Gabby
She’s with the sitter. I’m working. Don’t act like you forgot my schedule.
Shit. I did.
Me
No, I didn’t forget.
Gabby
You totally did. It’s okay. I’ll still come over even if you forgot about me.
Me
I could never forget you, Gab.
Gabby
I’ll be there in 5.
I scramble to tidy up, my heart racing. It may be a huge mistake, but right now, I don’t care. I can deal with the consequences later.
When the knock on my door comes, my pulse spikes. I open it, and there he is—Gabriel, in uniform, looking at me with that familiar heat.
His eyes meet mine before trailing down the rest of my body.
“You look…beautiful, Bumper. Just fucking beautiful.” He says, his voice low and full of longing.
I swallow, trying to keep my composure. “Thank you,” I murmur, stepping aside to let him in.
He takes off his vest, his guns, and his belt. Setting them carefully on the dining room table, his movements deliberate and measured. As he places each item down, the heavy weight of silence fills the room. I stay seated on the couch, watching him, my heart thundering in my chest. I want to reach out, to close the space between us, but I’m paralyzed. This moment—the one where everything could change, or fall apart.
Once he’s done, Gabriel walks over, his steps soft, his expression unreadable. He sits on the couch beside me, just close enough that I can feel the warmth of his body, but not close enough that I can touch him. His presence fills the space like a storm waiting to break.
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out at first. My heart is pounding so loudly in my ears that I can barely hear myself think. I need to say something, but the words are caught in my throat, tangled up in everything I’ve been running from.
“Gabriel,” I finally whisper, my voice trembling despite myself. “We really need to talk.”
He turns his head slightly to look at me, his caramel eyes locking onto mine. They’re the same eyes I’ve spent countless hours gazing into, the eyes of the man I love. The weight of that fact hits me like a physical blow, and I swallow hard, trying to steady myself.
He doesn’t say anything at first. Instead, he shifts closer, inching toward me until our legs are almost touching. My heart lurches, my chest tightening. There’s a magnetic pull between us, one I can’t ignore, one that’s always been there.
“I know we need to talk,” he says, his voice low and rough, like gravel sliding through his throat. “But…damn, I can’t seem to remember the words I had planned to say to you.” He reaches up, his hand brushing my hair away from my face, the soft gesture making my breath catch. His fingertips graze my skin, sending straight sparks through me, and my body betrays me, leaning into him instinctively.
He doesn’t move away. In fact, he leans a little closer, his eyes never leaving mine. His gaze lingers on my lips, a silent question in the way his eyes flicker there before returning to my eyes.
Don’t let him kiss you! Don’t let him distract you.
I bite my lip, forcing myself to stay focused, but my mind is a swirl of emotions, my body a chaotic mess of desire and fear. He’s so close now, I can feel the heat radiating off him. I can’t think straight.
Abort. Abort now!
My skin tingles, and I can’t remember the last time I felt this alive, this desperate. This torn.
“Gabriel.” I try again, but my voice cracks. I clear my throat, willing myself to find the strength to finish this conversation, to say what I know needs to be said. “We can’t just pretend nothing happened. We need to talk about what’s going on. About us.”
He exhales, his breath warm, steady pulse against my skin. “Can we just forget everything tonight, please?” His voice is barely a whisper now, as if he’s afraid to say the words aloud. “Please, just for tonight. All I think about, all I ever think about, is you.”
