His Unlikely Lover

by Natasha Anders

  “Well, I’m not,” she denied. “Now leave me alone, I’m busy.”

  “Aww come on, Bobbi,” he reproved. “Throw me a bone, won’t you? You used to be a better sister than this.”

  “And you and Dad need to stop talking about me behind my back,” she added. She disconnected the call while he was in mid-plea and glared at the screen irritably.

  “Be seen with one guy in public,” she grumbled. “And they’re planning your wedding and naming your first-born child.” Their peaceful berg was too small and the Richmond and Braddock families were too well known for any juicy bit of news to slip by unnoticed. She knew that it was one of the main reasons Gabe wanted to keep their affair, if that’s what it could be called, secret. They would never be able to get away with just sleeping together, the pressure on him to do the “respectable” thing with the daughter of such a prominent family would be immense. And Gabe being Gabe wouldn’t allow himself to be forced into anything and that could have some pretty major repercussions for him—personally and professionally—if her father decided to take offense.

  But even while she understood his reasoning, it just really hurt to be nothing more to him than an itch that needed scratching. She ran her hands over her face and groaned.

  “Stop thinking about it,” she told herself, her voice muffled behind her hands. Just enjoy it while it lasts.

  She picked up her phone again, wanting to touch base with Gabe and genuinely concerned about Chase.

  Hey. Chase ok? She tapped out the message swiftly and then put the phone aside to pick up a couple of requisition forms. She hated the paperwork aspect of her job; it kept her away from what she really loved which was being elbow deep in the innards of an automobile. Unfortunately owning a business meant that she had to deal with the boring stuff too and sadly the boring stuff seemed to completely outweigh the fun stuff. Her phone buzzed.

  I don’t know. I’m worried. Something wrong. I didn’t talk to him about it yet—had to come to work.

  Give him time, she responded.

  Yeah.

  She watched her phone for a while longer but no other message was forthcoming so she put her head down and went back to her paperwork. The phone buzzed a minute later and she grabbed it eagerly.

  So . . . are you wearing a bra today? She was equal parts embarrassed and amused by the question and not sure how to respond to it. She was saved from making that decision when the buzzer went again.

  Sorry. Out of line but . . . are you?

  She laughed out loud at that bit of nerve, bit her lip and tapped out a quick message, and pushed “Send” before she could change her mind.

  YEAH you’re out of line . . . and no. I’m not. His next reply made her breath catch.

  SO hard I hurt right now. Thanks!!!

  Wish I was there to kiss it better. Her response was more risqué than she’d intended. It was like her fingers had taken on a life of their own.

  OMG!! You’re killing me. Can’t concentrate on work now cos that’s all I’ll be thinking about. She grinned. She was still thinking about how to respond when a new message buzzed its way to her screen.

  Crap. Gtg—your dad’s on his way to my office!

  Bobbi choked back a laugh as she pictured him jumping like a guilty schoolboy just because her father had nearly caught him indulging in a bit of PG-13 sexting. Okay, so maybe Mike Richmond wouldn’t take it too well if he knew that Bobbi was the recipient of the racy messages—but it was still a funny thought. Gabe respected her father so much, Bobbi knew that he would hate to do anything to upset or disappoint the man. She shook her head and put her phone down.

  She didn’t know what she was doing here. The lines between the role of friend and lover were becoming less distinct. That morning, the jog, it had started off friendly and then he had ended it with that kiss. The SMSs they’d just exchanged—her initial inquiry had been that of a concerned friend and it had turned into a mild sexting session. How was she supposed to keep these two roles straight when Gabe was the one who kept mixing things up? She was going have to talk to him about it and try to reestablish some of the ground rules.

  Gabe had wanted to eat in and have a talk with his brother, but Chase had insisted they head down to the pub for dinner. Gabe knew his brother well enough to recognize the delaying tactic. Chase was aware that Gabe had questions and he didn’t want to answer them. He had even asked Gabe to delay telling their mother that he was back in Cape Town. She knew that he was in the country but thought he was staying in Johannesburg for a couple of days.

