume are headed back to school with her.
She and Emilee will be sharing an apartment on campus this semester, and the packing has been nonstop this weekend.
I walk over to Ana and wrap her in a hug, squeezing her tightly. “I’m so proud of you, sweetheart. Call me tomorrow once you and Emilee are back from class.”
“You about ready to leave?”
Gabriel pops up beside us, a mischievous grin on his face. “Elijah, you look dashing, mi amor.” His voice is breezy and breathless. Those gorgeous gray eyes skim over every inch of my body, never hiding his love for me—not even trying to.
He pulls Ana in for a hug of his own, and I welcome him into our arms, completing our unbreakable bond. Ana giggles as he kisses the top of her head and ruffles his fingers through her silky black hair. When he looks up, his eyes lock with mine before landing squarely on my lips.
“Elijah.” His voice cracks, just the slightest hint of emotion there. “I hope you have a nice evening with Alex.” He leans over and kisses my cheek, but I know he wanted my lips. The thought hangs in the air between us.
“Oh, pleeease. Will you two stop?” Ana slides out of our hold; my arm still wrapped around Gabriel’s waist. “Papi will be back from Spain in six weeks, Dad. You guys act like you’ll never see each other again.
” A sly smile curves her lips, and I know there’s something bubbling behind it.
“Plus, Mr. J. told me that Papi is bringing his boyfriend over to meet you, and I totally want to be here for that gay day!”
“What?” My eyes widen. My mind racing. “Boyfriend? You didn’t tell me you have a boyfriend.”
Gabriel snickers, that playful glint in his eyes. “Well, I am entitled to my own surprises, love.”
“Apparently.” I eye him suspiciously and slide my arm away from his waist. “Then why tell Alex?”
“Ahh, Elijah. You have nothing to worry about.” He smiles softly. “That man only has eyes for you.”
“I’m not worried,” I reply, though the words feel a little thin. “Just… surprised is all.”
Gabriel, knowing just exactly how to disarm me, runs his fingers along the shell of my ear, trailing them down the side of my neck.
I swallow the lump in my throat as his touch settles against my collarbone.
I breathe in slowly, calming the little storm inside me, and then he lifts his gaze to meet mine.
I’m not jealous. Not really. Meeting someone was inevitable. I just didn’t see it coming, and that made it land harder than I expected. Okay, fine. Much harder. But I’m happy for him. Truly. And curious—maybe even a little excited—to meet the man who’s brought light back into Gabriel’s life.
I clear my throat, giving myself a moment to gather what’s left of my composure. “Well, then, let’s have dinner here when you get back. Alex and I will host.”
Ana chuckles, and I flinch. For a hot minute, I completely forgot she was even here. She looks between us, sighing so dramatically it’s almost impressive. “Awesome. Gay crisis averted. Now that that’s settled... Papi, what time are we leaving?”
“As soon as Emilee’s ready.” He winks at her, already heading for the hallway, only to nearly collide with Emilee as she comes racing out of her bedroom.
She’s recently claimed the guestroom as her own, which, wouldn’t you know, is directly across from Ana’s.
“Where’s my dad?” She huffs, exasperated, hoping to catch him before we leave for Gravity.
Yep. You heard that right. We’re going to Gravity, and I’m beyond thrilled to have Alex by my side tonight.
“Right here, sweetheart.”
We all turn just in time to see Alex swaggering down the hallway like he owns it, hips swaying like he’s strutting down a runway. His skin is practically glowing, that adorable dimple is working overtime, and my god, he looks fabulous.
“Jeez, Dad. Does turning gay mean you have to take foreeeeever to get ready? You’re worse than a girl now.”
Of course, Ana’s quick to chime in. “Oh, you have no idea. Just be thankful you’ve got your own bathroom… and closet,” she adds with a pointed look. “You should see Dad’s shoe collection. Oh! And make sure you hide your makeup. Papi has a habit of—”
“Alrighty, girls.” Gabriel claps his hands, clearly trying to rein in the chaos.
“Oh god, please don’t say ‘let’s boogie,’” Ana deadpans without missing a beat.
“Actually.” He smirks. “I was going to say let the gay guys off the hook tonight.”
