She was even more beautiful than I’d thought, and even the power of my frequent, sexy dreams couldn’t prepare me for the full sight of Gabi’s perfect, scantily clad body.
She didn’t seem to notice my staring, for which I was grateful. But as she walked to the edge of the pool, I saw something that made me gasp out loud.
“Gabi, what happened to your legs?”
She turned around. Was that panic I saw flickering in her eyes? Whatever it was, it was gone quickly. She followed my gaze down to the three long straight scars on the inside of her right thigh.
“Oh. That.” Her voice was flat. “I cut myself shaving.”
“Really?” My voice dripped skepticism. There was no way she got those scars from shaving nicks. They were way too long, and straight, and deep…those scars were made on purpose.
“Yeah.” Her expression was defiant. “So are we going to swim, or what?”
And now I was faced with a dilemma. Should I argue with Gabi right here and now? Force her to tell me the truth? Or let it go and pursue it another day?
I didn’t want her to be angry with me, and I didn’t want to spoil our good time.
So when she jumped in the water, I jumped in after her, and we never mentioned her scars again that afternoon.
***
The sun was dipping low in the red afternoon sky as we lay in lawn chairs beside the pool, soaking up the last rays of sun. The pool was emptying of people and would be closing soon, but we were reluctant to leave; the water and the sun felt so good on my skin after a month of staying indoors.
“So what’s up with college?” Gabi asked suddenly. She shifted in her chair and turned to look at me. Her bare stomach glistened with tanning oil. “My mother said that your mother told her that you were accepted to CSU.”
“I’m not going,” I said shortly. “It wouldn’t feel right. Not without Tina.” I swallowed. We’d gone the whole day without mentioning Tina, although of course she was in the back of our minds, unspoken between the two of us.
“Hey. Little advice?” She adjusted her swimsuit, and I tore my eyes away.
“Sure,” I said without any enthusiasm.
“Get your education. You’ll regret it otherwise.”
There was something in her expression and in the tone of her voice that suggested that she was speaking from experience. I remembered that she had been away at college when Tina had killed herself. Now she was home. Why? “Are you…I mean, did you—“
“Drop out of school because I had more pressing things on my mind than finals and test grades?” she asked sharply. “Yeah, I did. I was more concerned about attending my baby sister’s funeral, you see.” She took a deep, shuddery breath. “Not that I would change that for anything. I couldn’t have stayed at school while they buried my sister. After I got that phone call from my mother…she was hysterical. It took her ten minutes to tell me what had happened. And then my world ended.”
I nodded. I knew. Mine had ended, too.
“But then it began again,” she continued. “It’s rough going, but it’s a life. I can’t go back to school; that part of my life is over now, and I can’t go back. But it’s not too late for you.” Seeing my hesitant expression, she added softly, “Tina would have wanted you to. Do it for her, if not yourself.”
It was the same thing, more or less, that my mother had told me weeks ago, and I braced myself for the same wave of anger that had hit me then. But it didn’t come.
“Maybe,” I said slowly as I watched the sunlight glitter on the surface of the crystal-clear water. “I don’t know, though. I’ll think about it.”
“It won’t be an insult to her memory to make the right choices for your own future,” Gabi said quietly. She reached over and took my hand, which was dangling over the side of my chair. Blazing heat shot through me. I tried to come up with some sort of argument against Gabi’s logic, but I couldn’t think. Not with her skin on mine.
“You need to live again,” she whispered. She leaned closer to me, her golden hair falling in waves against her tanned shoulders. Her eyes were intense and blazing, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her soft pink lips, so lush and inviting.
“I don’t know how,” I said in a low voice.
“There are many ways to feel alive,” she replied in a soft, silky voice, and she leaned forward. My heart pounded—she was so close to me, and I was both scared and excited.
“Like what?” I hardly dared to breathe. Her lips were only inches from mine, and in full view of everyone! But I didn’t care who might or might not be watching. All I could focus on was Gabi, this beautiful sexy angel.
