3. Gabriel #2
“Have you got any more dates lined up?” asked Dexter.
“After last week, I’m good for a while.”
“It might be good to just hook up with someone at the weekend. It’ll be easier for you to talk to Bobby with empty balls, especially as you’ll be here and alcohol will be involved.”
Maybe not a hookup, but he could meet a guy for dinner or something. If it went well, he’d be thinking about the new guy instead of Bobby. Last week may have been a disaster, but he was due a break.
What were the chances he’d have another disastrous date?
Gabriel was leaving the office to meet Bobby and dreading it.
The weekend had been a complete disaster.
His date had spent the entire evening talking about how many black friends he had and putting down white people, which was ironic given Gabriel had never seen a guy so white in his entire life.
It was clear his profile pics had been at least ten years old, and he’d spent the time since then hibernating from the sun.
He was practically translucent, unlike Bobby, who always had a healthy glow to his skin.
That he’d been thinking about his future brother-in-law when he was on a date with another man was a sign that he probably shouldn’t be meeting Bobby tonight.
Gabriel walked into Knights Corner, and Bobby was already waiting for him, fully suited and booted.
Gabriel used to always wear a suit, even with a “dress for your day” policy, but he now went for business casual unless he had external meetings.
His last job had been at a bigger company, and his suit had felt like a coat of armour.
The place he worked now had fewer people and was more chill, probably because he had Jason as a boss, who left him to get on with things.
The trust was already there, and he didn’t feel pressure to prove himself.
If anything, Jason inflated his ego by talking about how awesome he was.
He would occasionally stop by his desk with a look on his face that meant he’d just agreed to something with one of his executive colleagues, and now needed Gabriel to pick it up.
This was Jason’s first exec role, so Gabriel knew he would agree to things to build his relationships, but if you ever needed him to push back on unreasonable demands, he always had your back.
Bobby jumped up when he saw Gabriel and pulled him into another bone-crushing hug.
Gabriel couldn’t help but melt into it, until his brain caught up and told him to stop lusting after his future brother-in-law.
This evening was going to be hard enough, he didn’t need to be pressing his hard dick into Bobby’s thigh, and his member was getting very excited about the big strong muscular arms wrapped around him, and the smell of his spicy woodsy aftershave.
It was strong, as if he’d put it on just before he got here.
Gabriel broke the hug and sat down. Bobby was still smiling, which made Gabriel curious.
“Shall we get a drink?” asked Bobby.
“Yeah, I can go up and get them. I fancy a wine, and Langdon knows what’s good.”
“No need,” said Bobby. “Langdon!” he shouted as the man himself walked past.
He had on a polo shirt, his tattooed arms on display. Of course, Gabriel had never been interested in Langdon, because he was gay and therefore attainable. Well, he had been. Now he was all loved up and due to marry his fiancé, Eric, in the summer.
“Bobby, Gabriel. What are you two up to?” he asked, with his deep voice and Mancunian accent.
“Gabriel wanted to ask you what a good wine was. He prefers Chardonnay.”
Langdon cocked an eyebrow at Gabriel, who felt his face heating.
How did Bobby know what his preferred wine was?
He didn’t drink at the family dinners in case he said something he shouldn’t.
Gabriel could be a loose-lipped drunk, and he wasn’t taking the chance of saying something mortifying in front of his entire family.
He only intended to have one drink tonight, and then he’d be out of here.
“We’ve got something new I think you’ll like. Beer for you, Bobby, or a rum and Coke tonight?”
“I’ll try the wine as well,” he said with a smile.
“You get the rest of the bottle free when you order two glasses on a Monday, so I’ll bring that over,” said Langdon
So much for having one drink! “We can go up or order on the app,” said Gabriel.
Langdon waved him away with his hand. “I’ll start a tab if you’re eating?”
“Yes, we are,” said Bobby without hesitation.
Fuck! What was he supposed to do now? Say no and look like an arsehole?
“One request, though, Bobby,” said Langdon. “Don’t do your usual windup on the food order tonight. Ryan’s in a tetchy mood, so don’t set him off.”
“Is he okay? Can I go back and see him?”
“I’ll let him know you’re here and he can come out and see you if he wants to.”
Bobby nodded, but the concern was clear on his face. It was how Gabriel would be if he heard the same thing about Alex. He could say it was the big brother thing, but Bobby was the youngest of his siblings. Once Langdon left to sort their drinks, he looked at Bobby, who was smiling at him.
“What?” he asked.
“You’re going to love my idea.”
Gabriel looked at the big grin on Bobby’s face and the sparkle in his eyes and knew that come the end of the night he’d have agreed to go to Las Vegas.