“You sure, man?”
“Yeah, I’m sure. I’m calling it a night.” Jason stood from his seat, pulling out his wallet and dropping a twenty on the table. “I’ll see you guys soon?”
“Yes!” Victoria said, leaning forward to give Jason a quick hug.
“See you, buddy,” Gabe said.
Jason nodded and headed towards the door. Victoria suddenly became hyper-aware of how close Gabe had gotten to her. She could feel the heat radiating off of his body, and it sent a shiver down her spine.
“So, Vic. My place?” he smiled that wicked smile of his.
“I really shouldn’t,” she started.
“Pretty please?”
Victoria stared at him, his perfect green eyes and hard features. She looked at the bit of hair falling over his forehead and thought about knotting her hands in it. His lips… How on earth could she ever resist him? It simply wasn’t possible.
“Okay. Fine. But don’t make me eat anything else!” she ordered.
“No promises,” Gabe smirked.
Victoria giggled.
What was she doing?
Chapter Eight
GABE LOOKED AT HIMSELF in the mirror, pushing his brown hair back out of his eyes and hoping it would stay for once. He wore his usual blue jeans, but instead of a t-shirt, he threw on a white button up. He smiled at his reflection, happy to say that age did not wither away his good looks.
Moving away from the mirror, Gabe looked around the room. His bedroom was usually a mess, but he made sure to have everything looking spotless for Victoria. He’d even gone the extra mile and added some little decorations he thought she might like.
Exiting the bedroom, Gabe walked through the short hallway, through the living room, and into the kitchen. He had been living like a bachelor; bare walls, minimum effort. But tonight he had Victoria coming, so he’d done his best to make the place look livable.
She’d told him she was going to run home quickly to check on something, so he’d had time to straighten up a bit more. He wouldn’t lie, though, he’d planned for this and had the house looking pretty spotless long before he got her confirmation that she’d be there.
He wasn’t quite sure why he cared so much.
They were sleeping together, nothing more, as she had made abundantly clear. And hell, Gabe wasn’t one to argue against an arrangement like that, especially with a girl like Victoria.
Still, he couldn’t help but feel like more was going on. He knew they were trying the friends-thing out, but Gabe couldn’t quite get her out of his mind, and that had to mean something, right?
In the past, Gabe refused to date. He’d go out, hangout, hit the bedroom, and then repeat. That was, of course, until his night with Victoria. After that, he’d try his usual routine, and believe him, he had plenty of willing participants, but he just couldn’t get into it anymore. Every girl became her, and he found himself completely fucking obsessed with her.
And now, here he was, planning for a night with the girl he’d spent the last seven years fantasizing about, the girl whose heart he’d completely destroyed.
A knock on the door. Finally.
Gabe rushed over, pulling it open and seeing Victoria standing there, still wearing the cutest damn outfit he’d ever seen.
“You look adorable,” Gabe smirked, the words coming from his mouth without his permission.
It was the truth. Victoria was a beautiful woman, and she had it in her to be sexy as hell. But something about the way she looked tonight tugged at a deeper part of him, moving past the physical. Seeing her like this, with her soft blonde curls falling over her shoulders and her makeup kept to a minimum, Gabe suddenly had an overwhelming urge, one that was completely primal in nature and something he’d never felt in his life.
Gabe wanted a future with Victoria. He did not want to face a day without her in his life. Since Gabe was young, life had been a nightmare. And in the days since Victoria had finally re-entered his life? Well, things felt livable again. Better than livable. They felt… good.
He didn’t want to let go of that feeling. He didn’t want to let go of her. Gabe wanted her to always be there. He couldn’t fuck this up again.
The feeling shocked Gabe, and he didn’t quite know what to make of it.
He had always admired Victoria, but this was different. This wasn’t admiration. This was genuine romantic interest, and it surprised him.
Victoria smiled up at him, her cheeks growing red as she looked towards the ground and let out a small breath. “Thanks,” she responded, biting her lip and shaking her head.
