She nods with her eyes wide open, but doesn’t say a word, her gaze still stuck to the spot where the truck just disappeared.
Without thinking, I pull her into my arms instinctively. My hands brush over her hair before rubbing her back. Holding her. Reassuring her. Breathing her in.
After a few minutes, she finally stops shaking.
Her hands come up to my chest before wiping at her face. “I thought he was gonna hit me, the same way it happened with my accident last year. I completely froze.”
That must be slightly traumatizing to have something similar happen again.
The thought of her getting hurt in any capacity spears me right through the heart. I pull her closer, squeezing her as a tiny sob escapes her mouth. “Hey, hey. Shh. It’s all good, I got you.” She melts into me, and my stomach clenches almost painfully. I hate seeing her like this. Truly hate it. “Let’s get you home.”
She nods but won’t let go of me as we walk the rest of the way to the car. Our walk is a weird shuffle, but I couldn’t care less.
This moment has thrown all previous worries I had about us out the window and made one thing crystal clear. If this woman wants me, she can have me, in whatever way she’d like.
The way she almost got hit by the truck—the sheer thought of her getting hurt, or worse, losing her—incited something within me, making me realize I’d regret it until the end of time if I didn’t have her when I had the chance.
Any time with her is better than none at all. I’ll just deal with the consequences later on.
But first things first. I need to get her home and make sure she calms down. I don’t ever want to see her this shaken up and scared again.
Where the hell is she?
“Monica?”
Still no answer. Not a single peep.
She should be home. It’s Sunday, and if she goes anywhere, she usually tells me first.
We spent the rest of yesterday in kind of a daze. After the hospital visit, we had a quiet dinner and Monica crashed pretty soon after, probably from a mixture of the “almost-accident” and the exhaustion from the trip.
Thankfully, she seemed to be in good spirits this morning when she poked her head into my office. I was on a phone call, but she was all smiles, whispering she was going to work out and dance.
Dance.
She’s really doing it again. On a daily basis too. I’ve never been more grateful for building a large gym in the basement.
After working on some marketing the rest of the morning, I decided it was time for a break. I still haven’t had a breakthrough with my story, but it seems like there’s never a lack of work for an author, even when the words don’t want to come.
I make my way into the kitchen, hoping to find a clue about where Monica disappeared to. Since there’s no note anywhere on the counter, or the fridge, I go over to the window and exhale loudly.
Maybe the picturesque scenery can help quiet my mind. It’s been extra busy these last few days with everything going on.
My breath finally slows down, when—
“Monica?” Her name comes out in a low groan.
Fucking hell. This woman will be the end of me.
At least I found her, floating on her back in the pool like she doesn’t have a care in the world, her small figure trying to become one with the water around her. Of course, she stands out like a sore thumb in her swimsuit—if you can even call that little piece of fabric one.
Well, I definitely know where she is, all right.
Her and her barely there swimsuit.
Without thinking about it, my hands are in my hair, scratching my skull. Usually, that motion calms me down. Right now, not so much. Not that it surprises me. Monica has thrown my world upside down since she barged into my life.
I have to admit, it’s been a lot more fun though.
Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes for a moment.
When I open them again, Monica is standing in the shallow side of the pool, waving at me. She has a big smile on her face like I’m her favorite person in the whole wide world. Or maybe because she just caught me with my face pressed against the window, like this is a candy store and I’m salivating over the goodies.
The goodies being her in this case.
Just great.
My hand goes to the doorknob, and it squeaks when I grab it a little too hard. To be honest, I wouldn’t even care if I ripped that thing completely off its hinges right now. It might actually help take some of that tension off of me. My back muscles are strung so tight, I feel like I’m getting ready to go into battle.
With this woman, I might just be. It’s not like I have much of a clue when it comes to her.
“Hey, Charming.” Monica’s voice carries across the backyard as I step out of the house.
I push my hands into my jeans pockets and make my way over to her, all the while telling my body to stop the inappropriate thoughts about her in that bathing suit. I don’t need to walk over there with an apparent boner. Despite the warm temperatures, the grass is a lot cooler under my bare soles. At least it provides a distraction for all of two seconds.
When I reach her a moment later, she gives me another big smile. It’s quiet around us, the only sound the soft bubbling of the water in the adjacent hot tub. Her body is almost fully submerged in the water again, and I’m equally relieved and disappointed.
My thoughts from yesterday come to the forefront of my mind, reminding me of the decision I made. The fact that I want her however I can, even if our time is limited until she goes back to work. I still don’t think that means I can just jump her bones though. Since I want to make sure she wants this too, I’ve been waiting to see if she’s going to make another move.
“What’s up?” Monica brushes her hands across the surface, the water moving in soft waves around her. Her hair is piled up on top of her head, a few strands framing her face, the red in it shimmering in the sunlight.
So dang gorgeous.
I pull one of the patio chairs closer to the edge and sit down. “I needed a break, so I came looking for you to see what you’re up to.”