  When they walked into the pub, the friends they had known all their lives flocked around them to welcome Chase home with back thumps and pints of beer; it took a while before they could make their way to a table and order some food, and even then somebody was always stopping by for a chat.

  “God, it’s good to be home,” Chase said during one of the rare moments they were alone at their table.

  “You should come home more often,” Gabe told him, trying to keep his tone light.

  “I’ve been thinking about it.” Chase’s tired response had Gabe leaning forward intently.

  “Thinking about what exactly?” he prompted.

  “Staying home and working on that book.” Chase had been thinking of compiling a book of photographs for years. He always tried to capture the beauty hidden beneath the ugliness of the war torn places he found himself in and that was what his book would focus on. A single rose blooming on a battlefield, a glorious sunrise over a minefield. He had once told Gabe that he took those photos to maintain his sanity.

  “Won’t you get bored at home?” Gabe asked, taking a sip of beer.

  “I can’t see the beauty anymore, Gabe.” His brother’s voice sounded completely desolate and Gabe’s throat tightened. “I look around me and all I see is ugliness, despair, fear, poverty . . . violence. There’s no beauty. Not even here.”

  “Ah, man,” Gabe shook his head, blinking away that sting in the back of his eyes again. “I’m glad you’re home, brother.”

  “Yeah, me too . . .”

  “Movie?” Chase asked when they got home an hour and a half later and Gabe nodded.

  “Yeah, lemme get some chips and beer. You pick the movie.” Gabe moved toward the kitchen and then turned back. “Hey!”

  Chase paused on his way to the den and looked back at him.

  “No chick flicks!” Gabe instructed, and Chase blinked, studied him for a second, and then, for the first time since returning, truly laughed. The sound was deep and spontaneous and just a tad rusty and made Gabe feel rather sentimental.

  “Damn,” Chase bantered. “I was so looking forward to watching Pretty Woman again. Or Titanic maybe.”

  Chase chose a comedy, one they had seen several times before, but Gabe recognized that his brother was seeking the familiar and that a violent action movie wasn’t what Chase needed.

  The movie had been on for less than half an hour when the doorbell rang. Gabe tensed, knowing instantly who it was. He had forgotten to tell her that Chase would be staying with him.

  “It’s nearly twelve.” Chase sat up with a frown and paused the movie. “Who would be visiting at this time of night?”

  “I have an inkling,” Gabe replied. “I’ll get it.”

  He left the room before Chase could question him any further and hurried to the front door. The sight of Bobbi standing there in nothing but a pair of skimpy Snoopy pyjama shorts and a matching pink tank top made him groan. She looked good enough to eat and that had been his plan for the night before Chase had come to stay. She smiled at him and took his breath away.

  “Hi,” she whispered, and stepped into his arms. She reached up and entangled her hands in his hair before tugging his head down for a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her slender body and captured her lips in a tender embrace that was filled with longing and desire. Her soft moan as she wound her arms around his neck undid him and he deepened the kiss, stroking his tongue into her mouth for a brief ins
tant before reason reasserted itself and he dragged his head back. She made a disappointed sound and tried to capture his lips again but he brought his hands up to her arms and moved her firmly away, turning his head to avoid her kiss. He winced at the hurt confusion that clouded her eyes.

  “Chase is here,” he muttered, and the pain deepened for an instant before she stepped back.

  “Bobbi,” he whispered, uncomfortable with the brief flash of rejection that he had seen in her eyes and despising himself for putting it there. “I’m . . .”

  “Oh please don’t . . .” She held up a hand in entreaty. “Just don’t say you’re sorry. It’s okay. It’s just part of the agreement.”

  “But . . .”

  “Gabe,” she warned, and he sighed deeply.

  “This isn’t easy for me either, Bobbi.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure it’s not.” But she sounded bitter and unconvinced and it was killing Gabe not to reach for her and drag her back into his arms. “Can I say hello to Chase? It would look weird if I didn’t. I won’t stay too long.”