In answer, she kissed me.
It was like fireworks, hot and explosive as fiery desire awoke in my chest. Gabi’s lips were incredibly soft and tasted so sweet as they moved slowly against mine.
Losing my initial tentativeness, I took charge, softly biting her lower lip, and I was rewarded by a soft gasp of pleasure from Gabi. It fueled my lust, and God, all I wanted was Gabi naked and writhing underneath me.
Her lips parted, and my tongue darted in between them. Her eyes flew open with surprise, and for a moment I was afraid I went too far. But she kissed me back, deeper and with greater urgency.
But then she pulled away. “Not here,” she said. She didn’t look at me as she self-consciously adjusted her bikini top, and a shiver ran through me as I caught a very brief glimpse of what was underneath.
“Let’s go back to my place,” I said eagerly. My heart pounded at the thought of getting her alone.
Her cheeks were flushed, whether from pleasure or embarrassment I couldn’t tell. Probably both. Either way, she looked sexy as fuck. “Actually, I have to get back home,” she said apologetically.
My crushing disappointment must have shown on my face, because when she took my hand she added, “I’m not saying no, just…not right now. I want it to be right.”
I nodded, but in the back of my mind, I couldn’t help wondering how long I’d be willing to wait to get Gabi Hudson in my bed.
Chapter Four
“Oh, Gabi,” I moaned huskily. “Quit fucking around and touch me!”
“No,” she teased, her eyes alight with mischief. “Not until I’m good and ready.” I bit my lip to keep in a moan, but a shaky breath escaped nonetheless. She smirked, seeming to enjoy my frustration.
In this dream, I lay completely naked on a tabletop as Gabi’s soft, sleek hands rubbed lightly fragranced massage oil all over my body, which quaked with desire. Her touch tantalized me, and I yearned for more. My skin was hot and flushed, and more than anything I wanted Gabi to touch me, stroke me, make me come…
Her slick fingers drifted across my flat stomach, tracing my skin lightly from one hip to the next before darting back up. I panted when she traced slow circles around one of my hard nipples, flicking and teasing it. She pinched it lightly, and lightning bolts jolted through me. She rolled it around, and I leaned my head back, surrendering myself completely to my pleasure and to Gabi’s capable, nimble fingers.
Her hand drifted over to the other one and repeated the process, until both of my nipples were blazing hot and engorged, so sensitive to her feathery touch.
She poured more oil onto her palm and slowly massaged my lower belly. I arched my back, thrusting myself against her hand. The oil was hot, almost blazingly hot, and I relished the way her skin glided so effortlessly against mine.
My skin was glistening with the oil, and her fingers slid in it, sending shiver after shiver through me. It was, without a doubt, the most achingly erotic thing I’d ever experienced in my life. Who gave a shit if it wasn’t real? To me, it was, and my aching, burning desire was the realist thing in the world.
Her fingers dipped down again, and this time when I begged her breathlessly, she seemed to decide to listen. Her fingertips slid in the hot juices accumulating on my thighs. I bucked my hips, wild with lust, and she giggled.
“What do you want, Connie?” she asked sweetly.
“Oh my God, Gabi,” I whimpered as her finger slid back and forth in a slow, deliberate rhythm.
“You want more?” she purred. She slowly licked her lips, and I was mesmerized by the sight.
I couldn’t speak; I was trembling too hard. So wordlessly I nodded.
In answer, she slipped another finger inside, stretching me and filling me up. I let out a husky moan and lifted my hips higher, and when she slid a third finger inside of me, I thought I was going to explode.
Her fingers pumped and teased and swirled, and I shivered with anticipation. I could feel my climax approaching as my pleasure peaked and my entire body quivered.
“Oh, Gabi,” I whimpered, my eyes shut tight against the pleasure.
“Yes?” a sweet voice answered.
My eyes flew open as my desire vanished on the spot.
That wasn’t Gabi’s voice.