She shrugs her shoulders, her naked shoulders. The skin that peeks out of the pool with the movement is slightly rosy and slick with water.
Shoulders shouldn’t be this sexy.
Who am I kidding? This woman is a walking temptation, from her head all the way down to her toes, and I’m absolutely sure she knows it too. She was out of her comfort zone for a while during her recovery, but she seems to be back for good, confidence and all.
“You deserve a break. Want to join me in the hot tub?” Her voice is low as she looks at me from under her eyelashes.
I might be staring at her a little too long because she starts chuckling. My eyes are trained on her as she steps out of the pool, walking in my direction.
I’m not sure what possesses me, but I just stand there like an idiot, following her every move as my gaze slowly wanders away from her face and down her water-clad body.
The black swimsuit she’s wearing has a big cutout in the front. It shows her skin almost all the way down to her belly button while the sides barely cover her breasts. Her legs are smooth and toned, and my fingers are itching to touch them.
Before I know it, she’s right in front of me. She places her wet hands on my T-shirt, getting up on her toes, putting her face mere inches away from mine. “So, how about the hot tub, big guy?”
Fifteen
Monica
Gabe’s breath is warm on my face as we stare at each other. He doesn’t answer my question, and I’m momentarily too wrapped up in his gaze to ask again. Even though we started talking about what happened between us, we haven’t directly come to a conclusion with all the craziness going on after Dahlia’s accident.
All I know is, I couldn’t forget about our moment even if I wanted to.
Which, for the record, I don’t.
Not one bit.
That moment in the dance studio will be burned int
o my memory forever. The way he kissed me back after the initial shock had worn off was extraordinary, to say the least. Absolutely phenomenal. Perfect even.
Just the memory alone makes me shiver.
“Are you getting cold? Do you want to go inside?” He hasn’t moved away from me yet, and I enjoy being this close to him. His words are a low murmur, causing even more goose bumps to pop up on my skin.
Most definitely not from the temperatures though.
“Nope.” My voice sounds strained and when his eyes flicker to mine, I can’t help but lower my gaze, those nice lips of his vying for my attention. My own lips tingle in response as if they remember the kiss too, the memory of it releasing an almost desperate need in me. “I’m just going to warm up in the water in a minute.”
I not only feel but also hear his breath falter for a second, and use that exact moment to take the few steps to the hot tub, having absolutely no doubt he’s checking out my backside. The warm water feels perfect as I carefully step inside it, turning back around to look at Gabe over my shoulder. “Are you coming, Charming?”
His eyes snap up to my face. Bingo.
Caught in the act.
I watch him quietly, hearing the wheels spin from all the way over here. Because this is Gabe. He has a lot of awesome traits, but I wouldn’t necessarily call him adventurous or spontaneous.
I practically wait for him to either tell me no or to go inside to get changed first.
To play things safely. To be cautious and think things through.
What I don’t expect, and have a hard time wrapping my head around, is Gabe standing just a few feet away from me, slowly taking off his clothes.
Right here, in front of me.
Who would have thought?
This moment seems too monumental to even attempt hiding the big, goofy smile that threatens to split my face in half.
Moving over to the edge of the hot tub, I prop up my face on my hands while unabashedly watching him. “Well, look at you, big guy. Coming over to the wild side.”
He pauses for a moment, and I want to slap my hand over my mouth to refrain from saying another word. The last thing I want is for him to stop.
“Don’t look so smug, Monica. I’m just too lazy to go back to the house to get changed. It’s not like it’s really any different than wearing swim shorts anyway.”
Another smart-ass remark sits on my tongue, hopping up and down like the crazy thing it is, but I bite the inside of my cheek instead. I will, under no circumstances, stop this man from doing what he’s doing.
No freaking way.
His T-shirt goes first, leaving him in only his jeans. I’m not sure where to look first—the gorgeous chest and abs covered in a light dusting of hair, or the hands that have already started unbuckling his dark-brown leather belt before taking care of the button and zipper next. With the help of both of his thumbs, he shoves down his jeans and throws them on the patio chair, right next to his shirt.
I’m staring at his legs as he slowly walks over to me. The muscles move with every step, a mesmerizing sight to behold. There’s just something about strong, male legs. All too soon, he stands in front of me, and I look up his body, trying hard—and completely failing—not to stare at the bulge in his boxer briefs before finally averting my gaze back to his face.
“Move over, Monica, so I can come in.”
Pushing myself away from the steps, I sit down on the opposite side of the tub.
“Why are you staring at me like that?” Gabe slides into the water and sits down on the built-in bench.
The confused look on his face makes me laugh. “It’s not like you to be this fun and spontaneous, that’s all. You surprised me, but not in a bad way. It’s actually quite thrilling.”
He narrows his eyes at me and shrugs. “You make it sound like I’m a total party pooper twenty-four seven.”
“Not all the time, but you’re not exactly known for letting go too often either. I like this side of you. It’s exciting...and rather sexy too.” I wiggle my eyebrows for emphasis.
