Level Up

by Hadley Quinn

  “So where’s Amy fit in?”

  He arched an eyebrow at her “Like what number?” He paused and took a bite. “Amy was probably fourth,” he answered, trying not to look her in the eye.

  “But she was your first ‘relationship,’ ” she said, using air quotes.

  He barely nodded. “Yeah. My pubescent years were spent being a dipshit with a father that didn’t care where the hell I was. I know I’m making excuses for my sorry ass, but it really does make me feel better sometimes.”

  She took a bite of food but studied him carefully while she chewed. He was uncomfortable, she could tell. Hell, how would she feel in his position? She’d never know, but that wasn’t the point. “So tell me about relationship number two,” she said.

  Gabe seemed to measure her tone before he shared. “When I was stationed in Georgia I met another girl… Lucy. She was more of a good friend to me, I guess. I’ve never really been on the, you know, romantic side. Just the outcome from my upbringing, I guess. We were friends with benefits too, like with Amy.” He was quiet for a bit as he thought. He stabbed another piece of his omelette and said, “Lucy eventually wanted to get married, and I couldn’t get away fast enough.”

  Her stomach sank a little. Gabe wasn’t the marrying kind, huh? At least he hadn’t been before. She wasn’t even sure if she was either, but it did make sense to her. When two people fell in love, what else was there?

  “And then a couple years ago I met Celia. My weapons training sergeant was Harris and she was his daughter. I never met her when I was in training, but I met her a few years later up in Virginia on one of my leaves. Her dad hated me—actually he hated all of us—but she was good company, I guess. Kind of a bitch, but I didn’t care. It didn’t last long. I was too fucked up to ever give anything to something so meaningless as a casual relationship. I pissed her off more than anything and she moved on.”

  He looked at Ava and took another bite. When he swallowed he said, “Well there you go. Pretty pathetic, huh? What about you?”

  She raised her eyebrows. “What about me? I asked you about women you’ve slept with. Obviously that subject doesn’t apply to me.”

  “Sleeping with women?” he smirked.

  “Ha,” she rolled her eyes.

  He only nodded and took another bite of food. They both ate for half a minute until he said, “And it wasn’t ‘dozens.’ ”

  She gave him a blank stare. “Excuse me?”

  “One-nighters. I promise you it wasn’t dozens.”

  She sort of grunted. “So if I meant six dozen, you could just mean five dozen?”

  He scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Not even close. I’m just saying—”

  “I’m kidding Gabe,” she smiled wryly. “If I’m not even close then I’ll just pretend a few dozen.”

  “I hope not. I’ve done a lot of shitty things but I’m not gonna be held accountable for things I didn’t do. Or, uh, women in this case…”

  She met his gaze, which was a cross between grumpy and exasperated. But she surprised him when she laughed. She was relieved somewhat—what did she know about meaningless sex anyway? She’d never had it and hoped to God she never did. But who was she to judge? She led a different life than most people her age.

  “What’s so funny?” he narrowed his eyes.

  “Nothing’s funny,” she shook her head with a smile. “I’m sorry, I’m just a dumbass. Honestly Gabe, I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I appreciate that you’re honest and—”

  He laughed sarcastically and she stopped in confusion.

  “You make it sound like you’re in the wrong,” Gabe told her. “Jesus, Ava. I’m a sleazy piece of shit, with a filthy mouth, and a fucked up dysfunctional family. You have absolutely nothing to apologize for.”

  He was pissed this time; she could read his frustration loud and clear. Okay, so she understood his way of thinking now, but she realized he was looking at this all wrong.

  “Gabe, I meant what I said when I told you the past stays in the past. I know that people have a different life than me, and I’ve always known it. Am I naïve? Maybe somewhat. But I’m not innocent when it comes to this stuff. Trust me, I have friends and I’ve heard plenty. I guess I’m just trying to get to know you, but maybe this subject wasn’t the best to get into this morning. That’s my fault. I’m sorry.”

