Page 51 of Something Unprofessional

Gabe’s chest hurt, but he kept his expression neutral. If Ev wanted out, Gabe was going to give it to him. He would give him whatever he wanted without a fuss. It was the least he could do after pressing the boy into the arrangement in the first place.

“I want more,” Ev blurted, his eyes going misty. “I know I’m being stupid, and I’m breaking my own rules. But I can’t help it. I’m sorry. I—”

Gabe cut him off by giving in and dragging him from the chair and into his lap, unable to let him stay at arm’s length. “Stop,” he said firmly. “You have nothing to apologize for.”

“But we both agreed to kink only. No feelings. And I’m screwing it all up.”

Gabe cupped the back of Ev’s neck and pressed their foreheads together. “If you’re screwing it up, then I am too. And I’m worse, because I knew from the beginning I wouldn’t be able to keep my emotions separate from what I want from you.”

Ev shivered and pressed closer, his eyes squeezed shut. “What does that mean?”

“Look at me, Everett,” Gabe said, voice firm.

Ev’s eyes opened, and he looked up reluctantly.

“Hi,” Gabe said when he could see him again.

“Hi,” Ev returned with a wobbly smile, still sounding unsure.

“I fell for you,” Gabe told him. “I feel things with you that I’ve never felt with anyone before.”

“What kinds of things?” Ev asked, his hands twisting in the front of Gabe’s shirt and his voice more hopeful.

Gabe released a painful breath that became a low chuckle. “I want to wax poetic about you, and I’m not the poetic type. Hell, I think your snoring is cute.” He ignored Ev’s huff of outrage, determined to put his cards on the table and let Ev do what he would with them. “I like the way you get worked up and shout at your video game characters for being bad at their jobs. You make me want to leave the office early so I have more time alone with you. I’d eat Thai food every night if that’s what you wanted, even though I cringe at the number of carbs. I hate that you haven’t left anything here other than a toothbrush, and I know it’s too soon for you to move in, but I’ve already started making space in my closet. I get jealous when you pay attention to Remy—which is something I should probably work on because it’s not very healthy—but you also make me want to work on it because I think Remy could be a good friend to you, and I don’t want you to lose that. Fuck. Xavier has every right to make fun of me for how I am around you after the way I teased him over Finn.” He tilted Ev’s face up and brushed a kiss to his lips. “Despite my best efforts, I fell in love with you, tiger. And I know being with your boss scares the shit out of you,so if you don’t want a relationship with me, that’s okay. I can figure out some other outlet for my feelings. Maybe I’ll take up golf.” Gabe tried not to cringe at that horrifying thought. Then he made himself shut up and wait for Ev to process, when all he wanted to do was start listing all the reasons his boy should agree to date him. They were good together and clearly found each other attractive. Gabe wasn’t an asshole like Ev’s ex. Their kinks lined up amazingly well. They had similar morals and the same sarcastic sense of humor. They both enjoyed good food and travel, and Gabe wasin love with him.

“—Daddy, are you listening to me?”

“No,” Gabe admitted. “I’m too busy panicking over what I’m going to do if you say no.” But Ev didn’t look like he was going to say no. He was smiling at Gabe with tears on his cheeks and his eyes shining brightly. He cupped Gabe’s face and rubbed their noses together in a bunny kiss. Gabe blew out a relieved breath. Fuck, he was going to give himself a heart attack at this rate.

“Maybe there’s something wrong with me,” Ev started. “Because I told myself I was going to stop doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, yet here we are.” He gave a weak chuckle. “Still, everyone keeps telling me this is different, you’re different. So maybe I just need to have a little faith.”

“I should probably be offended at the comparison to the assholes from your past.” Ev winced and opened his mouth, but Gabe kissed him to cut him off. “But I’m not. I get it. Youwouldn’t be the boy I’m in love with if you weren’t a stubborn brat.”

“Hey!” Ev smacked Gabe’s chest with the back of his hand, his lips twisting as he fought a laugh.

Gabe caught his hand and kissed the back of it. “Say the word, and I’ll find you a different job, a better one even since your boss wouldn’t be such an asshole.”

Ev shook his head and slid his arms up, draping them over Gabe’s shoulders. “I don’t want a different job. I like the one I have, and I’m good at it. And if my boss is too much of an asshole, I know how to put him in his place.”

Gabe kissed the inside of Ev’s elbow, then his bicep, enjoying smooth skin under his lips. “And how’s that?”

Ev smirked. “Did I ever tell you how I got back at my old boss?”

Gabe shook his head.

“I filled the vents in his car with pink glitter and replaced his presentation to the board of directors with a slideshow of his cheating dick pics and dirty texts.”

Gabe laughed, absurdly proud of his boy. “Good for you. Personally, if I had been there, he wouldn’t have gotten away with all his body parts fully functioning.” He caught Ev by the chin and continued more seriously. “I will do everything in my power to keep from hurting you, but if I ever do, I want you to make me pay for it. Get Xavier in on it. And your new friend Remy. Hell, I’ll give you Jack’s and Max’s numbers too. I fully expect you to ruin me because I would fucking deserve it.”

Ev laughed wetly and hid his face in Gabe’s neck, hugging him. “Deal,” he said, voice muffled. Gabe hugged him back just as hard, not saying a word when the laughter turned to hot tears against his skin. He meant it when he said he would never hurt his boy, and he would spend however long he needed to making sure Ev had no reason to doubt that. And if he was lucky, maybe he’d get to hear those three little words back one day soon.

Ev

He should say it.Just blurt it out like he did everything else.I love you too, Daddy.But the words were stuck in his throat, trapped behind the fucking what-ifs.

It was stupid to still be worrying. Gabe had said all the right things. Done all the right things. And even now, he wasn’t pushing. He was just here, strong and solid, holding Ev so tight that he felt like Daddy could squish the damaged bits of him back together.

Gabe loved him. Ev just had to let go and trust.

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