He chuckles, and I’m pretty sure he secretly loves hearing it. I mean, what person wouldn’t? There’s nothing wrong with being confident, and in my opinion, neither is complimenting other people, as long as you aren’t overdoing it.
I’ve never understood why people can’t just say something nice about another person. Doesn’t cost you more than ten seconds of your time but can easily make a person’s day, or even week.
As easy as that.
“Is that so?” His voice has dropped at least an octave, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up at the low rumble.
I channel all the tension into my next response. “You can bet that sexy ass of yours on it.”
Well, maybe that wasn’t the best one after all.
He rolls his eyes in a playful way and leans forward in his seat, his elbows settling on his thighs in the water. “Are we all good?”
“We are. Promise.” Maybe I’ve been a little disappointed he hasn’t jumped my bones yet, but I understand he was preoccupied with his sister’s situation. I was too.
His eyes are on me, looking lighter today than I’ve ever seen them—the beautiful brown sprinkled with small flecks of gold.
I’m still lost in his gaze when, without a warning, warm water hits me square in the face. It’s not just a few drops either but more like a whole bucket full.
“Oh shit.” Gabe looks at me with wide eyes for a moment before he starts laughing.
Oh no, he didn’t.
“I swear I didn’t mean to splash you that hard.” He’s still laughing, almost doubled over now.
Wait. Is he crying?
“Uh-huh, I’m sure you didn’t.” I push the wet strands of hair out of my face, trying not to think about the fact that I probably look like a big mess right now.
I watch him for a moment, one hand across his abdomen and the other one near his face, maybe ready to slap over his mouth to hide his laugh. I’ve never seen him this relaxed before, and I’m trying hard not to laugh with him, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of that yet. But I certainly enjoy seeing him like this. Knowing the reason for this moment is related to me gives me a little extra thrill.
I wait until he’s calmed down enough to look at me. “Probably just as much as I really don’t mean to do this, not at all.”
“What ar—”
I lunge myself at him, enjoying the look of pure shock on his face the second before I land on him.
A few minutes later, I’m pretty sure I’ve swallowed about half a gallon of water, not that I can blame anyone for this but myself. Gabe and I are both sputtering and coughing up a storm when we’re back in our respective corners of the hot tub. After I jumped on him and managed to dunk him once, I got my fair share back and that was pretty much it for me. All I could do was try to survive.
At least I did get my hands on his naked skin a lot.
Our gazes meet and we both start laughing.
“You’re something, Monica, I give you that. But that’s always been the case. I’ve definitely never met anyone like you before.” He brushes his hand through his hair before wiping the water droplets off his face and stubble—the stubble I can now personally confirm feels pretty darn good on me.
That thought alone makes my skin burn with awareness, the air around us tingling with anticipation and the delicious promise of more.
I watch him, the same way he’s watching me. After staring into each other’s eyes for what feels like hours, his gaze leaves mine abruptly, wandering down my body instead. I want to squirm under his heated gaze but try hard not to, letting him take me in until his eyes make their way back up, stopping at my lips.
Despite all the water I just involuntarily drank, my mouth goes dry, and I have to swallow past the lump in my throat. “Gabe.”
His name comes out on a plea, and all of a sudden, it’s impossible not to squirm.
Generally, I love attention and don’t necessarily mind
if someone checks me out either. My career would be way too stressful if I was bothered by something like that.
For some reason though, it feels like no one has ever looked at me the way Gabe is looking at me right now. I can almost feel his touch on my skin, caressing me, and most definitely driving me crazy.
“Come here.” Gabe’s voice is raspy and a little commanding, another trait I haven’t seen in him before.
This man is full of surprises today.
When I don’t move fast enough, he stretches to grab my hand. After giving it a good tug, and me not putting up any resistance, I glide over to his side effortlessly. The water is bubbling around me when I stop in front of him, my lower body now parallel to his lower legs.
“What are you doing, Gabe?” For some reason, I’m curious about his answer. I know what I want, but I also want to know his thoughts on all of this.
The shrug he gives me is so subtle, I almost miss it. “I honestly have no clue. All I know is that I’ve barely slept since our kiss because it’s all I can think about. You are constantly on my mind, and I want more. So much more.” The last part of the sentence comes out on a big breath as he leans forward.
“Well, what are you waiting for then?” I tilt my head to the side, gauging his every reaction. Everything about this man fascinates me. Always has, but our kiss has definitely taken this to the next level. Or more like, a million levels.
“Are you sure?”
The tiniest flicker of irritation creeps up my spine at his question. I know he worries, and maybe I should too, but I just want to forget about everything around us and lose myself in him.
By now, I’ve thrown every precaution to the wind. If I didn’t want to risk our friendship dynamics before, that thought flew completely out the window the second I got a taste of his lips.
That was my ultimate breaking point. No turning back anymore.
“Gabe, we’ve already talked about this. I want you and you want me. It’s as simple as that. Let’s not complicate things and just enjoy the summer we have together before I go back to work, okay?”
The Mitchell Brothers Collection: A Feel-Good Romance Box Set Page 44