  He gave her dubious look.

  “I was curious,” she clarified with a shrug.

  “You were uncomfortable.”

  “No, I was curious and didn’t want you to think I was some weirdo freak that was looking for sex stories.”

  He stared at her for a few seconds and then burst out laughing. “That’s what your discomfort was all about? You worried what I thought about you asking?”

  “You don’t get to laugh at me,” she feigned a pout.

  “I’m not, honey. Honestly. I just thought you were trying to stomach it all. I thought maybe you were disappointed in me—which you should be.”

  “I don’t want to think about it,” she smiled insecurely, “but no I’m not disappointed in you. And I think we need to move on to something different.”

  “Yeah, I agree. We get to move on to your half of sharing. So why aren’t there any guys you’ve wanted to bed? I mean that’s a good thing, of course. Saves me a lot of time beating the shit out of any asshole that touched you that way.”

  She scowled at him playfully and he gave her a cocky grin.

  “So you can be a slut and I can’t?” she sassed.

  “I deserve that,” he nodded. “But the answer is yes. Exactly. But I’m not like that anymore,” he added.

  She laughed and shook her head. “Fine.”

  “So? What kind of history do you have with guys?”

  She thought the question was interesting. What kind of history did she have? She’d dated several guys, made out with half of them, refused to have sex with all of them, and turned down dates from another few dozen entirely.

  “Well, I just haven’t been the type that any guy couldn’t live without, I guess.”

  He studied her carefully, like he was trying to read between the lines.

  “And I haven’t allowed them to find out, either,” she admitted. “I guess I’m a closed book because I’m afraid of falling for the wrong guy. I can thank my parents for that. I’ve learned, maybe a little too much, and I shut down before anything gets serious.”

  He continued to eye her. “Interesting.”

  She smiled at the poignant way he spoke the word. “Oh? You mean pathetic?”

  “Not at all,” he quickly replied. “I just didn’t meet that Ava, I guess.”

  She looked into his eyes and smiled. “No, you didn’t,” she agreed. “I think you brought out my bolder side for once.”

  He put down his fork and took her hand. She didn’t know why, but she realized for the first time that he was left-handed. “And I guess it’s no coincidence that I’m the type that has to have the stubborn beat out of him.”

  She smiled again as she considered that. “You know, I believe that there are people we come across that are supposed to be in our lives at that moment, for one reason or another. With you it just…clicked. Like a switch. It was automatic and I couldn’t leave it alone.”

  Their eyes met and she couldn’t look away. He seemed so…grateful. At least, that’s what she read. But even though she’d convinced Gabe to give them a chance, she felt he still had a long ways to go.

  “I suppose you believe in God,” he said quietly, and it took her by surprise. He released her hand and started to eat again.

  She took a sip of juice to quickly calculate her response. But all she could come up with was, “Yes. I do.”

  She poured herself more juice while she waited for him to continue the subject but he stood and asked, “Do you want another omelette?”

  She watched him open the egg carton and begin cracking the remaining three into a bowl.

  “No, I’m fine, thank you. This wa
s really good. I’m wondering what else you can cook. I think you’ve been taking advantage of my generosity, and I guess I deserve it for my assumption that you were a pathetic bachelor that couldn’t fend for himself.”

  He chuckled. “Yes, I can fend for myself. Basic meals, at least. But how can you blame me for accepting the edible offerings from such an incredible woman?”

  He raised an eyebrow with insinuation, and she laughed at the double meaning. “Well…you’re welcome,” she winked.

  Ava left the table with her empty plate and glass. While she rinsed them in the sink she heard the sizzle of his omelette mixture in the pan, and when she glanced at him, he was smiling at her.

  “What?” she asked, returning the smile.

  He shrugged. “You’re beautiful. I just like staring.”

  Her heart grew. It felt so special to hear him say that. “Well so are you. And it makes me curious.”

  He lifted a brow. “In what way?”

  “In all ways,” she shrugged.

