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The big, stoic man is roaring with laughter on the other side of the wall and I cannot believe this is my life. And he kissed me? It’s nuts. And I’m not even going to mention the whole dead grandmother thing.

“Hey Bren?” he asks once the giggles die down.

“Yeah, Gabe?”

“I like that,” he says, his voice sounding closer. I wonder if he’s pressed up against the wall, as I am? “Do you want to meet my mom today? I think she might know…stuff.”

“Stuff? I’d like to find out stuff.”

“OK, good. That’s good. Shit, do you have work today?” I open my mouth to answer but before I can, Gabe’s voice drifts through the wall again. “Dammit. This is silly, talking through the wall. Gimme me a minute.”

There’s some rustling and then some banging. “Brenna? It's Grammy. Gabe is coming over so throw on something alluring and brush your teeth!”

Shoot! Shoot, shoot, shoot! I launch myself from my bed and barrel into my bathroom, not even bothering to shut the door.

You never shut the door.

“Hey! I live alone!” I yell at my inner voice. I need to do something about that thing.

I’d like to see you try. Mouthwash.

“Dammit!” I quickly do my business and decide sitting down is a great time to power brush my teeth.

I stretch over to the sink from my seated position, my flow stuttering a little as it’s really hard to stretch and pee at the same time, but needs must. I haven’t checked my hair, but let's face it, it's red and curly and never does what I want it to and Gabe has seen it looking all sorts of crazy, so I may as well leave it. The morning breath is the priority and it’s got to go.

I do what I need to do, wash my hands, dribble toothpaste on my top then run boobs free into my room for another tank top pulling it on just as there’s a knock at my door.

“Nice and calm,” I murmur as I force myself to walk slowly and steadily down the hall.

Maybe chill your breathing out, you sound like an obscene phone caller.

“Shh!”

You shh!”

“I swear -” My words cut off as I throw the door open to meet with a six foot something, grinning black man.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

We stare at each other, me on one side of the doorway, Gabe on the other. I have no idea who moves first, and I don’t care as his lips meet mine.

His tongue sweeps along my bottom lip and I can’t help the groan that escapes me. He’s so strong and hard yet gentle and sweet. His tongue sweeps over mine, causing butterflies to flit around my belly and my hands somehow find his firm ass cheeks at the same time his hands find mine. Ass cheeks, not firm ones.

Stop. Thinking!

Yes. Mind back on the man in my arms. Who happens to be walking me backwards into my apartment. The door slams shut and I find myself in the air, Gabe’s strong arms wrapped around me almost as tight as my legs are wrapped around him.

We pull back at the same time, gulping in the air we were missing when our mouths were airtight on each other.

“Brenna, you feel so fucking good in my arms,” Gabe groans before he peppers kisses on my throat, my collarbone, the tops of my breasts. “Shit, tell me to stop, Bren, tell me to control myself.”

I grip his face in my hands, tipping his head back to look at me. His gold gaze meets mine, his pupils blown and it’s the hottest, most lusty thing I’ve ever seen and it hits me right in my nether regions. The ones I have just realized have been grinding on a very thick, very hard length.

“Gabe?” I breathe, gaze on his.

“Bren?”