Chapter Six ~ Zoey
I tried to focus on my characters, truly I did, but my mind kept drifting back to running into Gabe on the trail. Shirtless and sweaty…
I almost had a heart attack!
Good gravy boat … the man didn’t have an ounce of fat on his body. Tanned skin pulled tightly over lean, hard muscles … I was lucky my face had already been sweating, because the drool just blended right in.
He’d startled me. I’d been enjoying a light jog, the music filling me up as I prepped for another day, and when I heard that deep, delicious laugh, I’d thought I was willing Gabe into existence. If I was honest, I’d thought of little else since Jasmine and I had gotten back to the camp the evening before … but when I’d turned and seen him, his handsome face alive with laughter, and that tall, delicious form half naked before me, I’d clutched my chest like an Eighteenth Century maiden in need of vapors.
So, I’d been sitting here, anxiously waiting for him to come and pick me up to go to the lake. Embarrassing as it was, I’d come back to my cabin after the run, showered, and put my bathing suit on. That was three hours ago.
I’d spent those three hours typing away on my laptop, then backspacing to erase everything I’d written.
I was writing a book about teens, magic, and destiny, and all that kept flowing out of me were hot, sweaty sex scenes, with a hero that looked a helluva lot like Superman.
I needed therapy … Or a really good bout of sex.
The knock at my door had me whipping my head away from my computer, and my heart literally flipped in my chest when I saw Gabe standing on the other side of the screen door.
He was still shirtless!
All I could think was, the man had better be single, as I pushed my chair back and walked over to open the door.
“Hey,” I managed softly.
“You ready?” he asked with a handsome grin, his eyes roaming over my excuse for a bathing suit cover-up.
It was a lacy number that really didn’t cover the bikini underneath at all. I’d noticed him checking me out, in between the moments that I was checking him out. I didn’t jog, do yoga, and torture myself with workout DVDs for nothing. It was time for me to step up my game and take matters into my own hands.
We were now less than a week away from the camp being taken over by teens, so my window of opportunity was dwindling.
“Yes,” I replied with what I hoped was a seductive smile. “Do I need anything?”
“Nope, you’re perfect as you are,” Gabe replied, holding the door for me as I joined him outside. “My cousin Serena called and is almost here, so the others are going to hang back and wait for her. We’ll go ahead and they’ll meet us in a little bit.”
I searched his eyes, wondering if this meant he wanted some alone time with me, and it felt like a marching band had taken up residence in my stomach.
“Sounds great.”
We walked down the steps and I paused when I noticed the four-wheeler parked there.
“I figured we’d ride over, if that works…” Gabe said, holding out his hand. I placed mine in his, cognizant of the heat I felt whenever we happened to touch, and let him help me onto the seat.
I scooted back to give him space, and held my breath as he hopped on and settled in front of me.
He turned his head and said, “Hold on,” then turned back to start up the machine.
I gingerly placed my arms around his middle, still not breathing as my arms touched his bare skin.
Good lord, he felt smooth.
His hand grasped mine and he pulled, bringing me flush against his back and causing me to hold on tighter.
My head got light as the spicy, woodsy smell of him drifted up, and the heat of his back warmed my front.
This man was potent … One hundred proof.
The four-wheeler rumbled beneath us as we took off, my arms tightening even more at the sudden movement.