What was going on in her mind? Gabe desperately wanted to know, but there would be plenty of time for that.
“Want me to order us some pizza?” he joked, holding out his hand.
She took it and smiled even wider, playfully punching his chest. “Funny!”
Gabe chuckled and led her towards the couch.
***
VICTORIA COULDN’T BELIEVE she was in Gabe’s house.
It was very clear that a man had lived here alone for quite some time, but that’s what was to be expected. Gabe was, after all, a bachelor, and this house seemed to be the perfect bachelor pad.
Eighties and nineties rock music hummed from the speakers, Gabe’s music preferences clearly not changing throughout the years. Victoria smiled at the familiar guitar riffs that she’d grown to love from spending so much time around Gabe when she was younger.
Gabe motioned towards the sofa, inviting Victoria to sit down.
“Shit! I forgot the candles. They’re in the basement,” he muttered, walking towards the other room.
Victoria reached out and grabbed his forearm, shaking her head and chuckling at the idea of a candlelit movie session. “Don’t worry about candles. We’re fine.”
Gabe laughed, clearly coming to the same realization that Victoria had come to. “Not the fanciest of dates, huh?”
Victoria felt her stomach jump. “Is that what this is? A date?”
Gabe stared at her for a moment, mouth half open in a crooked smile. “Well, no,” he said, as if he was answering the question for himself, as well. “No, this is just hanging out. Unless, I mean, you want it to be a date.”
Victoria let out the air she had been holding in her lungs, not quite sure how she felt about everything going on.
The young girl in her that had been completely obsessed with Gabe wanted to jump with glee that she could be on a date with him, but the smart and mature woman she’d become in the past seven years wanted to run out his front door. She shouldn’t trust him again, it was dangerous.
“Hanging out,” Victoria smiled. “That’s all.”
Gabe nodded and looked away, glancing down at the floor. Victoria took the moment to look him over, taking in the incredible man before her. Gabe’s light jeans and button-up had her heart racing in her chest. He was the sexiest man she’d ever seen, even after all these years.
Suddenly, Gabe’s eyes were on her, staring into her with the same desperate need that she had felt for him. Her heart felt like it might burst, and then suddenly he looked away. Was that… rejection?
In a moment of panic, Victoria blurted out, “I should go.” She jetted up from her seat on the couch, hitting the table and having the soda Gabe had set out pour all over her, and Gabe’s rug.
Damn it.
Victoria was a damned fool.
“I am so sorry!” she exclaimed.
Gabe chuckled, putting his hands on either one of her arms and steadying her. “Relax, baby. You’re fine.”
“I should go,” Victoria repeated herself.
“Why?” Gabe’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
“I just…” Victoria started, but she couldn’t find the words to continue. She wanted to jump Gabe’s bones, to let herself go and relieve every craving she had for him. But she couldn’t tell him that. No way, no how. “I’m going to be all sticky.”
“Why don’t you take a shower?” Gabe offered. �
��I’ll give you a pair of sweats and a shirt of mine so you’re not all sticky. Then we’ll watch whatever movie you want.”
Victoria started up at him, chewing on her lip and weighing her options. Finally, she spoke. “Any movie I want?”
Gabe laughed, the smile lighting up his entire face. Victoria’s heart flitted in her chest. “Anything for you,” he winked.
Victoria smiled and looked to the floor. She craved Gabe’s lips on hers, more than anything in the world, but maybe finding a friend in Gabe was exactly what she needed.
***
GABE LISTENED TO THE sound of flowing water while sitting on the living room couch, knowing that Victoria was in the shower, washing off. Naked. In his house.
His cock could not get more alert. Sitting there and thinking about the water rushing over her naked body had Gabe going crazy. He knew he said friends, but they’d both agreed to friendship with a couple perks… was she still on board with that? God, he hoped so.