  She wanted to say that there were so many things about him that she wanted to know, but with Gabe, she felt it needed to happen slowly. There was time for details. What mattered to her the most was that he shared the part of him that was in need of her nurturing.

  Gabe flipped his omelette and motioned Ava to him. She would never turn down affection from him and his hug and kiss were affirmation enough. He was going to find peace somehow, and she would be there every step of the way.

  “I’m sorry if I snored last night,” she said, burying her face under his chin.

  He chuckled. “No. You didn’t.”

  “Good. I didn’t want to keep you up. Did you sleep okay?”

  He paused. “Uh, I don’t really sleep.” She pulled back to look at him with question and he shrugged. “Just not something that comes easy to me anymore. At least not in the last few years, I guess.”

  “Then what did you do last night?”

  “Watched you sleep,” he grinned.

  She scoffed. “Great. I probably drooled. And talked in my sleep.”

  “I coaxed all of your private information out of you. Address, phone number, social security number…”

  She smiled. “Well, I would have given it to you anyway, so that’s fine.”

  “Hmm. What about all the things you said about Adam? Would you have divulged that just as easily?”

  Her eyes widened. “What- huh? What did—?”

  He laughed and shook his head. “I’m kidding, Ava. But sounds like there’s something to reveal, huh?”

  She looked at him for a moment, the heat rising in her cheeks. She smacked him on the chest and said, “There’s nothing to admit about Adam. He’s just a friend.”

  He slightly nodded his head and turned to remove his food from the stove.

  “But…” she began.

  His smile disappeared as he dumped the concoction onto his plate. “Ah-ha, so I did notice something there.”

  “You noticed nothing,” she retorted playfully.

  She tried to remember how long they’d been at the lake house before she first met Gabe. It had only been a day, right? Maybe he had seen her ogle over Adam, but that was definitely before she met Gabe. After that, any romantic notions about Adam were history.

  “Well, I wasn’t sure,” he admitted. “I never saw you guys kiss or anything, but I did think he was your boyfriend. You guys always been just friends?”

  She kind of chuckled. “Actually we weren’t really friends until he came up here. We were acquaintances, but I’d barely even talked to the guy.”

  He was obviously surprised.

  She gave him a sheepish smile. “If you must know, yeah I was interested in Adam. For the last year, actually.”

  “But nothing came of that? He’s an idiot,” he smirked.

  With a shrug she said, “Well, I wasn’t too forward, you know. And he’d had a girlfriend for a while. Trent caught wind that I had a vacation house and I was talked into letting them come. It didn’t take much since I thought I could get to know Adam a little better. But once I met you I was like ‘Adam who?’ ”

  He laughed, and then he swallowed a couple bites of food as he leaned against the counter. “I first saw you when you guys pulled in,” he said. He looked down at her legs and said, “I noticed those things the second they stepped out of the car.”

  “You like my legs, huh,” she teased.

  “I thought ‘Who the hell wears cowboy boots to the lake?’” He laughed when she smacked him in the arm. “And then I saw the long legs that came out of them and I didn’t give a damn. And you were wearing those cute little cutoff shorts,” he added.

  She smiled and said, “I love those boots. They were the first expensive thing I bought when I sold my first painting.”

  He slowly nodded. “Ah, yeah, that reminds me…” He moved to the living room and pointed to a framed piece of work on the wall above the fireplace. “Is this one of yours?”

  She followed him out of the kitchen and looked over the painting with a chuckle. “Uh yep. Not my best work, but hey, I was only fourteen.”

  “You were fourteen when you painted that? Shit. Picasso if I ever saw it.”

  “Right.”

  “Is that Mt. Rainier?”

  “Yep,” she nodded.

  He seemed to study it for a moment. “Hm. And there are several paintings in the main house, too. I assume those are yours?”

  She shrugged. “I think I’ve got a few in there.”

  “AMC,” he stated, reading her initials in the corner of the artwork. “What’s your middle name?”

