Happenstance(37)

I see and hear it all happening in slow-motion.

Tobias holds up his martini in the middle of the dancefloor. “Gather around, everyone. I’ll tell you about the time a royal—who shall remain unnamed for legal purposes—snuck me into Windsor for a game of truth or dare involving ski masks and rubber duckies…”

While that tale is being spun, Banks oh-so-casually spills his drink on the floor. The leader of the punk posse steps directly into the puddle, his foot eliciting a wet squeak. He pinwheels for a few seconds, before landing smack on his butt in front of everyone. I want to revel in the wonder of it all. I really do. But I don’t need a crystal ball to know this situation is going to escalate. Fast.

“Come on.” I tug a stunned Gabe toward the elevators. “We’re making a run for it.”

“Oh.” He sounds dazed. “Okay.”

Thankfully an elevator is opening and letting off more people as we arrive and I pull Gabe in behind me. Once inside, I hold my index finger down on the door open button. “Come on, come on, come—”

Banks slips through the entrance of the elevator, buttoning his tuxedo jacket as if he didn’t just deliver a smackdown of justice. Right on his heels is Tobias, who is grinning ear to ear, martini still in his hand. “Now that is entertainment.”

I laugh breathlessly, Tobias and Banks immediately joining me. They even trade a high five with one another, so hell itself must have frozen over in the last three minutes. The sight of them bonding causes a happy jump in my stomach, catching me off guard, but I shake off the surprise and give in to the celebratory laughter. I don’t stop until my eyes are full of tears and it’s only when I blink them away do I notice that Gabe is still silent.

“Gabe?” I ask, worried, wiping the moisture from my cheeks. “Are you okay?”

He looks down at his hands. “Yeah.” There’s a glimmer of a smile, but it drops as quickly as it appeared. “I appreciate you three doing that. I do. It’s just…I’m not sure it’ll change what everyone thinks of me.” He stares forward for a beat. “But hell if I won’t be replaying that for the next decade.”

The four of us are laughing now, even if Gabe’s chuckle is slightly reluctant.

It’s an important moment.

A change is taking place right in front of my eyes. Even if things are different tomorrow, right now we’re a team. We looked out for one of our own—that’s how it feels. It scares me how close I feel to these men right now. It’s so scary because I know what it’s like to grow and change with someone and then have to say goodbye. It’s scary because my attention span is shorter than a gnat’s and the thought of hurting any of them—even Tobias—makes my belly churn.

Maybe for tonight, I can tear free of the hold my psyche has on me…and just live and breathe what’s happening here. And what’s happening is…I am brutally attracted to all three of these men for different reasons. My protectiveness of Gabe is what’s pulling the hardest at me right now. He still has shadows in his eyes and I want them gone. Now.

Before I can dissect and analyze my impulse to death, I grab Gabe by the collar and pull his mouth down for a kiss.





Chapter Eleven





Gabe





* * *



I’ve only been with one woman in my life.

As soon as Elise’s mouth is on mine, I wish I could erase the other experience and have only this. Only Elise. I want to blanket myself in this fucking feeling she brings me. She accepts me and encourages me, the way a best friend might.

Except the way I feel about her can’t be defined as friendly, whatsoever. Not when she makes me start sweating on sight. Not when I am so hungry for the taste of her, I’ve spent the last couple of days almost delirious. In a fog where only Elise exists, her voice a constant whisper in my ear, the smooth taste of her making me feel wild and out of sorts. Jumpy, like I have somewhere else to be. Something waiting for me that I don’t know how to reach, because two other sets of hands are there, too.

I want her for myself.

I want to bring her home.

Yet I know how sick I would feel if she chose Banks and Tobias…and I don’t want that for them. Furthermore, I don’t want to deprive Elise of added pleasure in her life. Christ, who could deprive her of anything? The jealousy hasn’t totally faded, maybe it never will, but I…like the other two men. I’m grateful to them for defending me downstairs in their own unique ways. And God help me, the idea of sharing Elise with them, giving her maximum satisfaction, is growing less and less unthinkable to me.

No, I’m starting to need this. Not only be a part of, but watching her be worshipped.

Faster and faster, it’s becoming…inevitable.

Her body molded to mine is right.

Her mouth defies description. The kiss is vulnerable and searching. She’s exploring me like she gives a shit, wants to learn me and celebrate me. Know who I am. Mere minutes ago, I was more lost than I’ve ever felt in my life, but she is saving me, redirecting me, giving me a new name. Hers. That kind of salvation makes me want to get down on my knees, shove up her pretty dress and use my tongue on her pussy. Repay her with bliss.

I’m about to do just that when the elevator dings. I continue kissing Elise’s mouth because it tastes like everything good about the world. But I can taste her confusion about the elevator dinging and doors rolling open onto a quiet floor, so I release her lips and appease myself by sliding my fingers into her dark hair and inhaling handfuls of it.