I looked up, and just like that, the table disappeared from underneath me, as did the room that we were in. In the strange way that dreams have, everything transformed in the blink of an eye. I was now clothed and standing up, and the background was gone. I was surrounded by nothing but cold blackness, but there was someone in front of me.
She turned around, and icy horror replaced my fiery lust.
“You’re forgetting about me,” Tina accused. Her eyes blazed with terrible power.
“No, I’m not,” I gasped. “How could I ever forget about you?”
“You’re supposed to mourn me,” she said. Her skin glowed with an eerie light all its own. “You were my best friend. I loved you, you know. And you let me down.”
There was a slow, dreamlike quality to everything, and in the back of my mind I knew that’s exactly what this was—only a dream. But the terror creeping over my heart was very real.
“I know, and I’m sorry.” My voice came out as a whine.
Tina moved backwards. There was nothing behind her that I could see, we were surrounded by an awful whispering blackness, but as she did a shadow fell over her beautiful face, the one that so resembled Gabi’s.
“And now you have the hots for my sister,” she said in a husky whisper. “How dare you? Wasn’t it enough that you made my life so unbearable that I had to end it? No. No, it wasn’t enough.”
I tried to tell myself that this wasn’t Tina, just some manifestation of my own broken heart. The real Tina would never say such things to me, neither would she be glaring at me with such cold hatred. But I couldn’t convince myself otherwise.
“It wasn’t my fault,” I whispered back. My throat was as dry as sandpaper. “I didn’t know that things were so bad for you, and I’m sorry—“
“You’re sorry?” she repeated incredulously. She threw her head back and laughed cruelly. As she did, I noticed something that sent fresh waves of horror and disbelief through me—her teeth were long and pointed, like fangs.
“Do me a favor, Connie,” she snarled, all traces of laughter gone from her face. “Save your excuses for someone who’s not dead.”
My eyes widened and a small noise escaped my lips as the skin on Tina’s face blackened right before my eyes, then peeled, exposing rotting flesh and white bone. Her eyes rolled in their sockets, and her hair became dark and matted with filth.
Tina’s corpse grinned at me. “See what you did to me,” she said sweetly.
My nerve broke then, and in my panic I turned on my heels and ran. But it was like running through molasses; I wasn’t going anywhere, and behind me a soft chuckle ruffled my hair. Tina’s breath smelled like rotting meat. Her skeletal hand settled on my shoulder—
My eyes flew open and I jerked up into a sitting position on the bed, clutching the pillow to my chest. I was drenched in sweat. Shaking violently and struggling to catch my breath, I forced myself to count to fifty until the shakes subsided a little.
Only a dream, only a dream, I repeated in my head. Oh, I knew it was only a dream, but it was so awful! The things Tina said to me clanged around horribly in my head, haunting me in a way that nothing else could, not even the sight of her corpse.
I promised myself that I wouldn’t cry over a nightmare, then promptly burst into tears anyway.
I glanced at the clock beside my bed. It was only eleven P.M; I’d only been asleep for an hour, then.
I needed someone to talk to. The thought of going back to sleep chilled me to the bone. I couldn’t face Tina again.
My parents were gone for the night, but I wasn’t sure I could talk to them anyway. They wouldn’t understand.
But I knew someone who would.
I tried with little success to dry the tears from my face, then grabbed my phone and dialed Gabi’s number.
She answered on the second ring. “Hello?”
“Gabi,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “I…I need you.”
“What’s wrong?” Her voice was sharp and alarmed.
I squeezed my eyes shut. More helpless tears tracked down my cheeks. “I had a bad dream. About Tina.” I wanted to tell her how awful it’d been, but I wasn’t sure I had the words to describe it.
“I’m on my way,” she said immediately, and hung up.
I tossed my phone on the nightstand and drew my knees against my chest. To my surprise, I felt a little bit better already, knowing that Gabi was coming. I also felt a little pleased knowing that she was willing to drop everything and come over just because I had a nightmare.
