Page 102 of The Billionaires' Gamble
“Me too.” Pulling back a fraction, I drop a hand between her thighs and set a faster, but just as deep, pace. Our flesh slaps together in a desperate rhythm. A handful of firm circles against the hood of her clit later, and she shatters, collapsing in on herself, her relieved cry echoing around us.
I’m right there with her, pleasure exploding through me. The orgasm tears at me like a powerful tidal wave, tightening my muscles, making me twitch. My groan comes out more like a growl as I shove the tiniest bit deeper, letting her have every last bit of my cum.
We’re both breathing hard, fighting gravity and the head rush of bliss. She starts to melt right off the counter, so I tighten my grip as I guide us to the tiny square footage of floor.
“Mmm.” It’s many minutes later before either of us rouses. How can we when we’re both fighting to fill our lungs with as much oxygen as possible?
I love being in a heap like this with her, but I quickly realize how long it’s been since I cleaned the floor. It’s okay, though. She’s firmly in my lap, away from the sand and grime.
“We didn’t make the pizza,” she murmurs, sounding sleepy.
“I’ll finish it while you take a shower.”
She sits up a little straighter, running a finger down the center of my chest. “You could join me.”
“We’re not gonna fit.” Maybe she’s forgotten how tight everything on this boat is.
“That’s half the fun,” she purrs and presses a kiss to the corner of my mouth.
A few bruises and a lot of laughs later, we finally get the pizza in the oven and surprise of all surprises, it comes out heart-shaped. But at least it’s not burned to a crisp.
33
GABE
“It was good to see you again, Gabe. I hope you’ll think about what I said.” Doctor Morales stands next to her office door as I exit. We met not long after I moved to New York. Her hair has a touch of gray in it these days, and I’m not far behind in that arena. I’m lucky she made space for me when I called.
“Of course,” I say noncommittally, then realize that’s part of the problem that has me seeing a therapist in the first place. “I will.”
No more shying away from the tough emotions and then spiraling. And I do like her idea of approaching the uncomfortable things like a software bug. That’s my language.
She offers an easy smile, then pushes the thick, black-rimmed glasses up her nose. “See you next week.”
I nod and head to the reception area where my security team waits. Alex isn’t playing around anymore, not that he ever was. And that makes the guilt even worse.
As we take the elevator down to the parking garage, I contemplate hitting the group text to let them know I’m seeing a therapist. They don’t need to learn this kind of thing from the tabloids.
This also feels like the sort of discussion that should happen in person. No more meltdowns or running away. As Doctor Morales says, everyone’s allowed to sulk and feel their emotions, but there’s a time to pull your shoulders back and get on with things.
And while I can’t change the past, I can move forward.
“To the office?” Tadhg confirms as we head toward the gleaming black SUV.
“Yeah.” Since I came back to the city three days ago, I’ve been camped at my office, only leaving to go to the gym and Doctor Morales’s office. The long hours and hastily eaten meals remind me of the early days of building my company from the ground up. Back before I’d made a name for myself. Before the money started rolling in. I was driven to prove myself.
Before Henry Chanler taught me that not everyone is as they seem.
In the back seat, I rub a hand down my jeans.
Some people, like Katherine and Kingston, are exactly as they seem.
Moving forward, I’m going to focus on that.
Here we are, almost two decades after that initial push and that drive. That pressure is absent now. And the reward? Keeping my mind busy is benefit enough, I guess. The long hours and carryout containers are familiar, but the work feels… hollow. Like I’m just going through the motions. I don’t get to code as much as I used to. These days, it’s never-ending meetings, reading reports, and making business decisions. All the boring parts.
I mean, I used to revel in that because I wanted to do it well. I wanted respect and yes, control.
Now… I’m not sure anymore. Except that I want more time with Alex, Katherine, and King.