  “You can stay as long as you want,” he said, ill at ease. He hated how badly he was mishandling the situation and hated the awful certainty that in his quest to keep her from getting hurt, he was not only wounding her but irreparably damaging their friendship in the process.

  She brushed past him and padded into the den, the soles of her trainers squeaking on the tiled floor. He absently rubbed at the gnawing ache in his chest as he followed her in. Chase looked up when they entered the room and his face lit up when he saw her.

  “Well, look who it is.” He sounded delighted and leapt to his feet to envelop Bobbi in a tight hug. She laughed and returned the embrace, squealing when Chase lifted her off her feet and swung her around.

  “Put me down, you giant oaf.” She giggled and he complied, smacking a big kiss on her mouth.

  “I’ve missed you, sweetie,” he told her and she stood on her toes to ruffle his hair.

  “I’ve missed you too, you sexy beast,” she said affectionately, cuddling up to his chest again. Gabe could feel his brow settling into a scowl as he watched the excessive kissing and cuddling between the two. Had they always been this physical? He found himself wanting to wade between them and push them apart. This was ridiculous. When Chase planted yet another kiss on Bobbi’s cheek, Gabe felt a growl building in his chest. Enough, for God’s sake!

  “Bobbi’s not staying long,” he said loudly enough to interrupt the snuggle fest. Chase looked into Bobbi’s upturned face with a mock frown.

  “Ridiculous, you’re watching the movie with us, aren’t you?” he asked Bobbi, who darted a tentative glance at Gabe.

  “I’m not sure.”

  Gabe winced at the small waver in her voice, knowing that he had put it there. God, he was being a total dick. He just didn’t like seeing Chase’s hands all over her. And that thought was shocking in its own right. It was as if he was jealous . . . of Chase.

  “It’s Talladega Nights,” Gabe informed her, gentling his tone. “Stay, I’ll get you a beer.”

  “If you’re sure you don’t mind,” she said hesitantly.

  “Of course we don’t mind,” Chase scoffed, dragging her to the sofa and planting her next to him. “Why would we mind? You sit with me, I’ve missed the hell out of you and I’m keeping you close.”

  Gabe tried to keep another frown from settling on his face and turned away from the cozy pair, heading for the kitchen. When he returned, Bobbi had her shoes off and her feet curled under her butt on the sofa. Chase had an arm around her shoulders while she had her head on his chest and was absently playing with his free hand as she told him about the Corvette she was renovating for Jason. Chase was giving her his full attention and neither of them noticed Gabe’s return until he slammed the beer bottle onto the coffee table in front of them. Chase looked up in surprise, and Bobbi eyed him with that awful look of uncertainty on her face again.

  “Sorry,” Gabe muttered. “It slipped.”

  Chase seemed to accept that and rested his cheek on Bobbi’s head, but she still kept a wary eye on Gabe as he slumped down on the recliner next to the sofa.

  Bobbi felt incredibly awkward, it was clear that Gabe didn’t want her here. Maybe he didn’t trust her to keep her mouth shut about their sexual arrangement, maybe he wanted to spend time with his brother and resented Bobbi’s presence, or maybe he just plain didn’t want to be in her company right now. Whatever it was, it made her feel uncomfortable and for the first time ever, she felt unsure of her welcome in this house. She could sense the waves of disapproval wafting off him even after he’d put the movie back on and she couldn’t relax, despite Chase’s solid and reassuring presence beside her.

  She couldn’t concentrate on the movie and was lost in her thoughts when a soft snore in her ear startled her out of her reverie. She twisted her neck to look up at Chase and came to the gradual realization that his arm was heavy across her shoulders and his body was becoming uncomfortably heavy. She tossed a glance over at Gabe, who was staring at the television screen grimly—he seemed as lost in his thoughts as she had been.

  “Gabe,” she whispered. He didn’t seem to hear her and she escalated her voice to an urgent hiss. “Gabe!”

  He was startled into jerking his head around to where she and Chase were sitting on the sofa. The questioning look on his face was immediately replaced by amusement when he saw her predicament.

  “He’s getting heavy,” she grunted, and Gabe chuckled before coming over to prod his brother.

