I check with Sydney. “Is half an hour enough for you?”
She smiles. “Sounds perfect.”
“Great.” I pay, and we follow the woman’s directions down a long hall to our own personal spa room, which has an opaque glass door for privacy. Sliding the key into the lock, I open it, and steam billows out. I wait for Sydney to enter, then lock it behind us. “Now it’s just you and me, baby.”
I back her into the wall and kiss her, grateful to have her to myself again. A gasp escapes her, and I swallow it, grinding into her, wanting her to know that even though we’ve been fucking nonstop since last night, I want her more than ever.
“Whoa,” she pants. “Slow down. We should make use of the spa, since you paid for it.”
“What spa?” I ask. “Who cares about the spa?”
She laughs, and it fills the room like the sound of angels singing—or is that just in my head? “We have plenty of time later forthat. This isn’t the place.”
“Fine.” Grumbling, I put her down. “But just know that seeing you in that bikini drives me insane.” We both sink into the warm water and face each other. Pressing my forehead to hers, I hold her smoky gaze and share her breath. My arms encircle her, and we float in a bubble of our own making. “Is this crazy?”
She exhales and her breath tickles my lips. “Maybe, but it might have been inevitable, too.”
I close my eyes, feeling closer to her in this moment than I ever have to anyone else ever. “I think it’s a good crazy. Tell me I’m not wrong.”
Her mouth brushes mine. “You’re not wrong.”
11
Sydney
Best. Day. Ever.
Morning sex. Spa pool. Making out with the guy I’ve lusted after forever. And now, lunch at a fancy restaurant that neither of us have been to before. Gabe Mendoza knows how to make a girl feel special, I’ll give him that.
Yeah, he also knows how to make you feel unimportant and forgotten.
I push the comment to the back of my mind, but don’t shut it out completely. It’s a fact that I need to remember moving forward. Today isn’t business as usual for Gabe. It’s his quiet time to recuperate. In another day or two, he’ll be back at the gym, unable to spend as much time with me as he is now. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, or something I intend to hold against him, but I need to be cautious and not expect too much in case he crushes me—accidentally, of course. He’d never intentionally hurt me.
Even though I know that, I also know he wants to win the Ruby Knuckles almost as much as Tomas wants him to. He idolized his dad when we were kids, and loved being part of the gym’s family—he could throw a punch before he could swim. And ever since Tomas’s career ended with a devastating kick to the head, he’s focused all of his attention on grooming his son to succeed him. As for Gabe? There’s nothing he wants more than to make Tomas proud.
Opposite me, he sinks into an elegant wooden chair, looking stiff and slightly out of place. The restaurant—an upscale French spot—is not his usual scene, and I appreciate that he’s willing to branch out for me, and push beyond his comfort zone.
“Wine, sir?” the waiter asks, addressing the question to Gabe.
“Not for me,” he replies. “Syd?”
“Yes, please. The house white.” I’m making the most of this date, day-drinking and all.
“No problem. I’ll be back to take your order shortly.”
“So, how’s work lately?” Gabe asks when the waiter has left.
“Much the same as usual. The ER rotation is fast-paced and a bit difficult on the emotional front, but I’m picking things up quickly.”
“I bet you are.” He smiles. “You always work so hard, and it pays off. You’re a perfectionist.”
“Yeah, well.” I touch my hair, making sure it’s still confined within a bun. I can feel the fuzzy ends starting to stick out, but it’s not too bad yet. “Takes one to know one.”
He nods. “People expect a lot from me. Especially Dad. I can’t let him down.”
“But what about whatyouwant?” I ask, echoing a common refrain in our conversations. While I approve of his work ethic and love of family, I’ve always questioned the way he accepts his dad’s plans for his career without ever stopping to consider what he truly wants from life.
He shrugs. “I want to win the Ruby Knuckles.” His expression softens as he watches me, and then he reaches across and takes my hand. “And I want you.”