Truthfully, entering a physical relationship with Victoria made him nervous. He didn’t want her to get attached again like last time. But she was so different now, so strong. She made it very clear that she didn’t want anything else from him, and he never once had to bring that up. It couldn’t have been more perfect.
He certainly never expected he’d be the one who would want more.
If Gabe was being honest with himself, he had to admit that he’d been fantasizing about the girl for years. She was constantly in his thoughts, and she didn’t have to do any work at all to have him on the verge of breaking his zipper. There was just something about her that he couldn’t resist.
He didn’t know if it was the blonde hair, the perfect curves, the deep blue eyes, the pouty lips… maybe he’d never know. He just knew he wanted her more than he’d ever wanted any other woman.
“Gabe?” Victoria’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.
“What’s up?” he called from the couch.
“Could you come here?”
Gabe’s cock pulsed. The water was still running; he could hear it.
Slowly, he rose from the couch and sauntered over. He placed a hand on the door knob and pushed it open just a crack.
“Do you need something?” he asked.
“Yes,” Victoria breathed in that sensual voice of hers. “Come here.”
She didn’t have to ask twice.
Gabe pushed through the door, staring at the open shower door that revealed Victoria’s perfect body, wet with water and blonde hair hugging her back. Gabe was very rarely caught off guard, but staring that the beautiful body of hers? Gabe couldn’t find a single word to say. Nothing existed that wasn’t Victoria.
“Would you like to join me?” she asked.
What did she just say? It took a moment for Gabe to register her words, and then he was stripping, yanking off his jeans and his shirt, tossing them to the floor and sauntering towards the shower.
When he stepped into the shower, Gabe couldn’t help but fall into Victoria. In a split second, his lips were crashing against hers, his hands knotted in her hair, her back pressed against the cold wall of the shower. He could feel the hot water rushing over him, but it barely registered to him—all he could feel was Victoria, and she felt like Heaven.
He could feel the surprise in her body from his quick advance, and he knew he should dial it back. He should be soft, gentle, romantic, and stop acting like a bull in a china shop.
Victoria’s hands tied around Gabe’s neck, her mouth opening to him and a moan escaping her throat as she arched her back, pushing her breasts into Gabe’s chest. A growl escaped his throat. She wants me just as much as I want her. Gabe kissed her harder.
Everything became a blur, as if Gabe was on drugs of some kind. He felt the euphoria, but he could barely recall how he got from Point A to Point B. It didn’t matter, because before he knew it, Gabe was positioned at the entrance to Victoria’s body, his hands on her hips and her legs wrapped around him as he prepared to drive into her.
He paused for a moment, pulled back from her lips and stared at her. Her breath was heavy, as was his, the sharp inhales and exhales of air the only sound besides the running water. Her chest rising and falling made his cock pulse, but he kept looking into her eyes, resisting the physical urge to push right in.
“What?” Victoria breathed. “What’s wrong?”
Gabe smiled. “Have I ever told you that you’re fucking perfect?”
A rush of crimson lit up Victoria’s cheeks as her eyes shied away from Gabe’s. His heart leapt in his chest.
Victoria’s pale blue eyes found his again, and she bit her lower lip. His entire body tightened with anticipation. “What are you waiting for?”
Gabe smirked and pushed into her, the sudden action causing Victoria to gasp and dig her nails into his shoulders. That only turned Gabe on more.
He pulled out slowly before shoving back in harder. Victoria moaned, leaning her head back and letting her mouth fall open. Seeing her pleasure drove Gabe wild. He wanted to give her more, he had to give her more.
Gabe continued to thrust into her, angling his body so that he was sliding against her most sensitive spot. He pulled her mouth to his once more, and when her tongue flicked against his lip, it sent a pulse of pure pleasure right down to his cock.
He kissed her harder, fucked her harder, gripped her against him as tightly as he could.
Everything was perfect about Victoria. She was pure ecstasy, giving Gabe the highest high he’d ever experienced in his life. There was something about her, something he couldn’t shake.