  “Chase, you’re crushing Bobbi.” There was no response, and he shook Chase more firmly. Chase sat bolt upright and one hand wrapped around Gabe’s throat while the other arm drew back to deliver a punch. Bobbi screamed and the sound seemed to snap Chase out of whatever daze he was in, because his grip immediately loosened. His arms fell to his sides and his hands clenched into tight fists.

  “Shit,” he swore shakily, his entire body trembling. “I’m sorry. I was . . . I was having a dream.”

  “Some dream.” Gabe kept his voice light, even though Bobbi could see the concern in his eyes. “No harm done. You’re knackered though. You should get some sleep.”

  Chase ran a trembling hand through his hair and nodded. He cast an apologetic glance at Bobbi.

  “Sorry about that, sweetie,” he said. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  “It’s all good,” she said with a wobbly smile. “You just get a decent night’s sleep. We can catch up tomorrow.” She got up and hugged him again, her concern for him making her grip tighter than usual. He returned the desperate hug with equal fervor before reluctantly releasing her. He spared a brief shamefaced glance for Gabe before saying a hurried good night and leaving the room. There was an odd and uncomfortable silence after Chase’s departure and Bobbi darted a quick look at Gabe. There was a troubled expression on his face as he looked at the door through which Chase had exited the room.

  “He’s too thin,” Bobbi said, and Gabe turned his moody regard on her.

  “I know,” he agreed.

  “I can see why you’re worried about him. He looks terrible,” she observed, and Gabe sighed deeply, thrusting his hands into his trouser pockets and hunching his shoulders. He didn’t bother replying.

  “I should go,” she said after another prolonged silence and watched Gabe’s jaw tighten in response. She looked around for her trainers but could find only one. Frustrated, she went down on her knees to have a look beneath the sofa. Of course it wasn’t within easy reach and she fumbled around for it—swearing softly beneath her breath when it kept evading her grasp. When—after a long while—she managed to snag a shoelace and drag it out, her cheeks were flushed with both embarrassment and exertion and she tugged her shoes on self-consciously, acutely aware of the fact that Gabe had been staring at her the entire time.

  “Anyway . . .” She tucked back a strand of her hair and focused her eyes on the wall above his left shoulder. “I’ll see you. Good night.”<
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  “Don’t go.” The words sounded torn from him and his voice was filled with enough urgency to bring her eyes up to meet his. The entreaty she saw there stole her breath.

  “I thought you didn’t want me here,” she said, and hated how needy she sounded. He held out an unsteady hand to her. She hesitated before stepping toward him. He entwined his fingers with hers and gently tugged her closer until he had her loosely clasped in his arms.

  “I want you here.” His voice was soft and his eyes gleamed with sincerity as they burned into hers. He cupped her face in his hands and just looked at her for the longest time, his gaze running from her hair, down to eyebrows, nose, mouth—it lingered there—and then back up to her eyes. “You’re so damned beautiful, Bobbi mine. I’m happy you’re here and I’m sorry if I made you feel unwelcome.”

  Stunned by the intimate endearment—had he really just called her his?—it took Bobbi a moment to gather her thoughts enough to answer. “You didn’t want Chase to know about us, I get it.”

  “That’s not it.”

  “You wanted to spend time with him. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

  “Nope.” His thumbs were starting a slow, seductive sweep from her jaw, up to the corners of her mouth and back again.

  “Then, I don’t understand . . .”

  “I wanted to spend time with you.” He totally dumfounded her with those words and she reached up to his wrists, meaning to stop the distracting stroke of his thumbs so that she could concentrate on his words, but not really succeeding. Instead her hands explored the bones in his wrists and then swept up his strong, veiny forearms and further up to his hard biceps.

  “You had a funny way of showing it,” she murmured, and his face was so close to hers that her lips brushed against his as she said the words.

  “I hated seeing Chase’s hands all over you,” he confessed. “Absolutely hated it.” She drew her head back so that she could look into his eyes.

  “What are you talking about? Chase and I hugged.”