  “Michelle. What’s your full name?”

  He paused for a second. “Gabriel Jude McIntyre. The third.”

  “The third, huh?” she raised her eyebrows.

  He nodded and pointed to the wall again. “I’ve always liked this painting.”

  “Oh?”

  “Such a contrast from what’s seen out this window each day. Kind of opposite beauties.”

  “Charlie picked that one for the cabin. My dad insisted on sticking something of mine in here, so I let Charlie pick. He said it was because he sweats his ass off working for us and the snow seemed refreshing to him. I always thought that was weird, though. I jump in the lake when I get hot. No need for snow.”

  Gabe smiled. “I love the snow. There were many times that I was just dying to lay my body in some of it. I would’ve given anything to be in it for just a few minutes.”

  She studied him carefully. “I take it you were stationed somewhere painfully hot?”

  He barely nodded and finished the last of his eggs. He took his plate to the sink and rinsed it, and since there was a moment of quiet between them, they both heard the rushed steps in the gravel, someone landing on the porch, and a loud pounding on the front door.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Gabe went to the door but subtly looked out the window before he opened it.

  “It’s your friend Chelsea,” he said.

  “Oh shit!” she hissed, slapping a palm to her forehead. “I was supposed to call her last night and my phone’s in the house. She’s probably been freaking out!”

  “Hey, cabin guy!” a yell came from the porch. “Are you in there?”

  Ava smiled and so did Gabe, but he was waiting for her to give the okay to open the door. She nodded, but Chelsea was already in the process when Gabe opened it, and she stumbled into the entryway. She looked scared at first, until she saw Ava standing in the living room. Her mouth hung open as she glanced between the two of them.

  Ava smiled sheepishly but Chelsea narrowed her eyes at her. Then she looked at Gabe again, who was casually standing at the door but looking down at the floor like he was just waiting for a reprimand.

  “You dirty dog,” she said to him in a low voice. Ava couldn’t tell if Chelsea was actually mad or still caught up in the panic of looking for her.

  “Chelsea,” she warned with a patient smile.

  She looked
at Ava and shook her head. But instead of questioning the two any further she said, “I need to talk to you. And you owe me big time for making me drive all the way out here to make sure you weren’t chopped up into little pieces and buried somewhere!”

  She glared at Gabe once more and then stormed out of the cabin.

  Gabe didn’t look insulted, but he did look affected in some way. It worried Ava and she said, “She’s really dramatic.” She made her way to him and kissed him on the mouth. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Take your time,” he said, but it was without feeling.

  So were his lips, she noticed as she left out the front door.

  Chelsea was pacing by her car when Ava came out. She stopped when she saw her friend and angrily crossed her arms over her chest. Okay, so she was mad. Ava not only had to deal with this, but now she had Gabe on edge again.

  Shit.

  “I was about to freak out,” Chelsea began right away. “I mean I was this close to calling the sheriff. I was even going to call your dad so he could tell me if that guy had a goddamn criminal history. He probably wouldn’t know that, which is why I was ready to call the cops!”

  “Chelsea, relax—”

  “No, I won’t,” she huffed. “God, Ava. Please tell me that wasn’t what it appeared to be. It’s eight in the damn morning and look at you.” She’d pointed to Ava’s head, so she could only assume that her hair was messy. “You slept with him?!” she exclaimed. “What is the matter with you?”

  “Excuse me?” Ava said, getting irritated. “Since when are you all high and mighty about stuff like that?”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means that you can screw any guy you want and it’s no big deal, but I spent a very special night with someone important to me and suddenly I’m a whore?”

  She opened her mouth to protest and then clamped it shut again. Ava had hit truth on the head, but Chelsea wasn’t going to give in. “Ava,” she groaned slowly. She nodded to the cabin. “Him?”

  “‘Him’? Why do you make that sound so awful? You were the one excited about him too. Why are you all of a sudden pissed off that I’ve spent time with him?”