“Since when do you let anyone off the hook, Papi?” Ana fires back, matching his grin with one of her own.
Gabriel narrows his eyes at her and points. “You know what? You’re right.” He throws his hands in the air in mock horror. “Holy shit! I think I just had a straight moment!”
“Is this what I have to look forward to?” Alex laughs, eyeing the three of them like he’s stumbled into a sitcom.
“Oh, this is nothing,” I tell him. “Trust me—it gets much, much worse.”
He plants a kiss on my cheek. “Well, in that case,” he says, voice low and sincere. “I look forward to all of the much, much worse times… along with the good ones too.” Then, more quietly, “I’m almost ready. Just wanted to say goodbye to the girls.”
Gabriel snaps his fingers. “Grab your bags, girls. We’ll pick up something to eat on the way back to school.”
And of course, just before he disappears, he throws one last line over his shoulder. “Alex, love… keep your eye on Elijah. He tends to forget his age when he’s out on the dance floor.”
I dive into the couch cushions, frantically hunting for my screeching cell. Pillows fly like shrapnel until the damn thing goes airborne, smacking the floor with a loud crack.
“Hello!” I bark, breathless, and now officially pissed because I’m pretty sure I just cracked the screen.
“Elijah, someone must have tipped off the media,” Fernando says, calm as ever. I tuck my wallet into my back pocket and head for the kitchen. “Gravity is swarming with paparazzi. But don’t worry, I’ve got the place under tight surveillance. Just wanted to give you a heads-up before you arrive.”
Gravity prides itself on discretion and exceptional service. Anonymity is everything to their elite clientele. And tonight, our presence definitely qualifies as an event.
“Gracias, amigo.” I glance at my watch. “Alex and I should be arriving around 10:30.”
“Perfecto. I’ll personally make sure the area is cleared for your arrival. See you soon.”
I hang up, shove the phone in my shirt pocket, and exhale sharply.
Gabriel’s off to Spain for the next six weeks, which means Alex and I will finally have the penthouse to ourselves without any interruptions. I’m definitely looking forward to that.
That said, I’m also counting down the days until Gabriel’s return. Because, honestly, I’m dying to meet his boyfriend.
“Elijah.”
I turn around at the sound of Alex’s voice and nearly lose my breath.
A gorgeous smile lights up his face like the damn sun.
He’s dressed in beige tailored slacks and a fitted black pullover that hugs every curve of his lean, sculpted body.
The outline of his eagle tattoo is just barely visible beneath the thin fabric, and it sends a low burn straight through me.
“Come here,” I murmur, reaching out for him. I wrap him up in my arms and bury my nose beneath his ear. “You smell delicious.”
“It’s your cologne,” he says proudly, grinning against my neck.
I’m not about to tell him it’s actually Gabriel’s. Not when everything is going so perfectly. I kiss him softly on the lips. “Let’s get out of here.”
He laughs, pressing a hand to his chest. “Good god, I almost thought you were going to say skedaddle.”
I step back, squinting at him like he’s lost his damn mind. “I can guarantee you’ll never hear that word come out of my mouth.”
Still grinning, he grabs my hand and tugs me toward the elevator, giving the print pad an overly dramatic punch before suddenly spinning around.
“Oh my god! I almost forgot to tell you—Gabriel has a boyfriend!”
I chuckle as we step into the lift. “Sorry to disappoint, but Ana already spilled the beans.”
“Should’ve known.” He smirks.
“However,” I say, pulling him close against my body. “I’ve invited them over to our place for dinner when Gabriel gets back from Spain.”
“Is that right? Our place, huh?”
“Mm-hmm.” I reach for his hand, just as the elevator starts to descend. His fingers curl securely around mine, and it hits me again how much I love that he’s no longer shy about holding my hand—especially in public.
“Sounds good,” he says. “So, I assume, now that it’s our place… Gabriel won’t be joining us in the hot tub again, right? I mean, now that he has a boyfriend and all.”
The elevator doors slide open, and we’re immediately met by a wall of security.
“Well,” I reply smoothly. “He’s going to be disappointed. I got the sense he really enjoyed strutting around in that tiny red swimsuit.”
“I bet he did.” Alex laughs, flashing that moneymaking smile. And damn if it doesn’t make my heart race every single time.