Well, shit, was he the one getting attached?
“Gabe,” Victoria moaned his name. Fuck. He was so fucking close to losing it, but he needed her to come with him.
Gabe bent to her nipple, licking, sucking, and nibbling. Victoria’s back arched and her breath quickened. He knew she was close. He pulled back and knotted his one free hand in her hair, forcing her to look at him.
Her eyes were so fucking blue. So fucking perfect.
“Gabe!”
“Come with me, baby,” Gabe groaned.
Gabe felt Victoria tighten around him, the first waves of her pleasure hitting her. Gabe thrust faster, harder, deeper, losing control and joining Victoria in the sweetness of release.
Slowly, their breathing slowed to a normal rate. Gabe hated to pull out of Victoria, but he had to. He slowly pulled out of her body and lowered her to the shower floor, keeping a hold on her hips the entire time.
Victoria pushed into Gabe, pressing her lips against his chest and wrapping her arms around his waist. Gabe brushed his fingers through her wet hair, leaning down so that his forehead was against hers.
“It’s you, Vic,” he breathed. “You’re my new addiction.”
She chuckled. “Hey,” she started. “I’m much healthier.”
He’d never felt so damn good in his entire life. “Best damn thing to happen to me.”
She looked up at him, smiling and biting her lip, and Gabe couldn’t help but smile back.
Victoria was his drug, alright. She was everything he wanted, since the very first time he had a taste. And now? He’d gone so long without her… so long completely obsessing over the girl he could never have. But here she was again, in his life, his house, his arms.
Victoria was a drug to him, and he was fucking hooked.
Chapter Nine
BEING AT THE LAKE AGAIN was odd. It was daytime, which helped to alleviate some of the awkwardness Victoria felt, but she just had to look over at Gabe’s beaming face for it to all rush back to her.
Every time she let herself, she found her mind recalling the night she and Gabe were out here at the lake. That passionate kiss. The need she felt for him… a need so strong that they couldn’t even make it to the car without ripping each other’s clothes off.
Enough! she internally screamed at herself.
Victoria had thought that things would die down with Gabe, but she was very wrong. T
hings only continued to grow more passionate. Hell, last weekend?
Victoria felt warmth rush to her cheeks as she thought back to the shower she and Gabe took together. She had never felt so lost in a moment, so ravenous for more and desperate to be close to someone. Gabe had made her feel like she was the only girl in the world, a feeling she hadn’t felt since… don’t go there.
Victoria shoved the memories aside and forced herself to return to the present moment. The lake was on her right, gentle waves hitting the shore. To the left, there was Kara. Next to Kara was Jason, and next to him?
Victoria’s stomach twisted a tiny bit. Gabe.
Jason had jokingly asked Gabe if Victoria had any friends, and Gabe got the bright idea that they should all go out together. Victoria didn’t mind, not at all. She liked spending time with Kara, and Jason seemed like a really great guy.
Nevertheless, it felt an awful lot like a double-date… which would imply that Victoria and Gabe were on a date. And that was somewhere Victoria’s mind just could not go.
Victoria looked out to the lake, the shimmering water soothing her mind for the briefest of moments. Victoria had always loved the water, something she really missed since leaving New York. Being so close to the ocean was a luxury that she took for granted when she was there.
They were alone on the trail, but Victoria could hear the increasing volume of voices in the distance. They were getting closer to the loading area where people could move their boats into the water. With the weather so nice, it must’ve been quite busy over there, today.
“So, how did you two get together?” Kara’s voice broke Victoria’s focus on the voices up ahead.
Victoria’s eyes shot to Kara and she raised her brows in confusion.
Kara turned to Gabe, then back to Victoria. “Maybe Gabe will fess up.” Kara turned away again. “Gabe, how did you and Victoria wind up getting together?”
Victoria stared at Gabe in horror as his brows furrowed and his smile grew wider. He averted eye contact, staring down at the trail and then schooling his expression and looking back up to Kara.
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