CHAPTER FIVE
Lo
“What do you think?” Gabe stands behind me in the full-length mirror as I marvel at his handy work.
“It’s okay.” I shrug. His face falls, and I turn toward him because I can’t hold my laughter in any longer. “I fucking love it.”
“You.” He chuckles. “You are—”
“Trouble?” I grin up at him.
“I was gonna go with something else,” he murmurs so quietly I don’t think he meant to say it out loud.
My hands are on his chest, and my eyes widen because I wasn’t even aware I was touching him. “I ... er, sorry.”
“I just had my head between your thighs and my hands on your body for the last four hours. You’re okay to touch me.” He screws up his nose and says, “I don’t mean, you cantouch, touch me. I just meant ...”
“Right, because you have Annie.”
“Yeah, and despite the fact that I kissed you in the bar a few months ago, I don’t cheat.”
“Well, that wasn’t really your fault. Now, was it? I mean, how were you to know some psycho girl trying to get over her ex would try to get under you instead?”
He grins, and it isn’t just my heart that’s melting, my thong is pretty much just goo right now too.
“It’s hard to be angry about that.” Gabe shakes his head. “Annnd I’ve just managed to sound like an even bigger jerkoff. I’m not normally this guy, I swear.”
“Me either.”
“I just ... I feel stupid comfortable with you. Like we’ve been friends forever.”
“I know, right? That’s weird, isn’t it?”
“It’s definitely a new thing for me. I don’t trust easily, and I’m not usually friends with other women on account of my girlfriend going psycho.”
“She’s really protective of you.”
“She’s ... Annie.” He shrugs.
“Right, and it’s none of my business ...” I debate just keeping my mouth shut, but I can’t. Not after what I saw at the parlor opening. “But, isn’t that level of jealousy a little intense? I mean, is she always like that?”
“She’s had a lot of shit boyfriends in the past.”
“Oh, I get it. I just ... I mean, does she have to take that out on you?”
His smile disappears, and when my eyes meet his again, the sadness in them almost knocks the breath clean out of me.
“I’m sorry, I ... I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“No. It’s fine. Believe it or not, you’re not the first to mention it.”
“Which is precisely why I shouldn’t have said anything.” I scrub my hand over my face and shake my head. “Annie’s been distant since your opening. She practically pitched a fit when I told her I was going to be your client. I’m kind of surprised she isn’t here.”
“She’s working a double shift at the hospital.”
I nod. “Anyway. I should go.”
“Yeah. Come on, I’ll give you a ride home,” he says.