My sexy dream was almost forgotten, overshadowed by the horrible nightmare. Sex was the furthest thing from my mind right now, but I still wanted to be presentable for Gabi. So I quickly brushed my teeth and hair, then slid back into bed to wait for Gabi to come.
I didn’t have to wait long. Less than ten minutes later, Gabi swung my bedroom door open. Her hair was loose and flowing, and she was dressed in a tiny tank top and denim shorts that exposed every inch of her long, smooth legs. Her eyes were wide with concern.
“Connie,” she said softly. She slid into bed next to me, and when she drew me against her body, I went willingly enough, resting my head on her chest. I could hear her steady heartbeat, and it calmed me. “Are you all right?”
I closed my eyes, feeling the coldness and the terror slowly fade out of my body. “I am now,” I said, cuddling against her more closely. She smelled like flowers.
She stroked my hair. “Do you want to tell me about it?”
I stiffened against her. “No.” All I wanted was this: Gabi’s concern, her presence, her skin on mine…
“It’ll be better if you do,” she insisted. Her beautiful face was inches from mine. “I have them too, you know. It’s better to get it all out.”
I trembled. “She was dead,” I said quietly. “I mean, really dead. A rotting corpse. And she was saying terrible things; things I’ve been thinking anyway, but to hear them coming from her?” I shivered again. “It was awful. I never want to go to sleep again.”
She resumed stroking my hair, her hand occasionally brushing my cheek and the nape of my neck softly.
“Thank you for coming,” I murmured against her.
She pulled me tighter against her in response.
Suddenly I couldn’t stand it. Her closeness had awakened a deep, hungry need in me, and in a bout of boldness, I pressed my lips against her warm soft ones.
Her eyes flew open in surprise, and my heart sank. Oh, no. I blew it! She was going to leave, I was sure of it, there was no way that Gabi would ever want me.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
In response, she entwined her hand in my hair and pulled my face against hers.
I let out a little gasp as she kissed me deeply, hungrily. Her moist tongue caressed my lower lip, and I shivered and parted my lips. She took the hint, and
her tongue darted in between them. Oh, God, she tasted so sweet.
For the moment, I forgot my grief, my guilt, my terror. I gave myself willingly and completely to Gabi and her oh so capable hands.
She nibbled softly on my lower lips, sending jolts of liquid heat through my body. I arched my back, pressing myself against her soft curves.
Slowly, teasingly, we explored each other’s mouths, kissing and licking and nibbling, and I trembled in her arms. Our breaths grew ragged, a symphony of our desire.
Her lips drifted down, and she slowly kissed my neck and my throat, flicking her hot tongue across it. I shivered as her warm lips trailed slowly and sensually across my collarbone before meeting mine again. I drank in her kisses like fine wine, and her hot, sweet tongue danced tantalizingly in my mouth.
Her hand drifted down to the front of my tank top, and my breath caught in my throat as she cupped my left breast. I wasn’t wearing a bra, and my lust quickly became apparent to her. She gave me a wicked half-smile as her fingers swirled and flicked and teased the hard little peak through my shirt.
“Please,” I gasped against her lips. She kissed me again in response, still with that smile on her beautiful face. Her eyes glittered with desire.
“Please what?” she purred.
In answer, I slid my hands up her shirt, slipping them across her flat belly and relishing the way she shuddered as my fingertips brushed the bottom of her bra. “Two can play at that game,” I teased.
Gabi’s eyes gleamed mischievously, and before I knew it she rolled me over on my back, straddling my hips and pinning my arms behind my head. I wriggled indignantly. “Let me go!” I gasped and laughed at the same time.
“Make me,” she said simply, and leaned forward.
The aching tension between us built in a swirling storm as Gabi’s lips met mine. This kiss was different; not slow and teasing and exploring, but full of urgent desire, her tongue flicking against mine. Her hair fell around my face in a waterfall.
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