“I know,” he rumbles, running the tip of his nose along the curve of my throat. I tremble, hardly able to believe that he’s touching me like this. Talking to me like this. It’s all I’ve ever wanted, and yet I’m afraid to have faith in it.
“I’d never seen you naked before, but once I did, I couldn’t get you out of my mind. Those perfect tits, all soft and bouncing. That gorgeous round ass.” He palms my butt and groans. “Fuck, it feels as good as it looks.” His fingers sink deeper. “I’ve wanted to do this for sodamnlong.” I open my mouth, but he silences me with a finger to my lips and raises his eyes to mine. “I’m not finished. You want to know what I remember most of all?”
I nod.
“I remember the look on your face.Mm.” He runs his hands up the side of my body, and every nerve fires. Heat pools low in my belly, and I’m so wet for him I’m a little embarrassed by it. Especially since the shock of his advance hasn’t worn off yet. “I almost ripped that fucker off you. I wanted to be the only one who gave you that goddamned erotic, blissed-out expression.”
He did?
“You never said.”
“Of course I didn’t.” He scoffs. “We were friends. I didn’t want to admit I’d started fantasizing about your mouth on me every time I jerked off. I might have scared you away, and I couldn’t bear that. Then, later, I didn’t think I could give you what you needed. But now, if you let me, I’m going to make certain I do.”
Even as his words give my soul wings, my heart sinks. They’re exactly the reminder I need that hot or not—and love him or not—Gabe is unreliable. He gives everything to his career, and has nothing left over for anything or anyone else.
“Why should I think things will be different?” I ask.
“Because I give you my word,” he says, and I can tell he actually believes it. Whether he’ll keep his promise once the luster wears off is another story. “I can see your doubt, and I’m not gonna lie, it hurts. But I can understand why you don’t trust me. Keep in mind though, that if you say no and keep dating other people, this unresolved heat between us isn’t going anywhere, and do you think that’s fair for them?”
“No,” I whisper, although I hate to admit it. “But what about our friendship?”
He closes his eyes. “I hate the thought of messing up what we’ve always had, but I’m pretty sure everything has changed whether we go any further or not.”
He’s right. I can’t forget what it feels like to have his cock pressed against the V of my thighs, no matter how much I want to. The sensation is burned into my brain. But what if I give in to our attraction and make love with him, and he somehow works all of this pent-up desire out of his system? I don’t know if I can handle his rejection once I know what it’s like to truly be with him. My throat tightens as tears threaten. Why does this have to be so hard? Why do I have to yearn for him like this when I know it’s bad for me? He’s an addiction I can’t shake.
“Baby, please.Carino.”
My chin snaps up. He’s never called me that before, but I like it. It feels right.
Wefeel right.
Calmness descends on my muddled mind. I’ve made my decision. I’m screwed anyway, so why not get an experience out of it that I can treasure?
Besides, I owe it to any future partner not to come to them with Gabe-related baggage. For that, I need closure.
Gabe
If she doesn’t give me this, I might spontaneously combust. I’m so turned on there’s a legitimate possibility of my dick exploding, but I will not rush anything. Not when it comes to her.
Sydney, with her expressive brown eyes and flawless golden-brown skin. Sydney, whose soft tits are pressed into my upper abdomen.
I’ve given words to all of my messed-up cravings, put my heart on the line, and I can scarcely breathe as I wait to see what she’ll decide. The cogs are turning in her mind. She’s considering my request. Taking me seriously. I’m so close to having her.
So. Close.
“Did you and Ken discuss exclusivity?” I ask, desperate to dismiss the last of her concerns.
“No.” The breath exits her lungs on a shaky exhale, tickling my neck. “It’s only been two days. We’re not together.”
Thank fucking God. Despite hating him, I have a wary respect for the guy. He wasn’t scared to put me in my place. If all I felt for Sydney was friendship. I’d probably approve of him. But I don’t. Because Sydney ismine. Or she will be, as soon as I can talk her around.
“Tell me what I can do to convince you.”
Her lips purse, and she draws in a slow breath. “I need to be treated properly. That means you make yourself available to do things with me that normal couples do. Like go on dates, or just hang out.”
“Done.” With my big fight only a short time away, I’ll need to train for hours every day, but I’ll make it work. I’ll get up at four in the morning if that’s what it takes. I can operate on very little sleep.
But her expression is skeptical. “I mean that, Gabe. I know you have a lot going on at the moment, but you always do. That’s just how things are with you, and if I settle for less than I want now in the hopes that things will improve, it will never happen. I know how you and Tomas operate. After the Ruby Knuckles, it’ll be onto the next challenge. Let’s do a trial run. If either of us decides it isn’t working, you need to back off and stop sabotaging my dates.”
