7. Gabriel #2
The Grand Canyon trip was amazing. Bobby had thought of everything.
They’d done a trek into the Canyon and had a picnic, which he’d arranged.
They also did a flyover in a small plane, just the two of them and the pilot.
Now they were having dinner at the Bellagio.
They’d left their phones in Gabriel’s hotel room, and the entire experience had been freeing. He’d have to have no-phone days again.
“Is it wrong of me to say I don’t want to go back to the hotel yet?” asked Bobby.
“Please don’t tell me you want to go drinking again?”
Bobby smiled. “Nothing like that. It’s just that when we go back, we’ll have to deal with everything.”
“Not necessarily. The phones are in the safe. Our flights have been rearranged. We can check in at the airport, rather than online. There’s no reason to turn the phones on until we land at Heathrow.”
Bobby looked as if he was pondering it. “Dillon will just come to my room and find me. I’m surprised he hasn’t tried to hunt me down already.”
“Stay in my room again.”
Gabriel had said that without thinking. Last night hadn’t mattered, because it was clear they’d both just passed out.
But having Bobby in bed next to him when he was sober would likely result in Gabriel not getting any sleep.
He’d be too paranoid about rolling over in his sleep and humping Bobby’s leg like a horny dog, or more likely grinding his arse against the man’s cock if he ended up accidentally spooning him.
His dick throbbed at the thought of that happening.
Gabriel needed to get himself under control.
He’d had a lovely day in this wonderful man’s company, and he didn’t need to ruin it by giving away his feelings.
Thankfully, Bobby was unlikely to take him up on his offer.
“I’d really appreciate that, Gabriel. Thank you.”
Oh fuck!
“We don’t need to go back yet, though, do we?” asked Bobby.
“Happy to stay out, as long as it doesn’t involve drinking or gambling. I must have blown five hundred dollars last night.”
“You want to do something in Las Vegas that doesn’t involve drinking or gambling?” asked Bobby with a smile.
“Maybe we can watch a show or something.”
“Won’t everything be booked in advance?”
“It doesn’t have to be an A-lister. We can find something a bit more niche.”
“I’d be up for that.”
“Well, we can’t look for something online, can we?”
“True. We could just have a wander and see what we can find?”
Gabriel nodded and went back to his dinner.
They continued chatting about random stuff.
He’d always found it easy to talk to Bobby.
They avoided the topic of what was waiting when they got home – well, waiting for Bobby.
How would Alex feel about Gabriel spending this time with him?
He wasn’t sure if he’d ever see Bobby again once they got back to the UK.
There’d be no reason to, although they worked within walking distance of each other, and Bobby’s brother was the chef at Knights Corner.
It was probable that their paths would cross again.
That was something for future Gabriel to think about, though.
Right now, he was enjoying being in this cut-off bubble with a sexy man, even if it was all a bit fucked up.
Tomorrow they were heading back to the UK, which was a day early, so at least he wouldn’t have to be back at work immediately.
Gabriel could only imagine what Jason and Dexter would think of all this, especially the fake marriage part.
They had no pictures, which was a shame, but also a positive.
If Gabriel had married his dream man, whether real or not, and had looked a state, then he’d never want to see those pictures anyway.
“Doesn’t Drag Race have a show here?” asked Bobby.
“Have you watched it?”
“Not all of them, because there are a lot. Ryan loves it, though, and goes on about it all the time, so I needed to know what he was talking about. Then I was hooked.”
Bobby was such a green flag. His sister was an idiot.
“I suspect we’d have to book in advance, but we can walk down and have a look.”
Bobby smiled and gave Gabriel a wink. Thankfully, he was sitting down, or his knees would have given way.
Was this man being deliberately flirty, or was it just how he communicated?
Whichever it was, he needed to stop, or Gabriel would need to have a drink, and then he couldn’t be held responsible for his actions.
It was two o’clock in the morning when they stumbled into Gabriel’s hotel room.
The no-drinking thing hadn’t lasted long once they were out and about, but at least this time they’d paced themselves.
Gabriel felt pleasantly buzzed, rather than wasted like he’d clearly been the night before.
Bobby was drunker than he was, but the guy needed it.
They hadn’t been able to get Drag Race tickets, but the guy at the booth had suggested a local drag show just off the strip, so Bobby had insisted they go there.
It was clear Bobby had no issue being in a gay club and had mentioned he’d been out in Soho with his brothers.
Gabriel was the one who’d felt funny. What if other guys hit on Bobby, would he get jealous?
That hadn’t happened, though, and now they were back in his room, and Bobby was pulling his clothes off, showing off that perfect muscular body.
“Are you okay, Gabriel?” asked Bobby, snapping him out of his trance.
Had he been staring? He felt his face heating, so he nodded and rushed into the bathroom.
Gabriel needed to pull himself together.
He was sharing a bed with Bobby Kavanagh, his fake husband.
He snorted. What a ridiculous thing they’d done.
Thank God they weren’t American citizens, or they’d be in serious trouble.
Had there been a moment when they’d kissed, like you do at weddings?
Gabriel liked to think he would remember kissing Bobby, so it was unlikely.
Even though he’d seen it enough on film and TV, it was still bizarre to Gabriel that they’d let people who were completely shit-faced get married.
He freshened himself up and stripped down to his boxers and T-shirt.
He wasn’t getting into bed with Bobby in just his underwear.
Walking out into the bedroom, he realised Bobby hadn’t got the memo.
He was sitting up, trying to work out the TV remote.
His big chest, with a smattering of blond hair on it, was on display, as well as the top of his abs.
Gabriel was so fucked. Why had he suggested this?
Gabriel padded over to the fridge and grabbed two bottles of water.
Thankfully, that was free, as the minibar prices were astronomical.
He passed one to Bobby, who thanked him and smiled.
It was hard not to imagine this being Gabriel’s life, having this man sitting like this in bed every night.
Although, if they were an actual couple, Gabriel would straddle him right now.
Something he shouldn’t be thinking about unless he wanted to give Bobby an eyeful.
He got into the bed on the other side, just as Bobby got the TV on.
He scrolled to some US crime show, but then lay down with his back to the TV, so it was obviously just for background noise.
That meant he was facing Gabriel, who was itching to get his phone out of the safe.
Not because he wanted to check if he had any messages, but it would give him something to do, so he didn’t have to look at Bobby, who was staring at him.
Gabriel looked at him; those blue eyes dazzled him immediately.
“Thank you for today,” said Bobby.
“You paid for the trip. I should thank you.”
“Not about the trip. Just being here for me. Fuck knows what’s going to happen when we get back, but if I’d been on my own today, I don’t think I would have got through it.”
Gabriel wasn’t sure what to say. He felt his eyes watering.
“Hey, don’t get upset.”
Bobby reached over and stroked Gabriel’s arm, and it felt like he’d been electrocuted in the best possible way.
Was there a good way to be electrocuted?
His heart was beating like crazy, and he was doing all he could to make sure his dick didn’t get hard.
Thank God Bobby hadn’t put his hands any lower.
“You’ve got a kind heart, Gabriel. You’re going to make some guy very happy one day.” Bobby smiled at him. “Good night,” he said, before turning the other way.
“Good night,” he replied, trying to keep his emotions in check. He knew this would be the last time he ever shared a bed with Bobby Kavanagh.